Last modified: 2017-06-21
Abstract
A hospital building is a place that has a high risk for fire because there are many occupants include patients, visitors, and medical nurses. The risk would be even greater if the hospital is not equipped with fire protection systems and means of evacuation.
The objectives of this study were to analyze the implementation of active and passive fire protection systems and means of evacuation in the hospital and also analyze the fire protection standards for the hospital, which assumed and focused only on fire process without considered the unique characteristic of hospital and patients.
The study is an analytical descriptive using observational approach. The objects of this study are active fire protection system, passive fire protection system, and means of evacuation. The data was collected through observation, interview, and document review. The analysis was performed by comparing the findings with National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) standards.
The results showed that there are 30 elements of fire protection systems and means of evacuation that does not comply with the applicable standards. The study found that the priority and commitment of management toward fire safety in the hospital are very low. Other findings show that the fire safety standards in the hospital have not based upon the unique activities and conditions in the hospital. The standards only focus on the fire. It have not yet considered the unique activities and conditions of the hospital such as the design of evacuation for patients who are the most occupants in the hospital who need assistance and special tools such as the rolling bed and chair. The specific condition should be considered in the hospital such as fire alarm ringing in the Intensive Care Unit for Heart disease patient should be set up by visual mode.