Indicator 11: When the Wires Start to Smoke: Does Your Staff Know What to Do in a Fire or Non-Fire Emergency?

Series: Understanding MSDS | Post 14 of 52
Standard 4 (FMS-1) | Indicator 11 | Category: RED (100% required)

A Simple Question for the Dispenser

Dr. Nabeela Aslam ran a busy family clinic in Sialkot with a dispenser, Arif, and an attendant, Zahida.

Near the end of the PHC assessment, the assessor turned to Arif.

“Suppose you smell something burning from the electric board behind the medicine racks. What will you do?”

Arif answered without hesitation. “Throw water on it, sir. There is a bucket in the washroom.”

The assessor nodded and turned to Zahida. “And if there is an earthquake while ten patients are sitting here?”

Zahida looked at Dr. Nabeela. “We will all run outside?”

“Which number will you call for the fire brigade?”

Nobody in the room was certain, including the doctor.

Arif’s answer worried the assessor most. Water on an electrical fire, with the power still on, can turn a small fire into an electrocution.

Indicator 11 is a RED indicator. It was scored as not met.

What Indicator 11 Requires

The indicator reads: The staff has the knowledge about early detection and containment of fire and non-fire emergencies.

The surveyor interviews the staff, both the doctor and the support staff, about the system for early detection and containment of such emergencies.

The manual explains the key terms:

• Early detection, at a small scale, means quickly checking in person any unusual smoke, burning smell or sparking
• A fire emergency is any sudden incident where a burning smell is felt, smoke is visible or actual fire is noticed
• Non-fire emergencies include earthquakes, building collapse, floods, civil disorder, anti-social behaviour of patients or relatives, spillage of hazardous substances such as mercury, falls and sudden breakdown of electricity or gas supply

What Staff Are Expected to Know

The manual’s general guidelines, once fire is detected, are to stay calm and act in this order:

• Close windows and doors to cut off fresh air
• Keep the escape route open
• Raise the alarm by shouting, telephoning or switching on a fire alarm
• Rescue trapped people
• Switch off electricity and gas supply
• Fight the fire, if possible, with at least two persons

A fire resulting from a short circuit should never be controlled with water unless the power has been cut off at the main switch or fuse. An extinguisher is aimed at the seat of the fire, at the bottom of the flames.

If the fire does not seem controllable, Rescue 1122, the fire brigade or civil defence must be called immediately, even before abatement begins. The manual gives 16 as the fire brigade emergency number.

During evacuation, children get first priority, staff leave last, and everyone gathers at an assembly point for a head count.

How It Is Scored

There are only two outcomes.

If the staff has knowledge about the system or process of early detection and containment of fire and non-fire emergencies, the indicator is scored as fully met. If the staff has no knowledge, it is scored as not met.

Why It Matters

Many clinics in Punjab sit in old market buildings with overloaded wiring and a single staircase. In the first few minutes of an emergency, what the staff already knows is the only plan the clinic has.

What Dr. Nabeela Changed

She held a two-hour session for her whole team on a Sunday, walking them through the manual’s sequence: detect, raise the alarm, cut the power, contain, call for help, evacuate.

Arif practised switching off the main breaker, which he had never touched before. Zahida’s evacuation role was fixed: guide patients down the stairs, children first, and count heads across the road.

The numbers 1122 and 16 were written on a card beside the reception phone. A short list of non-fire emergencies, with the first action for each, was pinned inside the dispensary door.

She scheduled a mock fire drill once a year, as the manual recommends.

At reassessment, the assessor asked Arif the same question. This time he began with the main switch, and Indicator 11 was scored as fully met.

A Quick Self-Check

• Ask your dispenser today: what is the first thing to do if the electric board starts smoking?
• Does every staff member know never to use water on an electrical fire while the power is on?
• Does everyone know the numbers for Rescue 1122 and the fire brigade?
• Has a mock fire drill been held in the last year?

Series so far: Post 1, The Inspector | Post 2, 18 Standards, 47 Indicators | Post 3, Red, Yellow and the Score | Post 4, Signboard | Post 5, Easy Access | Post 6, PHC License | Post 7, Door Plate | Post 8, Consultation Hours | Post 9, Qualified Manager | Post 10, PMDC Certificate | Post 11, Minimum Premises | Post 12, Comfort Facilities | Post 13, Patient Privacy | Post 14, Fire Emergency Knowledge

About this series: Educational content on MSDS compliance for clinics under the Punjab Healthcare Commission, based on the PHC MSDS Reference Manual 2017.