A basic guide for fire prevention, life safety, & fire protection requirements for hospital buildings

The objective of preparing this document is to enhance the knowledge of all the stakeholders directly related to health care activities and engineers / architects on the basic fire safety measures to be implemented in hospital buildings/ premises. The document is divided in two parts i.e. Part A and Part B. Part A of the document focuses on basic understanding of fire safety concepts. Part B of the document consists of Fire Prevention, Life Safety and Fire Protection measures that engineers / architects need to considered in hospital buildings/ premises.

Fire is a serious threat to the individual and property of any organization. A fire can pose an even greater threat to the life and health of individuals in hospital buildings. Because of their physical condition or medical status, many people in hospitals are not able to leave their beds. Further, hospitals contain ample oxygen supplies, volatile chemicals and other drugs that can spread fires and produce poisonous fumes into the air.

Health facilities are critical in responding to emergencies and disasters. They are among the frontline agencies that required to remain prepared for any hazardous event and first one to come in response action with other frontline agencies immediately as soon as the hazardous event strikes. And for this reason, it is very essential to ensure that the health facilities remain structurally safe and functional all the time. While the pandemic COVID 19 is still a major concern, the recent incidents of fire in hospitals stressed on the need for necessary preventive, mitigation and preparedness measures to be taken by health facilities to avert or minimize the impacts of any such fire hazard incidents.