Revision 12/06 Fire prevention plan

Revision 12/06Purpose

OSHA’s Fire Prevention Plan regulation, found at 1910.39, requires our company to have a written Fire Prevention Plan (FPP). This plan applies to all operations in our company where employees may encounter a fire.

This Fire Prevention Plan (FPP) is in place at this company to control and reduce the possibility of fire and to specify the type of equipment to use in case of fire. This plan addresses the following issues:

• Major workplace fire hazards and proper handling and storage procedures for hazardous materials.
• Potential ignition sources and their control.
• The type of fire protection equipment necessary to control each major hazard.
• Procedures to control accumulations of flammable and combustible waste materials.
• Procedures for regular maintenance of safeguards installed on heat-producing equipment to prevent the accidental ignition of combustible materials.
• The name of job title of employees responsible for maintaining equipment to prevent or control sources of ignition or fires.
• The name of job title of employees responsible for the control of fuel source hazards.

Under this plan, our employees will be informed of the plan’s purpose, preferred means of reporting fires and other emergencies, types of evacuations to be used in various emergency situations, and the alarm system. The plan is closely tied to our Emergency Action Plan where procedures are described for emergency evacuation procedures and exit route assignments, procedures to account for all employees after emergency evacuation has been completed, and rescue and medical duties for those employees who perform them. Please see the Emergency Action Plan for this information.

____________ is the Plan Coordinator, acting as the representative of the Facility Manager, who has overall responsibility for the plan. The written plan is kept in ____________. ____________ will review and update the plan as necessary. Copies of this plan may be obtained from ____________.

The FPP communicates to employees, policies and procedures to follow in a fire emergency. This written plan is available, on request, to employees, their designated representatives, and OSHA officials.

We encourage suggestions to make improvements to the plan because we are committed to the success of our fire prevention program. We strive for clear understanding, safe behavior, and involvement in the plan from every level of the company.

Revision 12/06Plan coordinator responsibilities

At ____________, the Plan Coordinator is responsible for the following activities:

• Develop a written Fire Prevention Plan for regular and after-hours work conditions.
• Immediately notify the ____________ fire or police departments, and the building owner/ superintendent in the event of a fire affecting the facility.
• Integrate the FPP with the existing general emergency plan covering the building occupied.
• Distribute procedures for reporting a fire, the location of fire exits, and exit routes to each employee.
• Conduct drills to acquaint the employees with fire procedures, and to judge their effectiveness.
• Satisfy all local fire codes and regulations as specified.
• Train designated employees in the use of fire extinguishers and the application of medical first-aid techniques.
• Keep key management personnel home telephone numbers in a safe place in the facility for immediate use in the event of a fire. Distribute a copy of the list to key persons to be retained in their homes for use in communicating a fire occurring during non-work hours. Decide to have employees and non-employees remain in or evacuate the facility in the event of a fire.

If evacuation is deemed necessary, the Plan Coordinator ensures that:

• All employees are notified and evacuated and a head count is taken to confirm total evacuation of all employees.
• When practical, equipment is placed and locked in storage rooms or desks for protection.
• The building owner/superintendent is contacted, informed of the action taken, and asked to assist in coordinating security protection.
• In locations where the building owner/superintendent is not available, security measures to protect employee records and property are arranged as necessary.

In addition, the Plan Coordinator is responsible for the following duties unique to this facility: ____________.

Revision 12/06Fire hazards

Fire prevention measures involving proper handling and storage of hazardous materials have been developed. These include: ____________.

Fuel is used throughout the facility as an energy source for various systems or equipment. This fuel can be a significant fire hazard and must be monitored and controlled. These include: ____________.

Revision 12/06Potential ignition sources

Flammable or combustible materials and other fuel sources may not ignite on their own without an external source of ignition. The following procedures are used to control known ignition sources at this company: ____________.

Revision 12/06Fire protection equipment

Fire protection equipment used at this company is selected and purchased by ____________. This equipment includes the following types of extinguishers: ____________.

In addition, the following equipment is also on site to control fires: ____________.

Fire protection equipment and systems are indicated on the building floor plan in an appendix to this plan.

Revision 12/06Maintenance of equipment/systems

It is our intent to ensure the reliability of fire protection equipment and equipment and systems installed on heat-producing equipment to prevent the accidental ignition of combustible materials. The following employees are responsible for maintaining equipment and systems installed to prevent or control sources of ignition or fires: ____________.

Our procedures for maintaining equipment/systems are as follows: ____________.

Revision 12/06Housekeeping procedures

Our company controls accumulations of flammable and combustible waste materials and residues so that they do not contribute to a fire. We have identified the following potential hazards in our facility: ____________.

The following procedures have been developed to eliminate or minimize the risk of fire due to improperly stored or disposed of materials.____________.

Revision 12/06Training

Revision 12/06Fire prevention plan

At the time of a fire, employees should know what type of evacuation is necessary and what their role is in carrying out the plan. In cases where the fire is large, total and immediate evacuation of all employees is necessary. In smaller fires, a partial evacuation of nonessential employees with a delayed evacuation of others may be necessary for continued operation. We must be sure that employees know what is expected of them during a fire to assure their safety.

Our company trains employees through classroom instruction followed by a drill. Managers and supervisors also give all their employees (divided into small groups) a thorough briefing and demonstration.

Training, conducted on initial assignment, includes:

• Fire hazards to which an employee is exposed;
• What to do if employee discovers a fire;
• Demonstration of alarm, if more than one type exists;
• How to recognize fire exits;
• Evacuation routes;
• Assisting employees with disabilities;
• Measures to contain fire (e.g., closing office doors and windows in immediate vicinity);
• Head count procedures (see EAP for details);
• Return to building after the “all-clear” signal; and
• Those parts of the Fire Prevention Plan necessary for self-protection.

If the Plan Coordinator has reason to believe an employee does not have the understanding required, the employee must be retrained. ____________ certifies in writing that the employee has received and understands the Fire Prevention Plan training.

Any employee who does not comply with this plan will be disciplined.

Our building houses several places of employment, so we have set up a building-wide FPP including all employers in the building. ____________ has informed its employees of their duties and responsibilities under the plan. Each employer in the facility has a copy of the standardized plan and it is accessible by affected employees.

Together we have coordinated the FPPs of all employers in the building to avoid confusion and conflicts during a fire.

Revision 12/06Fire protection equipment

The Plan Coordinator provides training for each employee whose job duties require the use of fire protection equipment. Employees may not use fire protection equipment without appropriate training. Training, before an individual is assigned responsibility to fight a fire, includes:

• Types of fires,
• Types of fire prevention equipment,
• Location of fire prevention equipment,
• How to use fire prevention equipment,
• Limitations of fire prevention equipment,
• Proper care and maintenance of assigned fire prevention equipment, and ____________.

Employees must demonstrate an understanding of the training and the ability to use the equipment properly before they are allowed to perform work requiring the use of the equipment.

If the Plan Coordinator has reason to believe an employee does not have the understanding or skill required, the employee must be retrained. ____________ certifies in writing that the employee has received and understands the fire protection equipment training.

Revision 12/06Appendix

We have attached the following documents to this plan to ensure better understanding of our Fire Protection Plan: ____________.

Fire prevention plan elements

Your company probably already has an adequate EAP/FPP, but the following elements may provide ideas for additional safety features not included in your basic plan. It is important to list in detail the procedures to be taken by employees who will remain behind to care for essential plant operations until their evacuation becomes absolutely necessary. Essential plant operations may include:

• Monitoring plant power supplies, water supplies, and other essential services which cannot be shut down for every emergency alarm.
• Chemical or manufacturing processes which must be shut down in stages or steps where certain employees must be present to assure that safe shut down procedures are completed.

Include floor plans or workplace maps which clearly show the emergency escape routes. Color coding will aid employees in determining their route assignments. Develop and explain in detail what rescue and medical first aid duties are to be performed and by whom. Train all employees what actions they are to take in emergency situations that may occur in the workplace.

Emergency evacuation

At the time of a fire emergency, employees should know what type of evacuation is necessary and what their role is in carrying out the plan.

• Total and immediate evacuation.
• Partial evacuation of nonessential employees with a delayed evacuation of others.
• Only those employees in the immediate area of the fire may be expected to evacuate or move to a safe area, such as when a local application fire suppression system discharge employee alarm is sounded.

Safe areas

Designated refuge or safe areas for evacuation should be determined and identified in the plan. In a building divided into fire zones by fire walls, the refuge area may still be within the same building but in a different zone from where the emergency occurs.

Exterior refuge or safe areas may include parking lots, open fields, or streets which are located away from the site of the emergency and which provide sufficient space to accommodate the employees. Employees should be instructed to move away from the exit discharge doors of the building, and to avoid congregating close to the building where they may hamper emergency operations.

Evacuation wardens

Plan for an adequate number of employees to be available at all times during working hours to act as evacuation wardens to guide employees from the danger location to the safe areas. Generally, one warden for each twenty employees in the workplace should be able to provide adequate guidance and instruction at the time of a fire emergency.

The employees selected or who volunteer to serve as wardens should be trained in the complete workplace layout and the various alternative escape routes from the workplace. All wardens and fellow employees need to know about handicapped employees who may need extra assistance, such as using the buddy system, and of hazardous areas to be avoided during emergencies.

Before leaving, wardens should check rooms and other enclosed spaces in the workplace for employees who may be trapped or otherwise unable to evacuate the area. After the desired degree of evacuation is completed, the wardens should be able to account for or otherwise verify that all employees are in the safe areas.

Coordinating evacuation plans

In buildings with several places of employment, coordinate your plans with the other employers in the building. A building-wide or standardized plan for the whole building is acceptable, provided that all employers inform their employees of their duties and responsibilities under the plan.

The standardized plan need not be kept by each employer in the multi-employer building, provided there is an accessible location within the building where the plan can be reviewed by all employees. When multi-employer building-wide plans are not feasible, coordinate your plan with the other employers in the building to assure that conflicts and confusion are avoided during times of emergencies. In multi-story buildings where more than one employer is on a single floor, it is essential that employers coordinate their plans with each other to avoid conflicts and confusion.

Housekeeping safety factors

Proper housekeeping is essential to control the of accumulation of flammable and combustible waste materials which can lead to a fast developing fire, rapid spread of toxic smoke, or an explosion. Employees need to be aware of the hazardous properties of materials in their workplaces and the degree of hazard each poses.

Certainly oil soaked rags have to be treated differently than general paper trash in office areas. However, large accumulations of waste paper or corrugated boxes can pose a significant fire hazard. Accumulations of materials which can cause large fires or generate dense smoke that are easily ignited or may start from spontaneous combustion must be controlled. Such combustible materials may be easily ignited by matches, welder’s sparks, cigarettes and similar low level energy ignition sources.

Equipment maintenance

Workplaces often contain equipment to control heat sources or to detect fuel leaks, such as temperature limit switches on deep-fat food fryers found in restaurants. There may be similar switches for high temperature dip tanks, or flame failure and flashback arrester devices on furnaces and similar heat producing equipment. If these devices are not properly maintained or if they become inoperative, a definite fire hazard exists.

Employees and supervisors should be aware of the specific type of control devices on equipment involved with combustible materials in the workplace and should make sure, through periodic inspection or testing, that these controls are operable. Manufacturers’ recommendations should be followed to assure proper maintenance procedures.

Fire Prevention Plans (FPPs)

A fire prevention plan is a hazard prevention plan that assures advanced planning for evacuations in fire and other emergencies. An FPP is a written document required by a particular OSHA standard. Elements of a fire plan would include:

• A list of major workplace fire hazards and their proper handling and storage procedures, potential ignition sources, their control procedures, and the type of fire protection equipment or systems which can control a fire.
• Names or job titles of those persons responsible for maintaining equipment and systems installed to prevent or control ignition of fires.
• Names or job titles of those persons responsible for controlling fuel source hazards.

Incipient stage fires

When a fire is in the initial stage or beginning stage and can be controlled or extinguished by portable fire extinguishers or Class II standpipe or small hose systems without the need for protective clothing or breathing apparatus, it is called an incipient stage fire. When a fire goes beyond the incipient stage, outside help is almost always necessary.

Employers are generally required to provide portable fire extinguishing equipment for use in fighting incipient state fires in the workplace. However, there are several options to use regarding workplace fires.

• Evacuate all employees to a safe place.
• Evacuate all employees except those designated to use portable fire extinguishers.

Some insurance companies or local fire departments may require employers to keep portable fire extinguishers in the workplace, even though the employer does not want employees to fight fires and has a total evacuation policy in place. In this case, the extinguishers must be routinely maintained, inspected, and tested.

Fire fighting options

Employers are generally required to provide portable fire extinguishing equipment for use in fighting incipient stage fires in the workplace. Section 1910.157, however, provides alternatives for employers who do not want their employees to fight incipient stage fires in the workplace. Employers that opt for the evacuation of all or most employees to a safe area do not have to comply with certain requirements of §1910.157, depending on the option chosen. These options are:

Evacuate all employees

The employer chooses to evacuate all employees to safety when a fire occurs. Employers that select this option do not have to comply with 1910.157 unless a specific standard in part 1910 requires that portable Revision 4/03 fire extinguishers be provided. If this option is selected, compliance with §§1910.38 and 1910.39 is required through §1910.157(b)(1).

Evacuate some employees

The employer chooses to evacuate all employees except those designated to use portable fire extinguishers. Employers that select this option need not comply with the distribution requirements of §1910.157(d). This option allows the employer to distribute extinguishers so that they are available to the employees who have been designated to fight incipient stage fires. If this option is selected, compliance with §1910.38 is required through §1910.157(b)(2).

Have fire extinguishers but evacuate all employees

Some employers keep portable fire extinguishers in the workplace, even though they do not want employees fighting fires and have a policy for total evacuation. Portable fire extinguishers may be required in the workplace by other organizations such as insurance companies or local fire departments. Portable fire extinguishers that are not intended for employee use may still pose a hazard if they are not properly maintained. Employers who select this option must comply only with the maintenance, inspection, and testing requirements in paragraphs (e) and (f) of §1910.157.

All employees fight fires

Employers who do not select any of these options but instead provide portable fire extinguishers for use by any employee to use in fighting incipient stage fires must comply with §1910.157 in its entirety. Employers that provide portable fire extinguishers for employee use must provide an educational program to familiarize then with the general principles of fire extinguisher use. Those employees expected to use portable fire extinguishers must receive “hands on” training in the use of the fire extinguishing equipment. If the Revision 4/03 employer chooses to comply with all of §1910.157, there is no requirement to comply with §1910.38 or §1910.39.

OSHA standards requiring FPPs

1. Ethylene Oxide, §1910.1047
2. Methylenedianiline - §1910.1050
3. 1,3-Butadiene - §1910.1051