Loading...
HomeMy WebLinkAboutPR 575 HS - Fire Safety Plans -1- PR.575.HS PROCEDURE PR.575.HS TITLE: FIRE SAFETY PLANS Date Authorized: 15 November 2000 Last Revised: 20 June 2023 Last Reviewed: 20 June 2023 COMMITMENT TO INDIGENOUS RIGHTS, HUMAN RIGHTS, AND EQUITY The Board recognizes its responsibility to ensure that this procedure and associated work promote and protect Indigenous rights, human rights, and equity. The District will seek to address and eliminate racism and structural and systemic barriers for students, staff, and the community. 1.0 RATIONALE To provide direction for maintaining fire safety plans in compliance with the Ontario Fire Code and OCDSB Policy P.058.HS Occupational Health and Safety. 2.0 DEFINITIONS Please refer to Appendix A for a full list of definitions used in this procedure. 3.0 RESPONSIBILITY 3.1 The Occupational Health and Safety team (OH&S) holds the primary responsibility for this procedure and acts as a liaison between the OCDSB and Ottawa Fire Services with regard to fire safety plan approvals and updates. 3.2 Principals & building managers will review and update the Fire Safety Plan - Staff Copy annually each September, or more often as necessary, make the Plan available to all staff in the building, and ensure that all Supervisory Staff understand their roles as described in the fire safety plan. Principals are also responsible for ensuring that fire drills are conducted according to the schedule outlined in section 4.22. 3.3 Team Leaders in the Extended Day Program (EDP) are responsible for ensuring that fire drills are conducted according to the schedule outlined in section 4.23. 3.4 Building managers are responsible for ensuring that fire drills are conducted according to the schedule outlined in section 4.24. 3.5 Supervisor of Design and Construction will make fire safety plan floor plan and site plan drawings available to OH&S and notify OH&S of any substantial changes to an OCDSB facility or its fire protection systems, which may require the fire safety plan to be updated or re-approved by Ottawa Fire Services. -2- PR.575.HS 3.6 Chief custodians will review the building and equipment details in the fire safety plan to ensure they are current, and provide updated information to OH&S as necessary. 3.7 All employees are responsible for understanding their roles and responsibilities pertaining to fire safety at all times. 4.0 PROCEDURE General 4.1 Every OCDSB facility is required to have a fire safety plan approved in writing by Ottawa Fire Services, in compliance with the Ontario Fire Code. 4.2 OH&S will make templates of the fire safety plans (Firefighters Copy and Staff Copy) available for principals, building managers, and chief custodians to facilitate the review and update of fire safety plans. 4.3 OH&S will provide a reminder to principals and building managers to update the fire safety plans each September. 4.4 The principal or building manager will ensure that the fire safety plan - Staff Copy is available to all staff in the building upon request. 4.5 Each site’s approved fire safety plan (located in the fire safety plan box in the building) should be reviewed and consulted for information about fire safety procedures, preparedness, and information. 4.6 Principals and building managers will ensure that a current record is kept with the site’s approved fire safety plans, which includes the name and regular location of any person (including students and staff) who requires assistance during an evacuation, the names of persons assigned to assist them, and the assistance they require. 4.7 Principals and building managers will remove the name of any person previously identified as requiring assistance during an evacuation who no longer requires assistance during an evacuation. 4.8 All sites must comply with the list of fire prevention strategies in the “Control of fire hazards” section of the site’s approved fire safety plan (Appendix B). 4.9 Any school being used for sleeping accommodation must comply with the “Use of schools for sleeping accommodation” section of the site’s approved Fire Safety Plan - Staff Copy. Fire Safety Plan Approval 4.10 A building fire safety plan must be re-approved by Ottawa Fire Services whenever there are significant changes to the building, its use, or the fire protection systems within. 4.11 Upon request from a principal, building manager, or the Design & Construction Division, OH&S will distribute new fire safety plan templates (Staff Copy and Firefighters Copy) to gather relevant details to update the fire safety plan. 4.12 Principals and building managers will complete information related primarily to the people in the building, while chief custodians will complete information related to the building and equipment in the Staff and Firefighters Copies. -3- PR.575.HS 4.13 Should Chief Custodians request necessary updates to the fire safety plan, OH&S will send such updates to the affected Area Supervisor or other OCDSB personnel, as necessary, for review before submitting an update to Ottawa Fire Services. 4.14 OH&S will duplicate some of the information provided by Principals in the Fire Safety Plan - Staff Copy into the Fire Safety Plan - Firefighters Copy before submitting an update to Ottawa Fire Services. Fire Safety Plan Updates 4.15 The fire safety plan must be reviewed and updated at least annually. 4.16 Each September, OH&S will send a message to all principals, building managers, and chief custodians requiring them to review and complete relevant details to update the fire safety plan for their site: a) Principals and building managers will complete information related primarily to the people in the building in the Fire Safety Plan - Staff Copy. b) Chief Custodians review information primarily related to the building and equipment in the Fire Safety Plan - Staff Copy and request an update (if necessary) by OH&S. c) OH&S will send updates requested by Chief Custodians to the affected Area Supervisor for review before submitting an update to Ottawa Fire Services. d) OH&S will duplicate some of the information provided by Principals in the Fire Safety Plan - Staff Copy into the Firefighters Copy before submitting an update to Ottawa Fire Services. 4.17 If fire safety plans need to be updated prior to the annual update timeline, the following will be followed: a) Principals and building managers will contact OH&S to request new fire safety plan templates (Staff Copy and Firefighters Copy); b) Upon request from a principal or building manager, OH&S will send fire safety plan templates to gather relevant details to update the fire safety plan; c) Principals and building managers will complete information related primarily to the people in the building in the Fire Safety Plan - Staff Copy; Chief custodians will review information primarily related to the building and equipment in the Fire Safety Plan - Staff Copy and request an update (if necessary) by OH&S; d) OH&S will duplicate some of the information provided by principals in the Fire Safety Plan - Staff Copy into the Firefighters Copy before submitting an update to Ottawa Fire Services. 4.18 Once the Fire Safety Plan - Staff Copy and Firefighters Copy of a building have been submitted to OH&S, OH&S will: a) compile the Staff Copy and the Firefighters Copy with the fire safety floor plan drawings and site plan drawings; and -4- PR.575.HS b) submit the complete package to Ottawa Fire Services for approval, or as an update to the site’s approval. 4.19 OH&S will send complete copies of the plan and approval letter to the principal (there is no written confirmation from Ottawa Fire Services for an update to an approved plan). 4.20 Principal/building manager will ensure the newly approved or updated Staff Copy and Firefighters Copy of the replace any old versions in the binder within the Fire Safety box at the site. 4.21 The OH&S Team will provide a report to Superintendents indicating sites where an update has not been provided to Ottawa Fire Services by November 1 of each school year. Fire Drills 4.22 In a school, a total evacuation fire drill shall be held: a) If the school is in session during the fall term, at least three times during that term; b) If the school is in session during the spring term, at least three times during that term; and c) If the school is in session during the summer, at least three times or at least once a month during the period it is in session, whichever is less. 4.23 A total evacuation fire drill shall be conducted in respect of every child care centre or part of every child care centre that is operated in a school and that provides services only to children who are pupils of a school board, including a third party program operated under section 259 or 259.1 of the Education Act, in accordance with Ontario Regulation 213/07: a) at least three times during each fall and spring term the school is in operation; and b) at least three times or at least once a month, whichever is less, during the summer term the program is in operation. 4.24 Administrative and non-school sites shall conduct a total evacuation drill at least annually. Training 4.25 OH&S will make training available to all employees. 4.26 All employees will receive training that includes: a) emergency procedures for occupants; b) general guidelines for controlling fire hazards; c) fire extinguisher identification, selection, and voluntary use; and d) general information about fire drills. -5- PR.575.HS 4.27 Principals, Vice-Principals, and building managers will receive additional training that includes: a) specific responsibilities under the fire safety plan; b) the process for submitting fire safety plans for approval or update; c) emergency procedures for principals/building managers; d) procedures during shut down of fire protections systems; and e) overview of requirements for overnight sleeping accommodations. 4.28 Chief Custodians and Lead Hands will receive additional training, which includes: a) Specific responsibilities under the fire safety plan; and b) Process for submitting fire safety plans to OH&S for approval or update. 4.29 Principal and building manager designates will receive training on their specific responsibilities under the fire safety plan. 4.30 Project Managers in Design and Construction will receive additional training including: a) the requirements for fire safety plan approval and reapproval; and b) the process for fire safety plan approval and reapproval. 5.0 APPENDICES Appendix A: Procedure Definitions Appendix B: Fire Safety Plan – Control of Fire Hazards 6.0 REFERENCE DOCUMENTS Ontario Regulation 213/07: Fire Code OCDSB Policy P.058 Occupational Health and Safety -6- PR.575.HS APPENDIX A: PROCEDURE DEFINITIONS In this procedure, Building Manager means the OCDSB employee assigned overall responsibility for a building or site that is not regularly operated as a school. Firefighters Copy means a version of a building fire safety plan, which provides firefighters with a brief overview of the building and its systems. Hot Work means work that produces high heat, flames, or sparks such as cutting, welding, soldering, or grinding. Staff Copy means a version of a building fire safety plan, which discusses what occupants are to do in the event of fire, fire prevention practices, owner and supervisory staff responsibilities during an emergency and in maintaining building life safety systems. Supervisory Staff means those occupants of a building who have some delegated responsibility for the fire safety of other occupants under the fire safety plan and may include the principal, chief custodian, and those assigned to “sweep” areas of a building during evacuation.