The increase in hospital fires in Brazil indicates growing concerns about safety in one of humanity's most critical environments. According to the Sprinkler Brazil Institute, 49 fires were recorded in 2023, a 16.9% increase in occurrences compared to the previous year.
The data highlights an urgent need to review and strengthen hospital fire protection measures. These incidents not only disrupt vital health services but also pose an extreme risk to patients and staff.
Recent incidents illustrate the severity and human impact of these disasters. In one case, the emergency evacuation of an intensive care unit led to the tragic death of an elderly patient , highlighting the vulnerability of individuals who depend on these healthcare services. In another, a short circuit in an air conditioning unit caused intense smoke emissions in a hospital, generating panic and requiring an immediate response from emergency teams to prevent further damage.
These events reinforce the importance of establishing and maintaining effective methods and measures to prevent hospital fires. The difficulty of manual inspection, the lack of knowledge about the status of critical parameters that indicate ignition, and the potential for human error in equipment maintenance highlight the urgency of adopting intelligent mechanisms and technologies for rapid, proactive responses.
Risk Mitigation by Identifying Critical Points and Bypass Systems
Proactively preventing hospital fires begins with identifying and mitigating risks before they become a real threat. In the event of a fire, we must ensure that fire prevention systems are in place as designed.
Hospital Kitchens
The most common place for hospital fires to start worldwide, and in Brazil it's no exception, is the kitchen. These environments are considered high-risk zones, especially in hospitals, due to restricted patient mobility, the nature of the equipment, and the presence of flammable materials such as oils and grease.
Exhaust ducts often accumulate grease and oil over time, which can be dangerous. Excessive heating of these pipes can cause ignition, leading to tragic consequences. Fire regulations require the installation of a CO2 control unit to combat the onset of flames. However, failure of these units is not uncommon, whether due to inadequate maintenance, recharging issues, or even their absence, which violates fire department regulations.
Another common problem is forgetting to turn off equipment at the end of the day or after work. Similar to the ignition of exhaust ducts due to excessive heat from a grill, electric fryers or ovens can also cause fires if left on for an extended period.
The grease that accumulates in hoods and ducts acts as fuel, fueling the ignition and escalating the fire to catastrophic proportions.
In any case, any intervention, whether by the CO2 plant or by another fire-fighting system such as sprinklers, is a measure to address a situation that is avoidable at any cost, as it causes large-scale losses with damage to facilities and equipment, interruptions in operations, and eventually deaths of patients.
Electrical Panels and Circuits
The second biggest cause of fires is heating of power connections and cables caused by excessive load and poor contact.
Often, institutions add equipment and significant consumption to existing facilities without bothering to conduct a load study or usage limit for the installed infrastructure. During the summer, especially in tropical cities where ambient temperatures exceed 40°C, a facility near its load (current) limit can easily overheat and trigger a short circuit, often followed by ignition and a major fire.
Poor contact between terminals and cables can also lead to fires during peak usage times when current and system demands are at their highest.
The traditional method of preventing electrical panels and circuits is through periodic manual inspection, which includes thermography of the circuits. Essentially, the technical team uses portable infrared temperature meters to measure the temperature of the busbar and cables during the inspection. However, this method is not 100% reliable because it only provides a snapshot of the busbar's condition at a specific time of day, which does not necessarily represent peak usage.
In other words, it is not uncommon for fires to occur even when manual thermography procedures are up to date.
If the fire was inevitable, it must be controlled.
Another major problem is the proper functioning of fire control systems.
Automatic CO2 and FM fire extinguishers
During an event, automatic CO2 or FM gas extinguishing systems can be activated automatically to put out a fire. However, because they are never used, these systems are often unloaded or closed, without the proper knowledge of the establishment's operational staff. During an emergency, a failure to activate them can escalate a minor incident into a major one.
Sprinkler Systems
Depending on the type of installation, sprinkler systems, including automatic activation, are required. However, for proper operation during a fire outbreak, the fire suppression system (SCI) must be properly pressurized. If the system is not properly pressurized and the pumps are not ready for use, the sprinkler system will not be able to contain the initial fire.
Similar to automatic fire extinguishing systems, these systems also run the risk of being closed or having the automatic pumps turned off, preventing them from being activated during an emergency.
Water reserves
Another extremely important item is the fire-fighting water reserve. Buildings and commercial establishments must have a water reserve for firefighting. This reserve is guaranteed by a differential in the water tank's outlet level, where the shallower level is for normal supply and the deeper level is for the fire reserve. Due to terrible coincidences, and human error during maintenance, often during tank cleaning or maintenance, establishments run out of the minimum water level or fail to adjust the tank's minimum level after cleaning, leaving the level below the minimum reserve during a supply shortage.
Generators
Generators are essential for the continuity of hospital operations, especially during a fire that can lead to utility outages. Power is essential for operating firefighting systems, especially water pumps.
These devices depend on several factors, such as fuel, batteries in good condition for starting, oil quality, and other factors that can prevent the generator from starting at crucial moments. Preventative maintenance may not be sufficient to ensure proper operation, and power outages can be a deciding factor between life and death for patients.
With so many risks, how can we avoid these events?
There's only one way to prevent and anticipate these events: constant information on the status of all critical facilities. Several hospital studies indicate that standardizing communication and increasing process monitoring reduces the incidence of errors and increases reliability and safety, regardless of the process.
The big problem is what to do to implement 24/7 surveillance of so much physically separate equipment, with distinct technical characteristics that require specific knowledge of energy, generation, hydraulics, gases, etc.
Unfortunately, it is economically unfeasible to deploy or deploy teams on duty to continuously monitor each of these subsystems.
The solution is then continuous monitoring in order to send alerts to the maintenance team.
Bridgemeter Intelligent Infrastructure Monitoring
The Bridgemeter platform exemplifies innovation in this area, offering connectivity and continuous monitoring capabilities for any type of equipment or sensor. This tool is vital in hospital settings, where equipment failures can have serious consequences.
Critical variables such as load and consumption, busbar temperature, tank and line pressures, and equipment operational status are continuously monitored. This data is analyzed in real time to identify any deviations that could indicate a fire-prone condition.
Predictive analytics uses performance data to identify patterns and trends that suggest the need for predictive maintenance. Alerts enable proactive interventions, minimizing the risk of fires caused by overload or system defects.
In addition to improving safety, these proactive interventions help extend equipment lifespan and increase hospital operational efficiency. Predictive data-driven maintenance not only ensures a safer environment but also optimizes resource utilization and reduces costs related to failures and emergency repairs.
Monitoring in Hospital Kitchens
Several parameters can be monitored in a hospital kitchen to ensure its proper functioning:
- Hood Temperature: Whether by duct temperature or the preparation surface through infrared, the system detects temperatures outside considerable limits.
- Equipment condition: Fryers, ovens, or any other equipment that has an on/off switch can serve as the basis for risk assessment.
- Level of grease buildup in ducts: A very important factor that can indicate the need for cleaning, eliminating one of the main fuels and intensifiers of fires in kitchens.
Monitoring of Electrical Panels and Circuits
By continuously monitoring busbar temperatures at strategic points, it is possible to safely assess the network's usage limits even under adverse conditions such as summer days and electrical system overload. Bridgemeter identifies busbar temperature trends and can indicate the need to relocate equipment before this overheating causes a short circuit. Constant overheating may indicate poor connections or the need to resize the panel.
Monitoring of Fire Fighting Systems
The system monitors sprinkler operation, checking water pressure and line tightness, as well as assessing the status of water pumps and identifying leaks—all essential for maintaining the required system pressure. This data is crucial for keeping the firefighting system ready for immediate use.
Additionally, Bridgemeter monitors the levels of water tanks used for firefighting, ensuring there is sufficient volume for an effective response. Automatic alerts inform the technical team of any deviations, enabling quick and efficient corrective action.
This integrated monitoring significantly increases safety by ensuring that all elements of the firefighting system are functioning properly when needed most.
Generator Monitoring
Above-Net 's Bridgemeter generator operation through comprehensive monitoring that includes not only part condition, but also fuel, battery, and oil quality levels.
Conclusion
Integrating Bridgemeter into a hospital's infrastructure not only enhances fire safety, but also significantly improves operational efficiency and substantially reduces costs.
Above-Net 's IIoT solution redefines hospital environment monitoring, providing a layer of predictive intelligence safely and effectively.
This approach not only preserves lives, but also safeguards valuable hospital resources, ensuring the continued delivery of essential health services to the community.
By implementing Bridgemeter, hospitals not only mitigate risks but also strengthen their ability to respond quickly to emergencies, thereby promoting a safer and more resilient environment for patients, staff, and visitors.
Catalog
Want to know more about how to carry out Intelligent Management of Hospital Infrastructure?
Download our brochure to explore how IoT monitoring of hospital infrastructure improves patient care. Discover smart preventive monitoring solutions with Bridgemeter.
