Insurance company recommendations can actually carry equal weight to mandates from entities such as The Joint Commission or local fire departments.
In some ways, insurance companies act as authorities having jurisdiction, meaning they can enforce codes and regulations, says Mike Widdekind, a property healthcare practice leader at Zurich North American, a carrier in Schaumburg, IL.
For example, insurance representatives often look over architectural blueprints and shop drawings for fire protection systems, much like a local building inspector would.
It is common for insurance carriers to monitor the following life safety aspects in healthcare facilities, as described by Widdekind:
- Fire protection system performance
- Preventive maintenance activities
- Life safety assessments conducted as part of The Joint Commission's Statement of Conditions
- Plans for improvement filed as part of the Statement of Conditions
Many insurance inspectors will go through the individual elements of performance noted by The Joint Commission under EC.02.03.05, which covers fire protection equipment testing and maintenance, Widdekind says. Complying with Joint Commission standards can be a step in the right direction with insurance carriers too.
Insurance firms may also try to gauge whether a hospital considers the carrier a partner in fire protection or just a source of risk coverage, says Scott Henderson, PE, CFPS, Northeast region engineering manager for Fireman's Fund Insurance Companies based in Novato, CA.
Facilities simply looking to cover potential fire losses are taking the wrong approach, Henderson says. By comparison, one hospital he works with won't proceed with any major construction or fire alarm work without first contacting him, which Henderson says is a positive mindset.
One area that insurance representatives expect hospitals to stay on top of is smoke barrier protection. Joint Commission surveyors frequently check for unsealed penetrations in barriers—particularly above suspended ceilings—and insurance representatives are also on the lookout for such problems.
"If we see a lot of [penetration] issues . . . we'll go down to facilities management and find out if there's a gap in the preventive maintenance program," says Widdekind.
He recommends that hospitals establish and enforce an above-ceiling permit program if they have histories of penetration problems, he says. Such programs allow facility managers to more accurately monitor barrier penetrations and catch any unsealed holes before the employee or contractor leaves the worksite.