The rise in hospital fires in Brazil indicates a growing concern for safety in one of the most critical environments for humanity. According to the Brazilian Sprinkler Institute, 49 fire incidents were recorded in 2023, a 16.9% increase compared to the previous year.
The data indicate 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 professionals.
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 health services. In another episode, a short circuit in an air conditioning unit caused intense smoke emission 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 for preventing hospital fires. The difficulty of manual inspection, the lack of knowledge about the state of critical parameters indicating ignition, and the potential for human error in equipment maintenance, highlight the urgency of adopting intelligent mechanisms and technologies for rapid and proactive responses.
Risk Mitigation through Identification of Critical Points and Circumvention Systems
Proactive hospital fire prevention begins with identifying and mitigating risks before they become a real threat. In the event of a fire, it is necessary to ensure that emergency response systems are activated as designed.
Hospital Kitchens
The most common location for hospital fires to start worldwide, and Brazil is 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 fats.
Exhaust ducts often accumulate grease and oil over time, which can be dangerous. Overheating of these pipes can cause ignition, leading to tragic consequences. Fire code requires the installation of a CO2 system to combat the start of fires. However, failure of these systems is not uncommon, whether due to inadequate maintenance, recharging problems, or even their absence, which is contrary to fire department regulations.
Another frequent problem is forgetting to turn off equipment at the end of the workday or activities. Similar to ignition in exhaust ducts due to excessive grill temperature, electric fryers or ovens can also cause fires if left on for an extended period.
The grease that accumulates in range hoods and ducts acts as fuel, feeding the ignition and potentially escalating the fire to catastrophic proportions.
In any case, any intervention, whether by the CO2 plant or another fire suppression system such as sprinklers, is a measure to mitigate a situation that could be avoided at any cost, as it causes large-scale losses with damage to facilities and equipment, operational interruptions, and potentially patient deaths.
Electrical Panels and Circuits
The second leading cause of fires is overheating of power connections and cables caused by overloading and poor contact.
Generally, institutions add equipment and significant consumption to existing facilities without bothering to conduct a load study or assess the usage limits of the installed infrastructure. During the summer, especially in tropical cities where ambient temperatures exceed 40ºC, an installation near its load (current) limit can easily overheat and initiate a short circuit, usually followed by ignition and a large-scale 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 damage to electrical panels and circuits is through periodic manual inspection, which includes thermography of the circuits. Basically, the technical team uses portable infrared temperature meters to measure the temperature of the busbars and cables during the inspection. However, this method is not 100% reliable because it only provides a sample of the busbars' condition at a specific time of day, which does not necessarily represent peak usage.
In other words, fires are not uncommon even when manual thermography procedures are up to date.
If the fire was unavoidable, it needs to 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 fire extinguishing systems may be activated automatically to extinguish a fire. However, because they are never used, these systems are often discharged or closed, without the operational team of the establishment being aware of them. During an emergency, a failure to activate them can turn a small incident into a major one.
Sprinkler Systems
Depending on the type of installation, sprinkler systems, including those with automatic activation, are mandatory. However, for their proper functioning during the start of a fire, correct pressurization of the fire suppression system (FSS) is necessary. If the network 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 their automatic pumps turned off, preventing them from being activated during an emergency.
Water reserves
Another extremely important item is the water reserve for fire fighting. Buildings and commercial establishments need to have a water reserve for fire fighting. This reserve is guaranteed by a difference 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 in maintenance, often during tank cleaning or maintenance, establishments run out of the minimum water level or fail to adjust the minimum level after cleaning, leaving the level below the minimum reserve during a supply shortage.
Generators
Generators are essential for the continuity of operations in hospitals, especially during the start of a fire that could cause power outages by the utility company. Power is crucial for activating fire suppression systems and, most importantly, water pumps.
These devices depend on several factors such as fuel, batteries in good condition for starting, oil quality, among others, which can prevent the generator from starting at a crucial moment. Preventive maintenance may not be enough to guarantee its operation, and power failure becomes a decisive factor between life and death for patients.
With so many risks, how can we avoid these events?
There is only one way to prevent and anticipate these events: constant information on the status of all critical facilities. Several studies in hospitals indicate that standardizing communication and increasing process monitoring reduces the incidence of error and increases reliability and safety, regardless of the process.
The big problem is how to implement 24/7 monitoring of so many physically separate pieces of equipment, with distinct technical characteristics that require specific knowledge of energy, generation, hydraulics, gases, etc.
Unfortunately, it is economically unfeasible to deploy or establish on-call teams for continuous monitoring of each of these subsystems.
The solution, then, is 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 environments, 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 deviation that may 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 failures.
In addition to improving safety, these proactive interventions contribute to extending the lifespan of equipment and increasing the operational efficiency of hospitals. Maintenance, guided by predictive data, not only ensures a safer environment but also optimizes the use of resources and reduces costs associated with 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 through duct or cooking surface temperature via infrared, the system detects temperatures outside acceptable limits
- Equipment condition: Fryers, ovens, or any other equipment with an on/off switch can serve as a 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 kitchen fires.
Monitoring of Electrical Panels and Circuits
Through continuous monitoring of busbar temperature at strategic points, it is possible to safely assess the network's usage limits, even under adverse conditions such as hot summer days and electrical system overload. The Bridgemeter identifies busbar temperature trends and can indicate the need to relocate equipment before overheating causes a short circuit. Constant overheating may indicate poor connections or the need to resize the electrical panel.
Monitoring of Fire Suppression Systems
The system monitors the operation of the sprinklers, checking water pressure and line tightness, as well as evaluating the status of the water pumps and identifying leaks, all essential for maintaining the necessary pressure in the system. This data is crucial for keeping the fire suppression system ready for immediate use.
Furthermore, Bridgemeter monitors the levels of water reservoirs used for firefighting, ensuring sufficient volume for an effective response. Automatic alerts inform the technical team of any deviations, allowing for quick and efficient corrective actions.
This integrated monitoring significantly increases safety, ensuring that all elements of the fire suppression system function correctly when most needed.
Generator Monitoring
The Above-Net ensures the efficient operation of generators through comprehensive monitoring that includes not only the condition of parts, but also fuel levels, battery and oil quality.
Conclusion
Integrating Bridgemeter into a hospital's infrastructure represents not only a reinforcement of fire safety, but also a significant improvement in operational efficiency and a substantial reduction in costs.
Above-Net 's IIoT solution redefines hospital environment monitoring, providing a layer of predictive intelligence with security and efficiency.
This approach not only saves lives but also safeguards valuable hospital resources, ensuring the continued provision 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, thus promoting a safer and more resilient environment for patients, staff, and visitors.
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