WVU Health Sciences and WVU Medicine provide holiday decorating reminders

As the holiday season approaches, employees are reminded of decoration safety guidelines.

WVU Health Sciences

Health Sciences has specific, approved decorations that will be displayed in specific public areas, and will arrange for the hanging/set-up, etc.
Decorative lights used in the building must have the Underwriter’s Laboratory (UL) and/or Factory Mutual seal of approval. This is usually indicated on a silver sticker near the electrical plug. However, battery powered electrical lights are preferred. Under no circumstances should lights be hung from the ceiling tiles or sprinkler heads.
Extension cords are not permitted for providing power to decorations (i.e., lights).
Live holiday trees, pinecones, mistletoe, wreaths, bales of straw/hay, etc. are not permitted in the building.
Open flame decorations (such as candles) are not permitted.
Decorations must never block an emergency exit, fire pull station, sprinkler head, fire extinguisher, fire hose connection box, circuit breaker panel box, or other critical fire/life safety equipment.
Holiday trees and other large decorations are not to be placed in corridors or other means of egress.
Do not completely wrap walls, floors, doors, desks, nurse’s stations, work desks, or any other furniture or building structure with wrapping paper, tinsel or any other combustible materials. No more than 10% of any surface should be covered with combustible materials. Flammability ratings of decorations should be available upon request.
Decorations are not to be hung from the ceiling tiles or sprinkler heads.
Decorations must not cover up the fire system strobe lights or alarm panel stations.
A reminder for catered holiday parties in the building: Food warmers using open liquid “Sterno” type fuels are permitted provided someone is present to continuously monitor; they should never be left unattended. Catering tables must be set up so that they do not block exit paths or exit corridors in the building.

The Facilities Department will tour the buildings frequently to ensure compliance. Any violations found will be removed by the facilities staff or department staff during the compliance inspection. The purpose for these guidelines is to ensure we provide a safe environment for our patients, visitors, students, faculty and staff.

Review WVU Facilities Management Guidelines for Holiday Decorating online.

WVU Medicine

WVU Hospitals recognizes the excitement that surrounds the holiday season and wants to provide a festive atmosphere. To ensure we provide an environment safe for our patients, visitors and employees, we have developed the following decorating rules that must be followed in all our facilities. All guidelines are based on The Joint Commission standards and National Fire Protection Association regulations.

Permitted decorations:

Small decorations that can be set on a desktop, counter-top or shelf.
Small decorations (such as an artificial wreath) that do not cover more than 20% of non-fire-rated door or wall surface, or obstruct/cover a window.
Paper decorations affixed to a bulletin board.
UL approved electric powered lights on a Christmas tree must be plugged directly into an electrical outlet.
Desktop, counter-top or shelf (i.e. Nurse’s Station Desk).
Any area that is not in a corridor or means of egress (means of egress: the pathway to an exit, the actual exit door or stairwell, and the discharge pathway out of the building such as an exterior sidewalk).
Any area that does not block doors, stairwells, exit signs, fire pull stations, fire extinguishers, fire strobe lights, fire alarm panel box, sprinkler heads, smoke or heat detectors, electrical panel boxes, or medical gas shut-off valves.

Prohibited decorations include, but are not limited to:

Live decorations, such as trees, wreaths, mistletoe, pinecones, bales of straw/hay and real wood (i.e. firewood).
Decorations containing “flocking” (artificial snow) such as on trees, wreaths, etc.
Open flame, such as candles.
Heat-generating decorations (i.e., candle warmers).
Electric powered lights or battery powered lights strung on walls, doors, furniture, equipment, ceiling, etc.
Extension cords and power strips.
Decorations hanging from the ceiling, bulk heads or sprinkler heads.
Decorations sitting in the corridors or extending into the corridor reducing corridor width.
Decorations blocking or obstructing passageways to exits, exit doors, exit stairwells.
Decorations covering life safety features including exit signs, fire pull stations, fire extinguishers, fire strobe lights, fire alarm panel box, sprinkler heads, smoke/heat detectors, emergency exit doors and stairwells, electrical panel boxes or medical gas shut-off valves.
Doors, walls, floors, ceilings, workstations/desks, other furniture or building structures completely wrapped in combustible materials, such as wrapping paper, cardboard, tinsel, lights, etc.
Decorations within 18 inches of sprinkler heads.
Decorations of any amount on fire-rated doors, corridor doors or directional signs.
Decorations exceeding 20% of non-fire-rated door or wall surface.
Decorations covering or obstructing windows in any door or wall.
Inflatable decorations.
Combustible decorations, such as paper or cardboard, taped to walls and doors.
The use of nails, screws, command strips, tape (scotch, duct, medical, etc.) or other anchoring devices into walls, doors, ceilings, floors or other surfaces.
Decorations covering or affixed to patient isolation signage, PPE parts, respiratory protection carts, dietary carts, EVS cleaning carts, patient lift or transport equipment.

We are required to abide by specific fire safety code requirements when it comes to decorations, not only during the holiday season, but throughout the entire year. The WVU Hospitals Senior Leadership Team has worked with the Safety Management Team to develop a policy and process for ensuring compliance with regulatory codes for decorations. Review the WVUH Policy for Decorations and a brief rules sheet. Both documents outline what is permitted and what is not permitted and are applicable to all buildings/operations owned and/or operated by WVUH.

We appreciate your support in ensuring our organization maintains compliance with regulatory safety codes, while also providing a nice atmosphere for the holidays that is safe, clean and professional.

If you have questions, please contact the WVU Safety Management Office at 304-598-4055.