PHLEB CHP 13 - Emergency Response and Personal Wellness

Emergency response codes

Urgent announcements that uses numerical or color codes to quickly convey emergency information to staff.

Code Red: Fire or Smoke

Code Blue: Medical emergency, cardiac, or respiratory arrest

Code Orange: Hazardous material spill

Code Gray: Security emergency

The National Fire Protection Association (NFPA)

Develops safety standards to reduce risk of hazards in public spaces.

NFPA Hazard Diamond

Used to mark where flammable, reactive, or otherwise dangerous substances are stored.

Blue: Health

Red: Flammability

Yellow: Reactivity

White: Specific hazards or symbols

Written on a 0-4 number scale, 0 meaning no significant hazard, and 4 meaning extreme danger.

OSHA Hazard Communication Standard (HCS)

Mandates that hazardous chemicals be labeled appropriately using standardized signal words, symbols, and pictograms.

Pictograms follow the Globally Harmonized System (GHS).

The Safety Data Sheet (SDS) for each chemical contains information on safe handling, storage, disposal, and emergency measures.

What three things does a fire need to start?

Fuel, oxygen, and heat.

Classes of Fires

Classified based on the type of fuel that is burning.

Class A: Fires involving common combustible materials such as wood, paper, rubber, and plastic. Extinguished with water.

Class B: Fires involving flammable liquids like gasoline, oil, paint, and solvents. Must be smothered to cut off oxygen supply.

Class C: Fires involving current-carrying electrical equipment such as appliances, outlets, or wiring. A non-conductive extinguishing agent, like a dry chemical is used.

Class D: Fires involving combustible metals. Extinguished using special dry powder extinguisher designed for metal fires.

Class K: Fires involving cooking oils, grease, and fats commonly found in the kitchen. Requires a wet chemical extinguishing agent.

RACE

Protocol for fire emergencies

R - Rescue: Move patients to safe area or direct them toward emergency exists.

A - Alarm: Activate the fire alarm system to alert the rest of the facility and initiate emergency procedure.

C - Confine: Close doors and windows to contain the fire to the area of origin.

E - Extinguish: If the fire is small and manageable, use the appropriate fire extinguisher to put it out. If not, evacuate and alert emergency personnel.

PASS

Protocol for fire extinguisher use

P - Pull: Pull the pin to break the tamper seal.

A - Aim: Aim the nozzle at the base of the fire.

S - Squeeze: Squeeze the handle discharge the extinguisher.

S - Sweep: Sweep the nozzle side to side at the base of the flames until fire is out.