6001 - Commercial Building Inspections Flashcards
(42 cards)
1
Q
Who shall be responsible for:
- Overseeing the overall Commercial Building Inspection Program
- Managing the code development and adoption process
- Ensuring BITS is operational
- Maintaining this document
A
The Deputy Chief of Prevention and Preparedness
2
Q
Who shall be responsible for:
- Overseeing the systematic inspections performed by both Operations and Prevention personnel
- Assisting the Deputy Chief of Prevention and Preparedness as necessary and appropriate
A
The Assistant Chief of Prevention and Preparedness
3
Q
Who shall be responsible for:
- Ensuring Company Captains are monitoring inspection status monthly to ensure timely completion
- Reviewing the quarterly report submitted from Company Captains
- Submitting a summary document to the Assistant Chief of Prevention and Preparedness
A
Battalion Chiefs
4
Q
Who shall be responsible for:
- Assigning inspections to Fire Inspectors
- Overseeing the execution of those inspections
- Training TFD personnel to carry out code enforcement and fire inspections
- Ensuring that Operations personnel have adequate support to carry out assigned fire inspections
- Following up and tracking to completion in a timely manner all Operations inspection fire hazard violation referrals
- Ensuring that newly constructed buildings are added to BITS in a timely manner
A
Deputy Fire Marshals
5
Q
Who shall be responsible for:
- Overseeing all inspections assigned to his/her company
- Ensuring all inspections are conducted in the month assigned
- Ensuring that all company re-inspections are completed
- Ensuring that uncorrected hazard violations are referred to the Prevention and Preparedness Bureau
- Ensuring that all fire inspections are entered into BITS
A
Captains assigned to operations companies
6
Q
Who shall be responsible for:
- Carrying out enforcement action for fire protection system deficiencies and violations not corrected through company actions
- Conducting annual inspections of all hazardous occupancies
- Performing new system and building inspections assigned by the Deputy Fire Marshal
- Investigating hazard complaints
- Providing training and assistance to Company Officers
- Managing the annual fire protection system confidence testing program
- Conducting other inspections as assigned
A
Specifically assigned Fire Inspectors
7
Q
Who shall be responsible for:
- Conducting all inspections assigned to their shift in the month assigned
- Ensuring that all re-inspections are done in a timely manner
- Ensuring that all hazard violations are followed to correction or properly referred to the Prevention and Preparedness Bureau
- Entering all fire inspections information into BITS
- Assigning inspections and/or re-inspections to Roving Officers or firefighters working up as Company Officers
A
Permanently assigned Lieutenants
8
Q
Who shall be responsible for:
- Conducting all assigned fire inspections as directed by a Company Captain or permanently assigned Lieutenant
- Conducting re-inspections due per the ‘Next Inspection’ dates on the BITS Inspection Assignment Management screen
- Entering all fire inspection information into BITS
A
Roving Officers and Firefighters working as Company Officers
9
Q
Who shall be responsible for:
- Overseeing new construction, tenant improvements and retrofit building permits related to fire protection
- Supervising the execution of plan review and other assigned work to the Fire Protection Engineer
- Developing language for the Tacoma Municipal Code (TMC) to adopt and amend the State Fire Code
- Providing technical support to Prevention and Preparedness Bureau staff in matters related to Fire Code and NFPA Standard interpretation and enforcement
A
The Fire Code Official
10
Q
Who shall be responsible for:
- Conducting plan review of new construction and new fire protection systems
- Assisting in the development of language for the TMC to adopt and amend the State Fire Code
- Providing technical support to Prevention and Preparedness Bureau staff in matters related to Fire Code and NFPA Standard interpretation and enforcement
A
The Fire Protection Engineer
11
Q
ICC.
A
International Code Council.
12
Q
Multi-family residential structures.
Any structure with:
A
- 5 or more units or
- more than 5,000 square feet of floor space or
- more than 3 stories and
- common interior hallways or
- common laundry facilities
13
Q
TFD has in place a Commercial Building Inspections Program through which fire inspections are conducted to:
A
eliminate hazards to life and property.
14
Q
The goals of the TFD Commercial Building Inspection Program are:
A
a. Eliminating loss of life due to fire
b. Reduction of fire-related injury and property loss
c. Compliance with Washington Survey and Rating Bureau standards for fire inspection frequency
15
Q
TFD personnel shall inspect all assigned hazardous occupancies semi- annually.
a. One inspection shall be done by:
b. One inspection shall be done by:
A
Operations personnel
the assigned Fire Inspector
16
Q
Inspections shall be assigned from:
a. The month of December each year will be used to:
A
January through November each year.
complete all outstanding re-inspections
17
Q
Company Officers shall conduct at least_______ re-inspections, attempting to see that violations are corrected.
A
two
18
Q
Company Officers shall not routinely re-inspect Tacoma Schools. a. After the Company Officer conducts the initial inspections, s/he shall:
A
forward fire inspection reports to Prevention and Preparedness personnel for coordination with and compliance by the school district’s maintenance department
19
Q
Company Captains shall:
a. Use BITS to assign specific inspections by month to all four shifts by:
b. Ensure that company inspections and re-inspections are:
A
the 15th of January each year
completed as scheduled
20
Q
TFD personnel shall report the following inspection findings as violations:
a. Multi-family residential buildings, ___________in height or with___ or more units, without a fire alarm system
b. Missing ________________ on fire alarm and fire sprinkler systems and standpipes
c. Missing or damaged ______________, detectors and notification devices
d. Fire sprinkler systems without_________ or where__________ has been disconnected
e. Rooms or areas with missing _______
f. Missing ___________ and/or obstructed access to the FDC for fire sprinkler systems and standpipes
g. Missing or damaged__________
h. Missing or non-functioning ______________
A
a. three or more stories
16
b.annual inspection tags
c. pull stations
d. monitoring, monitoring
e. sprinklers
f. FDC caps
g. standpipes
h. smoke detectors
21
Q
Company Officers shall refer the following violations to a Prevention and Preparedness Bureau Inspector for follow up with a building owner:
A
a. Multi-family residential buildings, three or more stories in height or with 16 or more units, without a fire alarm system
b. Fire sprinkler systems without monitoring or where monitoring has been disconnected
c. Missing or damaged standpipes
d. Missing or non-functioning smoke detectors
e. Out of compliance fire escapes
22
Q
TFD personnel shall use the following to make referrals to Prevention and Preparedness Bureau personnel:
A
a. The electronic referral tool in BITS
b. Interoffice mail to send the BITS generated Referral Report and the written Fire Inspection Report form
23
Q
Special Considerations for Multi-family Residential Inspections Fire Alarm Systems
- Multi-family residential buildings, __________ in height or with____ or more units, require a fire alarm system.
- Fire alarm systems should have a tag, label or document at the _____________ indicating a completed performance test.
a. System status should be indicated by RED, YELLOW or GREEN on the annual inspection tag on the system control panel - Fire alarm systems in unsprinklered multi-family residential buildings require ___________ at each exit and system smoke detectors in corridors and other common areas outside of dwelling units.
a. ________________ are required in common areas, such as laundry rooms, where smoke detectors would be prone to a false alarm
b. Notification devices such as horns, bells, horn/strobe combinations or speakers are: - Fire alarm systems in sprinklered multi-family residential buildings do/do not require manual pull stations at each exit or system smoke detectors in corridors or other common areas outside of dwelling units.
a. Notification devices such as horns, bells, horn/strobe combinations or speakers are are/not required to alert building occupants
A
- three or more stories, 16
- Control Panel
- manual pull stations
a. Heat detectors
b. required to alert building occupants - Do not
a. Are
24
Q
Fire Sprinkler Systems
- There should be a tag, label or document at the system riser indicating a completed performance test.
a. System status should be indicated by RED, YELLOW or GREEN on the annual inspection tag on the system riser - Offsite monitoring for sprinkler system water flow and valve tampering is required for most fire sprinkler systems with more than____ sprinklers.
a. If possible, verify that system control valves are _____ - Linen and clothes closets, typically ___________ or smaller, and small bathrooms within dwelling units will not always require sprinklers.
- FDC caps should be in place and access to the FDC unobstructed, such as by landscaping.
A
- 20
a. open - 3 foot x 8 foot
25
Standpipes
1. Standpipe systems are required in multi-family residential buildings that are ________ in height, not including basements.
2. There should be a tag, label or document on the standpipe indicating:
a. System status should be indicated by RED, YELLOW or GREEN on the annual inspection tag on the standpipe
3. FDC caps should be in place and access to the FDC unobstructed, such as by landscaping.
1. 4 or more stories
| 2. a completed performance test.
26
Smoke detectors
1. ____________ are required within individual dwelling units.
2. Whenever possible, and with owner permission, a sampling of the interior of individual dwelling units, including vacant units, should be inspected to confirm that:
1. Hard-wired smoke detectors with battery back-up
| 2. functioning hard-wired smoke detectors with battery back-up are in place.
27
TFD personnel shall ensure that the Fire Inspection Report form is signed by:
the building owner.
| a. Owner refusal to sign should be documented on the form if necessary
28
Who shall:
a. Compose a quarterly summary report of battalion inspection status that includes an explanation for all outstanding inspection assignments
b. Submit the quarterly summary report to the Assistant Chief of Prevention and Preparedness within 14 days of the end of the quarter
Battalion Chiefs
29
Who shall:
a. Compose a Company quarterly inspection status report for all shifts that includes an explanation for all outstanding assigned inspections
b. Develop a written action plan for completion of outstanding inspections
c. Submit status report and action plan to his/her Battalion Chief within 7 days of the end of the quarter
Company Captains
30
Training for Fire Inspections
1. Who shall assign a Deputy Fire Marshal to provide training to new Prevention and Preparedness Bureau personnel with inspection duty assignments to prepare him/her for certification testing as a Fire Inspector.
2. Inspectors shall complete ICC Level I Fire Code Certification within the first _________of assignment to the Prevention and Preparedness Bureau and Level II within the first 12 months.
3. Prevention and Preparedness personnel will provide training for all ____________ to ensure proficiency in conducting basic Fire Code inspections.
4. New Company Officers shall be provided with fundamental BITS training during:
1. The Assistant Chief of Prevention and Preparedness
2. 6 months
3. Company Officers
4. his/her probationary period.
31
PROCEDURE FOR CONDUCTING AN INSPECTION
| TFD Personnel
Preparation
Inspection
Safety education
Closing interview
32
PROCEDURE FOR CONDUCTING AN INSPECTION
TFD
Personnel Preparation
1-3
1. Gather information on the building to be inspected.
2. Print out a BITS Inspection report.
3. Call building owner prior to inspection.
33
Inspection
1. Size up the building
2. Look for:
a. Fire Department Connection (FDC)
b. Address
c. Exits
d. General condition of the building
3. Make contact with owner/occupant
4. Introduce yourself and crew and explain that “we are here to conduct a fire and life safety inspection”.
5. Verify the following is correct on BITS inspection report
a. Contact name
b. Contact address
c. Building information
d. Business information
6. If the owner/occupant refuses entry:
a. Verify the individual’s name and position (e.g., owner, manager, etc.)
b. Inform him/her that you are there to help safeguard his/her building and neighborhood
c. Obtain emergency contact information if possible
d. Leave the premises maintaining a positive attitude
7. After leaving the premises document any observed violations in BITS.
a. Use the Assignment Narrative to denote the refusal of entry
8. Send a message using [Notify FPB] function in BITS indicating what occurred and specific violations observed, if any.
9. If the owner permits entry, tour the building as follows:
a. Begin outside and work inside or begin at the top and work down
b. Look for heat sources and ask yourself if they could start a fire
c. Look at how a fire (e.g., heat, smoke and flame) would travel within the building in relationship to how people must move to escape
i. Do you envision problems?
d. Look at the built-in fire protection systems (e.g., sprinklers, alarms and extinguishers).
i. Are they fully functional?
e. Look for a tag, label or document indicating a completed performance test.
i. System status should be indicated by RED, YELLOW or GREEN on the annual inspection tag on the system riser or control panel
f. Report a missing tag as a violation.
g. Look at everything that will be needed to fight a fire successfully (e.g., FDC, access roads, standpipes, hydrants, access to building, hazardous materials placards).
34
Safety Education
1. Explain what causes fire hazards.
2. Explain why safeguards are needed in case of fire, including fire ignition, fire spread, life safety hazards and fire fighting needs.
3. Explain the need to safeguard the lives of employees and customers as well as their livelihoods (jobs) and business.
35
Closing Interview
1. At the completion of the inspection, discuss the results with a person who has authority over the property and include the following:
a. Note good conditions and compliment him/her on the positive safety aspects
b. Explain again what s/he is protecting--his/her business, jobs and customers
,c. Explain how even smoke can damage goods, buildings and people
d. Discuss how hazards should be corrected, including--
i. Educating him/her as to why it is a hazard
ii. Telling him/her how to correct it, both orally and in writing on the Hazard Notice
e. Indicate s/he is responsible for correcting hazards immediately
f. Inform him/her of the time frame for your return to verify that the hazards have been corrected
36
PROCEDURE FOR RE-INSPECTION TFD
| Personnel
1. Prior to departing the station:
a. Review the inspection report notice
b. Telephone the owner/occupant, if possible
2. Contact owner/occupant upon arrival.
3. Compliment the owner/occupant for correcting the hazard and safeguarding his/her business, employees, and customers.
4. If the hazard(s) have not been corrected, inform the owner of his/her responsibility and liability for correcting the hazards.
5. Establish the next re-inspection date.
6. Enter corrected violations into BITS, including the next re-inspection date.
7. When all violations are corrected, use the interoffice mail to forward the paper document to the Prevention and Preparedness Bureau.
37
PROCEDURE FOR DOCUMENTING INSPECTIONS TFD Personnel
1. Note violations and “How to Correct It” on the Fire Inspection Report form.
2. Sign the form.
3. Have the owner/occupant sign the form.
4. If s/he refuses to sign write the person’s name and note “refused to sign” on the form by the owner name.
5. Schedule re-inspection as needed.
6. Upon return to station, enter the inspection into BITS.
a. Use Inspection Comments section to explain any actions
b. Include new and updated information on--
i. Hazard violations issued
ii. The next date to re-inspect if violations were issued
iii. Building and business information
iv. Location of fire protection system(s)
v. Hazardous materials
vi. Contact information
vii. Additional addresses associated with the building
7. Make referrals to Prevention and Preparedness Bureau staff as necessary and appropriate.
a. Use the electronic referral tool in BITS
b. Use interoffice mail to send the BITS generated Referral Report and the written Fire Inspection Report form
38
PROCEDURE FOR REQUESTING ASSISTANCE FROM THE PREVENTION AND PREPAREDNESS BUREAU
TFD Personnel
1. Input the inspection information in BITS.
2. Include violations.
3. If specific violations are not known, use the “other” violations box and state the hazard in general terms.
4. Call the appropriate Prevention and Preparedness Bureau staff. OR
5. Use the green “Notify Prevention and Preparedness Bureau” button on the BITS “Manage Inspection Assignments” screen.
6. When the BITS Inspection Management screen indicates a status of “referred”, the inspection has been accepted and received by the Prevention and Preparedness Bureau
a. Until then the inspection remains the responsibility of the referring company
39
PROCEDURE FOR REQUESTING ASSISTANCE FROM THE PREVENTION AND PREPAREDNESS BUREAU
Assigned Deputy Fire Marshal
1. Manually transfer the request for inspection assistance from the company to the Prevention and Preparedness Bureau.
40
PROCEDURE FOR ASSIGNING AND REPORTING INSPECTIONS
| Assistant Chief of Prevention and Preparedness
1. Make any necessary changes to the inspection districts.
2. Notify Company Captains of changes prior to the end of the calendar year.
3. Determine and identify within the BITS “Manage Inspection Assignments” module all annual company inspection assignments.
4. Review quarterly inspection status reports submitted by Battalion Chiefs.
41
PROCEDURE FOR ASSIGNING AND REPORTING INSPECTIONS
| Battalion Chiefs
1. Use the Captains’ quarterly reports to compose a quarterly summary report of battalion inspection status.
2. Include an explanation for all outstanding inspection assignments.
3. Submit the report to the Assistant Chief of Prevention and Preparedness.
42
PROCEDURE FOR ASSIGNING AND REPORTING INSPECTIONS
| Company Captains
1. Use BITS to assign specific inspections by month to all four shifts.
2. Compose a Company quarterly inspection status report for all shifts.
3. Include an explanation for all outstanding assigned inspections.
4. Develop an action plan for completion of outstanding inspections.
5. Submit status report and action plan to your Battalion Chief.
