A Guide to OSHA Fire Safety Plans for Healthcare Providers

Workplace dangers come in many forms and vary per line of work. Healthcare providers are among the most at risk of workplace dangers due to the nature of their work, from handling sharp and dangerous materials to disease exposures. The Occupational Safety and Health Association (OSHA) establishes and enforces standards that reduce those workplace risks and protect workers from many possible dangers.

Fire hazards are universal workplace threats that affect everyone, from healthcare providers to bus drivers. Fires can happen anywhere and at any time and cause critical harm. Healthcare providers are essential workers and see several people at a time. Fires can cause a lot of damage and issues in a healthcare workplace, putting multiple people’s lives and an important community resource in danger. Check out this guide to OSHA fire safety plans for healthcare providers if you work in a medical, veterinary, or dental office, and protect your business, patients, and team.

Emergency Planning

An emergency plan prepares you for the worst. An emergency plan makes sure you can get to safety and act accordingly, even when tensions are high and fear kicks in when something ignites and causes a small contained fire or a roaring blaze. The goal is to set up a plan of action and create a beneficial resource for workers to follow. Emergency plans include response and evacuation measures.

Emergency Response

How you respond in an emergency affects the severity of damages and injuries. The best response protocols includes the following when a major fire arises at a healthcare facility:

• Contact nearby emergency responders
• Help patients evacuate first
• Evacuate the premise yourself after all the patients are out
• Trigger the fire safety mechanisms (e.g., fire sprinklers)
• Get low when dealing with smoke
• Avoid touching any metal and other heated surfaces
• Place a damp towel or cloth covering under doors when trapped in a room

The first response protocol for a small fire involves putting out or containing the flames to prevent them from spreading. The best ways to extinguish a fire include:

• Using a fire extinguisher
• Covering it with a flame-retardant blanket
• Dousing it in sand

Water is also an effective extinguisher, but not if it’s an electrical or oil fire. The water can cause more hazards.

Exit Routes

Exit routes are a key factor in emergency plans. OSHA requires all workplaces to have a clear exit route for successful evacuation. Exit routes should be:

• Clearly labeled with a light-up sign
• Free from any obstructions
• A direct path to the outside
• At least seven feet and six inches high and 28 inches wide

Evacuation Etiquette

In healthcare, the patients come first. Patients are most vulnerable in any emergency, meaning they have priority over healthcare workers in evacuation and safety. Getting them to safety is the first step to any emergency response, whether your patients are adults, kids, or pets.

Other important evacuation etiquette to keep in mind include staying calm and walking—running increases tripping risks.

Prevention Practices

Prevention is an effective health and safety protocol. If you can avoid any dangers from the start, the better. Fires derive from many causes, such as:

• Faulty electrical wiring

• Malfunctioning equipment

• Overloaded circuits

• Using or operating flammable or combustible materials in excessive heat or around open flames

• Gas leaks

• Smoking

• Arson

Keeping an eye out for and avoiding these possible fire starters reduces your risks significantly. Some preventative measures to enforce include:

• Smoking bans

• Electrical maintenance

• Equipment upgrades

• Regular gas, electrical, and construction inspections

• Limiting the number of electronics you have plugged in at a time

• Installing cooling units

• Limiting the use of open flames

• Careful handling of combustible and flammable items

• Storing combustible and flammable materials in fireproof and temperature-controlled containers

• Using surge protectors

Workplace Protection

Fire risks come in many forms, but so does fire protection. Equipping the right safety mechanisms reduces dangers onsite and prepares you to react and respond appropriately. OSHA regulations and general local fire laws require workplaces to have specific fire protection to remain in business, but you can implement many other protective measures on top of them.

Fire Safety Equipment

Essential fire safety equipment for healthcare providers include the following:

• Fire extinguishers

• Fire alarm systems

• Automated sprinklers

• Fire hoses

• Fire blankets

• Emergency lighting

• Fire safety signage

• First aid kits

• Patient evacuation chairs

• Sandbags

Fireproofing

Along with supplying safety equipment, you can further amp up your workplace’s fire protection by fireproofing the facility.

Fire-Rated Doors

Fire-rated doors are heavier and more durable and fire-resistant than standard doors, acting as a temporary barrier between you and the fire, containing and isolating the danger. Fire-rated doors seal entryways when closed, preventing smoke or flames from spreading. Most fire doors break down after a couple of hours, but they hold off the flames long enough for you to evacuate safely and for first responders to arrive.

Fireproof Electrical

Fireproofing electrical systems involves using fire-resistant wire covers, investing in quality electrical components, and installing interrupters. Regular electrical maintenance and inspections also enhance your electrical fire safety.

Fireproof Building Materials

A lot of materials are flammable or combustible, from wood to plastic. Using fire-resistant construction materials in your building’s design, like concrete, fire-rated tempered glass, and fire-resistant sealant treatments, fireproofs your facility. The fewer flammable and combustible materials in your workplace, the lower the fire risk.

Automated Fire Response Systems

Automated fire response systems, from sprinklers and alarms to emergency responder signals, give you one less thing to worry about during an emergency and speed up emergency response times. Quick emergency responses reduce the risks of the dangers escalating and spreading, controlling and containing the issue. Installing automated fire systems improves your emergency responses and gives you more evacuation time.

Risk Assessments

Risk assessments are an influential component of any emergency plan. During a fire inspection, you gain useful insight into your current risks and preventative measures. Many fire hazards, like faulty wiring, occur without people knowing until it’s too late. Regular risk assessments illuminate any dangers and ensure you tend to them before they escalate. Knowing and testing the effectiveness of your safety measures, from response plans to alarm systems, further improves your fire safety as it allows you to make changes and improve them.

Employee Training

Adequate fire safety staff education ensures employees know how to best prevent and respond to a fire. An educated population increases safety measures and lowers danger risks. Our online OSHA compliance training covers emergency response requirements, among other essential health and safety protocols, for healthcare providers in a user-friendly and effective learning program. Online training is an efficient way to learn, offering many benefits, like flexible training times, self-guided lessons, and versatile learning methods. Order your online OSHA training today and keep your workplace safe from fires and other hazards.

Fires escalate quickly and are highly destructive. Preventing and protecting your facility from dangerous flames enhances the safety of everyone in your office, from fellow professionals to patients. Keep this guide to OSHA fire safety plans for healthcare providers on hand and maximize your fire safety preparation.