Workplace safety: Fire safety

Fires are known to cause huge losses in terms of property damages, injuries, and deaths. They pose even greater threats in healthcare facilities where there are many physically weak and sick people unable to get out of their beds or chairs.

Additionally, healthcare facilities have volatile and flammable chemicals in their setting; the presence of oxygen can aggravate fires and make them hard to control.

As a nursing assistant, you should know how to prevent fires and what to do when there’s a fire at your facility. There are three important elements that must be present to start a fire: fuel, heat, and oxygen.

In a healthcare setting, fuel is anything that can burn, such as bed linens, mattresses, clothing, paper, and so forth. Just like fuel, sources of heat are everywhere in healthcare settings.

It can be from an electrical spark from a frayed electrical cord; overheated devices, such as irons, furnaces, or radiators; or a lighted candle or cigarette.

Oxygen in the air we breathe is sufficient to start a fire. Also, note that there are clients in healthcare settings who are on oxygen therapy, which increases the amount of oxygen in the environment.The first step to preventing damages and losses caused by fires is to know how to prevent them in the first place.

Preventing fires is everyone's responsibility, so let’s focus on what you should do as a nursing assistant. For healthcare settings where clients are permitted to smoke, make sure they do so only in designated areas and that there’s somewhere they can extinguish cigarettes and matches.

Keep an eye on clients who smoke who are mentally disabled or disoriented because they might not follow the rules. Never allow clients, especially those on oxygen therapy, to smoke in the bed.

This is because a client might fall asleep and drop a cigarette on the bed. Also, do not give clients who are on oxygen anything that can create sparks.

Even something like a wool or mohair blanket can cause a spark because it has some amount of static electricity in it. Other things to watch out for include flammable liquids, such as hair spray, nail polish removers, and alcohol-based hand sanitizers.

It’s important to know the areas where oxygen is in use at your facility; these are usually indicated by signs, which might differ from facility to facility.

Other precautions include removing electric devices with frayed wires; replacing malfunctioning smoke detectors; and if there is a smell of smoke, its source should be investigated.

Finally, be familiar with the facility’s fire safety policies and make sure you know where to quickly find fire extinguishers and that the fire exits are unobstructed by equipment.

Sometimes a fire may occur despite doing everything to prevent it. During such a situation, follow the RACE fire response plan.

RACE states that the first thing to do is to Remove clients who are in immediate danger to safety. Transport weak and sick clients in wheelchairs.

If possible, move the entire bed if the client cannot get out of the bed. Some beds may have evacuation sheets designed specifically for emergency evacuation of bedridden people.

Next, Activate the alarm. Depending on the facility, this may be done by pulling the fire alarm, or by using the facility's telephone or intercom system.

If possible, try to Contain the fire by closing the windows and doors. This can slow the spread of the fire to other areas.

The next step is to Extinguish the fire if it’s possible by using fire extinguishers. If the fire keeps spreading and seems uncontrollable, Evacuate the building.

Make sure you’re familiar with your facilities evacuation plan. Use the acronym PASS to remember how to use a fire extinguisher.

Start by Pulling the safety pin out, then, Aim the hose at the base of the fire, Squeeze the handle, and Sweep the content of the fire extinguisher back and forth at the base of the fire.All fires aren’t the same, and the techniques used to extinguish them differ depending on the type of fire.

Based on their fuel, fires are grouped into three types, which are Type A, B, and C. Type A fire is fueled by regular material, such as paper, clothes, and wood.

Type A fires are effectively extinguished by water. Next comes type B fires, which result from burning cooking oil; grease; and petroleum products, such as gasoline.

Do NOT try to extinguish type B fires using water. In fact, this can make the situation even worse.

During type B fires, the fuel becomes hotter than the boiling point of water, which causes any pooled water to quickly become steam and splatter the fuel around, spreading the fire even further.

Type B fires are extinguished with some dry chemicals, such as foam or powder, like the baking soda. Type C fires are those which result from electricity.

These fires are very dangerous to try to extinguish with water because it could result in electrical shock. The most common type of fire extinguisher is the ABC extinguisher, named due to the fact it could be used on all 3 types of fire.

It uses carbon dioxide to cut off the oxygen supply, thus smothering the fire.All right, as a quick recap… To start a fire, there must be fuel, heat, and oxygen.

Remember that there might be areas in your facility where oxygen therapy is in use, and these areas are at a higher risk of fires.

To prevent a fire, make sure that clients smoke only in designated areas and that you follow oxygen precautions, such as replacing electric devices with frayed wires and malfunctioning smoke detectors and quickly investigating any signs of fire in the building.

When there is a fire, use the RACE fire response plan. Start by Removing clients in immediate danger to safety, Activate the alarm, Contain the fire, and use fire extinguishers to Extinguish the fire if it’s possible.

If everything fails, Evacuate the building. Fires are classified into three types based on the fuels; there are type A, B, and C.

Type A fires are fueled by regular materials, such as paper and wood, and can be extinguished by water. Type B fires are fueled by oil, grease, and petroleum products.

Type C fires originate from electricity.Type B and C fires need to be put out with an ABC fire extinguisher and not water.

To use a fire extinguisher, remember the acronym, PASS: pull the pin, aim at the base of the fire, squeeze the handle, and