Interim Life Safety Measures

The Institute maintains a program of Interim Life Safety Measures to minimize the possibility of injury or damage due to fire, smoke & fumes, or other threat. These measures are in addition to, or exceed, standard Life Safety Practices.

The Institute issues relevant policies and procedures to be followed by all staff, regardless of funding source.

Smoking is prohibited.

To identify situations which may increase the potential for fire or other hazardous condition:

• Trained Safety & Security staff make tours of the facility more frequently than would be the norm in a building which meets Life Safety Codes

Hourly Fire Watches on patient floors nightly from 6 PM to 6 AM

• Check for existing fire or smoke condition
• Check for obstruction of egress routes
• Check for blockage of fire hose cabinets
• Other situations which might cause fire emergency

Every two hours for remainder of the building between 7 PM to 7 AM

Twice weekly checks of fire emergency egress routes re:

• Illuminated EXIT signs
• Auto-closing stairwell doors
• Positive latching stairwell doors
• Emergency lighting at & within stairwells/exit doors

Safety & Security staff log-in and file reports re observations

Safety & Security staff take immediate action to resolve emergent conditions.

• Chief Safety & Security Officer submits work orders as needed for non-emergency situations.
• Maintenance department makes repairs and reports back to Safety Department and to Environment of Care Committee

All Institute staff have been made aware of the need for I.L.S.Ms. and are expected to cooperate in reporting hazardous.

All departments are to limit purchases of flammable and combustible materials to the smallest quantity needed to safely and effectively perform their work.

• Less (or non-) flammable materials will be substituted for highly flammable materials whenever practicable.
  • These will include furniture, window coverings, bedding, etc in accord with NYS purchasing regulations.

All departments will store flammable and combustible materials so as to minimize the chance of fire.

• Use of sprinkler-equipped storage spaces
• Use of metal cabinets
• Do not stockpile materials

The Institute trains all staff in good safety practices, including formal instruction re I.L.S.M.

The Chief Safety & Security Officer

• Maintains records regarding compliance with I.L.S.Ms
• Reports to the Safety Committee on a monthly basis.

See other manuals for additional information re I.L.S.Ms. as they pertain to specific departments:

• Safety & Security Department Manual
• Engineering Department Manual
• Housekeeping Department Manual
• Hazardous Materials Safety Manual
• Nutrition Services Manual

The Institute has initiated a formalized review of structural conditions to better identify areas requiring improvement

• NYS OMH consultant engineers to assist
  • Design forms for organized capture of information
  • Assist in rounds of entire facility to make observations and recommendations.
• NYSPI Plant Superintendent completes forms and consults with others in priority approach to improvements
  • Deputy Director for Administration
  • Environment of Care Committee Chairman
  • Chief Safety & Security Officer
• Follow-up maintained through EOC Committee
  • Plant Superintendent reports regularly to Committee re progress.

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