
Your resource for expert Life Safety Code® and compliance insights.
Here you’ll find responses to readers' questions, interesting observations from the field, and more.
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Coded Announcement During Fire
A coded announcement for fire may be “Code Red," “Dr. Red,” or some such similar word(s).
Fire Response Team
What we see in the Life Safety Code is a requirement to have a written fire safety plan that instructs the healthcare worker how to respond to a fire, and you need to instruct your personnel on the fire safety plan.
More Questions on Spare Sprinklers
Section A.6.2.9.1 in the Annex of NFPA 13-2010 suggests two of each type and temperature rating be provided.
Humidity and Temperature Logs
As far as I can tell, there is not a standard from NFPA, CMS, or the accreditation organizations that specifies how often (or how frequent) the temperature and humidity need to be checked and logged.
Joint Commission Modifies Their Spare Sprinkler Head Requirements…Again
Last December, I shared a change that The Joint Commission made regarding how many spare sprinkler heads you need to keep in stock at your facility.
IT and Data Closets
If an IT closet is classified as a hazardous area and it is over 50 square feet in size, then it must be protected as a hazardous area in accordance with the new construction or existing condition requirements.
Lasers in Surgery
According to NFPA 99-2012, section 6.3.2.2.8 says wet procedure locations shall be provided with special protection against electric shock.
Changes to Life Safety Code Compliance in Business Occupancies
The Joint Commission has announced they will have their life safety surveyors inspect off-site business occupancies.
Business Occupancy Below a Health Care Occupancy
If the building was a single-story, there is no business occupancy floor below the healthcare occupancy level.
Signs on Doors in the Path of Egress
You have not found specific guidance in the Life Safety Code on this issue because there isn’t any.
Doors Wedged Open
You cannot block or wedge a fire-rated door open, and you cannot block or wedge a corridor door open.
Shower Curtains
Ironically, curtains used in showers are exempt from having to be fire-rated.
Looking for something specific?
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- Alcohol
- Alcohol Based Hand Rub Dispensers
- Batteries
- Business Occupancies
- Ceilings
- Circuit Breaker
- Clean Supply Room
- Corridors
- Data Closets
- Door Locks
- Doors
- Electrical
- Electrical Receptacle
- Emergency Lights
- Emergency Power
- Environment of Care
- Evacuation
- Eyewash Stations
- Facilities Management
- Fire Alarms
- Fire and Smoke Dampers
- Fire Caulk
- Fire Detection Systems
- Fire Doors
- Fire Drills
- Fire Extinguishers
- Fire Response
- Fire Suppression Systems
- Fire Watch
- Flammable Liquids
- Generators
- Hazardous Areas
- Healthcare Occupancy
- Humidity
- HVAC
- Inspection
- Interim Life Safety Measure (ILSM)
- Joint Commission
- Life Safety Code
- Maintenance
- MRI
- Negative Air
- New Construction
- NFPA 99
- Operating Room
- Oxygen Cylinders
- Patient Rooms
- Power Strips
- Risk Assessment
- Shower Curtains
- Signs
- Smoke Barrier
- Smoke Detectors
- Smoking
- Sprinklers
- Stairwells
- Storage Room
- Temperature
- Testing
- Testing and Inspection
- Vacuum Pump
- Waivers
- Wall Decals
- Waste Containers
- What Happened