Workplace Emergency

Planning & Preparedness

Medford Fire Prevention Bureau

Based on the 2007 Oregon Fire Code

Occupancy Classification Groups

A-Assembly
B-Business
E-Educational
F-Factory, Industrial
H-Hazardous
I-Institutional
M-Mercantile
R-Residential
SR-Special Residential
S-Storage
U-Miscellaneous
Source: (OFC 202)

Emergency Planning

Includes Fire Evacuation and Fire Safety Plans

When Required:

Group A, except worship areas <2000 occupants

Group B, 500 or more occupants; 100 above or below
lowest level of exit discharge
Group E
Group H
Group I
Group R-2 college and university buildings;
Group R-4; Group R subject to licensure by state
Group SR
High Rise
Group M, 500 or more occupants; 100 above or below
lowest level of exit discharge
Covered Malls >50,000 sq. ft.
Underground buildings
Source: (OFC 404)
Group A, E, or M buildings with atriums

Emergency Planning

Why Have an Emergency Plan?

To prevent fatalities and injuries

To reduce damage to buildings and contents
To accelerate the resumption of normal operations
Because the fire code requires it

Consider:
There are approximately 75,000 fires annually that cost
businesses over $2 billion
These fires kill more than 200 and injure more than 5,000
people each year
45% of businesses never reopen after a fire due to the high
cost of recovery and repairs
Sources: OSHA, Oregon Fire Code, NFPA, OSHA, and Numerous Business Emergency Plans.

Fire Evacuation Plans

To Prepare for and Define the Roles for Evacuation

and Relocation of Occupants During an Emergency
Includes:
Emergency egress or escape routes
Procedures for employees:
Who remains to operate critical equip. before evacuating
To account for employees and occupants
ID those:
Responsible for rescue or medical aid
Who can be contacted for further information
ID preferred and alternative means of notifying occupants of a fire or
emergency
Preferred and any alternative means of notifying fire department or
appropriate emergency organization

Source: (OFC 404.3.1)

Fire Evacuation Plans

Staff Duties and Responsibilities

Emergency coordinator
Chain of command
Alternative communication center
Address who will assist disabled workers
A system for accounting for personnel and non-personnel
following an evacuation
Identify who is trained and willing to deal with casualties

Sources: Oregon Fire Code, NFPA, OSHA, and Numerous Business Emergency Plans.

Fire Safety Plans

How to React to an Emergency; Building Site

Layout and Hazards
How to React to an Emergency
Procedure to report an emergency
Activating an emergency plan
Procedure for alerting staff
Ordering an evacuation
ID personnel responsible for systems and equip. installed to
prevent or control fires
ID personnel responsible for maintenance, housekeeping, and
controlling fuel hazard sources

List of major fire hazards

Sources: Oregon Fire Code, NFPA, OSHA, and Numerous Business Emergency Plans.

Fire Safety Plans

Also Includes:
Site Plans
Floor Plans Clearly Posted Throughout Building
Showing:
Evacuation routes and alternate means of escape for each
room or portion of the occupancy
Accessible egress routes
Designated Safe Areas
Fire alarm pull stations
Fire alarm control panels
Fire extinguishers and manual fire extinguishing equipment
Area separation walls
First aid areas
Source: (OFC 404.3.2)

Fire Safety and Evacuation Plans

Fire Safety Plans

Emergency Plan Guidelines and Procedures

Fire
Earthquakes
Explosion
Bomb threats
Chemical spills
Workplace violence
Utility Failure
Medical emergency
Triage

Sources: Oregon Fire Code, NFPA, OSHA, and Numerous Business Emergency Plans.

Fire Evacuation and Safety Plans

Records

Emergency contact numbers:

Emergency dispatch
Hospitals
Utility companies
Government agencies
Alarm company
Sprinkler company
Any other responsible parties
Documentation of drills should include the date and time of
each drill, the person conducting the drill and other
information relative to the drill.
Updated list of employee emergency contact information
Sources: Oregon Fire Code, NFPA, OSHA, and Numerous Business Emergency Plans.

Fire Evacuation and Safety Plans

Maintenance
Shall be reviewed or updated annually or as
necessitated by changes in:
Staff assignments
Occupancy
Physical arrangement of building

Availability
Shall be available in the workplace for reference and
review by employees
Shall be available to fire code official for review upon
request
Source: (OFC 404)

Emergency Evacuation Drills

Purpose of Fire Drills

To be ready should an occurrence happen, increasing the

chanced of survival. A disorganized evacuation can lead to
confusion, injury, death and property damage.

When Required

Group A: quarterly for employees only

Group B: annually
500 or more occupants; 100 above or below lowest level of exit discharge

Group E: monthly complete evacuation.

Group I: quarterly each shift for staff only.
Group R1: quarterly each shift for staff only.
Group R-2 (college and university): quarterly all occupants
Group R-4 & SR: see IFC 408.1.2.
High Rise: annually employees only
Source: (OFC 405)

Staff Training

Emergency Egress and Relocation Drills

Shall be held with sufficient frequency to familiarize

occupants with the drill procedure and to establish conduct of
the drill as a matter of routine.
Planning and conduct of drills shall be assigned only to
competent persons.
To be held at expected and unexpected times and under
varying conditions.
Shall be Initiated by the fire alarm system when present
Drill participants shall relocate to a predetermined location
and remain at such until a recall or dismissal signal is given.
Orderly evacuation should receive priority over the speed of
evacuation.
Occupants should be accounted for.
A record shall be kept.
Sources: Oregon Fire Code, NFPA, OSHA, and Numerous Business Emergency Plans.

Staff Training

In case of fire, think RACE:

Rescue all persons in immediate area

Alarm: announce the fire- Pull alarm and dial 911
Confine the fire by closing doors
Evacuate/Extinguish

Sources: Oregon Fire Code, NFPA, OSHA, and Numerous Business Emergency Plans.

Staff Training

Fire Extinguisher Training

Decision
Only use if the fire is small and contained,
and not spreading beyond its starting point
Do not waste time in trying to fight the fire if the fire might block your
only way out
Proper extinguisher use, think PASS:
Pull trigger pin (Stand back several feet away from fire)
Aim low, point the nozzle at the base of the fire
Squeeze trigger
Sweep from side to side until the fire appears to be out

Medical Training

First aid, CPR, etc.

Safety Equipment

First aid kits, hardhats, goggles, eye washing facilities, breathing

apparatus, etc.

Fire Prevention-Monthly Inspections

Sources: Oregon Fire Code, NFPA, OSHA, and Numerous Business Emergency Plans.

Staff Training

Fire Protection Systems (Alarms and Sprinklers)

Train employees how your particular system works

Employees should be familiar with fire alarm signals
Smoke alarms detect smoke, sprinklers are set off by heat
Smoke alarms systems are early warning devices, allowing
precious time to evacuate
Fire sprinkler systems are designed to control the fire
Normally one or two sprinklers will
discharge, not the whole system

Sources: Oregon Fire Code, NFPA, OSHA, and Numerous Business Emergency Plans.

Video

Getting Out Alive

Source: Complete Fire Prevention Library, The Idea Bank

Fire Prevention

Access/Premises

Egress Hazards
Buildings or structures that are
not provided with adequate
means of egress or emergency
escapes are unsafe and shall be
subject to the abatement
procedures specified in Section
110.
(OFC 1001.3)

Egress Hazards-Locked Exits

Emergency Lighting/Illumination
Existing Buildings, Where Required:

A>50 (Except Churches <300)

B three or more stories and 100 or more
occupants above or below level of exit
discharge
B 1,000 or more occupants
E exitways and windowless areas of
occupancy
F>100 (Except buildings used only in daylight
with windows)
I
M (Except buildings <3000 sq. ft on one story
only)
R-1 (Except where each guestroom has direct
outdoor grade level access)
R-2 (Except where each guestroom has direct
outdoor grade level access)
R-4 (Except where each guestroom has direct
outdoor grade level access)
(OFC 1027.5)

Exit Signs

Electrical Hazards

Fire Alarm Systems

Fire Extinguishers

Fire/Smoke Separations

Fire Suppression Systems

Commercial Kitchen Hoods

What wrong with this picture?

Heat Sources

Housekeeping/Decorations

Mechanical Hazards

Smoke Detection

Storage-Combustible

Storage-Compressed Gas Cylinders

Storage-Flammable Liquids

Storage-Hazardous

Questions?