Fire Safety Advocacy &
Information
Update:
November 2007 – To all:
“Greetings fellow (fire safety board) members,
I have several items to report.
First, the vote requiring existing nursing homes to be fully sprinklered
within 10 years (19.3.5.1) passed unanimously.
The second issue deals with alcohol based hand rub (ABHR)
dispensers and the conflict with the proposed
Based on this new information, the BFS policy has been
revised. The new policy (attached) is consistent with the
interpretation of NFPA and CMS. As BFS
is no longer more restrictive than the 2006 LSC, the draft amendment has been
changed and the ABHR language has been deleted.
I believe that this will address all of the concerns that we discussed
at our last meeting. Note that JCAHO
still has a more stringent application in hospitals. That is a JCAHO enforcement issue that does
not reflect on our rules.
The draft minutes from the 10/17/07 meeting are attached. As the11/13/07 meeting has been cancelled,
please review the draft and advise if any changes need to be made to them.
Work continues on the Regulatory Impact Statement.
As always, if you have questions or concerns, feel free to contact
me.
Mike
Bureau of Fire Services-Fire Marshal Division
Michael Pachulski, State Fire Marshal Supervisor”
September 2007 - A document that reflects NFPA rules from 1997 through 2006 and compares these to Michigan Amendments for 2008 is in DRAFT form and available for MiSHE Member review. In order to assist
in the review process, wording is highlighted as follows: all changes and new items are in Red; yellow highlighted areas reflect potential issues for existing facilities; and blue highlighted areas are commentary. To review the document click on Michigan Amendments for 2008 and return any comments to Tim Tinney. It is important that all comments, questions, issues or proposed language changes from MiSHE members be taken back to the ad hoc committee. The next meeting is scheduled for October 17, 2007.
Meeting Schedule: October 17, November 13, and December 11, 2007
August 2007 – MISC information: Nursing Home, 100% sprinkler requirement will not go away. A decision on an acceptable time frame i.e. 5/7/10 years to comply will be made.
429 - Nursing Homes in the State of Michigan
222 - Fully Sprinkled
206 - Partially Sprinkled (Hazardous areas by code)
1 - Un-sprinkled
Background
As an organization, MiSHE is involved with being an advocate for those issues that involve our members. One of these areas is Fire Safety. One of our members, Tim Tinney, is on the Michigan Fire Safety Board. The following information and updates are provided to involve of all of our members in this important area.
Letter from the Healthcare Representative to the
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To All Members and those Attending the Member
Seminar on April 13, 2007, I am fearful that my request for MISHE members interested
in participating created an expectation that several members of our society
would be appointed. In the end that
clearly is not he case. I apologize
for creating any such expectation, but was encouraged to do so by the Chair
of the Fire Safety Board. It may be
best to chalk this up to State politics.
On this page is a list of members on the Healthcare Ad Hoc Committee.
I believe it to be a good cross section.
I am also pleased that Mike Pachulski from the Bureau of Fire Services
is the Chair of the committed. Mike
was a State Trooper and I have worked with Mike on another project and find
him to be practical and strait forward.
It is also in our interest to have |
Information and Update Links
Current Issues and Action Required by MiSHE Members
Issue 1 – Facility owners, managers and operators understand and support the need for they’re to be codes and standards. We know that NFPA does not address all aspects of healthcare building design, construction and related systems, but NFPA is focused on life preservation. Other codes regulate and govern the balance of the structure. Often times these codes overlap and create conflict and ambiguities that make it difficult or impossible to meet regulatory compliance. In some cases this overlap causes undue financial burden on the healthcare industry and delays service to our customers. These conflicts and ambiguities lead to designing and specification of excessive or blanket incorporation or inclusion of devices and or equipment that requires ongoing service, and mandated third party testing and certification. Examples, being smoke damper and detection; and fire dampers. NFPA 2000 does not require dampers within a 100% sprinklered facility, however the local Authority having jurisdiction may have a mechanical code that requires them to enforce damper compliance.