Author Topic: Evacuation Policies in Hospitals  (Read 5502 times)

jakespop

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Evacuation Policies in Hospitals
« on: July 27, 2009, 12:01:33 PM »
Anyone any views or opinions on evac procedures in outpatient areas and other non-patient areas  in hospitals. There seem to be contrary opinions on whether to evacuate public and non essential staff on a continuous alarm or stay put and await further instructions.  Patient care area policy is to stay put which seems to be general standard everywhere.

Offline Phoenix

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Re: Evacuation Policies in Hospitals
« Reply #1 on: July 27, 2009, 12:40:25 PM »
In non-patient areas there shouldn't be any members of the public and, unless there is some reason to do otherwise, evacuation can take place as normal.

In out-patient areas you will, presumably, have patients who are classed as ambulant.  In many such areas the advice is to follow the normal route of ADB.  HTM 05-02 makes it clear when its principles are to be applied over those of more standard fire safety measures. 

There should never be a "stay-put" policy as such, that is something altogether different.  There might be an investigation time of a couple of minutes to weed out false alarms.  There may also be a policy of progressive horizontal evacuation.  If an evacuation signal goes, it applies to everyone, not just "public and non essential staff."

What might appear to be a "stay-put" policy is probably part of a progressive horizontal evacuation protocol.  For this, the compartment with the fire is evacuated into neighbouring compartments whilst the patients in those neighbouring compartments are unlikely to be moved in the first wave of activity (in effect, they stay where they are for the time being).  Subsequent actions depend on the circumstancves.

The whole area is complex and demanding and unless you know what you are doing I would recommend steering clear of offering advice on this topic.   

Stu


Offline FireDave

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Re: Evacuation Policies in Hospitals
« Reply #2 on: July 27, 2009, 02:07:39 PM »
"In non-patient areas there shouldn't be any members of the public and, unless there is some reason to do otherwise, evacuation can take place as normal."

I would have to disagree with you Phoenix on the above as most hospitals have restaurants and some even have shopping malls and coffe bars in their atrium or general circulation areas, so there will always be public in non-patient areas and, as with shopping malls, phased evacuation is often used, albeit the whole area will be cleared, but not necessarily to open air.

With regard to out-patients and other clinic areas I would agree that what can appear to be a "stay-put" policy is actually the start of a phased evacuation.  Where patients are actually receiving treatment there is also often the phrase  "where necessary" with regard to evacuation inserted.  This is dependant on the circumstances of the incident and what treatment is being given each time and also the availablity of a fire response team to assist the clinical staff in an evacuation.

Dave

jakespop

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Re: Evacuation Policies in Hospitals
« Reply #3 on: July 27, 2009, 02:10:41 PM »
Yes I should have explained a little more. I call it stay put but in effect it is an investigation time and only when fire is detected is progressive horizontal evacuation commenced in non ambulant areas, which in practice is not often.
 I am really talking about outpatient areas, offices and labs and similar. A complex subject I agree which is why I am enquiring what procedures other areas of the country adopt and though it may not sound like it "I think I know what I am doing"!!
 Fire Dave knows what I am talking about.

Offline Phoenix

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Re: Evacuation Policies in Hospitals
« Reply #4 on: July 31, 2009, 09:24:23 PM »
"In non-patient areas there shouldn't be any members of the public and, unless there is some reason to do otherwise, evacuation can take place as normal."

I would have to disagree with you Phoenix on the above as most hospitals have restaurants and some even have shopping malls and coffe bars in their atrium or general circulation areas

Point taken Dave, but as far as HTM 05-02 is concerned there are patient areas and there are non-patient areas.  The uses you talk of would loosely fall under patient areas as they will be frequented by patients (amongst others).  There is good guidance on this in HTM 05-03 part D where more appropriate interpretations and explanations are given.  Anyway, that is semantics and not worth arguing about....

Jakespop,

I have absolute faith that "you know what you are doing".....let me just make a couple of points.

Outpatient areas are "patient areas" and appropriate guidance is contained in 05-02.

Offices, labs, etc are "non-patient areas" and, again, appropriate guidance is in 05-02.  Offices are likely to be "non-hazardous" and labs are likely to be "hazardous."

I quite like 05-02.  It is quite short, it is easy to read, it doesn't beat about the bush but makes its point then moves on.

In your original post you referred to "contrary opinions."  Different buildings will have different strategies appropriate to their needs, so what appear to be contrary opinions might just be different strategies to fit differing needs.  Ensure that what you do in your building fits the needs of the circumstances and test your procedures with a drill (if only a walk through).

Stu