Lack of Emergency Lighting
Hospitals may lose normal power for a variety of reasons, including natural disasters and other emergencies. An ASHE essential electrical system (EES) survey found that facilities responding to the survey averaged at least one electrical utility outage each year. The vast majority of these electrical outages were not due to major storms or natural disasters. Making sure that hospitals are always ready for utility outages with a well maintained EES is vital to the safety and well-being of patients. The Joint Commission requires hospitals to have emergency power for alarm systems, means of egress, communications, at least one elevator, and equipment and areas that if lost would cause harm to patients. Emergency lighting in mission critical areas is vital and has been a repeated finding by the Joint Commission.
ISSUE – Terms and Concepts
- (PDF excerpt from Inside ASHE magazine; full magazine and back issues available to ASHE members here)
- Conference session recording: Superstorm Sandy’s Impact on Essential Electrical Systems: What Went Right? (ASHE members only)
MITIGATION – Tools and Resources