Page 37 - OHS, April 2022

technician was working on the system. It is so important that these service events be articulated by multi-modal means withsignsandaudiblenotifificationto ensure people do not build in assessment time in their response. When an alarm is activated, always assume it is real and follow the procedures. People can die because they assume a false alarm and do not act in time.
Thankfully, and mostly due to NFPA guidance; most buildings evacuation stairwells are mandated by municipal codes that are similar and require pretty much the same evacuation paths. As adults we should be able to recognize where the emergency stairwells are located and the paths to these. As a part of our “Run, Hide, Fight,” training, I emphasized preparation. Be prepared to hide or evacuate. Know where the emergency exits are located. When you sit down at a meeting, a concert or any other gathering, take the time to identify your emergency exit strategy.
How to Conduct Exercises and Drills
Once people have been trained on an evacuation plan, it is time to exercise and drill. In most occupancies, the fire alarm activation is a single stage condition requiring evacuation. These types of drills are conducive to unannounced exercises. I believe the drills that merely check the box for compliance without feedback or analysis are a waste of time. A concept or mantra we embraced at my organization is that we wanted to be more than compliant, we wanted to be ready for any emergency.
The drills that provide trained observers along the exit path provide the best opportunity for immediate feedback to the participants and will help participants be better prepared for a real emergency. We created a group of interested volunteers into a committee that would be trained to be observers. Train observers to look for the proper behavior, and ensure participants are calm. Observers should be easily identified with hi-vis vests or the like. They should have two-way radios to help communicate status. We staged them at the stairwell doors on each floor. When it was believed that all participants had evacuated, we would ask them to check the usual hiding spots such as special offices, bathrooms and sometimes even closets for non-participants.
In a healthcare setting, the fire alarm
activation is a two-stage response. ThThe fifirst stage should be annunciated as a code red. ThThat puts nursing and organizational staffff into a mode of education for visitors and preparing patients for horizontal evacuation. Hospitals are built with smoke and fire compartments. If the code red is affecting the immediate area, staff should be trained to move patients and visitors in a horizontal path to the next compartment, awaiting further instruction.
While we held unannounced routine fire drills, we would also introduce and announce a scheduled, limited real life patent evacuation drill using patient slides for non-ambulatory patients down stairwells. We put real people on the slides, ensuring that all safety measures are followed. Experienced observers would assist in evaluating and teaching staff on the use of the equipment. Horizontal evacuation is not easy and these drills were important to staff.
Routine fire drills are usually required by local codes, regulations or authorities having jurisdiction. Minimally, every employee should be required to review fire and evacuation plans annually. Their understanding of the plans can be demonstratedwithtestscoresonquizzes. Each employee should be required to participate in an annual drill.
Drills and exercised are opportunities to use what you have learned in a class setting and further that with actual hands- on practice. Don’t be afraid to fail. It happens to everyone. It is best to fail and learn in practice than in the real scenario. Remember that no doctor or nurse touches a patient without having enough practice and exercise beforehand.
Lauris Freidenfelds, a nationally recognized safety, security, and emergency expert at Telgian Engineering & Consulting, specializes in security for healthcare facilities of all types. (www.telgian.com) His 40+ years of experience include operational security, technology and emergency management programs. His extensive knowledge of emergency management personnel and operations encompasses planning, organizing, and directing security programs and activities, as well as development and coordination of disaster preparedness plans, the mitigation of, preparation for, and recovery from hazards and disasters. Reach Lauris at lfreidenfelds@telgian.com.
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APRIL 2022 | Occupational Health & Safety 33