Developing your own fire safety plan

You can follow these instructions to implement a comprehensive fire safety plan for your organization.

General policies – Implementation of a fire safety plan should be reflected in the governing policy of all organizations within any and all buildings and structures. The FSP must also address each of the following issues:

Intention to maintain a fire safety plan:

A statement of the fundamental commitment of the governing body to the principles of developing, implementing and maintaining a fire safety plans.

Fire safety planning committee – terms of reference:

A members list of the basic fire safety planning team and their terms of reference. The team should be comprised of major tenants, organizational divisions or functional areas of the facility to which the fire safety plan. The terms of reference should outline all necessary factors to facilitate the day-to-day operation of the planning committee. Note that diverse, committed members are the key to development of a complete, comprehensive workable fire safety plan.

General instruction of supervisory staff:

Policy statement regarding the governing body's commitment to ensure that personnel assigned fire safety responsibilities are given the necessary training to carry out those responsibilities.

Posting, distribution and availability of fire safety plans:

A general statement regarding the distribution and accessibility of the organization's fire safety plan must be made accessible and available to employees, supervisory staff and the public occupants of the facility.

Maintenance of Fire Safety Plan :

A statement committed to keeping the plan current, relative to changes that occur in the facility with respect to use, occupancy, staffing and organizational and procedural shifts.

Revisions, approvals, safety codes officer acceptance:

A statement of the process to amend the plan that addresses internal and external approval requirements and implementation concerns.

Fire safety plan:

The fundamental portion of the plan addressing the day-to-day measures that the fire safety plan is required to cover.

General Measures

Emergency procedures – fires:

Should cover specific emergency response measures required of all building occupants upon alarm. Emergency procedures must cover the following as a minimum:

i) Sounding the alarm, including alternatives.

ii) Notifying the fire department, i.e., phone number (9-1-1), etc.

iii) Specific evacuation instructions for occupants, i.e. use stairs, do not use elevators.

iv) Means of evacuation or protection of the disabled or non-ambulatory occupants i.e. wheelchairs, hearing disabled, visually impaired. Alternate accommodation arrangements must also be noted.

v) Specific instructions for the controlling, confining or extinguishing of fires noting the capabilities of staff, equipment and training given.

vi) Bomb Threat – additional specific instructions regarding the treatment of bomb threats can be developed with the assistance of the local police detachment.

vii) Other – additional specific instructions applicable to emergencies other than fire or bomb threat i.e. gas leak, chemical spill, external exposure threat, etc.

Appointment and organization of fire safety supervisory staff:

Appointment:

Includes specific instructions for the appointment of personnel in the facility to positions on the fire safety supervisory staff. These positions may include other than normal supervisory staff, and encouragement is given to use of staff that would not otherwise be committed to other duties in an emergency situation to be appointed, e.g., caretakers, secretarial/clerical staff. An organizational chart is required for this organization, and appointments should be by position and not by individual name. Alternatives to every position should be specified.

Authority, responsibility, accountability

The powers, responsibility and accountability for each position on the organization should be outlined.

Duties:

The duties for each position on the organization chart should be outlined so as to provide a clear explanation of the positions role in the fire safety plan.

Instruction of fire safety supervisory staff

Emergency duties:

Specifics of how and when supervisory staff will be given instruction in their emergency duties, reinforcement training and practice and feedback on their ability to perform assigned roles.

Non-emergency duties:

Specifics of how and when supervisory staff will be given instruction in their emergency duties, reinforcement training, practice and feedback.

Floor plan diagrams

Internal safety systems:

Floor plans for each floor area identifying the location of fire extinguishers, fire alarm pull stations, standpipe and hose systems, fire telephones, emergency signs, fire doors and exit doors. Where the operation of specific internal systems is not readily apparent, simple instructions are to be noted on the plans.

Evacuation routes and mustering points:

Floor diagrams that identify primary and secondary evacuation routes from each part of the building including identified assembly points (mustering points) in locations out of the way of responding emergency equipment outside of the building. Alternate accommodations for inclement weather evacuation should also be noted.

Fire Drills

Procedure:

Should outline the specific requirements, in conjunction with the local fire department for conducting and evaluating fire drills.

Frequency:

Should outline the number of fire drills to be conducted in a year, when to be conducted and whether or not false and nuisance alarms can be treated as discharging code required fire drills.

Evaluation:

Specific means must be outlined by which fire drills can be evaluated. Your local fire department should be involved in the development of this aspect.

Internal Fire Hazard Control – essentially this section spells out those procedures and policies in place in the facility that is designed to prevent fires and to maximize life safety when fires do occur .

Reporting of Hazards:

Staff need clear directions for the appropriately reporting internal hazards. Hazard reporting cannot be left to chance and a well-defined system of reporting, feedback and correction for hazards is essential to any fire safety program.

Internal Inspections:

All employees have the responsibility of monitoring common fire deficiencies in buildings inspection checklists is one of the most effective means for reducing fire safety hazards in buildings and lowering the incidence of fires. It is also an effective way for ensuring staff familiarization with the fire safety features in buildings. Fire safety checklists can be prepared for any area of a building and should form one of the duties assigned to fire safety supervisory staff. 

External Inspections:

An external audit with specific allowance for inspections conducted by outside agencies, including government. Specific items to be included are: sensitive areas, access, accompanying staff, etc.

Maintenance of Building Fire Safety Systems

Equipment inspection, testing, maintenance policy

This area should address the specifics of maintenance of all the fire safety systems installed in the building, including fire alarm and fire detection, sprinklers, standpipes, hoses, etc., and who is to do various aspects of it as required and frequency record maintenance, corrective or maintenance action, etc.

Inspection, testing and maintenance by external agencies

Procedures for employing outside agencies where specific qualified personnel are required to inspect, test or maintain fire safety systems like fire alarms, fire detection equipment, commercial cooking systems, annual extinguisher maintenance and recharging.

Special Procedures

Temporary shutdown of fire protection systems

This section address procedures for obtaining permits for shutdown of systems, doing work on systems, required notifications for carrying out work systems, etc.

Building alterations, additions and renovations

This section should address the procedures for making changes to areas of the existing facility that are regulated by the Alberta Fire Code, Alberta Building Code and Gas, Plumbing, Electrical and Health regulations that impact on the total building fire safety. Procedures for obtaining permits, contractor interfaces, notifications, construction or demolition and fire safety planning all require attention.

Non-permitted hazardous processes or activities:

A building is initially designed and constructed for specific uses in mind, sometimes on a temporary basis. Other activities may be desired or required to be performed in the facility which exceeds the hazard level initially permitted. These special hazards may be permitted in some cases by the fire authority providing certain cautionary measures are met. Such permission is allowed under a permit system, with appropriate application to and review by the fire authority. Examples are: welding, cutting or soldering in a building not designed for such activity like a school, church, restaurant or office; open flames in any building; fireworks displays; storage of flammable or combustible materials in excess of permitted amounts. A comprehensive list of such activities that could possible apply to your facility can be obtained from the Fire Prevention Branch at 780-743-7064.

The fire safety plan must eventually include all of the above in order to gain final written acceptance by the Fire Prevention Branch.

Fire safety plans are very much site specific and reflect building design and functionality, internal safety philosophy and interface with other safety requirements such as health, accident and mental, along with other preventative activities as crime prevention. Generic aspects of fire safety plans are under development insofar as standardization of those aspects of the plans can be determined and will be available in the near future.

Please contact the Fire Prevention Branch at 780-743-7064 or by fax at 780–799- 5910 if you require further information or assistance.