Accreditation

Does the JCAHO's rule about sprinklers mean that we can stack items up to the ceiling as long as the sprinklers are not obscured for 18 inches in any direction?

Accreditation Monthly, January 15, 2004

If a shelf is attached to a wall, the JCAHO allows you to store materials on top of the shelf up to the ceiling, as long as there is an 18 inch clearance from the sprinkler head. Many facilities create policies that do not allow anything within 18 inches of the ceiling regardless of where the sprinklers are located. One of the reasons for this is that some local fire marshals follow rules that are stricter than the JCAHO.

Most Popular

Related Articles