Fire Safety of Healthcare Units in Conditions of Oxygen Therapy in COVID-19: Empirical Establishing of Effects of Elevated Oxygen Concentrations

Wojciech Wróblewski, Norbert Tuśnio, Paweł Wolny, Dorota Siuta, Janusz Trzebicki, Teresa Bączkowska, Olga Dzikowska-Diduch and Piotr Pruszczyk
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Wojciech Wróblewski: Internal Security Institute, The Main School of Fire Service, 01-629 Warsaw, Poland
Norbert Tuśnio: Faculty of Safety Engineering and Civil Protection, The Main School of Fire Service, 01-629 Warsaw, Poland
Paweł Wolny: Faculty of Process and Environmental Engineering, Lodz University of Technology, 90-924 Lodz, Poland
Dorota Siuta: Faculty of Process and Environmental Engineering, Lodz University of Technology, 90-924 Lodz, Poland
Janusz Trzebicki: Department of Anaesthesiology and Intensive Care, Medical University of Warsaw, 02-005 Warsaw, Poland
Teresa Bączkowska: Department of Transplantation Medicine and Nephrology, Medical University of Warsaw, 02-006 Warsaw, Poland
Olga Dzikowska-Diduch: Department of Internal Medicine and Cardiology, Medical University of Warsaw, 02-005 Warsaw, Poland
Piotr Pruszczyk: Department of Internal Medicine and Cardiology, Medical University of Warsaw, 02-005 Warsaw, Poland

Sustainability, 2022, vol. 14, issue 7, 1-14

Abstract: Large-scale usage of oxygen therapy (OT) may lead to increased oxygen concentrations (OC) in places where COVID-19 patients are treated. The aim of the study was to establish in an empirical way the OC in COVID-19 at the patient’s bedside and to assess the relationships and reactions that occur during OT in an uncontrolled oxygen-enriched environment. We analyzed and took into account the OC, the technical conditions of the buildings and the air exchange systems. Based on the results, we performed a Computational Fluid Dynamics analysis to assess evacuation conditions in the event of a fire outbreak in the COVID-19 zone. A total of 337 measurements of OC were carried out, and three safety thresholds were then defined and correlated with fire effects. The highest ascertained oxygen concentration was 25.2%. In the event of a fire outbreak at 25.2% oxygen in the atmosphere, the response time and evacuation of medical staff and patients is no longer than 2.5 min. Uncontrolled oxygen enrichment of the environment threatens the safety of medical staff and patients in COVID-19 hospitals.

Keywords: oxygen concentration; COVID treatment; oxygen therapy; fire hazard; COVID hospitals (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2022
References: View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (1)

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