HospitalInspections.org

Based on observation and staff interview, the facility failed to provide barriers around 2 of 2 construction zones that would resist the passage of smoke or fire. This condition would allow smoke or fire to spread from the construction zones into the occupied spaces of the facility.

Findings are:
Observation on 5/13/21, at 10:40 am revealed:
1. The Staff Lounge was under construction for a new hospital waiting area. The room was separated from the exit corridor by a drywall ceiling, where the corridor wall did not extend to the roof deck. At the time of the survey, the drywall ceiling had been demolished, which opened the construction zone to the occupied hospital above ceiling.
2. Rooms 120 - 126 were under construction for new COVID-19 negative pressure rooms. The rooms were separated from the exit corridor by drywall ceilings where the corridor wall did not extend to the roof deck. At the time of the survey, the drywall ceilings in each room had been demolished, which opened the construction zone to the occupied hospital above ceiling.
3. Construction separation walls by the Laboratory, and the Pharmacy for the new COVID-19 negative pressure rooms were built to the underside of the suspended ceiling, and did not extend to the roof deck. The plastic panels used to construct the walls were not listed for a 1-hour fire assembly where fire sprinkler coverage was taken out of service in Rooms 120 - 126.

In an interview on 5/13/21, at 10:40 am, Maintenance A and Construction Superintendent A confirmed the lack of separation.

NFPA 241, 2009, 8.6.2 Temporary Separation Walls.
8.6.2.1 Protection shall be provided to separate an occupied
portion of the structure from a portion of the structure undergoing
alteration, construction, or demolition operations when
such operations are considered as having a higher level of
hazard than the occupied portion of the building.
8.6.2.2 Walls shall have at least a 1-hour fire resistance rating.
8.6.2.3 Opening protectives shall have at least a 45-minute
fire protection rating.
8.6.2.4* Nonrated walls and opening protectives shall be permitted
when an approved automatic sprinkler system is installed.