Joint Commission offers surgical fire prevention advice

The Joint Commission in its March 20 Joint Commission Online e-newsletter issued advice on preventing surgical fires. Many Joint Commission Environment of Care (EC) standards and associated elements of performance address fire safety, the Joint Commission states, including EC.03.01.01, which calls for staff and practitioners to be familiar with their responsibilities and roles related to the environment of care; EC.04.01.01, which requires staff and practitioners to collect information to monitor conditions in the environment; and related requirements in EC.02.03.01 and EC.02.03.03, which address fire safety in general. Recommendations include performing a fire-risk evaluation before any procedure and being aware of possible oxygen enrichment under the drapes near the surgical site and in the fenestration as well as a number of technical precautions.

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