EBME Forums Forums Maintenance Technical Assistance Fire Stop Flowmeters

Hi All,

A few months ago we had our Fire Officer in our department telling us we should change all our flowmeter tubing tailpipes to ones with an integral fire stop. We discussed this at length and concluded it would be an unnecessary waste of Trust funds as once the Nursing staff removed it to nebulise etc they would re-fit any tailpipe they could lay there hands on and not necessarily the one with the fire stop (not to mention we are a smoke free site that has never had a fire incident that has put our Oxygen pipeline at risk!).

Yesterday morning he was back explaining that the company who produce the tailpipe are now producing a flowmeter that has a fire stop within the body and that we should seriously consider replacing all the flowmeters within the trust as this is a significant safety feature that could avert serious damage if a fire were to start. This would cost a small fortune as apparently no discount is available – regardless of quantity – but he does appear to be gaining the backing of some very influential people within the Trust (I think it’s called ‘covering your back’).

Surely to activate this safety feature within a flowmeter not only the Oxygen delivery tubing would be on fire but quite possibly the bed, the patient, the flowmeter AND the dressing gown hanging on it! You would hope by this point the ward would have been evacuated and the Oxygen to the ward would have been shut off?

Am I completely missing the point here because I just don’t see the need ???

That's all we need, the Health and Safety gang (I could have used a stronger word there) going through our hospitals with a fine-tooth comb! What an idiot. What does he think goes on in the operating theatres, then, I wonder?

If that sort of thing takes hold, where will it all end? Perhaps we need another Risk Assessment, but this time on the Grand Scale - and then close down the whole of the NHS! But why stop there, what about the roads, the railways, the airports, what remains of our industry ... (I could go on, but I expect you catch my drift)?

Hint:- always follow the money (ie, who stands to gain from this idea?).

Second hint:- check-out the company making these things (and who have they been talking to)!

To Andy,

A word of advice - When the Health & Saftey Police (People who have done some course and been appointed to a job) came along and carried out an audit on my workshop i was given a whole list of Stuff i needed to do.

Examples were:

1. Where was my risk assessment for repetative stain injury.

2. Had i done a risk assessment on people drinking a cup of coffee/tea near the IT equipment.

I could go on and on - When it was pointed out that the bloke who did my risk assessment's and workshop audits yearly worked for the Health & Saftey Executive and had given me a clean bill of health for the workshop they soon left with their tails between their legs.

Geoff is right - follow his hints, sounds like someone is justifing a job for themselves.

DW - Just becuse you have done a course it does not mean you know best!

Aren't sheets and blankets flammable? May be they should be replaced with asbestos ones.

And there is a risk (albeit small) that a ceiling might collapse, should all the beds have scaffolding above them just in case?

And isn't there a risk of catching a hospital acquired infection? Should all the staff wash their hands between patients?

To what ridiculous ends do you want to take risk and health and safety....and at what cost. Get them to do a cost-risk benefit.

In fact isn't travel on the roads very risky, so should they stop patients coming in to hospital in the first place? Especially when being driven at high speed in an ambulance trying to push past traffic.

I know a surgeon, who whenever he was asked about the risk of an operation, told the patient the dangerous bit was over - you survived the journey to hospital, and statistically he was right.

Robert

Does said fire officer have shares in said flowmeter company then.

The risk department here is now larger than the EBME department, and with higher banded staff!

Seatbelts, smoke alarms and fire extinguishers - a few innovations that have helped improve the safety of people around the globe. The fire break device is no different – it is a risk reduction measure. Fire break devices are fitted as standard to all home care oxygen systems in the UK.

A smoke-free hospital is a myth and there is a strong link between smoking and COPD. Many COPD sufferers require supplemental oxygen and so you can see we have a problem – smoking and oxygen therapy don’t mix. The internet is awash with reports of deaths and serious injuries related to oxygen therapy fires caused by smoking. Smoking is not the only cause, but it is a major contributor to the overall problem.

The Carnét FireSafe Flowmeter is a new innovation that this fire officer has come across and it appears he is championing within that Trust. It seems unfair and illogical to be so negative in response to his positive actions. This new flowmeter has more safety features in addition to the integral fire break. For example, it incorporates a free-flow shut-off valve which isolates the oxygen supply if there is a downstream rupture – ever had a problem with a bed jacked up smashing a flowmeter or gas outlet?

I am more than happy to provide further information on this product and subject if you have an interest.

How come you haven't yet mentioned the price, Ben?

Are we talking about these devices?

Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) is most often due to tobacco smoking. What we need is smoking-stop, not Fire Safe!

By the way, why not just unplug the flowmeter from the wall outlet?

The price is competitive, but the value of the product is higher than any other in its category.

I don't think that would go down well as part of the patients instruction on entering the hospital. Unplug it while it's on fire?