Fire & Life Safety Approaches in Health Care Facilities

FIRE & LIFE SAFETY
APPROACHES
IN
HEALTH CARE FACILITIES
MEHBOOB SHAIKH
(B. ENG. | CFPS | CFI | AMIE )
MECHSOFT ENGG DESIGN AND CONSULTANCY

Objective
❑Importance of Mission Critical Health Care Facilities owing to their
non stop performances requirements especially at the time of
pandemics and other medical emergencies.
❑Severity of Fire Problem in Hospitals and its impact on Health care
facility performance
❑Causation, Mitigation and Control of Fires in Health care facilities.
❑ Fire and Life Safety approaches which includes Preventive &
Protective methodologies.

Mission Critical Facilities
From a life safety perspective, mission critical
often refers to a facility in which the mission or
operation of the facility is critical and the prompt
evacuation of the facility is not possible

WHY MISSION CONTINUITY OF
HOSPITALS(Health Care Facilities) ARE
IMPORTANT ?

SUNRISE HOSPITAL MUMBAI – MARCH 26, 2021
VIJAY VALLABH HOSPITAL MUMBAI – APRIL 23, 2021
Date City Location of Fire Injuries and Deaths
January 6, 2021 Guntur Short circuit No deaths
January 9,2021 Bhandara Air conditioner 10 deaths
March 17, 2021 Vadodara Flammable Materials No deaths
March 26, 2021 Mumbai Short circuit 10 deaths
March 28,2021 Kanpur Short circuit No deaths
March 31,2021 Delhi Air conditioner No deaths
April 4,2021 Mumbai Short circuit No deaths
April 6,2021 Nashik Short circuit No deaths
April 10,2021 Nagpur Short circuit 4 deaths
April 18,2021 Raipur Short circuit 5 deaths
April 23,2021 Mumbai, Virar Short circuit 15 deaths
April 25,2021 Surat Short circuit 15 deaths
April 28,2021 Mumbai/Thane Short circuit 4 deaths
May 21,2021 Benagluru Short circuit No deaths

LEADING CAUSE OF HOSPITAL FIRES

INDIAN SCENARIO

Identification of Fire Pattern
Two distinct patterns may be observed from reports of the fire incidents Studied.
Most of the fires:
1. Occurred in locations where O2 was being administered to patients, such as

the ICU, NICU, and OR;
2. Involved air conditioners and electrical equipment in the vicinity of O2
application

O2 Enriched Areas
O2 enrichment of the atmosphere alone may not cause fire. Incorrect
design, operation, and maintenance of O2 systems and use of materials
incompatible with O2 service are some of the associated reasons for fire.
Fire may start from an O2 cylinder when rapid release of high-pressure O2
through orifices of the regulators in the presence of dust particles causes
friction or impact resulting in increased temperatures, which may be
sufficient to ignite the dust.
The ignited dust may in turn ignite non-metals, which may bring inner
metal components and body within the grip of fire. Oxygen cylinders are
responsible for many fires in the ICU

Air Conditioners as First Item Ignited.
“Air conditioners (ACs) have been found to

be the starting point of many hospital fires
in recent times”

Air Conditioners as First Item Ignited.

Some realities in India


A ceiling fan has many parts that act as a source of fire:

generally unacceptable in the intensive care unit (ICU).

Electricity as Most common Cause

ARE HOSPITAL FIRE INEVITABLE ?

FIRE AND SAFETY APPROCHES
The acceptable levels of safety and the focus of the fire safety analysis and
design process objectives are concentrated in the following five areas:
1. Life Safety
2. Property Protection
3. Continuity of Operations
4. Environmental Protection
5. Heritage Conservation

How to achieve these Objective ?
Most Preferred
Least Preferred

ELIMINATION
SUBSTITUE
ISOLATE
PROTECTION
How to achieve these Objective ?

Fire Safety Concept Tree

Preventive Approach

Preventive Approach Electric Spark, Friction,
Heated Probes, Mechanical
Impact etc.
Metallic Pipelines, Metallic

components, Plastic, Non Oxygen, Nitrous Oxide
Metallic Gaskets, oil, Grease
FIRE JUST DON’T HAPPENS, THEY ARE CAUSED !!!!!

Fire Safety Concept Tree

MANAGEMENT

Protective Approaches
Controlling Fire by Construction
Controlling Fire by Suppression
Managing the Exposed

Controlling Fire by Construction
Provision for Fire Resistive Materials
Provision for maintaining TENABLE Environment
Control Heat Control Smoke

Visibility
Toxicity

Controlling Fire by Suppression
Provision of Water Based Suppression Systems
Provision of Non- water Based Suppression Systems

Managing the Exposed
Staff Training
Provision of clear Evacuation route
Provision for any special hazards

Health Care Facilities vs Health Care Occupancies
All health care occupancies (and ambulatory health care
occupancies) are considered health care facilities; however, not all
health care facilities are considered health care occupancies), as
health care facilities also include ambulatory health care
occupancies and business occupancies.

Construction and Design Considerations

H H Laundry
96” H H 96”
Kitchen Dining Room
Mechanical Storage Exam Room
Corridor wall shall be 1 hr.

Smoke Barrier
rated or sprinklered
Waiting Lounge Nurse Station
Smoke Barrier
Nurse Station
Toilet and shower area
Administrative Offices Exit Sign

96” 96”
Toilet and shower area
H Hazardous Area requires 1 hr.
enclosure, AS or both
Patient sleeping Room

Selection of Structural Materials
Large sections of timber can perform better than equivalently
sized steel or aluminum. Timber has a low thermal
conductivity, and the charred surface helps to protect the
interior section from burning
Most types of timber have charring rates of 20 mm (0.8 inches) in 30

minutes and 40 mm (1.6 inches) in 60 minutes

Solid units tend to be more fire resistant than hollow units of equivalent
thickness. Solid units 100 mm (3.9 inches) in thickness can provide up to
2 hours of fire resistance if they are load bearing and 4 hours if they are
not load bearing.

The fire resistance provided by different structural
components depends on their minimum dimension and the
concrete cover to reinforcement distance;
25 mm (1 inch) cover to reinforcement can provide between

60 minutes and 90 minutes of protection, and up to 45 mm
can provide 2 hours of protection depending on the
structural element

Up to 3 hours of fire protection can be achieved with boards and

vermiculite concrete spray.
Up to 2 hours can be achieved with “intumescent” paint and flexible
blankets (although the latter are not optimal aesthetically).

Fire-resistant types of glass, such as wire interlayer glass,

intumescent laminated glass, and pre-stressed borosilicate (as
known as Pyrex) glass, can achieve a fire rating of up to 60
minutes.

Minimum Construction Requirements
For New
Occupancies

For Existing
Occupancies

Can’t we have HCO in five story building ?

Table 18.1.6.1 is applied with respect to
the number of stories in height, and not
to the total number of stories in the
building
Cl. 18.1.3.4 (2) has the provision !!!

Subdivision of Building Spaces
Multiple Occupancy with Mixed Uses
When the entire facility to be treated as a mixed

occupancy then its needs to comply with the
provisions that are the most stringent of the
occupancies involved.

Multiple Occupancy with Separated Uses


Separation of Patient Sleeping Rooms

Smoke Compartment in a New Health
Care Facility
In new health care construction, smoke
barriers are generally required to
subdivide into at least two compartments
every story used for inpatient sleeping
and treatment and any story in the
building, regardless of occupancy, that
has an occupant load of greater than 50
people
Every floor used by inpatients should

be subdivided into at least two
compartments by smoke barriers that
also have a 1-hour fire resistance
rating

Smoke Compartment in a Existing
Health Care Facility

Smoke
Compartment &
Smoke dampers are required in non-fully-ducted smoke barrier penetrations
in both new and existing facilities, as well as in those ducted smoke barrier
Smoke Damper penetrations where sprinkler protection is not provided in each adjacent
smoke compartment & if engineered smoke control system requires Smoke
dampers
NEW
Vs
EXISTING

Typical Standard Fire Door

Protection of Vertical Openings
All shafts should be provided with fire-rated enclosures.

Vertical openings connecting not more than three floors should
be enclosed with fire barriers having a minimum 1-hour fire
resistance rating.
Two-hour rated enclosures should be provided for vertical

openings connecting more than three floors.
Openings to shafts should be limited to those necessary, and

such openings must be protected.

Means of Egress Design
A horizontal exit implies that occupants will be transferred from one side of a
partition to the other (horizontal evacuation), adequate space must be available to
house occupants after movement. In hospitals, at least 30 net ft2 (2.79 SM) per
patient should be available on each side of the horizontal exit, allowing for
accumulation of the total number of patients in adjoining compartments.

Means of Egress Design
Stairs should be enclosed with fire barriers, and openings into

stair enclosures should be limited to those necessary for access
and discharge purposes. Stairs must be properly protected from
the effects of fire.

Minimum of two exits accessible from all parts of floor
18.2.4.1 Not less than two exits shall be provided on every story.
18.2.4.3 Not less than two exits shall be accessible

from each smoke compartment, and Egress shall
be permitted through an adjacent compartment(s)
but shall not require return through the
compartment of fire origin.
Area B is deficient in that it has no exit other than horizontal

exits.
18.2.4.2 Not less than two separate exits shall be accessible from every part of every
story.

18.2.4.3 Not less than two exits shall be accessible
from each smoke compartment, and Egress shall Shift this door to
be permitted through an adjacent compartment(s) location XX to meet
but shall not require return through the requirement of cl.
compartment of fire origin. 18.2.4.3
Might be a source of fire of fire origin hence exit

for area C will get blocked as it has to pass
through to get an access of exit stair 1 and 2

SUITS

SLEEPING SUITS
Maximum Size :
▪5000 SF
▪7500 SF ( If fully sprinklered or outfitted with the smoke detectors)
▪10000 SF ( If Sprinklered and outfitted with smoke detectors and provided with direct staff
supervision)
▪Suits greater than 1000 SF requires two exit access doors
▪Travel distance from any point in the suit shall not exceed 100 ft.
▪Separated from the remainder of the building by barriers meeting the corridor separation
requirements.

NON-SLEEPING SUITS
Maximum Size :
▪ 10000 SF
▪ Suite greater than 2500 SF requires two exit access doors
▪ Travel distance from any point in the suite to a corridor must not exceed 100 ft.

Alcohol-based hand-rub
dispenser(ABHR)
Dispensers must be spaced at least 48 in.

(122 cm) from one another and strategically
located relative to ignition sources, such as
light switches and outlets

Alcohol-based hand-rub dispenser
▪Where dispensers are installed in a corridor, the corridor shall have a minimum width of 1830 mm or
72 inches.
▪The maximum individual dispenser fluid capacity shall be 1.2 liters or 0.32 gallons for dispensers
located in rooms, corridors, and areas open to corridors.
▪The maximum fluid capacity for dispensers in suites of rooms will be 2.0 liters or 0.53 gallons.
▪The dispensers shall have a minimum horizontal spacing of 1220 mm or 48 inches from each other.
▪No more than an aggregate of 37.8 liters or 10 gallons of alcohol-based hand-rub solution shall be in
use in a single smoke compartment outside of a storage cabinet.
▪Storage of quantities greater than 18.9 liters or 5 gallons in a single smoke compartment shall meet
the requirements of NFPA 30 (Flammable and Combustible Liquids Code).
▪Dispensers shall not be installed over or directly adjacent to an ignition source.
▪In locations with carpeted floor coverings, dispensers installed directly over carpeted surfaces shall be
permitted only in sprinkled smoke compartments.

Thank You

Fire & Life Safety Approaches in Health Care Facilities

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FIRE & LIFE SAFETY

MECHSOFT ENGG DESIGN AND CONSULTANCY

MECHSOFT ENGG DESIGN AND CONSULTANCY

MECHSOFT ENGG DESIGN AND CONSULTANCY

MECHSOFT ENGG DESIGN AND CONSULTANCY

January 6, 2021 Guntur Short circuit No deaths

January 9,2021 Bhandara Air conditioner 10 deaths

March 17, 2021 Vadodara Flammable Materials No deaths

March 26, 2021 Mumbai Short circuit 10 deaths

March 28,2021 Kanpur Short circuit No deaths

March 31,2021 Delhi Air conditioner No deaths

April 4,2021 Mumbai Short circuit No deaths

April 6,2021 Nashik Short circuit No deaths

April 10,2021 Nagpur Short circuit 4 deaths

April 18,2021 Raipur Short circuit 5 deaths

April 23,2021 Mumbai, Virar Short circuit 15 deaths

April 25,2021 Surat Short circuit 15 deaths

April 28,2021 Mumbai/Thane Short circuit 4 deaths

May 21,2021 Benagluru Short circuit No deaths

MECHSOFT ENGG DESIGN AND CONSULTANCY

MECHSOFT ENGG DESIGN AND CONSULTANCY

MECHSOFT ENGG DESIGN AND CONSULTANCY

1. Occurred in locations where O2 was being administered to patients, such as

MECHSOFT ENGG DESIGN AND CONSULTANCY

MECHSOFT ENGG DESIGN AND CONSULTANCY

“Air conditioners (ACs) have been found to

MECHSOFT ENGG DESIGN AND CONSULTANCY

MECHSOFT ENGG DESIGN AND CONSULTANCY

MECHSOFT ENGG DESIGN AND CONSULTANCY

MECHSOFT ENGG DESIGN AND CONSULTANCY

A ceiling fan has many parts that act as a source of fire:

MECHSOFT ENGG DESIGN AND CONSULTANCY

MECHSOFT ENGG DESIGN AND CONSULTANCY

MECHSOFT ENGG DESIGN AND CONSULTANCY

MECHSOFT ENGG DESIGN AND CONSULTANCY

MECHSOFT ENGG DESIGN AND CONSULTANCY

MECHSOFT ENGG DESIGN AND CONSULTANCY

MECHSOFT ENGG DESIGN AND CONSULTANCY

MECHSOFT ENGG DESIGN AND CONSULTANCY

Metallic Pipelines, Metallic

FIRE JUST DON’T HAPPENS, THEY ARE CAUSED !!!!!

MECHSOFT ENGG DESIGN AND CONSULTANCY

MECHSOFT ENGG DESIGN AND CONSULTANCY

Controlling Fire by Suppression

Managing the Exposed

MECHSOFT ENGG DESIGN AND CONSULTANCY

Provision for Fire Resistive Materials

Provision for maintaining TENABLE Environment

Control Heat Control Smoke

MECHSOFT ENGG DESIGN AND CONSULTANCY

Provision of Non- water Based Suppression Systems

MECHSOFT ENGG DESIGN AND CONSULTANCY

Provision of clear Evacuation route

Provision for any special hazards

MECHSOFT ENGG DESIGN AND CONSULTANCY

MECHSOFT ENGG DESIGN AND CONSULTANCY

MECHSOFT ENGG DESIGN AND CONSULTANCY

Corridor wall shall be 1 hr.

Toilet and shower area

Administrative Offices Exit Sign

MECHSOFT ENGG DESIGN AND CONSULTANCY

Most types of timber have charring rates of 20 mm (0.8 inches) in 30