Fire Safety Program UPPS
No. 04.05.03
Issue No. 6
Effective Date:
12/14/2012
Review: May 1 E4Y
01.
POLICY
STATEMENTS
01.01 The university’s
fire safety program is designed to prevent or reduce property loss and injury
from fire and explosions arising from storage, handling, and use of flammable
and combustible substances, materials, and devices. The procedures incorporated
into this policy are essential in promoting fire and life safety and enhancing
university compliance with applicable state, local, and national fire and life
safety standards.
01.02 Costs of fire safety systems and repairs are
generally funded by the area in which an activity or program is located. State
funds are utilized for educational and general (E&G) facilities (such as
academic buildings). Non-state funds are utilized for non-E&G facilities
(such as residence halls).
01.03 Non-compliance with
fire safety codes and standards can result in sanctions against the university
as well as posing serious risks to students, employees, visitors and university property. Disciplinary action may
be taken against university students and employees who do not comply with this policy
and associated regulations. In some cases,
criminal and financial penalties may also be charged
for non-compliance.
01.04 The university’s fire safety program will
comply with NFPA 1 (Uniform Fire Code), NFPA 70 (National Electrical Code),
NFPA 101 (Life Safety Code), and International Building Code and its associated
Mechanical and Plumbing Codes.
02.
DEFINITIONS
02.01
Authority Having Jurisdiction (AHJ) – National Fire Protection
Association (NFPA) title for the organization, office, or individual
responsible for approving equipment, materials, an installation, or fire safety
procedures in accordance with NFPA rules and regulations. [Refer to NFPA
101-3.2.2]
02.02 Building Official (BO) – The officer or
other designated authority charged with the administration and enforcement of
the International Building Code (IBC).
02.03 Egress – A continuous and unobstructed
way of travel from any point in a building or structure to a public way
consisting of three separate and distinct parts: 1) the exit access, 2) the
exit, and 3) the exit discharge.
02.04 Exit Corridor – A pedestrian pathway
that allows direct access to the outside of a building and allows access to a
building entrance and subsequent pathways to the outside of the building.
02.05 Flammable and Combustible Materials – A
general classification given to gaseous, liquid, or solid materials that are
capable of being ignited in the presence of air or oxygen when exposed to a
heat source and are burning rapidly. Examples of common flammable materials
are: natural gas, liquefied petroleum gas, naphthas, gasolines, oils, organic powders, films, paper and paper
materials, powdered solids such as powdered metals, sawdust, plastics such as
polystyrene, polyethylene, synthetic and natural rubbers, aerosols, paints,
lacquers, floor cleaning agents, and all other flammable organic material that have
not been specifically treated to be flame retardant.
02.06 International Building Code (IBC) –
Code that establishes the minimum requirements to safeguard the public health,
safety and general welfare through structural strength, means of egress
facilities, stability, sanitation, adequate light and ventilation, energy
conservation, and safety to life and property from fire and other hazards
attributed to the building environment.
02.07 National Fire Protection Association (NFPA)
– An
international professional nonprofit organization with the mission of reducing
the worldwide burden of fire and other hazards on the quality of life by
developing and advocating scientifically-based consensus codes and standards,
research, training, and education. NFPA serves as the world's leading advocate
of fire prevention and is an authoritative source on public safety.
02.08 Nationally Recognized Testing Laboratory
(NRTL) – An organization which is recognized by Occupational Safety and
Health Administration (OSHA) as one which tests for safety, and lists or labels
or accepts equipment or materials. Examples of NRTL’s are: Underwriters
Laboratory (UL), MET Laboratory, Electrical Testing Labs (ETL), and Canadian
Safety Agency (CSA). [Refer to OSHA 1910.7]
02.09 Open Flame – Any fire regardless of
size or origin. This includes candles, incense burners, and fireworks capable
of igniting flammable or combustible materials in the area of the flame, spark,
burner, or explosive.
02.10 State Fire Marshal (SFM) – Any official
member of the state fire marshal's office.
02.11 Violation – A condition or hazard
identified as an infringement of applicable state,
local, and national fire and life safety standards.
03.
RESPONSIBILITIES
03.01 Responsibilities associated with this UPPS are
listed below. In their absence or on an ongoing basis, each position
listed may delegate some of the duties. However, delegation does not
relieve the positions of their responsibility for the activities listed.
03.02 The director, Environmental Health, Safety
& Risk Management (or designee) has primary responsibility for
administration of and compliance with the university’s fire safety program.
Duties of Environmental Health, Safety & Risk Management include:
a.
inspecting university buildings
and property on a regular schedule for fire safety hazards, risks, or in
response to a notice of a possible violation. In carrying out this duty, the director,
Environmental Health, Safety & Risk Management (or designee) shall have the
authority to enter any university building, structure, room, office or
laboratory;
b.
recommending
preventive and corrective action and working with university departments to
assure appropriate action is taken;
c.
establishing
and coordinating fire safety training programs to comply with regulatory
requirements or upon request of department heads and account managers;
d.
serving
as the official university contact with state and local fire marshals and other
state agencies regarding fire safety;
e.
preparing
mandated reports and compiling and disseminating data related to the fire
safety program;
f.
communicating
local, state, and national fire safety requirements to university officials;
g.
maintaining
records related to the fire safety program in accordance with the record
retention schedule of the university and the State of Texas;
h.
conducting
emergency and relocation drills and other associated duties as outlined in UPPS No. 04.05.04, Fire Alarms, Fire
Drills and Facilities Evacuation;
i.
ensuring
the performance of annual inspections and commission of fire detection and
suppression systems and fire reporting devices;
j.
serving
as the university fire marshal to advise the university departments on fire
safety issues;
k.
serving
as the “Authority Having Jurisdiction” (AHJ) for fire safety codes and
standards;
l.
serving
as ex-officio member of the
University Safety Committee;
m.
investigating
all fires occurring on university property;
n.
working
closely with the San Marcos Fire Department and other emergency response agencies
to assure they are informed about the campus so as to be prepared in case of an
emergency; and
o.
approving waivers of
university fire safety policies and procedures.
03.03 The associate
vice president for Facilities (or designee) has primary responsibility for the
installation, renovation, modification, and maintenance of university physical
property. Duties of the associate vice president for Facilities include:
a.
designing
and implementing applicable provisions of the building and electrical codes and
standards to new and existing buildings to the extent practicable;
b.
maintaining
and monitoring fire detection and suppression systems and fire reporting
devices;
c.
assigning
and scheduling personnel and materials necessary to eliminate or reduce fire
hazards associated with university buildings, building systems, and other university
property; and
d.
serving as the “Designated Building Official”
for building and electrical codes.
03.04 Department heads and account managers (or
designees) in academic and staff positions have the following responsibilities:
a.
ensuring
departmental procedures comply with this policy;
b.
identifying
specific fire hazards and deficiencies within their department and purchasing
appropriate equipment (such as UL-approved extension cords);
c.
ensuring
compliance from departmental employees who disregard this policy;
d.
communicating
identified hazards and deficiencies to the Environmental Health, Safety &
Risk Management Office and the Facilities Department;
e.
correcting
procedural violations as soon as practical upon receipt of a violation notice;
f.
consulting
with the director, Environmental Health, Safety & Risk Management for fire
safety concerns, if necessary;
g.
arranging
for payment of costs and fees associated with eliminating fire hazards due to
department’s negligence; and
h.
training
departmental staff by ensuring employee participation in new employee or new
faculty orientation and ensuring employees are aware of the following:
1) fire exit and building evacuation procedures
in accordance with UPPS No. 04.05.04, Fire Alarms, Fire
Drills and Facilities Evacuation; and
2) fire prevention
policies and procedures outlined in this UPPS with emphasis on Section 04.,
Fire Prevention Procedures.
03.05 University employees and students have the
following responsibilities:
a.
compliance
with university fire safety and related policies and procedures;
b.
reporting
deficiencies of fire prevention, suppression, or evacuation features in university
buildings to the appropriate university department for repair; and
c.
familiarization with fire
extinguishers and fire alarm pull station locations in the vicinity of the area
occupied.
03.06 Housing and Residential Life will disseminate
fire prevention policies and procedures to student residents.
03.07 Student Affairs will disseminate fire
prevention policies and procedures to appropriate students, as required by law.
03.08 Faculty members will inform students of fire
safety and evacuation procedures, as required by law.
03.09 The University Safety Committee will review
fire safety issues and recommend changes to university fire safety program.
03.10 Vice presidents, deans, directors, and chairs
are responsible for their own employees’ awareness of fire safety policies and
procedures.
04. FIRE PREVENTION PROCEDURES
04.01 Fire prevention is an important component of
the university’s fire safety program. Fire prevention offers the greatest
protection against injury or property loss and involves taking action to
minimize or eliminate fire hazards. All university employees and students
should be aware of potential fire safety hazards and report them to Environmental Health, Safety & Risk Management for
corrective action. [Refer to NFPA 1, Chapter 20.2]
04.02 The following fire prevention procedures apply
to all university property (other than the President’s House).
a.
Open
flames, smoldering burners and ignition devices are prohibited in university
buildings. This includes candles, fireworks, bonfires, and fireplaces.
b.
Exceptions
for the use of open flames, burners and ignition devices include authorized
exceptions listed in Section 04.02 b. 1) below; these do not require approval
prior to use. All other exceptions require written approval from the director
of Environmental Health, Safety & Risk Management. Requests for such
exceptions must be submitted at least ten working days prior to the proposed
use.
1) Authorized exceptions for open flame
operations include:
a) commercial cooking in designated food
preparation areas complying with NFPA 96, Standard for Ventilation Control and
Fire Protection of Commercial Cooking Operations;
b) open
flame burners used in university-approved laboratories complying with NFPA 45,
Standard on Fire Protection for Laboratories using Chemicals; and
c) employees or students
engaged in welding, brazing, or similar flame- or spark-producing operations
must obtain authorization from their supervisor or manager. The supervisor or
manager in the work area must adhere to Facilities PPS titled “Welding, Cutting
and Brazing” and obtain a hot work permit, if applicable.
2) Other exceptions – Any situation not listed
in Section 04.02 b. 1) above that proposes a need to use open flames,
smoldering burners, or other ignition sources must have written approval from
the director of Environmental Health, Safety & Risk Management. This
includes the use of an open flame in a theatrical or stage performance.
Justification for the exception must be explained in writing and submitted to
the director of Environmental Health, Safety & Risk Management at least ten
working days prior to the proposed use.
c.
Fireworks – Firework displays on university property must be
sponsored by a university department or officially registered student
organization. Written requests to discharge fireworks require the licensed vendor
to submit a proposal to the director of Environmental Health, Safety & Risk
Management and the local city fire marshal. The written proposal must be
submitted at least 30 days prior to the proposed event.
d.
Smoking
– In accordance with UPPS No. 04.05.02, Tobacco Policy,
smoking is prohibited on university property.
e.
Electrical
connections must conform to the following requirements:
1)
Electrical
equipment must be NRL-listed and shall be plugged into electrical wall outlets.
The use of extension cords to provide permanent electrical connections is
prohibited.
2)
Only
use extension cords when necessary and only on a temporary basis. Use only
NRTL-approved three-wire extension cords with three prongs. The use of
light-duty, flat two-wire extension cords is prohibited.
3)
Only
use power strips that are NRTL-approved. Power strips must not exceed six
outlets on the strip and cannot be plugged into each other in a series.
f.
Flammable
and combustible liquids must be stored in specially designed flammable
materials storage cabinets and fire resistant containers within campus
buildings. Large quantities of flammable materials (more than authorized under
NFPA 45 - Standard on Fire Protection for Laboratories using Chemicals) must be
stored outside of buildings or in special hazardous storage areas in compliance
with the NFPA codes detailed below. Refer to NFPA 45 Table 7.2.3.2 for
specifications of the amounts that constitute “large quantities.”
1)
NFPA
30, Flammable and Combustible Liquids code
2)
NFPA
45, Fire Protection for Laboratories using Chemicals
3)
NFPA
54, National Fuel Gas code
4)
NFPA
58, Liquid Petroleum Gas code
g.
Mechanical
rooms and stairwells cannot be used for storage at any time.
h.
The
use of devices such as doorstops, wedges, or restraints to hold a fire door
open is prohibited.
i.
In
rooms with sprinkler heads, storage and furnishings must be at least eighteen inches below the sprinkler head to ensure
the sprinklers are effective during a fire. No material shall be attached to a
sprinkler head.
j.
Refueling operations – Fuel transfer containers used to refuel
lawn mowers or other small engines must be properly grounded during the
refueling operation. To protect against static electricity, the fuel nozzle
must be placed against the filler tube and a grounding cable to provide a path
for an electrical current, if present.
k.
Corridors and stairways leading to exits must have at least 44 inches
clear width of unobstructed clutter-free space at all times. All corridor doors
in the path of egress must
be operable without the use of keys, special tools, or knowledge.
l.
Exit
doors must be equipped with a latch with a releasing device having an obvious
method of operation to allow easy egress during a fire. Installation of
deadbolt locks or additional locking devices is prohibited.
m.
Barbeque
grills, hibachi-type grills, camping stoves, and other cooking devices are
prohibited in university buildings, in door openings, on balconies, within 40
feet of university buildings, or directly under a tree, shrub or other
flammable material. Permanent outdoor grills constructed prior to October 2003
are exempt from this requirement. Any grills constructed or repaired after that
date must be brought into compliance.
n.
Holiday
decorations must be flame retardant. Live Christmas trees are prohibited in university
buildings and artificial trees must be flame retardant. All holiday lights must
be NRTL-approved.
o.
Portable
electric heaters are not allowed. Any exceptions to this policy must be
received in writing from the director of Environmental Health, Safety &
Risk Management and the associate vice president for Facilities.
p.
Modifications
to university building structures or systems require authorization of the
Facilities Department. Costs of reversing and correcting unauthorized
building/system modifications may be charged to the person or department that
caused the modifications.
q.
Halogen
bulbs (such as those used in torchere lamps) are
prohibited. Use of halogen bulbs may be allowed as part of an architect-
or engineer-designed construction project and as portable lighting for
facilities operations if approved by the director of Environmental Health,
Safety & Risk Management and only if installed in accordance with NFPA 70,
National Electric Code.
r.
Cooking
devices, such as popcorn poppers, microwave ovens, and coffee pots used on university
property must be NRTL approved. All electrical appliances and devices must be
used in accordance with the manufacturers’ instructions and intended use.
Cooking in individual residence hall rooms (other than staff residences) is not
allowed. Microwaves are not allowed in student residence hall rooms, with the
exception of university-purchased microwave ovens. Microwaves provided by the university
in kitchens, kitchenettes, and lounges are allowed.
05. FIRE SAFETY SYSTEMS
05.01 The Facilities Department must maintain and
ensure installed fire alarms, sprinklers, fire pumps, and smoke detectors, are
operational at all times. Account managers must be familiar with the fire
systems within their areas.
05.02 Any non-operational fire safety systems found
or observed by the faculty, staff or students must be reported to the
Facilities Department and Environmental Health, Safety & Risk Management
for immediate corrective action. Tampering with the fire safety system is a
criminal offense and will be handled as such by the University Police
Department.
06. WAIVERS
06.01 The director of Environmental Health, Safety
& Risk Management is responsible for granting waivers to university
fire safety policies and procedures (refer to Section 03.03 n.). Waivers may be
granted on a case-by-case basis or as a blanket approval which applies to a
specific type of event, function, or use.
07. REFERENCES
07.01 References to other fire safety university policies, and state and federal regulations are as
follows:
National
Fire Protection Association
UPPS No. 04.05.02, Tobacco Policy
UPPS No. 04.05.04, Fire Alarms, Fire
Drills and Facilities Evacuation
UPPS No. 04.05.05, Hazard
Communication Program
08. REVIEWERS OF THIS UPPS
08.01 Reviewers of this UPPS include the following:
Position Date
Director,
Environmental Health, May 1
E4Y
Safety & Risk
Management
Associate Vice
President for May 1
E4Y
Facilities
09. CERTIFICATION STATEMENT
This UPPS has been
approved by the following individuals in their official capacities and
represents Texas State policy and procedure from the date of this document
until superseded.
Director of Environmental
Health, Safety & Risk Management; senior reviewer of this UPPS
Vice President for
Finance and Support Services
President