IGSU: Nearly 1,500 fines and warnings issued following irregularities noted in hospitals' ICU units

Nearly 1,500 civil sanctions, of which 1,402 warnings and 91 fines, worth a total of 448,401 RON, were issued, from November 17 to now, following checks conducted in the ICU units of the country's hospitals, according to AGERPRES.

In view of preventing and reducing the risk of emergency situations manifesting, similar to the fire of November 14 that happened at the Intensive Care and Anaesthesia Unit of the Piatra Neamt County Emergency Hospital, the emergency situations departments in the counties or Bucharest-Ilfov conducted specialty checks in the ICU units of the healthcare units in their areas of competence, together with representatives of the Public Health Directorates (DSP) and the State Inspection for Boilers, Pressurized Vessels and Hoisting Installations (ISCIR), mentions the General Inspectorate for Emergency Situations (IGSU) on Monday.

Thus, the mixed teams of specialists of the emergency situations inspectorates, the DSPs and/or ISCIR have conducted 292 preventive checks in the ICU units of the health units existing at the national level and identified 1,921 irregularities in the fire prevention domain, 138 being fixed during checks.

"For the irregularities identified on site, the specialized personnel issued 1,493 civil sanctions, of which 1,402 warnings and 91 fines, worth 448,401 RON," the quoted source shows.

The main irregularities identified in the fire protection domain consisted of non-functioning or lack of maintenance of installation for detection, signaling and warning against fire or not ensuring the fitting of constructions with such systems for fire protection; functioning without a fire security authorization or lack of fitting/maintenance of interior/exterior fire hydrants.

Other irregularities observed were the lack of fire extinguishers; lack of checks by authorized personnel of electrical installations, the use of electrical installations with damage or improvised installations, or overuse of electrical installations, as well as the improper marking of evacuation paths or the lack of adequate lighting installations, as well as lack of ensuring conditions for evacuation in case of emergency situations.

"We mention the fact that, at the level of the City of Bucharest and Ilfov County, the checks are still ongoing, given the large number of health units that have ICU units," the IGSU mentions.