Security Sales & Integration April 2023 - 18

SMARTS & PARTS
Fire Side Chat by Shane Clary
Don't Flatline
on Hospital Codes
Included
[systems],
but perhaps
not at the
forethought
of the staff ,
are fi re
suppression,
detection,
smoke control
and fi reresistive
construction.
Shane
Clary, Ph.D., is an
SSI Industry Hall of Famer
and has more than 45
years of security and fi re
alarm industry experience.
He serves on a number of
NFPA technical committees,
and is Vice President of
Codes and Standards
Compliance for Concord,
Calif.-headquartered Bay
Alarm Co.
18
▶ THIS MONTH'S ARTICLE was not planned
until I had a bit of a medical adventure at the
end of February in which I spent several days in
an acute care hospital as a patient. Th e primary
mission of a hospital, or a skilled nursing facility,
is to provide medical care to the patients through
trained professionals and advanced equipment,
procedures and medications, as may be warranted
by each individual case.
Th e hospital itself, the building, is a very complex
occupancy with many systems installed
within. Th is includes but is not limited to the
delivery of O2 and other medical gases, suction,
consistent 120VAC and other required voltages,
grounding, surge and lightning protection,
clean air and the list goes on. Included, but perhaps
not at the forethought of the staff , are fi re
suppression, detection, smoke control and fi reresistive
construction.
In addition to all the medical equipment built
into my room were various features required to
protect me and the other patients should there be
a fi re. Th e NFPA promulgates most of the codes
and standards that are used during the design,
construction and maintenance of these facilities.
Th e two main documents for suppression and
detection are NFPA 13, Standard for the Installation
of Sprinkler Systems and NFPA 72, National
Fire Alarm and Signaling Code. Depending on
the size of the facility or what is contained within,
other standards related to suppression may be
required. Th ese, to name just a few, include:
▶ NFPA 10, Standard for Portable Fire Extinguishers
▶
NFPA 14, Standard for the Installation of
Standpipe and Hose Systems
▶ NFPA 15, Standard for Water Spray Fixed
Systems for Fire Protection
▶ NFPA 17, Standard for Dry Chemical Extinguishing
Systems
▶ NFPA 17A, Standard for Wet Chemical
Extinguishing Systems
▶ NFPA 20, Standard for the Installation of
Stationary Pumps for Fire Protection
▶ NFPA 22, Standard for Water Tanks for
Security Sales & Integration APRIL 2023
smclary@bayalarm.com
Private Fire Protection
▶ NFPA 2001, Standard on Clean Agent Fire
Extinguishing Systems
Th ese documents advise the designer and installer
as to how to install the systems, but not
where to install them. Th ere are other standards
that detail passive fi re protection, which is an important
component of the overall fi re protection
solutions installed within these occupancies. Th ese
include fi re and smoke doors, fi re windows, fi re
curtains, fi re dampers, smoke dampers and fi re
stopping systems. Th e use and locations for horizontal
exits is most critical in the overall design.
More Standards May Need Review
Depending on the location of the facility, employ
NFPA 1, Fire Code or the International Fire Code
as published by the International Code Council
as a starting point as to where the various fi re
prevention and detection systems should be installed.
NFPA 101, Life Safety Code is also to be
used. In addition to the core chapters, consult
Chapter 18, New Health Care Occupancies and
Chapter 19, Existing Health Care Occupancies.
For facilities that have ambulatory patients, also
review Chapters 20 and 21.
In addition to NFPA 101, NFPA 99, Health
Care Facilities Code needs to be reviewed. Not
only for protection covered as found within
Chapter 16, but for other subsystems that make
up a hospital such as gas and vacuum systems,
electrical, plumbing and HVAC systems.
Electrical systems are a major part of any medical
facility. As such, NFPA 70, National Electrical
Code is to be followed. For health care facilities,
consult Article 517 in addition to the core
chapters and articles. Within the occupancy, follow
Article 647, Sensitive Electronic Equipment,
Article 660, X-Ray Equipment and Article 695.
All these systems need to be inspected, tested
and maintained. For water-based systems, the
standard of care is NFPA 25, Standard for the Inspection,
Testing and Maintenance o Water-Based
Fire Protection Systems. For detection systems,
it would be Chapter 14, Inspection, Testing and
Maintenance within NFPA 72. Th e service provider
should review NFPA 4, Standard for Integrated
Fire Protection and Life Safety System Testing.
In addition, the Joint Commission (jointcommission.org)
standards and protocols should
also be reviewed before starting any project at an
acute care hospital.
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http://www.commission.org http://www.securitysales.com
Security Sales & Integration April 2023

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