The University of Texas at Austin

Environmental Health and Safety

471-3511
http://www.utexas.edu/safety/ehs/
By Order of The University of
Texas at Austin

FIRE MARSHAL
BY ORDER OF THE U.T. FIRE MARSHAL, THE USE OF ANY
OF THE FOLLOWING UNAUTHORIZED ITEMS IN
RESIDENCE HALLS IS IN VIOLATION OF POLICY.
STUDENTS THAT FAIL TO FOLLOW FIRE & LIFE SAFETY
POLICY ARE SUBJECT TO DISCIPLINARY ACTION OR
FINES.

BY ORDER OF THE U.T.FIRE MARSHAL, THE USE OF ANY

UNAUTHORIZED COOKING APPLIANCE WITH HEATING
COILS; ELECTRICAL EXTENSION CORDS/ADAPTERS;
HALOGEN BULBS/LAMPS OVER 100 WATTS; DECORATIVE
CANDLES (BURNED OR UNBURNED WICKS); INCENSE;
HANGING ITEMS ON SPRINKLER HEADS/SOFFITS; STOR-
AGE ON TOP OF SOFFITS; STORAGE LESS THAN 18” FROM
SPRINKLER HEADS & THE USE OF CHRISTMAS LIGHTS
IS PROHIBITED.
UT Residence Halls Prohibit these
Cooking Appliances

• Any Toasters or Toaster Ovens

• Rice Cookers
• Hamburger Cookers
• Frying Skillets & Hotplates
• Crockpots
• Electric Woks
• Bar-B-Que Grills
 APPLIANCES CANNOT
BE USED

X HAMBURGER COOKER
X SPACE HEATER
X FRYING SKILLET &
HOTPLATE
 CANNOT BE USED

X HAMBURGER COOKER
X FRYING SKILLET
X HOTPLATE
X ELECTRIC WOK
 CANNOT USE

X RICE COOKER
X TOASTER OVENS

NOTE:GREASE
ACCUMULATION BELOW
APPLIANCES CANNOT
BE USED

X CROCKPOTS
APPLIANCES CANNOT
BE USED

X TOASTERS
CANNOT USE

*THESE
TYPES OF
OPEN FLAME
BAR-B-QUE
GRILLS
 APPROVED
BAR-B-QUE GRILLS

*JESTER
*BRACKEDRIDGE-
ROBERTS/PRATHER
These Electrical Appliances are
allowed in Residence Halls
• Blenders
• Coffee Pots
• Electrical Can Openers
• Hot Pots (Capacity not to exceed 3 cups)
• Fans
• Irons
• Popcorn poppers with self-contained coils
• Sandwich Makers
• Lava Lamps
APPLIANCES CAN BE USED
*BLENDER
*COFFEE POT
*ELECTRIC CAN OPENER
*HOT POT (CAPACITY NOT TO
EXCEED 3 CUPS)
*GROUNDED COFFEE MAKERS
*FANS/IRONS/POPCORN
POPPERS SELF-CONTAINED COILS
 Descriptions of Electrical Extension
Cords, Power Strips & Adapters that are
not Allowed in UT Residence Halls
• 110 Volts Extension Cord
• 110 Volts Heavy Duty Extension Cord Without
Surge Protector
• 110 Volts Heavy Duty Extension Cord Wrapped
in Duct Tape
• Piggy Back Power Strips
• Duct Tape Wrapped Around Electrical Plug
• Electrical Outlet with No Cover Plate
• Multi-Plug Adapters
 CANNOT BE USED

X MULTI-PLUG
ELECTRICAL
ADAPTERS
 CANNOT BE USED

* EXTENSION CORDS

* PIGGYBACK POWER
STRIPS
 CANNOT BE USED

*DUCT TAPE WRAPPED

AROUND PLUG
*EXTENSION CORD
WRAPPED WITH TAPE

*COVER PLATE MISSING

Electrical Power Strips that are
Allowed in UT Residence Halls
• Power Strips with built-in circuit breakers
used when additional appliances are needed.
• Three unit Multi-plug adapters with built-in
circuit breakers that plug into wall receptacles
• Six unit Multi-plug adapters with built-in
circuit breakers that plug into wall receptacles

All Power Strips & Multi-plug Adapters shall

be equipped with a 15 AMP built-in circuit
breaker with 1875 Watts
 These UL approved
Power Strips and
Multiple Adapters are
all 15 Amps. Therefore
they are allowed for
use in Residence Halls.
Decorative lights are
also prohibited in
Residence Halls
CANNOT BE USED

X CHRISTMAS HOLIDAY
LIGHTS
Lamps that are not allowed in
UT Residence Halls

• Electrical Floor Lamps that Require a

Fluorescent Bulb over 120 Watts

• Any Halogen Lamp that Requires a Bulb

over 120 Watts
 * ELECTRIC
FLOOR LAMP

X 3 WAY BULB
50-120-150

CANNOT USE
FLUORESCENT BULBS
OR HALOGEN LAMPS
OVER 120 WATTS
In UT Residence Halls Decorative
Candles and Incense are prohibited

• Decorative candles
– Small & Large: burned wicks or unburned
wicks

• Incense
 CANDLES/INCENSE
CANNOT BE USED

* SMALL CANDLE W/ WO
BURNING WICK
* INCENSE
* LARGE CANDLE W/ WO
BURNING WICK
Prairie View Dormitory Room Fire- Candle
Candle Fire Cont’d
Condition of room after candle fire
 Storage Guidelines

• There will be no storage less than 18

inches from a sprinkler head

• There will be no storage less than 18

inches from a light fixture or ceiling

• There will be no storage less than 18

inches from or on top of the soffit
In UT Residence Halls
articles can not be hung
from Sprinkler Heads
CANNOT HANG ANY ITEMS
ON FIRE SPRINKLER HEADS

X CHRISTMAS LIGHTS
HUNG ON TOP OF A
SPRINKLER HEAD

X UMBRELLA HUNG ON
TOP OF A SPRINKLER
HEAD
These items are
being stored less
than 18 inches
away from a
Sprinkler Head.
 Anything stored on
top of a soffit is not
allowed.
As well as items being
hung from sprinkler
heads.
 This is what
happens when
items are stored too
close to a light
fixture! This box
eventually caused a
fire and had to be
put out using a Fire
Extinguisher.
 Fire Evacuation Drills

• Students living in dormitories are

required to participate in scheduled
Fire Drills
• Number of Fire Drills per Semester
– Fall Semester ( 1 )
– Spring Semester ( 1 )
– Summer Semester ( 2 )

Note: Fire Drills are performed during evening hours

 FIRE DRILLS
*JESTER DORMITORY
X (NEVER RE-ENTER)
*WELCH HALL STAGING
AREA
*KINSOLVING DORMITORY
STAGING AREA
 FIRE DRILL
*KINSOLVING DORMITORY

*EXIT DISCHARGE

*STUDENTS ASSEMBLING
AT STAGING AREA
ACROSS THE STREET
 Dormitory Population on UT Campus
Building Population Building Population
BLD 281 LTD 157
BHD 137 MHH 398
WHITIS Cts. 208 PHD 170
JES 3133 SHD 198
KIN 760 SJH 856
RHD 133 AND 134
CRD 134
Total Number of Students in 6699
Residence Halls
Total Available Capacity for 6699
Residence Halls
An Incident Command Scene

- At Welch Two Smoke Bombs Are Set

Off And Trigger the Fire Alarm
INCIDENT COMMAND
SCENE

* CAUSE OF ALARM
- SMOKE BOMB SET
OFF AT WELCH HALL
All dormitories on UT campus are
equipped with the following:
• A floor plan describing fire evacuation
routes
• Fire alarm pull stations (located near exits)
• Audible & Strobe alert devices
• For the Hearing & Visually impaired
• A [Do not use Elevator] Placard

Note: 80% of all UT dormitories have fire sprinklers. By

2006 ALL UT dormitories will be retrofitted with
sprinklers.
* FIRE ALARM PULL
STATION
* AUDIBLE/STROBE
ALERT DEVICE

* DO NOT USE ELEVATOR

PLACARD

* FLOOR PLAN FOR

EVACUATION
Austin Fire Stations Located
Near UT
• AFD Station #2
• AFD Station #3
• AFD Station #9

These stations are equipped with fire

companies and rescue units
AFD FIRE STATIONS
NEAR U.T.CAMPUS
STA. #2

STA # 3

STA # 9
 AFD STA.#2
506 W.MLK BLVD.

AFD STA #3
201 W. 30th.. ST

AFD STA # 9
43rd. ST.& SPEEDWAY
 A Summary of Dormitory On
& Off Campus Fires
Monitored by CAMPUS FIRE WATCH

• Fires from February 1st – Mar 31st 2003

 Campus Right to Know Act
• www.campus-firewatch.com/
documents/news.htm
CAMPUS FIRE WATCH - Campus Right to Know Act
Dormitories, Houses & Apartments: Off/On Campus

Undetermined
Number Of Occurrences
Elect rical

3 Unatt ended Cooking

4 Arson
Und.
Const ruct ion
Deaths
Hair Dryer

Cigarett es
0 Can.
Elec.
Cig. Candles
3
0 False Alarm Act ivation

2 0 Malfunctioning Comput er
1 Deaths
Fire and Life Safety Violations
These violations come with a fine!

• Starting a fire
• Failure to exit during a fire alarm or drill
• Setting off false alarms
• Tampering with fire sprinklers
• Tampering with fire safety equipment
• Obstructing a fire evacuation route
• Smoking indoors or in other designated non-
smoking areas
• Banned Objects
 FIRE AND LIFE SAFETY VIOLATIONS

Tampering with fire and life safety equipment is considered a Class A

Misdemeanor, subject to fines and imprisonment. At a minimum,
students found responsible for tampering with fire and life safety
equipment or students found in violation of fire life and safety policies
are subject to the following, including disciplinary action up to removal
from the residence halls, fines and possible legal action.

NOTE:State arson laws, amended in 2001, upgrade the penalty for dis-
charging fireworks and explosives from a misdemeanor to a state jail
Felony offense. Any student found discharging fireworks or explosives
is subject to University disciplinary action, fines, and criminal prose-
cution (including jail time).
VIOLATION UNIVERSITY FINE
Setting off a false alarm Minimum of $1000
Discharging fireworks, explosives, weapons or $500
other devices that could inflict harm, damage
physical property and/or result in disturbance
Obstruction of fire sprinkler system Includes $100 plus damage costs
hanging items from sprinkler head or obstructing
proper operation of sprinkler system. Examples
include placing or storing items within 12 inches
of sprinkler head (including sprinkler heads in
closet), and covering or hanging items from
sprinkler

Or hanging items from soffit (sprinkler pipe $25

covering) or placing items on top of soffit.
Tampering with fire safety and sprinkler $100 plus damage costs
equipment
(including but limited to smoke detectors,
sprinkler system valves, fire extinguishers, fire
hoses, alarm horns, fire doors, door closures, exit
and safety-related signage or activating sprinkler
head).
VIOLATION Cont’d UNIVERSITY FINE
Open flame/arson Minimum of $100 plus damage
Having an open flame or setting fire (arson) to any costs
object within the residence hall or within
immediate surroundings outside and residence hall
(except outdoor smoking and grilling).
Failure to evacuate during a fire alarm $50
Possession of banned objects including prohibited $50 per item
appliances, candles, incense, electrical extensions,
explosives, fireworks, weapons, halogen lamps and
other prohibited lighting under lighting policy.
Smoking indoors or in other designated no-smoking $50
areas
Obstrucing a route of fire egress including trash, $50
debris and other physical barriers to egress from
room, hallway or stairwell
ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH & SAFETY
PERSONNEL CALL LIST

NAME OFFICE PHONE

GARLAND WALDROP 471-3511
ROOSEVELT EASLEY
JAKE SHUGART
MIKE SLAUGHTER
RICK TREVINO