Fire Safety Planning for Federal Buildings

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Fire Safety Planning for Federal Buildings
Eugene Marotta, P.EngDirector, Fire Protection
Services
 

• HRSDC - Labour Program
• April 18th, 2007

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Presentation Outline

• Role and mandate of Fire Protection Services
• Treasury Board Policy/Standard requirements for
  fire safety planning
• The legislated requirements for emergency/fire
  safety planning as per Canada Labour Code, Part
  II
• Essential content and components of a Fire Safety
  Plan

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Presentation Outline

• The role and responsibilities of the Facilities
  Managers (Custodian departments)
• The role and responsibilities of the departments,
  as employers
• The role of the municipal fire services
• The cooperation necessary among all stakeholders
  (Facilities Managers) to prepare and administer
  emergency plans in federal government occupied
  buildings

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Historical Overview

• The FPS was initially established as the Office
  of the Dominion Fire Commissioner (DFC) in 1919
  within the Department of Insurance
• In 1955, the Government Property Fire Prevention
  Regulations, are promulgated pursuant to the
  Financial Administration Act and DFC moved to
  Department of Public Works

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Historical Overview

• In 1982 the DFC was renamed Office of the Fire
  Commissioner of Canada (FCC)
• In 1986, the FCC was moved to Labour Canada and a
  TB/LC MOU was established, and the Government
  Property Fire Prevention Regulations were revoked
• In 1994 the TB Policy on Fire Protection,
  Investigation and Reporting replaces the MOU

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Treasury Board

• Treasury Board
• Establishes government policy
• Establishes FPS as Technical Authority for Fire
  Protection AHJ
• Treasury Board Secretariat
• Publishes the FP Policy Standards

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Fire Protection Services

• Administers TBS Federal Property Fire Protection
  Standards
• Administers Building Fire Codes
• Provides advice, guidance, and direction on fire
  safety planning FEO
• Investigates fires
• Liaison activities

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Facility Managers Awareness

• Requirements of TB Policy Canada Labour Code
• Roles and responsibilities
• Collaboration Between Custodians and
• Building Owners
• Tenant Departments
• Municipal Fire Service
• Fire Safety Plan
• Fire Emergency Organization

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Legislated Requirements for Emergency/Fire Safety
Planning

• Requirements for federal workplaces are outlined
  in Part XVII of the COSH Regulations pursuant to
  the Canada Labour Code, Part II
• and
• For the Federal Public Service, in the Treasury
  Board Standard 3-1 Standard for Fire Safety
  Planning and Emergency Organization

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Legislated Requirements for Emergency/Fire Safety
Planning

• Under the Canada Labour Code, Part II, the
  specific duties of an employer are outlined in
  section 125(1)(o) and (p). They read as follows
• (o) comply with the prescribed standards relating
  to fire safety and emergency measures
• (p) ensure, in the prescribed manner, that
  employees have a safe entry to, exit from and
  occupancy of the work place

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Legislated Requirements for Emergency/Fire Safety
Planning

• Under the Canada Labour Code, Part II, the
  General Offence section 148.(1) reads as follows
• Subject to this section, every person who
  contravenes a provision of this Part is guilty of
  an offence and liable
• (a) on conviction on indictment, to a fine of
  not more than 1,000,000 or to imprisonment
  for a term of not more than two years, or to
  both or
• (b) on summary conviction, to a fine of not
  more than 100,000.

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Requirements of TB Policy CLC

• Fire Safety Plan
• Fire Emergency Organization
• Drills
• Training

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Overview Fire Safety Plan

• Purpose of the FSP
• Establish the FEO
• Record the different types of hazards in a
  building
• Define the duties and responsibilities of the FEO
  members
• Required for all properties both owned leased
• Cannot be prepared in isolation
• In cooperation with the fire department
• In cooperation with the other occupants

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Senior Officers Responsibilities

• Prepare and administer the fire safety plan
• Review and sign the fire safety plan
• Cooperate with other departments to form and
  operate the fire safety plan
• Appoint the Chief Deputy Fire Emergency
  Wardens
• Establish links with facility manager

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Building Occupants

• FEO FSP established for their benefit
• Must comply and participate
• Need to understand their options

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Facility Managers (Custodians)

• Two types
• Holder of property for program delivery
• Provider of property for other departments
• Must comply with codes requirements
• Must assist occupants with emergency procedures

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Facility Managers (Custodians)

• Provide information support
• Building systems features
• Staff for systems during alarms, tests drills
• Correct deficiencies
• Maintain building life safety systems

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The Municipal Fire Service

• Respond to emergencies
• Require certain information for firefighting
• May provide guidance based on their needs

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The Municipal Fire Service

• Have local requirements for FSP based on
• Experience
• Limitations
• Local codes
• Resources

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Firefighters Copy

• Specialized version or portion of plan
• Required for tactical decisions
• Information about the building and its systems
• This is knowledge held by custodian
• Not normally available to occupants

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Essential FSP Components - Occupant

• Copy of the FIRE ORDERS
• Holding fire drills
• The control of hazards in a building
• The names, room numbers and telephone numbers of
  the chief deputy chief wardens of the building
• Procedures for reporting fires

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Essential FSP Components Custodian

• Procedures to facilitate fire department access
  to the building and to locate the seat of fire
  within the building
• A plan of the building
• A plan of each floor
• Description of fire emergency systems and
  instructions on their operation

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FSP Review and Acceptance

• The Fire Safety Plan shall be reviewed and signed
  by the senior officer
• The signed Fire Safety Plan should be forwarded
  to FPS for review acceptance
• Sent to local municipal fire service for review
  acceptance

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Fire Emergency Organization

• An organization of designated staff that
  performs specified duties in the event of a fire
  emergency
• The FEO is required in
• all buildings that are more than three storeys,
  or
• when the occupant load exceeds 50
• The FEO should be established and administered by
  the senior officer

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FEO Members

• Monitors for the mobility-impaired
• Assist in evacuation procedures for the
  mobility-impaired
• Traffic Monitors
• Security staff
• Building engineering staff

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FEO Training

• Members must be trained in the fire emergency
  procedures described in the Fire Safety Plan
• All federal employees
• Need to familiarize themselves with evacuation
  procedures
• Participate

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Mobility-impairment

• A physical or medical disability which, even
  with the aid of monitors, would prevent that
  person from descending the stairs in an
  evacuation situation at a rate of speed
  consistent with the normal flow of other building
  occupants, or which would cause such person
  physical harm if they attempted to descend the
  stairs.

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Evacuation of the Mobility-impaired

• At least two monitors shall be assigned to each
  mobility-impaired person
• Evacuation procedures should be
• discussed with the mobility-impaired individual
• practiced to the extent practicable
• Be prepared for surprises
• Temporary impairments

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Facilities Mobility-impaired

• Areas of refuge
• Elevator features and capabilities
• Resources to assist evacuation and shelter during
  emergency

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Partners in Fire Safety

• There must be cooperation between
• Custodians / Facility Managers
• Building Owners
• Tenant Departments
• Municipal Fire Services

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Collaboration

• An effective Fire Safety Plan cannot be developed
  in isolation
• Information and support must be shared with each
  other
• Your responsibility is to cooperate

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Thank you for paying attention

• Questions?