Dr. Madhav Madhusudan Singh
In India, fire safety in hospitals is regulated by the National Building Code of India (NBC) and the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA). The NBC and NFPA provide guidelines for fire protection, life safety, and fire safety systems in hospitals. These regulations aim to ensure that hospitals are designed, constructed, and maintained in a manner that minimizes the risk of fire incidents and ensures the safety of patients, staff, and visitors.
Here are some of the key fire safety regulations for hospitals in India:
1. Building Design: Hospitals must be designed and constructed in accordance with the NBC and NFPA guidelines, with a focus on fire protection and life safety. This includes ensuring that the building has adequate fire-resistant materials, fire-resistant doors and windows, and fire-resistant stairwells.
2. Fire Alarms and Sprinkler Systems: Hospitals must have fire alarms and sprinkler systems that are tested regularly to ensure that they are functioning properly. The fire alarms should be audible throughout the building, and the sprinkler systems should be able to control and extinguish a fire quickly.
3. Fire Extinguishers: Hospitals must have fire extinguishers readily available and located in easy-to-reach places. Staff should be trained in the use of fire extinguishers and be familiar with the different types of fires and the appropriate fire extinguisher to use.
4. Emergency Lighting: Hospitals must have emergency lighting that illuminates the evacuation routes and is powered by a backup power source. This ensures that patients and staff can evacuate safely in the event of a power outage.
5. Evacuation Plans: Hospitals must have well-planned and well-practiced evacuation plans, including designated evacuation routes and assembly points. Regular fire safety drills should be conducted to ensure that everyone in the building knows what to do in the event of a fire.
6. Fire-Safe Storage and Handling: Hospitals must have fire-safe storage and handling practices in place for hazardous materials, such as flammable and combustible liquids, gases, and chemicals.
Legal Compliance
It is mandatory for all hospitals to obtain No Objection Certificate from the concerned Fire Department before the building can be occupied.
The NOC is to be renewed every year.
National Building Code
The Part 4 (Fire and Life Safety) of NBC, contains the fire safety norms through detailed provisions on fire prevention, life safety, and fire protection.
The guidelines for fire drills and evacuations for high-rise buildings are also specified in NBC Part 4. It mandates the appointment of a qualified fire officer and trained staff for significant land uses
State Regulations
By and large, the State fire prevention and fire safety act & rules complement the National Building Code. Many of the NBC Code provisions have been incorporated by various State Governments and Local Bodies in their own building regulations. For example, the acts & rules enacted by states like Maharashtra and Gujarat are aimed to improve the overall status of fire safety measures in their respective states.
Other legislation
The Section 38 of the Factories Act, 1948, emphasizes, the obligations of the occupier, which include (i) to adopt all practicable measures to prevent the outbreak and spread of fire, (ii) to provide safe means of escape, (iii) to maintain the firefighting equipment properly and (iv) to familiarize all the workers with the means of escape during fire and train them in steps to be taken in a fire accident. The Section 37 of the Factories Act, 1948, also prescribes detailed measures to prevent explosions hazards.
Codes and Standards to follow
BIS has formulated more than 150 standards on fire safety in buildings and firefighting equipment & systems and important ones are: Code of practice for fire safety of buildings (IS 1641 to IS 1646), electrical generating and distributing stations (IS 3034), fire detection and alarm systems (IS 2189); first aid fire extinguishers (IS 2190); internal hydrants and hose reels (IS 3844); temporary structures and pandals (IS 8758); fire protection-safety signs (IS 12349); external hydrant systems (IS 13039 ); fixed automatic sprinkler fire extinguishing systems (IS 15105); gaseous fire extinguishing systems (IS 15493); HFC 227ea (IS 15517); water mist system (IS 15519); portable fire extinguishers (IS 15683); long-range foam monitors (IS 15811); fire detection and alarm system (IS 15908),
Hazard Identification & Risk Assessment (HIRA) can be focused to identify potential hazards. A comprehensive fire safety audit can address the inherent fire hazards associated with the day-to-day activities in an occupancy and recommend measures to reduce the potential fire hazards.
In conclusion, fire safety regulations in India aim to ensure that hospitals are designed, constructed, and maintained in a manner that minimizes the risk of fire incidents and ensures the safety of patients, staff, and visitors. By following the NBC and NFPA guidelines, hospitals can help to prevent fire incidents and ensure that everyone is safe in the event of a fire.
Dr Madhav M Singh MBBS (AFMC), MHA ( AIIMS) , Ph.D.
https://twitter.com/madhavsingh1972
For more details watch
No comments:
Post a Comment