Section 10 – Fire Prevention and Protection
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Reclamation Safety and Health Standards September 2020 Section 10: Fire Prevention and Protection Section 10 Fire Prevention and Protection 10.1 Scope This section establishes fire prevention and protection requirements for all Bureau of Reclamation- owned, controlled, or occupied facilities, construction sites, and mobile equipment. This section incorporates all the requirements of the Department of the Interior Departmental Manual, Series 27, Safety Management, Part 485, Safety and Occupational Health Program, Chapter 19, Fire Safety. Where this section does not provide specific instructions, it adopts, by reference, the current editions of Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) regulations, National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) codes and standards, and International Code Council (ICC) codes. 10.2 General Requirements 10.2.1 Planning Reclamation facilities shall establish fire prevention, fire emergency action, and fire response plans to provide a safe work environment for our employees, contractors, and the public and to effectively protect the government’s assets, Reclamation’s operations, and the environment from the hazards created by fire, explosion, and events involving hazardous materials. 10.2.2 Minimum Criteria for Life Safety Reclamation uses NFPA 101, Life Safety Code, and ICC International Fire Code (IFC) as the minimum criteria for life safety features in Reclamation-owned, controlled, or occupied facilities. 10.2.3 Maintenance Any device, equipment, system, condition, arrangement, level of protection, fire-resistive construction, fire exposure control (e.g., grounds, outdoor storage, vegetation), or any other feature required for fire prevention and protection of Reclamation facilities shall be continuously maintained in an effective and working condition. 10.2.4 Testing and Inspections Any device, equipment, system, condition, arrangement, level of protection, fire-resistive construction, or any other feature required for fire prevention and protection of Reclamation facilities shall be tested, inspected, and operated as specified in this section. (RSHS 010) 05/22/2020 10-1 NEW RELEASE Reclamation Safety and Health Standards September 2020 Section 10: Fire Prevention and Protection 10.3 Responsibilities 10.3.1 Area Office Manager 10.3.1.1 Shall ensure a fire prevention plan (10.5.1) is established for each facility. 10.3.1.2 Shall ensure an emergency action plan (10.5.2) is established for each facility. 10.3.1.3 Shall ensure a fire response plan (10.5.3) is established for each facility. 10.4 Training Requirements 10.4.1 Initial 10.4.1.1 All Employees. All employees shall be trained in the general principles of portable fire extinguisher use and the hazards associated with incipient-stage firefighting. 10.4.1.2 Designated Employees. Employees designated to use portable fire extinguishers (10.8.4) shall be trained in the general principles of portable fire extinguisher use, the hazards associated with incipient-stage firefighting, and the hands-on use of portable fire extinguishers. 10.4.1.3 Fire Brigade. All fire brigade members shall receive training meeting the requirements of NFPA 600, Standard on Facility Fire Brigades, and OSHA 29 CFR 1910 Subpart L, Fire Protection. 10.4.2 Refresher/Recertification 10.4.2.1 Portable Fire Extinguishers. All employees and designated employees shall receive portable fire extinguisher training (Error! Reference source not found.) annually. 10.4.2.2 Fire Brigade. All fire brigade members shall receive refresher training meeting the schedule and requirements of NFPA 600 and OSHA 29 CFR 1910 Subpart L. 10.4.3 Recordkeeping All Reclamation training records shall be kept in the Department of the Interior official repository. (RSHS 010) 05/22/2020 10-2 NEW RELEASE Reclamation Safety and Health Standards September 2020 Section 10: Fire Prevention and Protection 10.5 Pre-job Briefing and Planning Requirements 10.5.1 Fire Prevention Plan Each facility shall have a written fire prevention plan and it must be readily available for employees to review. The fire prevention plan must include: • a list of all major workplace and mobile equipment fire hazards; • an evaluation of the wildland fire exposure; • the type of fire prevention and protection equipment necessary to control each major fire hazard; • a list of potential ignition sources and procedures for controlling these sources; • procedures for controlling accumulations of flammable and combustible waste materials and proper handling and storage of hazardous materials; • procedures for regular maintenance of safeguards installed on heat-producing equipment to prevent the accidental ignition of combustible materials; • if applicable, procedures for fire and security rounds by security or assigned personnel; • assignments of responsibilities for maintaining the fire prevention and protection equipment that prevents or controls sources of ignition or fires and controlling fuel source hazards; • procedures for regularly scheduled fire prevention and protection inspections; and • procedures for informing new and existing employees assigned to the facility of the fire hazards to which they are exposed, and review parts of the fire prevention plan necessary for self-protection. 10.5.1.1 Employee Review. The fire prevention plan must be reviewed with new employees upon assignment to the facility and specific employees when responsibilities change. The fire prevention plan must be reviewed with all employees whenever the plan is developed or changed and at least every 3 years. 10.5.1.2 Contractors. When the contract requires the submittal of a safety plan, the contractor is responsible for developing a fire prevention plan that meets the requirements in 10.5.1. The fire prevention plan shall be submitted to the contracting officer as part of the contractor’s safety plan per Reclamation Safety and Health Standard (RSHS) Section 3, Contractor Requirements. The fire prevention plan shall be maintained at the job site throughout all phases of the contractor’s work. The contractor must review the fire prevention plan with all contract employees upon assigning them to work at the job site. (RSHS 010) 05/22/2020 10-3 NEW RELEASE Reclamation Safety and Health Standards September 2020 Section 10: Fire Prevention and Protection 10.5.2 Fire Emergency Action Plan Each facility shall have a written fire emergency action plan and it must be readily available for employees to review. The fire emergency action plan must include: • an explanation of the alarm system used to notify employees of emergencies; • assignment for points of contact who can provide employees more information about the plan or explain duties under the plan; • procedures for reporting a fire or other fire-related emergency, emergency evacuation (e.g., type of evacuation and exit route assignments), accounting for all employees after evacuation, and employees performing rescue or medical duties; • guidelines for training employees who will assist in a safe and orderly evacuation of other employees during a fire emergency; and • procedures and a risk assessment for employees who remain behind to operate critical facility operations before evacuating (10.8.6.6). 10.5.2.1 Employee Review. The fire emergency action plan must be reviewed with new employees upon assignment to the facility and with specific employees when responsibilities under the plan change. The fire emergency action plan must be reviewed with all employees whenever the plan is developed or changed and at least every 3years. 10.5.2.2 Contractors. When the contract requires the submittal of a safety plan, the contractor is responsible for developing a fire emergency action plan that meets the requirements in 10.5.2. The fire emergency action plan shall be submitted to the contracting officer as part of the contractor’s safety plan per RSHS Section 3. The fire emergency action plan shall be maintained at the job site throughout all phases of the contractor’s work. The contractor must review the fire emergency action plan with all contractor employees upon assigning them to work at the job site. 10.5.2.3 Exercise. The fire emergency action plan must be exercised annually, at a minimum, by completing an evacuation drill. (RSHS 010) 05/22/2020 10-4 NEW RELEASE Reclamation Safety and Health Standards September 2020 Section 10: Fire Prevention and Protection 10.5.3 Fire Response Plan Each facility shall have a written fire response plan, and it must be readily available for employees to review. The fire response plan must include: • the overall fire response plan for mobile equipment and strategy for the facility; • a list of expected fire scenarios and the planned response to each; • assignment of responsibilities for employee use of portable fire extinguishers; • if applicable, the organizational statement for the facility fire brigade (10.8.4.4.3); • if applicable, written local fire department coordination (10.8.4.5); and • planned post-fire actions for returning the facility to normal operations. 10.5.3.1 Employee Review. The fire response plan must be reviewed with new employees upon assignment to the facility and with specific employee when responsibilities under the plan change. The fire response plan must be reviewed with all employees whenever the plan is developed or changed and at least every 3years. 10.5.3.2 Contractors. When the contract requires the submittal of a safety plan, the contractor is responsible for developing a fire response plan that meets the requirements in 10.5.3. The fire response plan shall be submitted to the contracting officer as part of the contractor’s safety plan per RSHS Section 3. The fire response plan shall be maintained at the job site throughout all phases of the contractor’s work. The contractor must review the fire response plan with all contractor employees upon assigning them to work at the job site. 10.6 Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) 10.6.1 Fire Brigades Fire brigades shall be provided protective equipment that meets the requirements of NFPA 600, NFPA 1977, Standard on Protective Clothing and Equipment for Wildland Fire Fighting, and OSHA 29 CFR 1910 Subpart L.