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Learn Life Safety Code tips and interpretations for healthcare facilities with this in-depth monthly resource.

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Healthcare Life Safety Compliance

Issue 12, December 21, 2002 - VIEW THE FULL ISSUE

• Sound a tone before an alarm announcement garners more attention

  Sound a tone before an alarm announcement garners more attention

• Know the dangers of magnetic objects in an MRI unit

  Know the dangers of magnetic objects in an MRI unit

• A new emphasis on hand gels also means more vigilance to fire safety

  It’s not often that clinical guidelines encompass fire protection strategies, but...

• NFPA 99 permits respirator hookups to medical air

  Not surprisingly, though, there are several caveats to considerA few new words in an updated NFPA...

• Questions & Answers

  Each month, Contributing Technical Editor James Lathrop and his colleagues at Koffel Associates...

• Review emergency plans to protect employees

  FL hospital looks at evacuations and communicationEven a quickly contained fire can highlight a...

• Some advice to ponder before you begin an FSES

  Beginning with deficiencies won’t help your scores with this optionIn the November HLSC, we...

Issue 11, November 21, 2002 - VIEW THE FULL ISSUE

• More flexibility with conversions centers around patient protection

  In our last issue, we talked about how the Life Safety Code® (LSC) views major and...

• Questions &Answers

  Each month, Contributing Technical Editor James Lathrop and his colleagues at Koffel Associates...

• Seeking equivalencies: How to keep regulators happy with your requests

  Different regulatory offices use various terms to describe formally requesting an...

Issue 10, October 21, 2002 - VIEW THE FULL ISSUE

• A 10-step guide to performance improvement

  A 10-step guide to performance improvement

• Ambulatory facilities face changes for backup power

  Ambulatory facilities face changes for backup power

• Could facilities use sound to speed up evacuations?

  Could facilities use sound to speed up evacuations?

• Questions & Answers

  Questions & Answers

• To track performance improvement, unearth your life safety problems

  Performance improvement is an ongoing effort for any facility surveyed by the Joint Commission on...

• With renovations, major v. minor work becomes a pivotal code choice

  With renovations, major v. minor work becomes a pivotal code choice

Issue 9, September 21, 2002 - VIEW THE FULL ISSUE

• Asked and answered: Some tips to complete your SOC, other advice

  ASHE panel takes questions on fire safetyYou’ve heard about it and we’ve written...

• Book excerpt: Setting up useful surveillance rounds

  Stay away from unannounced ‘police’ visits that intimidate workersIn order to be...

• HLSC Quiz

  1. (T) (F) The term "smoke partition" is just another way of saying smoke barrier.2. (T) (F) Floor...

• Questions & Answers

  Quick-response sprinklersQ: I am reviewing a set of sprinkler drawings for a renovated patient...

• What exactly is a smoke partition?

  The first in an occasional series that looks at new provisions in the 2000 Life Safety Code...

• A vote for mediation

  “This is a business where we deal with a lot of conflict.”Those words from David Nuss...

Issue 8, August 21, 2002 - VIEW THE FULL ISSUE

• The differences between two life safety surveys

  The differences between two life safety surveys

• Contractors must know the rules before they begin their work

  Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia is in the midst of a major expansion, including a $400...

• Questions & Answers

  Each month, Contributing Technical Editor James Lathrop and his colleagues at Koffel Associates...

• What’s behind the Dutch door?

  Consider setting; watch for proper latchingIn health care facilities, Dutch doors—those...

Issue 7, July 21, 2002 - VIEW THE FULL ISSUE

• MRI hazards require specialized policies and knowledge

  MRI hazards require specialized policies and knowledge

• Maintenance policy lapse leads to an all-out evacuation of patients

  Anyone who doesn’t believe an acute care hospital would ever evacuate patients to the...

• No easy answers with occupancies for sleep clinics

  Consider this scenario from the University of Rochester (NY) Medical Center: You have a 12,000 sq...

• Questions & Answers

  Each month, Contributing Technical Editor James Lathrop and his colleagues at Koffel Associates...

• Six-month countdown: The JCAHO aims to adopt 2000 LSC January 1

  Medicare program inches forward on similar actionVarious pushes in the health care industry to use...

Issue 6, June 21, 2002 - VIEW THE FULL ISSUE

• Proposed CMS budget could spell survey relief

  Validation visits cost some facilities big bucksInspectors may knock on far fewer doors next year...

• Questions & Answers

  Each month, Contributing Technical Editor James Lathrop and his colleagues at Koffel Associates...

• RED: Another reminder of your duties during a fire

  This colorful acronym helps you act appropriatelyYou probably already know the ideas behind the...

• Smother clothing fires the right way

  For health care facilities, one of the best lines of defense comes when employees know how to put...

• Time for new carpeting? Corridor protection influences your choices

  Life Safety Code focuses on sites without sprinklersDuring renovation or remodeling projects...

Issue 5, May 21, 2002 - VIEW THE FULL ISSUE

• Don’t let door rules close in on you

  The walls tell you about requirementsIt is one thing to keep doors in your health care facility...

• Feds tell health care sites to replace faulty sprinklers

  If your facility receives funding from the Medicare program, then you must take steps to identify...

• ‘I’m using that cylinder stored over there . . . I think’

  Editor’s note: In our last issue, we discussed the NFPA’s requirements for oxygen...

• Photography 101: Think visually with your installations and repairs

  Photos help keep contractors in lineMost of you probably don’t verify the installation of...

• Questions & Answers

  Each month, Contributing Technical Editor James Lathrop and his colleagues at Koffel Associates...

Issue 4, April 21, 2002 - VIEW THE FULL ISSUE

• 2000 Life Safety Code watch: ICC asks the feds for equal footing

  An occasional update on the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services’ (CMS) proposed...

• Oxygen storage requirements revolve around a cylinder’s purpose

  Fixed systems differ from portable usesBecause of the fire safety dangers associated with oxygen...

• Questions & Answers

  Each month, Contributing Technical Editor James Lathrop and his colleagues at Koffel Associates...

• Scorched outlets? Your patients may secretly smoke

  Paper clips and other materials help those who want to light upWhen you make your fire safety...

• Shakedown against patient smoking

  Fires point to a need for staff vigilanceTalk about the worst of both worlds: Late last...

Issue 3, March 21, 2002 - VIEW THE FULL ISSUE

• Fiery helicopter crash prompts patient relocations in Cleveland

  Drill procedures succeed, but communications lagUniversity Hospitals in Cleveland, OH, can thank...

• Questions & Answers

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• Stress quick action when a fire alarm sounds

  Staff members must capitalize on trained instinctsThis story follows up on an article from our...

• Three ways to reinforce fire watches

  Strive for involvement beyond your facilityMany of you are familiar with the idea behind...

Issue 2, February 21, 2002 - VIEW THE FULL ISSUE

• 2000 Life Safety Code watch: JCAHO, AHA offer their comments

  An occasional update on the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services' (CMS) proposed adoption of...

• Facilities must know the dangers of magnetic objects in MRI units

  Part two: Equipment, firefighters bring hazardsSome portable fire extinguishers can pose a danger...

• ILSM troubles come more from enforcement, say poll respondents

  Four out of five respondents to our recent online survey about interim life safety...

• Questions & Answers

  Each month, Contributing Technical Editor James Lathrop and his colleagues at Koffel Associates...

• Warnings from the building should tip off workers

  One day, fire protection consultant Jon Jones walked in the door of a hospital, passed by the...

Issue 1, January 21, 2002 - VIEW THE FULL ISSUE

• How CMS and JCAHO visits differ

  How CMS and JCAHO visits differ

• Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services

  Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services

• If workers can't tell you about fire safety, then make them show you

  If workers can’t tell you about fire safety, then make them show you

• Part one: How do you protect the unit?

  Part one: How do you protect the unit?

• Questions and Answers

  Questions and Answers