From the Joint Commission International Center for Patient Safety...

Preventing surgical fires
The Center recommends creating a fire plan and educating staff to reduce the risk of surgical fires. Staff members, including surgeons and anesthesiologists, need to control heat sources by following laser and electrosurgical unit safety practices, managing fuels by allowing sufficient time for patient preparation, and following organizational guidelines for minimizing oxygen concentration under the drapes.

In addition, the ECRI (formerly the Emergency Care Research Institute) recommends that staff should:

• Question the need for 100% oxygen for open delivery during facial surgery and, as a general policy, use air or FIO2 at <30% for open delivery (consistent with patient needs)
• Avoid draping the patient until all flammable preps have fully dried.
• Participate in special drills and training on using fire-fighting equipment; proper methods for rescue and escape; the identification and location of medical gas, ventilation, and electrical systems and controls and when, where, and how to shut off these systems; and use of the hospital's alarm system for contacting the local fire department.