Overcoming the challenges of fire safety in healthcare facilities

Hospital reception desk areas and offices typically house devices which are central to efficient organization and administration, plus accessories such as monitors and printers. Overheating of these electrical sources or sparks from power points could rapidly ignite a fire and destroy valuable resources. Medical records and handover sheets – still often in paper format in cardboard sleeves – plus furniture, would create kindling for flames. As offices do not need to be sterile environments, dust buildup could also accelerate the spread of fire.

Solutions:
The AVENAR 4000 fire detectors and AVENAR fire panels provide extremely reliable coverage for admin areas. Spaces of any size and layout requiring dual heat and smoke detection to protect personnel and property can easily be fitted with up to 125 AVENAR devices in a single loop. The Bosch fire safety portfolio facilitates system upgrades and the replacement of legacy detection equipment thanks to its backward and forward compatibility.

Facilities on a medical premises include catering for patients’ meals, a café for visitors, a laundry for washing bed linen and gowns, a parking lot – and even smoking areas. Just one faulty electrical appliance, a discarded glowing cigarette or cooking oil spillage on a hot surface could ignite a fire. Flames spread rapidly when in contact with disinfectant and antibacterial agents, textiles, paper towels and stored medical supplies, with a high probability of harmful chemical emissions. Water boilers and parking areas pose a risk of carbon monoxide leakage.

Solutions:
Spaces with a combination of fire and emissions hazards require a sophisticated mix of intelligent, targeted sensors. AVENAR 4000 multi-sensor detectors can pick up values from a range of phenomena. Dual optical detection for pale smoke, thermal detection for overheating or sudden rises in temperature and even an integrated CO monitor can all be integrated wherever they are needed. Hospital staff are thus given peace of mind while working in areas which produce dust, vapor, heat or potential fumes.

Operating theaters, intensive care units, nurseries and neonatal ICUs, as well as spaces used to administer treatments like chemotherapy, must all be kept completely sterile to avoid infection of vulnerable patients. Monitoring or surgical equipment and medical lighting can all generate heat and all other electrical items, including incubators and defibrillators, have the potential to short circuit. Fire detection is essential in these areas, but must also be maintained and cleaned to high clinical standards.

Solutions:
Bosch invisible fire detectors have ultra-slim housing with smooth, wipe-clean surfaces. They therefore gather hardly any dust and any fine particles can be cleared away easily. The discreet size and design take up less space in an area that already requires the installation of many other devices yet they are highly effective and reliable in picking up signs of fire.

There is no one-size-fits-all approach to fire safety coverage in a medical lab. Testing of blood and tissue samples is carried out using analyzers and high-speed centrifuges. Diverse substances in all forms may be handled and stored, depending on how general or specialized the healthcare center is. If combustible or flammable gases, fluids or powder substances are kept on site, these spaces must be monitored for any sign of potential explosions.

Solutions:
For general reliable fire protection, where no specialized detection is necessary, AVENAR 4000 fire detectors are ideal and easy to maintain and keep clean. Labs which must be kept sterile and rooms used for chemical sterilization of surgical equipment can be fitted with invisible fire detectors to ensure high hygiene standards and reliable detection in case of ignition in the presence of highly flammable substances. Explosive zones can be monitored for excessive heat, temperature spikes, flames and smoke with special explosion-proof fire detectors with robust housing.

Clinics typically include rooms with medical imaging equipment including CT or MRI scanners, X-ray and ultrasound machines. However, the radiation, magnetic fields and radio waves emitted by this equipment can interfere with the dependability of regular fire detectors – creating a high risk of flames or smoke going unnoticed.

Solutions:
AVENAR 4000 fire detectors comprise a unique eSmog function which automatically measures electromagnetic disturbance values to which each detector is exposed. It then calculates averages to determine any risk of threshold values being exceeded. Fire safety managers are informed of critical values, so action can be taken to reduce their source before a false alert is raised. This helps avoid the inconvenience and excessive cost of evacuations during the operation of valuable machinery. In cases where the use of point detectors is completely prohibited, aspirating smoke detectors provide a reliable alternative.

Evacuation guidelines are put in place for any public building in case fire alarms are sounded, but the scale and complex layout of hospitals creates a conundrum for responsible safety managers and a full evacuation must be a last-resort decision. When it is necessary, measures must be established to ensure continuity of essential health care provision.* Many patients require assistance for descending stairwells while elevators are out of use. Others need to be carried on stretchers, making the process extremely slow.

*WHO: Hospital Emergency Response Checklist

Solutions:
The Bosch Smart Safety Link enables the integration of voice alarms with fire detectors and assists safety managers with emergency evacuations with a highly effective gradual approach, allowing efficient, safe and calm evacuations at different stages.