Fire/Electrical Safety Fire/Electrical Safety Community-Wide Community-Wide

Student OrientationStudent Orientation

Reviewed 10/2014

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ObjectivesObjectives

Identify three elements required for a fire to burn.

Recognize importance of fire drills. Identify meaning of R.A.C.E and

P.A.S.S. Describe flow of energy current.

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Chemistry of FireChemistry of Fire

Fire burns because there Fire burns because there are three elements are three elements present...present... Fuel Heat Oxygen

By removing any one element a fire can not occur, or a fire will not be able to sustain combustion.

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Fire Prevention Fire Prevention Practices...Practices...

Keep passage ways and exits clear Ensure fire extinguishers and fire

alarm pull stations are accessible at all times

Place trash in proper receptacles Ensure that fire doors are not

blocked

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Plan for Fire Plan for Fire Emergencies..Emergencies....

Read & understand the fire evacuation plan for your area

Know the location of at least two (2) emergency exits

Know the location of fire alarm pull stations and fire extinguishers

Take part in fire drills

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Plan for Fire Plan for Fire Emergencies..Emergencies....

Have you ever stayed at a hotel? If so, did you ever take the time to look at the evacuation plan posted on the inside of the room door? Think about the following, you are in a new city for a conference. It is 3 a.m. and you are awakened from a sound sleep to hear this loud whistling sound or horn blaring. As you begin to wake up you smell smoke and suddenly you are no longer sleepy.

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Plan for Fire Plan for Fire Emergencies..Emergencies.... You run to the door, feel it for heat and open it.

The hallway is full of thick black smoke, and it invades your room and your lungs, choking you. You fall to the floor and start to crawl forward looking for the exit signs. Only you can not see them and you do not know where the stairs are. And you think to your self ....... your alarm rings and you wake up, it was only a dream. But it could happen. Always be prepared, know your role in the event of a facility fire and take an active part.

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In Case of Fire...In Case of Fire...

Remain calm. Don’t panic or cause confusion. NEVER shout fire.

Proceed safely to nearest fire exit Feel surfaces of doors before opening Crawl to exit if smoke is present in

area Follow instructions of Fire Department Remember R.A.C.E. and P.A.S.S.

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R.A.C.E. for R.A.C.E. for Fire Safety...Fire Safety...

Rescue anyone in immediate danger.

Activate the fire alarm pull station Contain the fire Extinguish the fire, if your safety

can be assured

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P.A.S.S. for Fire P.A.S.S. for Fire Extinguisher Use...Extinguisher Use...

Pull the pin Aim at base of the fire Squeeze the handles together Sweep from side to side

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Classes of Classes of FireFire

Class A - Ordinary combustibles such as wood, paper, and trash

Class B - Flammable liquids such as gasoline, xylene, and alcohol

Class C - Electrical equipment

Due to the multiple combustibles in the healthcare environment, they utilize a multiclass fire extinguisher, or what is termed an ABC class extinguisher.

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Fire Drills...Fire Drills... Conducted every quarter on every shift

in Hospital Respond immediately as if actual fire.

Remember R.A.C.E. and P.A.S.S. All corridor fire doors are connected to

fire alarm & detection system and will close automatically once activated

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Fire Drills...Fire Drills... The corridor fire doors and the room doors

are all rated for a particular time frame that it will take a fire to burn through them. This is why it is important to ensure that the fire doors in the corridors are free to close and that patients and visitors remain in their rooms with the doors closed. This provides them an added barrier between them and the fire, and also greater time for the fire department to respond and contain without loss of life.

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No No Smoking Smoking Policy...Policy...

Smoking by anyone, which includes patients, visitors, medical staff, associates, and visitors is prohibited inside the buildings.

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Electrical Safety Electrical Safety BriefingBriefing

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What is Electricity?What is Electricity? A medium that provides a very

convenient means for transferring energy from one place to another

Correctly used, electricity is our most versatile form of energy

Control of most electrical hazards is neither difficult or expensive, but ignoring them can cause serious consequences

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CharacteristicCharacteristics of s of Electricity...Electricity...

Electricity has most of the characteristics of water, in that it flows and has a current that can be measured

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Electrical Faults Result Electrical Faults Result in Shock, Burns or in Shock, Burns or Fire...Fire...

Flow of CurrentFlow of Current Occurs when a person or a

conducting object bridges the gap between live conductors and the ground or between live conductors. This action causes current to flow.

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Electrical Faults Electrical Faults Result in Shock, Result in Shock, Burns or Fire...Burns or Fire...

This is the reasoning behind birds on high voltage wires and why they do not fry. Since the bird is only on the wire there is no conduction between ground or other live conductors. However, if I go to trim my trees and touch the wires or place my ladder on the wires, I have bridged the gap between the live conductor and the ground. Current flows from the line through my body and gets discharged into the ground. That is a big OUCH!

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Electrical Faults Electrical Faults Result In Shock, Result In Shock, Burns or Fire...Burns or Fire...

Static ElectricityStatic Electricity Occurs when static electrical

charges accumulate from friction between dissimilar materials. Discharge of static electricity causes a mild shock.

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Causes Of Causes Of Electric Shock...Electric Shock...

Current flow is the factor that causes injury in electric shock; body resistance will determine the path of flow

Once the skin is broken, a victim will have sharply reduced internal resistance to the flow of current

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Low Voltage Lethal Low Voltage Lethal Shock Computations...Shock Computations...

Circuits of 110 volts or less can kill when the conditions are right. This is regular household current.

Synchronized cardioversion 100mA

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Overcurrent Devices...Overcurrent Devices...

Protect circuit from excessive heating by opening the circuit automatically in event of excessive current flow from accidental ground, short circuit, or overload.

Examples include fuses and circuit breakers.

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Ground Fault Circuit Ground Fault Circuit Interrupter...Interrupter...

GFCI is a fast-acting circuit breaker that is sensitive to very low levels of current leakage (5mA) to ground. When leakage becomes hazardous, it interrupts circuit.

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Ground Fault Circuit Ground Fault Circuit Interrupter...Interrupter...

You can find GFCIs in what electricians call “wet” areas such as the bathroom and kitchen. GFCIs are normally used for outside wiring outlets also.

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Electrical Electrical SafetySafetyPolicy...Policy...

An equipment management plan exists to identify, evaluate, inventory, and maintain medical equipment to reduce the physical and health risks associated with its usage

All biomedical and electrical equipment used in a Hospital must be inspected and tested prior to use and labeled with a safety sticker

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Electrical Electrical SafetySafetyPolicy...Policy...

All electrical devices a patient may bring into the hospital need to be inspected and tested prior to use and labeled with a safety sticker prior to their use.

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Electrical Electrical SafetySafety Rules... Rules... Visually inspect all equipment for damage

prior to use Do not use extension cords for permanent

wiring Unplug equipment by pulling on the plug

and not the cord Damaged or defective

biomedical/electrical equipment must be removed from service and reported to appropriate authority for repair

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Electrical Electrical SafetySafety Rules... Rules... Keep fluids, chemicals, and heat away

from equipment, cords, and cables Maintain sufficient access around

equipment & panels for operations/maintenance

Do not touch energized/conductive surfaces with one hand while touching the patient with the other

Know the function of each control prior to using equipment

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Emergency Emergency PowerPower

Hospitals are equipped with emergency generators which will start automatically if there is a loss of electrical power

Emergency generators are tested monthly in Hospitals

Red electrical outlets provide emergency power for critical patient care equipment

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Just to recap,fire requires three elements. Heat source, fuel and oxygen. When one is absent, there can be no fire.

It is important to take an active part in fire drills so that you are aware of what your role is in the event of a fire.

Remember R.A.C.E. and P.A.S.S.

Points to RememberPoints to Remember

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Electricity is a convenient source of energy but should not be taken for granted.

It has a current that can be measured and if not respected can kill.

The human body has the ability to conduct electricity and serves as the conducting object when an individual touches a live circuit.

Points to RememberPoints to Remember

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All patient electrical devices must be checked and cleared by biomed prior to use in the facility, they will have a tag attached when this has been completed.

Most of electrical safety, and for that matter fire safety, involves common sense and an ability to keep your eyes open for hazards in the work place.

Points to RememberPoints to Remember