Part 3 - Fire Safety

SAFETY IN Biomedical
Engineering
Part 3: Fire Safety
Dr./ Awadh Al-Kubati

Every hospital has a specific fire safety
plan in the event of a fire emergency.
2
Every hospital has a code name for a fire
emergency.
• The appropriate hospital
code word should be used
when reporting a fire.
• Fire drills are performed
periodically to test all the
systems involved in the fire
safety program.
• It is important to be familiar
with all the emergency codes
for each hospital.
3
Buildings are designed with fire safety
in mind.
• Fire/Smoke walls help contain smoke into
compartments.
• Fire Doors shut automatically when smoke alarms are
activated and also help to contain fire.
• Corridors are designed to give a safe way to exit the
building.
4
Elements of Fire Prevention
Planning
• List all major fire hazards.
• Proper control of hazardous materials
• including flammable and combustible liquids.
• Control potential ignition sources.
• List fire protection equipment.
• Regular inspection and maintenance.
• Responsible employees for fuel sources.
Fire Detection
1. Human Observer
2. Automatic Fire-Detection Systems
3. Building Elements and Contents
4. Elements of Building Fire Safety
Fire Safety
• If you discover a fire…
• Shut the door
• Call “help” – to alert
the staff
• Do not shout “FIRE”
• Follow R.A.C.E.
What to Do in Case of a
Fire ?
• Remember the acronym RACE

• Rescue anyone in the immediate area of the fire.
• Activate the alarm by calling the hospital operator and pull
the fire alarm pull stations.
• Contain the fire - close doors and windows in the immediate
fire area.
• Extinguish the fire with the proper fire extinguisher.
8
Fire Safety Equipment
• Fire alarm pull stations near exits and
stairwells.
• When a fire alarm pull station is
activated…
- The fire alarm will sound
- Fire doors will close
- Strobe lights are activated
- Elevators move to the ground floor
and are disabled.
• You should be familiar with the
location and operation of fire
extinguishers!!
9
Fire Emergency Response
R.A.C.E.
• Rescue – Remove patients from immediate danger area
• Activate Alarm – Call emergency number or pull alarm box
• Contain – Close all the doors
• Extinguish/Evacuate – Touch the door – if hot DO NOT OPEN.
- If small – use the ABC Fire extinguisher.
– If evacuation is necessary, you will be given directions.
10
Types of Portable Extinguishers
• Water-solution extinguishers
• Dry-chemical extinguishers
• There are 4 types:
• Sodium Bicarbonate
• Potassium Bicarbonate
• Potassium Chloride
• Ammonium Phosphate
• Carbon dioxide extinguishers
• displace the available oxygen in a fire
• Dry-powder extinguishers:
• G-1 powdered agent
• Met-L-X: Magnesium
• Lith-X: Zirconium, Titanium, Sodium-Potassium
• Met-L-Kyl: : Triethylaluminum
Fire Extinguishers
• Class A – (“A” in a green triangle)

• Wood, paper, rubber or plastic fires.
• Class B – (“B” in a red square)
• Gas, grease, or flammable liquids –
gasoline, oil.
• Class C – (“C” in a purple circle)
• Electrical fires.
• Multipurpose
• ABC extinguishers – can be used for
any type of fire.
12
How to…
Use a Fire Extinguisher
P.A.S.S.
Pull the pin
Aim the nozzle
Squeeze the handle in 5 second burst
Sweep the base of the fire from side to side
14
Compartmentalization
• Hospitals are divided into boxes within boxes to
contain smoke and isolate fires.
• Fire and Smoke doors contain the fire, smoke and
toxic fumes within the area.
Your Role
• Keep fire exits clear
• Do not prop open automatic fire doors
• Know the fire exits
• Know where the oxygen shutoff valves are located
and which rooms they supply.
15
Evacuation
• The administrator or designated representative
determines the need for the evacuation of a
department. Immediate evacuation is normally
horizontal – same floor rather than another floor
• Your role
• Follow instructions
• Know where the evacuation equipment is located
• Know how to use evacuation equipment
16
Fire Drills
• Fire Drills may occur at
any time. Fire drills
should be treated like the
real thing. Follow the
department fire plan
from calling the code
through evacuation.
17
Smoking Regulations
• All hospitals promote:

• Prevention of disease
• Promotion of good
health
• Reduction of fire safety
hazards
Smoking is prohibited at all health care facilities.
18
Electrical Safety
• Inspect all electrical equipment before use.

• Look for frayed or exposed power cords, cracked outlets
or power plugs, loose fitting power plugs, and
overloaded circuits.
• Take out of service any electrical equipment that
appears faulty.
19
Red Electrical Outlets
• Red outlets are connected to the

hospital emergency generator.
These outlets will provide power
during an outage.
• ALWAYS plug life support

equipment into red outlets.
Electrical Safety Tips
• Do not use faulty or damaged equipment. Report malfunctions.

• Avoid the use of extension cords. Use three prong plugs.
• Do not use electrical equipment near water.
• Always plug equipment into the outlet before turning on.
• Do not allow the equipment cabinets to touch each other, the
bed or the patient.
• Do not touch the patient and equipment, water pipe, or window
sill at the same time.
• Do not use new equipment unless it has been checked by
Biomedical Department and you have been instructed on its use.
21
Equipment Failure During Use
• Disconnect equipment. Do not alter any settings.

• Assess the patient for complications. Get medical
assistance if required.
• Replace equipment.
• Notify the Department Manager.
• Do not remove equipment until hospital personnel
investigate. If you must remove it, tag it.
• Document the malfunction on the appropriate form.
• Submit form to the Department Manager.
22
Recovering from Fires
• Secure the scene
• Begin investigation
• Resume normal operations if possible
Fire Hazard Analysis
• Fire hazards need to be assessed before, during, and after
construction of a facility.
• Topics that should be analyzed:
• site
• building construction
• building content
• management factors
• people factors (numbers and characteristics)
• fire protection system (if for an existing facility)
• after the fire
Controlling Fires
• Cool a fire
• Lowering the heat of the fire can reduce the size of the fire.
• Remove fuel from a fire

• A fire will extinguish with no fuel supply. This can be difficult and dangerous.
• Limit oxygen in a fire

• Limiting the oxygen in a fire can be done by smothering the area with a noncombustible
material or throwing sand or dirt on the fire.
• Interrupt the chain reaction in a fire

• Using a fire extinguisher will limit the oxygen to the fire and will interrupt the chain reaction in a fire by
removing the free radicals, which are the lifeblood of the fire.
• Use extinguishing agents

• Extinguishing Agents Can Sometimes Attack More than One of the Four Component of the
Tetrahedron, This Could Result in Eliminating the Fire Quicker
Classification of Fires
• Class A Fires • Class B Fires
(usually occur in ordinary materials, (usually occur with a vapor-air
like wood, paper, rags, & rubbish) mixture over the surface of flammable
liquids such as gasoline, oil, grease,
and paints)
Classification of Fires (Cont.)
• Class C Fires • Class D Fires
(electrical fires) (usually occur in such as
magnesium, titanium, and potassium)
Classification of Fires (Cont.)
• Class K Fires
(usually involve cooking greases or
cooking oils)
Fire Prevention:
Construction of Facilities
1. Objectives of fire prevention
2. Planning for fire protection
3. Site planning
4. Construction materials and interior furnishings
5. Fire protection methods and concepts in building

design
Fire Protection Methods and Concepts
in Building Design
1. Confining fire
2. Controlling smoke
3. Exits
4. Evacuation
5. Ventilation
6. Fire doors
7. Connections for sprinklers and standpipes
Automatic Fire-Detection
Systems
• Thermal detectors • Products-of-combustion (ionization)
detectors
• Fixed-thermal detectors
• Single-chamber ionization detectors
• Rate-compensated thermal detectors
• Dual-chamber ionization detectors
• Rate-of-rise thermal detectors
• Low-voltage ionization detectors
• Line thermal detectors
• Flame detectors
• Eutectic-salt-line thermal detectors
• Infrared detectors
• Bulb detection system
• Ultraviolet detectors
• Smoke detectors
• Combustion-gas detectors
• Beam photoelectric detectors
• Extinguishing-system attachments
• Reflected-beam photoelectric
detectors • Sensor systems
The End
Any Questions ?

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SAFETY IN Biomedical

Part 3: Fire Safety

Dr./ Awadh Al-Kubati

• Remember the acronym RACE

• Class A – (“A” in a green triangle)

• All hospitals promote:

Smoking is prohibited at all health care facilities.

• Inspect all electrical equipment before use.

• Red outlets are connected to the

• ALWAYS plug life support

• Do not use faulty or damaged equipment. Report malfunctions.

• Disconnect equipment. Do not alter any settings.

• Remove fuel from a fire

• Limit oxygen in a fire

• Interrupt the chain reaction in a fire

• Use extinguishing agents

2. Planning for fire protection

4. Construction materials and interior furnishings

5. Fire protection methods and concepts in building

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