The purpose of this policy is to outline the fire prevention plan in accordance with Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) regulations [29 CFR 1910.38(b)].
It is the policy of the university to notify all employees of the elements of the fire prevention plan and to expect employees to read and understand the information presented in this plan. It is the intent of this plan to provide not only university employees but also students and visitors with an appropriate fire prevention plan.
Each Department Head is responsible for:
- Enforcing this policy
- Failure to adhere to this policy may result in disciplinary action in accordance with the university’s Department of Human Resources.
Environmental Health and Safety (EHS) is responsible for:
- Notifying students, faculty, and staff of the fire prevention plan through the EHS website
| Hazard | Policy |
|---|---|
| Arson | Security systems (building entry devices, cameras, 24 hour surveillance) in place |
| Cooking | Limited to kitchens or authorized areas; Routine inspection and maintenance of cooking appliances |
| Smoking Materials | No smoking anywhere on campus |
| Open Flame (e.g. candles/incense) | Open flame devices and materials are prohibited in all campus buildings |
| Electrical (wiring, appliances, etc.) | Routine inspection and maintenance program; Use of UL approved equipment; Temporary extension cord usage but no multi-plug adapters |
| Accumulation of Combustibles | Routine inspection of campus facilities; Maintain clear egress and clearance to electrical/heat sources |
| Electric Space Heaters | No unauthorized space heaters |
| Hot Work Hazards (e.g. welding) | Hot work permit policy (OSHA 29 CFR 1910.252) |
Environmental Health and Safety (EHS) conducts fire prevention/protection inspections of all campus facilities monthly, annually, and as requested by departments. Any maintenance and or corrective actions needed are reported to Facilities Management and corrected.
Representatives of the university’s Residence Life conducts periodic inspections of residence hall rooms for electrical hazards, missing/damaged fire safety equipment, obstruction or damage to fire safety equipment, non-functioning smoke detectors, space heaters, and candles. Any maintenance and or corrective action required will be reported to Facilities Management and EHS to take the necessary corrective action.
Buildings equipped with automatic fire detection and alarm systems are continually monitored by a third party monitoring station. Buildings not equipped with automatic fire detection and alarm systems have in place fire suppression systems identified below.
Building fire alarm detection and notification systems
Building Fire Suppressions Systems / Sprinkler Systems
- Water
- Halon
- Commercial kitchen hood exhaust/suppression systems (foam)
- Standpipe systems
- Wet
- Dry
- Fire extinguishers
- Multi-purpose dry chemical (Class ABC fires)
- Water (Class A fires)
- Carbon dioxide (Class B and C fires)
- Class D (Metals)
Fire Rated Doors & Fire-Resistant Barriers
All buildings include added fire protection by including fire-rated and fire-resistant doors, walls, and barriers in the building design.
The university controls accumulations of flammable and combustible waste materials so that they do not contribute to a fire emergency. The following are housekeeping procedures used to control such accumulations:
- University waste generators follow instructions in the hazardous waste management program posted on the EHS web site and notify EHS for the transportation and disposal of hazardous waste accumulations.
- Representatives of the University’s Residence Life Office conduct monthly inspections of residence hall rooms for excessive accumulations of combustible materials.
- The University provides routine and comprehensive housekeeping services for all campus facilities.
Fire Safety Requirements & Tips
- Keep stairwells, exits, and passageways free of obstructions at all times.
- Keep access to fire protection equipment (pull stations and fire extinguishers) free and clear.
- Store flammable and combustible liquids in approved storage containers and cabinets.
- Keep storage 18 inches away from sprinkler deflectors and 24 inches from the ceiling in non-sprinkler buildings.
- Assure fire doors are unobstructed and not blocked open.
- Do not “Daisy Chain” extension cords, i.e. plug one cord into another to extend the cord or create additional plug-ins for appliances.
- If you are using a space heater, it must be plugged directly into a wall socket and not into an extension cord.
- Refrigerators must be plugged directly into a wall socket and not into an extension cord.
All employees will review, upon initial assignment, those parts of the fire prevention plan that they must know to protect themselves in the event of a fire emergency. Records are kept of all training activities, documenting the type of training, persons trained, and date of training. The written plan is kept in EHS and made available for employee review.
Fire Safety Training Outline
- Classes of fire
- Potential fire hazards on the job
- Fire prevention procedures
- Building fire protective features
- How to recognize fire exits
- Location and types of fire prevention equipment
- Steps to take in the event of fire or smoke
- How to use fire extinguishers and their limitations
Facilities Management and/or a licensed contractor properly maintain equipment and systems installed on heat producing equipment to prevent accidental ignition of combustible materials. Heat producing equipment such as burners, heat exchangers, boilers, ovens, stoves, fryers, etc., are properly maintained and kept clean of flammable residues. In addition, flammables are not stored close to these pieces of equipment.
