Fire safety policy

If an employer has developed a fire safety policy, including an emergency action plan (EAP) and a FPP in accordance with 1910.39, the employer is exempted from all or some of the provisions of 1910.157 ... 

Where portable fire extinguishers are not available and are not required by a particular OSHA standard, and if the written fire safety policy requires immediate and total evacuation of employees from the workplace upon sounding of a fire alarm signal. 

The fire safety policy of an organisation should be structured along the same lines as the general health and safety policy, i.e. it should have a statement of commitment, roles and responsibilities of persons charged with implementing the policy and detail arrangements. 

An outline of the current fire safety policy and changes that may have been made to it to reflect management and operational contingencies... 

Fire safety policy document/health and safety policy... 

It is also likely that a reminder to staff relating to unauthorised alterations to electrical equipment would be issued (this could be by way of e-mail, memo, etc.) (Priority 2). It would be further recommended that electrical appliance leads be included on visual fire safety inspections/tours of the building and records of such inspection tours are kept (Priority 3). This last element may also need the overall fire safety policy to be amended to include formal monthly inspection programmes (Priority 3/4). 

Additional controls will revolve around the production of personal emergency evacuation plans for each of the disabled persons (or a standard emergency evacuation plan which may cover all disabled persons). Controls are likely to include the use of an area within the protected staircases either end (known as a refuge area), the provision of methods for evacuation, e.g. evac chair, trained competent members of staff who may assist persons using the evac chair, the provision of information to all staff in relation to the evacuation procedures for those with disabilities, a review of the fire safety policy arrangements to include persons with disabilities. It may also be possible to consider the upgrading of the existing lift to that of an evacuation lift. 

Records should include reviews of the fire risk assessment [9(3)], fire safety policy, procedures or arrangements [11.(1)(c)], training records, drills, certificates for the Installation and maintenance of any fire safety systems or equipment. The inspector can demand to see the records. 

The following six-point action plan summarizes the steps which management ought to take in formulating and maintaining an effective fire-safety policy ... 

Fire extinguishers must be inspected routinely to insure that they are in operating condition. Employees must be trained in the use of fire extinguishers unless immediate evacuation is the facility policy. New employees should check the CHP to determine their responsibility (some facilities may designate only some employees as fire officers), and inquire about the laboratory fire safety training program. 

How can we prevent similar fires in the future — Discuss ways to prevent future crises and safety-related losses with your team. Especially large fires should be used as an opportunity to create new safety policies or procedures to prevent similar fires from reoccurring. 

A nonprofit association of insurance companies that provides services for participating companies. It provides statistical, actuarial, and underwriting information for numerous affiliated insurance companies and more than a dozen lines of insurance. It maintains one of the largest private databases in the world for insurance premiums and losses paid. Included in these lines is liability, automobile, boiler and machinery, homeowners, farm, and commercial fire insurance. ISO is a voluntary, nonprofit, unincorporated association of insurers. Previous to 1971, the functions performed by ISO were undertaken by various insurance organizations in different states. ISO gathers data that are used to establish rates for fire protection policies for residential and commercial properties. ISO developed the municipal grading schedule, which is commonly used to establish a basis of insurance rates for municipalities. It is an evaluation of the fire protection features of cities and towns based on seven factors climatic conditions, water supply, fire department, fire service communications, fire safety control, building codes, and a survey report. 

Before approving any cutting and welding permit, the fire safety supervisor or his appointed alternate shall inspect the work area and confirm that all necessary precautions have been taken to prevent fire in accordance with NFPA standards and company policy. 

There should also be clear definitions regarding the availability of essential or safety-related plant - e.g., emergency shutdown systems, fire detection equipment, fire suppression equipment, or backup electricity supplies. These types of procedures and definitions are usually called operating rules or site safety policies (Fig. 10.3, top right). 

The importance of setting policy in safety > The key features and appropriate content of an organisation s safety policy > Specific fire safety-related arrangements within a policy. 

Outline the issues that are typically included in the fire safety arrangements section of a health and safety policy document. 

Undertaking a training needs analysis and development of a training policy to ensure staff members have necessary competencies >- Organising/conducting fire safety reviews and audits... 

As important as the visible behaviour of senior managers is the information that is communicated in writing. In many cases there is a legal duty to produce written documentation, for example there is a requirement to have a written health and safety policy and written records of the significant findings of fire risk assessments (see Chapters 1 and 2). What is absolutely crucial is that written communication is clear, concise and understood by those it is provided for. 

Who is responsible and for what should be clearly identified within the fire safety arrangements section within the policy. 

Look at a vertical slice where the arrangements to control a specific hazard, as in the case of fire, are audited in terms of the policy, organisation, planning and implementing, measurement and review processes in relation to fire safety management. 

Also the electrical equipment was covered under the main health and safety policy arrangements section and that a formalised system for ensuring that contractors PAT test the equipment on an annual basis was in place. Each of these issues is therefore recorded in the existing control measures. Significantly though the vacuum cleaner had had an unauthorised connector to the cable which increased not only the level of risk to the user but may also result in overheating causing a fire - this identifies that there may be inadequate control measures in place. 

The health and safety/fire safety arrangements section in the policy will need to reflect the storage, use, handling, disposal, etc. of the aerosols and the provision of adequate levels of supervision and training will also need to be addressed. 

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