• EC: – Expert Insight on Life Safety[®] [REF: E&M, SFT] EC News September 2013, Vol 16, #9, Pg 5  #JCe1309_B4

In the absence of its official monthly Clarifications & Expectations column, TJC has posted clarifications on 6 challenging (and frequently cited) Life Safety Code Standards from its new book, The Joint Commission/NFPA® Life Safety Book for Health Care Organizations. In keeping with the title and its collaboration with NFPA in this work, each of the 6 LS standards includes expert insight on compliance from both TJC (George Mills, MBA, FASHE, CEM, CHFM, CHSP, Director, Department of Engineering) and NFPA (James K. Lathrop, FSFPE, Vice President, Koffel Associates, Inc). The standards included:  
• LS.02.01.20, Ep 14 – Make sure noting covers, obscures, conceals or otherwise hides exit signs
• LS.02.01.20, EP 28 – Means of egress must have more than 1 source of light
• LS.02.01.34, EP2 – Fire Alarm Control Panels requires a protected area OR smoke detector
• LS.02.01.35, EP 6 – The 18″ clear zone around sprinkler deflectors should be routinely inspected
• LS.02.01.35, EP 9 – A Class k-type fire extinguisher must be within 30′ of grease-producing cooking devices.
• LS.02.01.35, EP 13 – the Exhaust fan feature of a fire suppression system must work properly
Tip: Safety Officers and engineers should review the details of the compliance suggestions for the above standards and consider adding their inspection to routine monitoring rounds and mock tracers.