Fire Protection

Safety Operation Procedures - Fire Protection 

   

 Arkansas State University - Jonesboro Effective Date: 03/06/2017 Policy Number: 05-41 Section: Safety Operating Procedures Subject: Safety – Fire Protection 1.0 Purpose This procedure is designed to mitigate the risk of loss of life and property resulting from fire in University buildings, and to ensure occupant compliance with fire codes and directives from University insurance carriers. 2.0 Definitions 2.1 Burn Ban – Burn bans are issued by the County Judge when fire danger is high in a particular area due to dry and/or windy conditions. Check the Arkansas Forestry Commission website for a current list of burn bans in the state: https://www.arkfireinfo.org/. 2.2 Fire-Safe – A perimeter or immediate area within 35 to 50 feet of hot work or open flames that has been cleared of additional fire hazards such as flammables and combustibles, or otherwise protects flammables or combustibles that cannot be moved with fire-resistant shielding 2.3 Fire-Rated – A surface such as a wall, floor or ceiling, or entire space, such as a stairwell, that is designed to mitigate the spread of fire and smoke through compartmentalization of the flames and to provide an Area of Rescue for people with mobility impairment when elevators are inoperable due to fire alarm activation. 2.4 Fire Watch – A dedicated team with no other responsibilities other than to watch for fire in a building or sections of a building, and verify actual fires versus false alarms to a dedicated person monitoring the fire panel when system components must be offline. Dedicated fire watches are also required where hot work is being performed within 35 feet and within 50 feet of permitted open fires outdoors. 2.5 Piggy-Backing – An informal industry term referring to the prohibited practice of sequentially plugging power strips into additional power strips, which can result in overloaded circuits and electrical fires. 2.6 Wind Advisory – As it relates to fire safety, a Wind Advisory often carries increased risk of fire spreading outdoors. Check the National Weather Service in Memphis for current and forecast wind conditions in Northeast Arkansas: https://www.weather.gov/meg/. A Wind Advisory is issued when the following conditions are expected: a. Sustained winds of 31 to 39 mph for an hour or more AND / OR b. Wind gusts of 46 to 57 mph for any duration. 3.0 Restrictions on Open Flames 3.1 Storage of fireworks is prohibited in University buildings 3.2 Per Arkansas State Law, smoking is prohibited on all University property. 3.3 Fireworks displays on campus property require a permit from the Arkansas State Fire Marshal with approval from University Police and Jonesboro Fire departments. a. Permits with the appropriate UPD and JFD signatures must be at the Arkansas State Fire Marshal’s office in Little Rock for review no later than five days prior to the fireworks display. b. All events with fireworks must report the intention to use such displays on the Campus Calendar Submit Event form, available online at: https://www.astate.edu/calendar/submit-an-event.dot. 3.4 Indoor pyrotechnics or smoke effects are only allowed in First National Bank Arena and Centennial Bank Stadium, and require a permit from the State Fire Marshal with approval from University Police and Jonesboro Fire departments. a. Permits with the appropriate UPD and JFD signatures must be at the Arkansas State Fire Marshal’s office in Little Rock for review no later than five days prior to the pyrotechnics display. b. When a fire alarm system bypass is requested, a qualified fire watch must be present at all times and be capable of: i. Verifying an actual fire or false alarm originating at any point in the building, then ii. Fully activating the system within five minutes, c. Venues must ensure that fire watch personnel are appropriately trained or otherwise approved through University Safety & Emergency Management. d. All events with pyrotechnics must report the intention to use such displays on the Campus Calendar Submit Event form, available online at: https://www.astate.edu/calendar/submit-an-event.dot. 3.5 Open flames in outdoor areas on University property, such as bonfires and open fire pits, require approval from the Jonesboro Fire Department and notification to University Police. 3.6 A written emergency action plan must be submitted to the University Safety & Emergency Management five days prior to any outdoor event with open flames. A template for the written emergency action plan is available online: www.astate.edu/safety/emergency-management/controlled-fire-EAP.pdf. a. Exceptions include fires in barbeque grills or other outdoor cookers that are designed to contain and prevent the spread of flames or cooking fuel (charcoal, wood, lighter fluid, or gases intended for cooking). b. Open fires on University grounds must meet the following conditions as prescribed by the University and City of Jonesboro Ordinance ORD-04.293: i. Materials to be burned must consist of wood only ii. Materials may be placed in a pile no larger than three feet in diameter and two feet in height. (The annual Yell Like Hell bonfire held during homecoming week is an exception to these size limitations, but requires a fire pit to be dug by Facilities Management) iii. Burning must be at least 50 feet from the nearest structure or vehicle iv. Burning must be at least 25 feet from the nearest property line v. Fire must be attended at all times vi. Fire attendant(s) must have a charged hose and/or sufficient water available to completely extinguish the fire in the event that it spreads vii. Burning may not occur when a Wind Advisory or Burn Ban is issued for Jonesboro or Craighead County 3.7 Open flames are prohibited in University buildings. Open flame devices and materials include but are not limited to; candles, oil burning lamps and incense. Exceptions include: a. Laboratories where flames or burners are used with the proper safety precautions in place. b. Shops where hot work is performed in a fire-safe environment. 3.8 Any work involving flames or sparks outside of shops designated for such work requires a Hot Work Permit. a. The Hot Work Operating Procedure can be found online: http://www.astate.edu/a/ehs/occupational-safety-health/files/hot-workproc.pdf b. The hot work permit from can be found online: https://arkansasstateuniversity.formstack.com/forms/hot_work_request. 4.0 Fire Protection Equipment 4.1 Vertical storage may not be stacked within 18 inches of sprinkler heads. 4.2 Tampering with or attempting to perform unauthorized maintenance on fire suppression or detection systems is prohibited. 4.3 A three foot square of clear space around fire alarm pull stations and fire extinguishers must be maintained. The clear space should extend three feet out from the wall where the station/extinguisher is installed, and 1.5 feet along the wall in each direction from the installed location. 4.4 Employees must not use fire extinguishers without prior knowledge of their proper use. a. Learn the basics of fire extinguisher use on the Safety & Emergency Management website: http://www.astate.edu/a/ehs/emergencyservices/files/fire-safety.pdf b. The Safety Office will determine the appropriate staff to receive hands-on fire extinguisher training through job hazard analyses and the Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) training 4.5 Any work that produces dust or other particles that may cause the fire alarm system to activate requires prior notification to the University Police Department and the Safety Office. 4.6 Failure to follow this procedure, render common practices or courtesies, or follow rules of the road for the State of Arkansas could result in citation, disciplinary action, and/or suspension of operator's SMV driving privileges. 5.0 Restrictions in Fire-Rated Spaces 5.1 Storage and displays in stairwells are strictly prohibited 5.2 Displays in egress areas must be installed in locations in such a way that a clear and direct path to building exits is maintained at a width of at least five feet. 5.3 Storage is prohibited in emergency egress routes; including corridors, hallways and lobbies that lead directly to building exits a. Temporary storage in these spaces, such as chairs removed from rooms for cleaning or tools required for a project, is permitted b. Temporary storage must not be left unattended, and should be confined to one side of an egress area in such a way that a clear and direct path to building exits is maintained at a width of at least five feet. 5.4 Penetrations into fire-rated surfaces are prohibited unless fire-stopping systems are in place. Fire-rated surfaces include, but are not limited to, concrete floors, exposed/unfinished ceilings and stairwell walls. 5.5 Fire doors must remain closed at all times, unless equipped with an automatic closing device designed to activate in a fire. Devices must meet applicable Arkansas Fire Code requirements. 6.0 Electrical Fire Hazards 6.1 Storage of combustible material in electrical closets and mechanical rooms is prohibited. 6.2 Use of extension cords as permanent wiring and permanent use of multi-plug adapters are prohibited. 6.3 Surge protectors must be plugged directly into a wall outlet. Piggy-backing or sequentially connecting surge protectors to additional surge protectors is prohibited. Contact Facilities Management to request installation of additional outlets. 6.4 Personal space heaters must be approved by Facilities Management. Contact Facilities Management to procure an approved space heater through Central Receiving. 6.5 Electrical panels must include knockouts or circuits blanks where circuits are not in use. 6.6 A three foot square of clear space around electrical panels must be maintained. a. Clearance extends three feet out from the wall where the panel is installed, and 1.5 feet along the wall in each direction from the center of the panel. b. If the panel is wider than three feet, the entire width of the panel will remain clear, with three feet of clear space extending from the installed location, and one foot along the wall in each direction where the sides of the panel end