Riverpointe Surgery Center

GATEWAY SURGERY CENTER 1025 NORTHEAST GATEWAY COURT, NE CONCORD, NORTH CAROLINA

POLICIES AND PROCEDURES ______

TITLE: Fire Extinguishers

PURPOSE: To provide guidelines for use of fire extinguishers kept in the Center.

DEFINITIONS: Fire extinguishers shall be maintained in the locations as per recommended by the Life Safety Code and per state Fire Marshall recommendations. All extinguishers are clearly marked and are kept free of clutter and obstruction to their location and their usage. Inspections by qualified personnel will be performed according to state, city and federal codes. These extinguishers are also kept in the Clinical Engineering Log and a record of their inspections are kept along with the reports.

All fire extinguishers are refilled immediately after their use or discharge or if found to be low in charge at the time of inspection.

KNOW HOW TO USE THEM

1. Water type – used on combustibles such as wood and paper 2. Carbon dioxide type – used on flammable liquids and electrical fires 3. ABC type – may be used on any fire

PROCEDURE:

How to Operate the ABC type Fire Extinguisher:

1. Open the cabinet, grasp the handle with one hand and tip the extinguisher with your other hand and then carefully remove the extinguisher from the cabinet and lower it to the floor. 2. Hold the handle with one hand, and pull out the ringed pin with the other. After removing the pin ring, pull the hose nozzle out from the clip. 3. Carry or drag the fire extinguisher to the area where the fire is located. Before opening the door or getting too close to the fire, check the operation of the extinguisher by momentarily squeezing the handles together. A stream should come out under pressure. Caution: Since the material in this extinguisher is under pressure, at no time should the employee point this at a person. 4. Point the nozzle at the base of the fire and squeeze the handle. Use a sweeping motion to extinguish the flame. 5. Before opening a door, check for heat by touching the door knob and the top of the door with the back of the hand. If the heat is intense, DO NOT OPEN THE DOOR, BUT CHECK AREAS SURROUNDING this room for fire.