Understanding NFPA 99 and Risk Assessment
NFPA 99 serves as an essential code for health care facilities, outlining performance standards for various facility systems, including medical gas and vacuum systems, electrical systems, gas equipment, and fire protection features.
The NFPA 99 Health Care Facilities Code is a critical tool for ensuring safety and efficiency in health care environments. It addresses the risks posed by different facility systems, procedures and equipment, aiming to minimize potential hazards to patients and staff.
The code’s comprehensive guidelines cover everything from the installation and maintenance of medical gas systems to the proper management of electrical systems and gas equipment. By adhering to these standards, hospitals, nursing homes, and other health care facilities can enhance their operational safety and effectiveness.
Moreover, the NFPA 99 emphasizes a more risk assessment–based approach, allowing health care facilities to tailor their risk assessments based on specific building occupancy types and existing construction.
This flexibility is crucial, especially in situations where strict compliance may not be feasible, such as during emergency situations or when dealing with older, existing systems.
The code’s adaptability ensures that facilities can implement safety measures and procedures that are both practical and effective, safeguarding against the risks of major injuries and ensuring patient care remains uninterrupted.
The fire code establishes risk-based criteria to protect patients, staff, and property from fire, explosion, and electrical hazards in all health care facilities except home care.
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) requires health care facilities to comply with the 2012 edition of NFPA 99, except for certain chapters.
Scoping in NFPA 99 clarifies that the code applies primarily to new construction and new equipment, but existing systems and buildings can be continued in use unless determined to be a distinct hazard to life.
Conducting a Risk Assessment in Healthcare Facilities
A risk assessment is required to determine that for new construction and equipment, as well as the risk for existing construction and equipment that has not been determined.
Healthcare facilities may choose any risk-assessment method that is comfortable for them, as long as it is a documented and defined risk of procedure failure.
The risk assessment should be designed to help users assign one of the four risk categories to systems and equipment: a risk Category: 1 (major injury or death), a risk Category: 2 (minor injury), Category 3 (discomfort), or Category 4 (no impact on patient care).
The above risk assessments of failure categories are based on the likelihood of failure causing injury to patients or caregivers.
Implementing NFPA 99 Guidelines and Ensuring Compliance with the Health Care Facilities Code
- The risk-based approach of NFPA 99 is particularly relevant during the COVID-19 crisis, as hospitals and health care locations are repurposing buildings and putting up temporary structures to meet impending demands.
- The NFPA published a statement acknowledging the impossibility of constructing or modifying health care spaces in strict compliance with fire and life safety codes during the crisis.
- The NFPA urged health care facilities to use the intent of code documents, like the risk-based approach of NFPA 99, to guide facility decisions as they put in place safety measures and systems.
- The NFPA has offered a range of resources for health care facilities working to keep patients healthy during the pandemic.
Chris Ekai is a Risk Management expert with over 10 years of experience in the field. He has a Master’s(MSc) degree in Risk Management from University of Portsmouth and is a CPA and Finance professional. He currently works as a Content Manager at Risk Publishing, writing about Enterprise Risk Management, Business Continuity Management and Project Management.