Preparing the plan .....
Your fire safety plan is a 'legal document' so care must be exercised to ensure the accuracy of the information .. that it is factual and correct... and most importantly that all Responsibilities and Duties assigned to building Management and Staff are within their capabilities.
Preparation of a fire safety plan requires the author to have specific knowledge of the building fire and life safety systems - how they work, understand the various codes and documents that are reference within the fire safety plan (National or Provincial Fire Codes, Building Codes, NFPA, UL or ULC, CSA, etc.) and have some experience in report writing, autocad and presentations.
Some Frequent Questions:
The quick answer is NO. Because each building is different, the fire and emergency systems in each building are different. Building occupants are different, and the layout of each building is different. Therefore a fire safety plan MUST be site specific.
The Fire Code, Work Place Heath and Safety and Occupational Health and Safety Acts, stipulate that a Fire Safety Plan shall be prepared, approved and IMPLEMENTED for those buildings that have designated groups of occupancies. In general a fire safety is required for any building that has a fire alarm system. For eating establishments a fire safety plan is required when the occupant load is 30 or more.
No. Fire safety plans that are prepared by consultants like us are protected by Copyright Laws. You as a customer are also protected by our 'Errors and Omissions Policy'.
Fire plans are reviewed by fire inspectors to determine if they meet the requirement of the fire code and any municipal bylaws, etc. Most municipalities have created a 'check list' that they use to determine if the plan addresses specific fire code requirements. Some common errors include:
- Improper code references (NFPA, CANUL, OFC) etc
- Missing description in narrative form of the fire and life safety systems in the building
- Lack of description of the key personnel in the 'fire emergency' organization
- Schematic drawings that do not contain relevant information
- Failure to consider the logical flow of the information wihtin the plan
Contents of a fire safety plan
Audit of resources...includes a detailed description of the fire and life safety equipment in the building, the location and operational instructions for fire alarm, voice communication, elevator, and smoke control system.
Emergency signs...that indicate the procedures to be followed in an emergency.
Emergency procedures...are procedures to be followed by the occupants in an emergency. This may also include action to be taken when an occupant cannot leave the building.
Control - Confinement...are methods of confineing a fire with the proper use of fire separations and extinguishers. Specifics must be provided for fire hazards and combustible material.
Responsibilities - Duties...is prepared in conjunction with Management.
Fire Drills...must be held at least annually and in buildings over six floors they are to be held quarterly. Occupants MUST be notified at least 48 hours in advance of fire drills and they should be given an opportunity to participate.
Staff...are to be trained in the Fire Procedures before they can be given any responsibility for Fire Safety. Tenants must be informed of the emergency procedures and the fire and life safety equipment in the building.
Maintenance Procedures...includes checks, test, and inspection procedures for each type of fire and life safety equipment in the building.
Schematic Drawings...floor plan drawings will show the location of all life safety and fire supression equipment, all exits, door swings, location of hazardous materials, and any other items deemed necessary by the 'Authority Having Jurisdiction'.