Fire Operations

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Fire Operations

• Joseph Donoghue, CPP, EMT-B
• Fidelity InvestmentsCorporate Security

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Do The Math

• 43 of businesses that suffer a significant fire
  never reopen
• 28 of businesses that do open, close within
  three years

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Some Reasons These Businesses Failed

• Loss of inventory, information, physical plant
• Loss of market share
• Loss of customer confidence
• Decline in employee morale and attitude
• Negative publicity

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Keys to a Successful Fire Operations Program

• Prevention
• Accountability
• Testing
• Control
• Operatives

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Keys to a Successful Fire Operations Program

• Prevention
• Through education and housekeeping
• Accountability
• Someone is responsible and everyone knows it
• Written plans are updated, accurate and
  accessible
• Testing
• All aspects of your system
• Realistic drills are conducted

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Keys to a Successful Fire Operations Program

• Control
• Life Safety
• Damage Control
• Operatives
• Trained and Tested Responders
• Contingency Plans

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Prevention

• Develop visible programs and document them
• Educate employees
• Everyone is responsible for Good Housekeeping
• Conduct frequent Fire Safety Inspections
• Enforce Smoking Policies

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Prevention During Construction

• Approximately 25 of loss during construction is
  caused by fire
• Common Exposures

• Temporary Heating Units
• Cutting and Welding
• Poor Housekeeping
• Smoking

• Separate Temporary Combustibles from Equipment
• Provide Fire Watch during Hot Work
• Secure Gas Cylinders

• For more tips see Factory Mutual Engineering 1-0
  Loss Prevention Datasheet from April 1992

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Prevention

• General OSHA Fire Safety (1910.38)
• All workplaces must have both
• Emergency Action Plan
• Fire Prevention Plan

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Prevention

• Emergency Action Plan must contain the following
  elements
• Procedures for
• Evacuation and Routes
• Stay-behind employee
• Headcount after evacuation
• Rescue and Medical Duties for applicable
  employees
• Reporting fire and emergencies
• General OSHA Fire Safety (1910.38)

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Prevention

• Emergency Action Plan must also contain these
  elements
• Emergency contacts names and titles
• Sufficient number of employees trained to assist
• General OSHA Fire Safety (1910.38)

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Prevention

• Fire Prevention Plan must contain
• List of major workplace hazards as well as
• Proper handling, storage, potential ignition
  sources, control procedures and fire protection
  equipment to control them
• Names of personnel responsible for
• Maintaining fire prevention or control equipment
• Control of fuel source hazards ( leaks, spills
  and pressure releases)
• General OSHA Fire Safety (1910.38)

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Prevention

• Fire Prevention Plan must also contain
• Written housekeeping procedures for flammable and
  combustible waste materials
• Written procedures for maintaining heat producing
  equipment (boilers, burners, heaters) and their
  fuel supplies.
• General OSHA Fire Safety (1910.38)

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Prevention

• Employee Training
• The employee must be told the parts of the plans
  needed to protect himself upon initial assignment
• The written plan must be kept in the workplace
  and made available to to the employee for review
• General OSHA Fire Safety (1910.38)

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Prevention

• Employee Training
• The employee must be told the parts of the plans
  needed to protect himself upon initial assignment
• The written plan must be kept in the workplace
  and made available to to the employee for review
• General OSHA Fire Safety (1910.38)

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Prevention

• General Requirements for Means of Egress
• Excerpts from CFR 29 1910.36 - 1910.39

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Prevention1910.36 Requirements

• Proper number of exits to permit the prompt
  escape of employees
• Exits must be at least 28 wide (good CPP
  question)
• At least two exits, remote from each other, if
  blocking one would result in endangering the
  safety of the employee

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Prevention 1910.36 Requirements

• No lock or fastening devices on fire exits
• Exits can never be behind a room that is subject
  to locking
• Route to exit may not be through a High Hazard
  area unless shielded

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Prevention 1910.36 Requirements

• Exits and routes clearly marked and maintained
  free of obstructions
• Adequate and reliable illumination of exits
• Doors and routes that do not lead outside must be
  marked Not and Exit
• All fire safety equipment shall be continuously
  maintained in operable condition

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Accountability

• One person designated as the Emergency
  Coordinator
• Clear lines of responsibility both up and down
  from that person
• Clearly defined roles and responsibilities for
  departments and individuals
• Senior management are responsible for the
  implementation and documentation of a fire
  safety plan

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Testing

• Test all aspects of the plans
• Evacuation Drills
• Phone Notifications
• Paging Systems
• Medical Response
• Secondary Power Supplies

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Control

• Control is critical to minimizing injury and
  damage due to panic and confusion
• Notification and Communication Procedures
• Must be a centrally coordinated interface between
  personnel responding to the incident and fire
  systems
• All responding personnel must universally
  understand alarm types, zones, floors, areas, etc.

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Control

• Response
• Properly trained response personnel (Security,
  Engineering, Wardens, Fire Brigade, etc.)
• Response equipment working correctly
  (extinguishers, air packs, containment, etc.)

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Operatives

• Representatives from each location, function and
  shift must be knowledgeable of their particular
  fire and emergency procedures
• Building Management
• Responsible for tenants, systems and possibly
  operations

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Operatives

• Employees
• Responsible for their own safe environment.
  Focus on prevention, not protection
• Contractors must abide by your procedures
• Equipment
• Medical supplies, tools and lighting, water,
  vacuums, portable generators, respiratory
  protection devices

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Operatives

• Facilities
• Operate building systems, maintain exit routes,
  label every pipe, fuse box and fire panel closet
• Fire Wardens
• Responsible for the safe evacuation, headcount
  and relocation of peers
• Managers
• Accountable for safe work environment for their
  employees

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Operatives

• Public Relations
• Your interface with the media
• Security
• Operate systems
• Public address
• ENL
• Response

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Operatives

• VendorsEstablish contractual agreements with
  some of the following

• Contract Security
• Sprinkler and Fire Systems Contractors
• Refrigeration
• Tool Rental
• Food
• Window Glass

• Roofing
• Lodging
• Cleaning and Landscapers ( tree removal )
• Plumbers, Electricians, Carpenters, etc.
• Heating Oil and Fuel Supplies

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Joes Top Ten Takeaways

• 1. Dont rely on a leased building manager to
  educate your employees
• 2. Use the Not an Exit system when necessary
• 3. Never store anything in exit stairwells
• 4. Dont number doors on exit stairwells, number
  the wall instead
• 5. Educate contractors and enforce policies

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Joes Top Ten Takeaways

• 6. Be creative with your evacuation drills
• 7. Label Exits and Routes near the ground also
• 8. No dumpsters near the building
• 9. Educate employees and your personnel upon
  assignment
• 10. Document everything, Be an Outspoken
  Proponent of Fire Safety

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Thank You All