WBXPress

Hospital Level Fire Safety Committee in West Bengal

Health, ,

Government of West Bengal
Department of Health & Family Welfare
Swasthya Bhawan
GN-29, Sector-V, Salt Lake, Kolkata – 700 091

No. 215/HF/O/HS(MS)/W-17/2022 Date: 27/12/2022

NOTIFICATION

The Government of West Bengal has given thrust on smooth and hassle-free patient care services. To fulfil this objective, top most priority is to be accorded towards safety and security of all patients and staff as well as protection of hospital equipments from fire hazards. Several precautionary measures have already been taken to ensure proper fire safety mechanism in government health facilities. In view of this, a dedicated ‘Committee on Fire Safety’ for the municipal areas of Kolkata and at district level are already in place vide Notification No. HFW/294/2020 dt 29.12.2020.

Now it is further felt to constitute “Hospital Level Fire Safety Committee” at each health facility down to the level of Sub-Divisional Hospitals for close monitoring of the functionality of the fire safety measures and for checking up the health of all probable sources vulnerable from the point of catching fire. The “Hospital Level Fire Safety Committee” will consist of one representative from H&FW Deptt., one engineer each from Civil & Electrical Wing of PWD and one representative from Fire & Emergency Services Deptt.

This committee shall meet every fortnight; jointly inspect all the electrical installations, AC machines, equipments to assess their fire safety worthiness as per protocol. The committee will invariably check the following:-

  1. DB Box and log of temperature
  2. Earthing at all critical units along with voltage
  3. Fire Alarm, Fire Sensor & Sprinkler
  4. Availability & validity of Fire extinguishers
  5. Evacuation route & plan
  6. Provision of timer for Air Conditioning Machines of the hospital.
  7. Provision of fire extinguishers in important areas of hospital like Emergency, Labour room OT, HDU, CCU, ITU, ICCU, NICU, PICU, SNCU, SNSU, etc.
  8. Adequate Air Conditioning Machines with timer in Radiology units like C.T. Scan units, Digital X Ray units, which run for 24×7 hours
  9. Functionality of public address system

The committee wherever finds any need-based actions, they should take immediate remedial steps and for any bigger issue that must be brought to the kind notice of higher authorities.

List of hospital level nodal officers from each of the H&FW, PWD and F&ES Departments will be circulated separately. All concerned are requested to activate the “Hospital Level Fire Safety Committee” soon and ensure their regular inspection and appropriate actions for the fire safety of the hospital.

Sd/- Secretary
Health & Family Welfare Department
Government of West Bengal

No. 215-HF dated 27.12.2022, Source