The Joint Commission is seeking public comment on a proposed chapter in its Life Safety standards.
The commission has created a new chapter as part of its Standards Improvement Initiative, which will assess compliance with the Life Safety Code. Most of the new standards and elements of performance in the new chapter are items health care organizations already are responsible for.
The commission requires hospitals to comply with the 2000 edition of the Life Safety Code. The new chapter will continue to require compliance. Organizations now document significant portions of their compliance through the Statement of Conditions Part III and current Standard EC 5.20, EP 1.
Highlights of the new chapter include:
*It will take effect Jan. 1, 2009.
*It will continue requiring compliance with the 2000 edition of NFPA’s Life Safety Code (LSC), so nothing has changed with regard to meeting this series of standards.
*Organizations still will submit the eSOC with basic building information and any plans for improvement.
The proposed standards are available for comment through Jan. 22. To review and comment, visit the Joint Commission web site.
