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 staff, we have developed the following decorating rules that must be followed in all of our facilities. These are reflective of the NFPA Life Safety Code, which both The Joint Commission and OSHA have adopted and reference. These rules apply to all areas in the hospital (clinical, non-clinical, offices, etc), clinics, and off-site locations. We also have established procedures for the delivery, pick-up, and return of holiday decorations, which are listed below.

Decorating Rules:

1. Extension cords and/or power strips are not permitted to be used to power decorations, lights, etc. If string lights are used, they must be plugged directly into the wall outlet and must contain the Underwriter’s Laboratory (UL) and/or Factory Mutual seal of approval. This is usually on a sticker located near the plug. Lights must be unplugged when no one is present to monitor the area. Battery powered lights are preferred.

2. Decorations (including string lights of any kind) are not permitted to hang from the ceiling or sprinkler heads and must be at least 18 inches away from sprinkler heads.

3. Live Christmas trees, pinecones, mistletoe, wreaths, bales of straw/hay are not permitted.

4. Candles or other open-flame decorations are prohibited.

5. Doors, walls, floors, desks, nurse’s stations, work desks, or any other furniture or building structure are prohibited from being completely wrapped in lights, paper, tinsel, or any other combustible materials. No more than 10% of any surface is permitted to be covered.

6. Decorations must not cover or block fire system strobe lights, fire pull stations, or alarm panels.

7. Any type of decorations (such as Christmas trees) are prohibited from sitting in the hallway corridors or in front of emergency exits or stairwells.

8. Due to COVID concerns, please do not bring-in any new decorations from home or outside of the organization. Please only use decorations that are brought to the hospital from our warehouse.

Delivery, Pick-Up, and Return of Decorations:

1. Department decorations will be available for pick-up on the 4th floor of Ruby on Wednesday, Nov. 17 and Thursday, Nov. 18 from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Departments are responsible for picking up their own decorations. The Supply Chain department will NOT deliver decorations to the departments. Decorations not picked up by 4 p.m. on Thursday, Nov. 18 will be taken back to the offsite warehouse. Departments whose decorations are returned to the offsite warehouse will have to arrange to send a department representative to the offsite warehouse to retrieve the decorations.

2. Decoration storage containers must be kept by the departments during the holiday season. The Supply Chain department will not store your containers.

3. After the holidays are over, Supply Chain will send out communication regarding the dates, times, and locations for decoration return drop-off.

We appreciate your cooperation. If you have questions, please contact:

Brandon Knotts, Safety Director, 304-598-4055
Justin Smith, Supply Chain Director, 304-598-6821

WVU Health Sciences

WVU Facilities Management Guidlines for Holiday Decorating

1. Health Sciences has specific, approved decorations that will be displayed in specific public areas, and will arrange for the hanging/set-up, etc.

2. 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.

3. Extension cords are not permitted for providing power to decorations (i.e. lights).

4. Live Christmas trees, pinecones, mistletoe, wreaths, bales of straw/hay, etc. are not permitted in the building.

5. Open flame decorations (such as candles) are not permitted.

6. 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.

7. Christmas trees and other large decorations are not to be placed in corridors or other means of egress.

8. 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.

9. Decorations are not to be hung from the ceiling tiles or sprinkler heads.

10. Decorations must not cover up the fire system strobe lights or alarm panel stations.

11. 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 be touring 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 are providing a safe environment for our patients, visitors, students, facility and staff.

Wishes to all of you for a wonderful and SAFE holiday season!