About every six months, The Joint Commission publishes a lists of the top citations in the healthcare facilities they survey. Not only does this list point out the issues that need to be addressed, but it reveals that these issues are the same every year. And of course, fire and life safety deficiencies continued to dominate the list. In the top most cited deficiencies by The Joint Commission are corridor and fire door citations.
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“52% - LS.02.01.20: The hospital maintains the integrity of the means of egress”
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“49% - LS.02.01.10: Building and fire protection features are designed and maintained to minimize the efforts of fire, smoke, and heat”
In many of the healthcare facilities, surveyors are continuing to find and cite facilities for issues related to fire and smoke barrier management. In particular, maintaining the integrity of the means of egress seems to fall at the top of the list. The standard addresses issues such as door locking, door swing, horizontal exits, exit discharge and stairwell doors being propped open. In addition, this standard addresses issues commonly referred to as “corridor clutter” or keeping the egress corridors clear of any obstructions. Making sure that a building’s egress is properly maintained is important as it is the evacuation route many people would use. If there are too many objects blocking the exit routes or exits then people could become trapped.
It’s important to maintain a building’s fire protection features considering a building’s structure can become worn down through use or even a previous emergency. Maintaining a facility’s fire and life safety systems will help reduce the amount of damages done to the building’s structure by preventing fire and smoke from spreading. Not only will it help protect the building but will help keep patients, who cannot be easily moved, safe during a fire.
