NFPA Journal - January/February 2014 - (Page 55)

individuals as to the location of the barriers and for facility personnel to verify that the work performed has not compromised the integrity of the barrier, before the individual has completed the project. Any deficiencies can then be corrected by the contractor or individual who caused the problem instead of the facility having to incur the cost of remediation sometime in the future. Some facilities go beyond issuing above-ceiling permits by also requiring that individuals who are issued a permit be identified with a colored arm band, a ladder of a certain color, or some other clearly visible identifier. These identifiers increase the effectiveness of the program by allowing all staff within the facility to help monitor construction activities. Facility staff is instructed to report any individuals who are observed working above the ceiling without the proper identifier. It is important to note that such programs need to apply to both outside contractors and facility personnel. In addition to construction activities that may compromise existing barriers, post-occupancy changes may also result in a need to add new barriers or eliminate the need for existing barriers. For example, additional fire barriers may be required if the use of a space changes so that it becomes a hazardous area. Code requirements are often misapplied when fire barriers or smoke barriers are eliminated. Paragraph 4.6.12.2 of the Life Safety Code states that existing life safety features must not be removed or reduced where such feature is a requirement for new construction. There have been instances where facilities have incorrectly eliminated existing smoke barriers where the number of patients sleeping on the floor has been reduced to fewer than 30, which is the threshold at which smoke barriers are required for existing facilities in Chapter 19. But Chapter 18 still requires the smoke barriers for new construction. Most facilities need to comply with codes other than the Life Safety Code, which is why a thorough code analysis should be performed before any exist- The Compliance Factor Compartmentation issues from TJC surveys conducted in 2013 As an accrediting body, The Joint Commission has the ability to track the level of compliance and identify problematic areas following its surveys of health care facilities. The top 10 findings most often scored in 2013 included two related to compartmentation: "General Requirements" (Standard LS.02.01.10) scored 46 percent of the time and was ranked fifth, and "Protection" (LS.02.01.30) scored 43 percent of the time and ranked seventh. The following is a breakdown of issues for each of these standards that resulted in findings. General Requirements Openings in two-hour fire-rated walls are fire rated for one and a half hours. Doors required to be fire rated have functioning hardware, including positive latching devices and self-closing or automatic-closing devices. Gaps between meeting edges of door pairs are no more than 1⁄8-inch wide, and undercuts are no larger than ¾ inch. Ducts that penetrate a two-hour fire-rated separation are protected by dampers that are fire rated for one and a half hours. The space around pipes, conduits, bus ducts, cables, wires, air ducts, or pneumatic tubes that penetrate fire-rated walls and floors are protected with an approved fire-rated material. (Note: Polyurethane expanding foam is not an accepted fire-rated material for this purpose.) Protection All hazardous areas are protected by walls and doors in accordance with the 2000 edition of NFPA 101®, Life Safety Code®. Smoke barriers extend from the floor slab to the floor or roof slab above, through any concealed spaces (such as those above suspended ceilings and interstitial spaces), and extend continuously from exterior wall to exterior wall. All penetrations are properly sealed. Doors in smoke barriers are self-closing or automatic-closing, constructed of 1¾-inch or thicker solid bonded wood core or equivalent, and fitted to resist the passage of smoke. The gap between meeting edges of door pairs is no wider than 1⁄8 inch, and undercuts are no larger than ¾ inch. Doors do not have nonrated protective plates more than 48 inches above the bottom of the door. ing feature is reduced or eliminated, and why permission should be obtained from all appropriate authorities having jurisdiction, including accrediting organizations and local code officials. (For more on the current Life Safety Code discussions regarding proposed changes to smoke compartment size in hospitals, see the NFPA 101 section of "In Compliance" on page 19.) Cost containment is important in any facility, including health care facilities. Unfortunately, current practices result in many health care facilities spending significant amounts of money attempting to comply with code requirements for fire barriers and smoke barriers. TJC data indicate that existing programs to address compliance have not been very effective. Increasing efforts to ensure that health care facilities are properly designed and constructed, combined with effective post-occupancy programs to prevent deficiencies from occurring, will help facilities save money while still providing properly maintained fire and smoke barriers. GeorGe Mills, MBA, FASHE, CEM, CHFM, CHSP, is director of engineering for The Joint Commission. WilliaM e. Koffel, P.E., FSFPE, is president of Koffel Associates, Inc., and chair of the Correlating Committee on Safety to Life and the NFPA 25 technical committee. JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2014 NFPA JOURNAL 55

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of NFPA Journal - January/February 2014

NFPA Journal - January/February 2014
Contents
First Word
In a Flash
Perspectives
In Compliance
First Responder
Research
Wildfire Watch
Outreach
Firewatch
#Are You Prepared?
Life and Death at Memorial
Barrier Smarts
Perfect Storm
Conference & Expo Preview
Section Spotlight
Product Showcase
Looking Back

NFPA Journal - January/February 2014