Excerpted from the December 2015 ASWG Newsletter
Focus on Compliance
The Joint Commission has identified the top eight physical environment standards that are frequently cited during surveys of hospitals and other health care facilities.To help address these issues, the American Society for Healthcare Engineering (ASHE) is collaborating with the Joint Commission to provide resources that help facility professionals keep their organizations in compliance.
The Joint Commission has created a physical environment portal to house its resources related to these top issues.ASHE will be providing resources through their new Focus on Compliance website, including tools, best practices, and technical documents.
Every two months ASHE and the Joint Commission will focus on a new standard, with the previous information archived on the page to create a library of compliance resources.So far the topics covered include:
- July 2015: Introduction and announcement of collaboration at the ASHE Annual Conference
- August/September 2015: Utility systems (EC.02.05.01)
- October/November 2015: Means of egress (LS.02.01.20)
- December/January 2016: Built environment (EC.02.06.01)
Future topics include:
- February/March 2016: Fire protection (EC.02.03.05)
- April/May 2016: General requirements (LS.02.01.10)
- June/July 2016: Life safety protection (LS.02.01.30)
- August/September 2016: Automated suppression systems (LS.02.01.35)
- October/November 2016: Hazardous materials and waste management (EC.02.02.01)
NFPA’s 5-minute Online Confined Space
Over 90 U.S. workers die each year as a result of confined space hazards.The National Fire Protection Association (NFPA®) has developed a free, 5-minute online program to help you identify confined spaces.The program focuses on confined spaces most commonly found in the following industries:
- Industrial
- Agricultural
- Wind energy
- Wastewater
- Shipyards
- Petrochemical
- Breweries and wineries
While healthcare facilities are not specifically addressed, many of the principles discussed could apply to this type of occupancy. The online module serves as a quick, basic review of what constitutes a confined space. Find the module at the following link:
http://www.nfpa.org/assets/gallery/marketing/html/confinedspaces/story.html?order_src=E125
Photo credit:
ANTHC’s Alaska Safety Working Group web page
