Volume 6, Issue 2 (Winter 2021)                   Health in Emergencies and Disasters Quarterly 2021, 6(2): 115-122 | Back to browse issues page


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1- Student Research Committee, School of Public Health, Qazvin University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
2- Department of Occupational Health, School of Public Health, Qazvin University of Medical Sciences, Qazvin, Iran. , v.zaroushani@qums.ac.ir
3- Department of Prehospital Medical Emergencies, School of Paramedical Sciences, Qazvin University of Medical Sciences, Qazvin, Iran.
Abstract:   (2148 Views)
Background: Hospitals are highly vulnerable to fire because of the presence of vulnerable people (patients, medical staff, and visitors), expensive equipment, and the ignorance and low-risk perception of occupants. Injuries caused by fire can result in life and financial losses and can disrupt the performance of a hospital. Fire risk assessment is an effective way to assess vulnerability, capacity, and capability. This study aims to evaluate the risk of fire and identify the effective factors and their contribution to a hospital. 
Materials and Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted using the Fire Risk Assessment Method for Engineering (FRAME) in the equipment room of a hospital in Qazvin, Iran. The fire risk was first calculated by using the related formulas in Excel software. Then, the influential factors and their contribution to the overall risk were determined to perform corrective measures for reducing the risk.
Results: The numerical value of risk for the building and its contents, occupants, and activities were 2.075, 3.315, and 2.481, respectively (>1), indicating its unacceptable level. Factors affecting the potential risk level for the building and its content and occupants were fire load, venting, and access. Regarding the acceptable risk level, the activation factor was identified as an influential factor in all domains. The highest contribution in the potential risk level for the building and its content and occupants was related to the fire load factor (1.6). In the acceptable risk level, the highest contribution was related to the activation factor (0.4).
Conclusion: The FRAME method can also identify effective factors and their contribution to the overall fire risk of medical centers such as hospitals to help develop plans and special measures to reduce the risk.
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Type of Study: Research | Subject: Special
Received: 2020/06/6 | Accepted: 2021/02/24 | Published: 2021/01/1

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