Safety - January 2013
Smoke purge systems not required in windowless hospital operating rooms
Smoke purge systems are not required in windowless anesthetizing locations by the 2012 edition of NFPA 99, Health Care Facilities Code.
1/31/2013
Proposed ASHRAE standard on legionellosis prevention open for comment
Changes to clarify requirements in a proposed ASHRAE standard to prevent legionellosis associated with building water systems are open for third public comment from Jan. 25 to March 11, 2013.
1/28/2013
NYC building code restricts interior finish options in healthcare
Updates to the New York City building code restrict the use of interior finishes common in healthcare settings. According to the 2008 New York City building code, materials must now meet smoke development classifications, in addition to fire resistance classifications.
1/25/2013
Life safety code altered to allow limited items in healthcare corridors
In recognition of operational needs in hospitals, the 2012 edition of the National Fire Protection Association's NFPA 101, Life Safety Code allows limited groups of furniture and certain other projections into corridors in healthcare occupancies, provided corridors are at least 8 feet wide, according to an article in the NFPA Journal.
1/25/2013
Data center safety regulations may face OSHA scrutiny
The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) may be taking a closer look at how data center operators interpret the electrical safety standard that requires employers to disconnect the power source and lock out electrical supply to a circuit before work can be performed nearby.
1/9/2013
Hospitals reap benefits of automated visitor management
A recent article in The Fayetteville Observer notes enhanced security measures for visitors at the Cape Fear Valley Medical Center are met with praise from security personnel and visitors alike. But the center is not the first to employ an automated visitor management system.
1/8/2013
Feds hold healthcare providers accountable for electronic HIPAA breaches
Hospice of North Idaho has agreed to pay the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ (HHS) $50,000 to settle potential violations of the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 (HIPAA). This is the first settlement involving a breach impacting fewer than 500 people.
1/4/2013
Hospital uses video monitoring to increase security, cut costs
In 2011 the Nebraska Medical Center implemented video monitoring in patient rooms requiring around-the-clock observation in order to improve patient safety and reduce staffing costs, according to an article in Campus Security magazine.
1/4/2013
Tips for how healthcare facility doors can aid HIPAA compliance
Campus Security magazine offers some tips for ensuring healthcare facility doors are up to the job of appropriately securing patient health records.
1/4/2013