Toronto Fire Protection Program Summary
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
and Building 9. GE Canada retains ownership of the property and leases the structures to BWXT NEC under a lease agreement. BWXT Nuclear Energy Canada Inc. Toronto Fire Protection Program Summary The primary goals of the fire protection program are to minimize the risk to the environment, members of the public, workers and the facility as a result of fire at BWXT Nuclear Energy Canada Inc. (BWXT NEC) in Toronto. The Facility BWXT NEC’s Toronto operation is licenced to produce natural and depleted uranium Building 7 is municipally addressed as 1025 dioxide pellets under Nuclear Fuel Facility Lansdowne Avenue, Toronto, Ontario, and Operating Licence FFL-3621.00/2030. houses uranium dioxide pellet manufacturing Ceramic grade Uranium Dioxide (UO2) operations on the first, second, and third powder is received in Type IP-1 steel drums floors. The fourth floor contains offices used from the Cameco Port Hope Facility or for administration purposes and office space alternate supplier. This powder is pressed for BWXT NEC Toronto personnel. Building into pellet-shape and sintered in hydrogen 7 houses one passenger elevator and one atmosphere furnaces at high temperature. freight elevator. Building 9 is municipally The sintered pellets are hard and ceramic. addressed as 155 Brandon Avenue, Toronto, Sintered pellets are ground to the required Ontario. It is used to temporarily store diameter, inspected and wrapped for uranium wastes. The remaining portion of shipment to BWXT NEC’s Peterborough the property between the two buildings is facility. In Peterborough, the pellets are used as a parking lot. In addition, a liquid loaded into zirconium sheaths and hydrogen storage facility is located outside, assembled into bundles for use in CANDU® to the northeast of Building 7. The hydrogen (Canadian Deuterium Uranium) reactors. tank is in a fenced off area and installed on a The Toronto facility is located on the east concrete pad. side of Lansdowne Avenue, north of Dupont Access to the BWXT NEC site for firefighting Street in Toronto, Ontario at 1025 is from Brandon Avenue. Firefighters’ access Lansdowne Avenue, Toronto, Ontario. to Building 7 is through the main entrance to BWXT NEC’s property comprises a parking the building off Lansdowne Avenue and the lot and two buildings, known as Building 7 employee entrance, which is located to the © 2016-2021 BWXT NUCLEAR ENERGY CANADA INC. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. Page 1 of 6 East side of the building. Firefighters’ access Automatic Sprinkler System Protection: to Building 9 is through the main entrance to Building 7 is provided with wet-type the building, which is located on the West automatic sprinkler protection. Building 9 is side of the building. provided with dry-type automatic sprinkler protection. Both are equipped with a tamper Emergency Response Plan switch, low pressure switch and a flow The Toronto facility has a separate switch. Emergency Response Plan that outlines the Special Fire Suppression System: CO2 organization and methods to prepare for, chemical extinguishing systems are located respond to, and recover from emergencies. in some rooms in Building 7 and provides Summaries of the Emergency Response protection of the interior of some equipment. Plan can be found on the BWXT NEC The systems are activated by heat detectors, website at nec.bwxt.com. operation of a manual dump station and Fire Response operation of the local cylinder valve. In the event of a fire emergency, employees Portable Fire Extinguishers: There are are to follow these steps: multipurpose dry chemical portable fire extinguishers located in all areas of both • Pull the fire alarm pull station from Building 7 and 9. Additionally, there are within Building 9 or 7 and call 911. Class D extinguishers in Building 7 and • If inside Building 7 and a fire alarm throughout Building 9 for zirconium fires. has sounded, all employees shall Exit Signs: Illuminated exit signs are evacuate the building via the nearest provided above doors providing emergency safe exit and collect at the muster area located within the main exiting from the building as well as along southwest entrance of Building 9. egress paths to provide direction to occupants to the closest exit. • If inside Building 9 and a fire alarm has sounded, all employees shall Emergency Lighting: Emergency light unit evacuate the building and proceed to packs and remote light fixtures are provided Shipping in Building 7. throughout the facility to illuminate exits and principal egress routes leading to exits. • A “Do Not Stray” instruction will be These units are equipped with dedicated issued to all assembling employees battery backup power. The fixtures receive to advise all employees to remain at emergency power, upon loss of power to the the assembly point until given further instructions. building, via the closest remote emergency light unit pack. Facility Safety Features Equipment and Materials The following fire and life safety features are Specific equipment and materials have been in place at the BWXT NEC Toronto facility to designated for use in responding to a fire or detect and respond to fires, and to facilitate detecting a potential fire hazard, such as: life safety in the event of a fire: Fire Protection Equipment: Fire Alarm System: Building 7 and 9 are • Fire protection system; provided with single stage fire alarm systems • Fire extinguishers; that are stand-alone and connect to a central • station monitoring company. Fire hydrant; and, © 2016-2021 BWXT NUCLEAR ENERGY CANADA INC. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. Page 2 of 6 • Portable combustible gas detection participates in drill planning and critique, meter. participates in post-incident review meetings following an emergency event and shares Special Alarm Systems: comments and observations, and ensures training is conducted. • O2 gas alarm; • H2 gas alarm; Inspections, Testing and Maintenance • CH4 gas alarm; • CO gas alarm; Fire Protection and Life Safety: The Engineering department at BWXT NEC in • N2 gas alarm; Toronto are responsible for coordinating the • CO2 chemical suppression alarm; and, inspection, testing and maintenance of the fire protection and life safety equipment and • Gas detection panels. building facilities. These actions are Communication Equipment at Facility implemented through an internal compliance tracking tool that is reviewed annually to Emergency red phones are located in both verify requirements have been met. Building 7 and 9 and will work in the event of a power failure. Emergency phone numbers WSC Inspections: Members of the Workplace are provided to all staff. Two way radios are Safety Committee (WSC) complete monthly also available for use in the event of an inspections throughout the facility of fire emergency and are located in Building 9 and protection and housekeeping items. the Emergency Operations Centre (EOC) Staff inspections trailer. A paging system is available for Housekeeping Inspections: are completed once a month and all communicating within Building 7 and 9 via employees are responsible for a daily internal and portable phones. inspection of their immediate area. Emergency Wardens Fire Protection Assessment The National Fire Code requires the facility Third party reviews are conducted annually to have an approved Fire Safety Plan and to review compliance with the National Fire appointment of trained supervisory staff who Code and CSA N393-13. The objective of the are responsible for carrying out the duties in review is to ensure that all aspects of the the plan. BWXT NEC identifies these NFCC are covered and confirmed by visual individuals as Emergency Wardens who inspection as required by CSA N393-13 and have specific responsibilities for the areas that the below requirements are met: where they work. The Emergency Wardens receive training on fire extinguisher use and • Building and occupant safety; are familiarized with the location of • Indoor and outdoor storage; equipment and fire panels. • Flammable and combustible liquids; The Head Emergency Warden oversees the • Hazardous process and operations, duties outlined in the plan and has specific including hot work; and, responsibilities. At BWXT NEC in Toronto, • Fire protection equipment. the Head Emergency Warden duties are The third party review is implemented carried out by the following two positions: through an internal compliance tracking tool. Accounting Director and On-Scene Director. The Head Emergency Wardens maintain the Additionally, a fire hazard analysis (FHA) as list of Emergency Wardens and alternatives, outlined in CSA N393-13 has been performs annual reviews of the plan, © 2016-2021 BWXT NUCLEAR ENERGY CANADA INC. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. Page 3 of 6 completed for the BWXT NEC Toronto contractor activities, a safe work plan is facility. The FHA is updated as necessary to initiated to address any risks, including fire reflect facility modifications, changes in fire hazards, associated with the scope of their hazards, and operating experience. The FHA work. All work activities and control transient requires updating or confirmation at least materials shall be planned and managed to once every five years. ensure that egress paths are not obstructed, access paths to firefighting equipment are Housekeeping not obstructed, firefighting activities are not Housekeeping procedures are in place to compromised and potential impacts from fire minimize the probability of fire and the are evaluated and minimized. consequence resulting from a fire. All Impairments to Fire Protection System employees are responsible for maintaining a clean and clutter-free work area, and a In the event of a planned impairment, decontamination department is in place necessary parts and personnel shall be which has additional housekeeping assembled prior to the removal of the fire responsibilities. All egress and access routes protection system(s) from service and an are to be kept clear and transient materials attempt to minimize impact of inoperative shall be minimized and controlled in the equipment should be made. In the event of facility and moved/removed when the activity an unplanned impairment or a system is completed.