Fire safety in the operating room

1. A fire in the operating room can cause patient death, staff injuries, and costly equipment, facility, and legal damage for the hospital involved. 2. Taking precautions, both preoperatively and intraoperatively, can greatly reduce the risk of an OR fire. 3. The use of a flammability evaluation form--most appropriately filled out by an interdepartmental team consisting of nursing, surgery, and anesthesia department members--aids in the review and assessment of general fire risks and safety throughout the operating suite.