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 table 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. However, 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 NFPA regulations.

Permissible decorations include:

• Artificial fire-retardant trees, wreaths and other decorations.
• Battery powered lights (strongly preferred).
• Electric lights must contain the UL or Factory Mutual approval tag and must be plugged directly into wall outlet. They must also indicate acceptable for indoor use.

Prohibited items and practices include:

• Extension cords and/or power strips. No “daisy chaining.”
• Electrical cords running through or under doorways.
• Decorations hanging from the ceiling, overhead or sprinkler heads.
• Decorations within 18 inches of sprinkler heads.
• Live holiday trees, wreaths, mistletoe, pinecones, bales of straw/hay and real wood (i.e. firewood).
• Candles or other open-flame decorations.
• Heat-generating decorations (i.e., candle warmers).
• Doors, walls, floors, ceilings, nurse’s stations, work desks or other furniture or building structures completely wrapped in combustible materials, such as wrapping paper, tinsel, lights, etc. Only 20% of any one surface may be covered.
• Decorations of any amount on fire-rated doors or directional signs.
• Decorations covering windows in any door.
• Decorations blocking exit signs, fire pull stations, fire extinguisher cabinets, fire strobe lights, smoke/heat detectors, emergency exits or med gas panels.
• Trees or other decorations in the hallway/egress corridor.
• Inflatable decorations.

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