Fire Safety

Responsible Executive	Vice Chancellor-Research
Responsible Office	Environment, Health & Safety
Contact	Fire Marshal, fireprevention@berkeley.edu

Issued	6/15/2017
Effective	6/1/2017
Supersedes	None, New Policy
Next review	6/1/2022

Policy Summary

Fire safety is everyone’s responsibility. Certain campus units are assigned special responsibilities in relation to fire safety. This policy establishes responsibilities to ensure that fire safety systems are available, tested, maintained, and effective, and that conditions potentially leading to fires are properly abated.

As a public institution with many residential facilities, high-rise structures, scientific laboratories, and high-attendance public events, UC Berkeley considers effective fire safety measures of primary importance in all University activities. This commitment is essential to protect lives, property, and the environment.

Scope of Policy

This policy applies to everyone at UC Berkeley.

Why We Have This Policy

This policy helps ensure that all members of the campus community are protected from the dangers of fire.

Procedures

On Campus

The UC Berkeley Police Department (UCPD) must be notified immediately of all accidental, uncontrolled, or extinguished fires and explosions. It must also be notified immediately of all situations having fire or explosion potential, as well as any hazardous material emergency that threatens, or may threaten, life, property, or the environment.

To contact the UCPD, call 911 via campus landline or 510-642-3333 via cell phone. The UCPD will contact the Berkeley Fire Department (BFD) or other appropriate first responders as well as the Campus Fire Marshal.

Once notified by UCPD, BFD coordinates response and mitigation efforts with UCPD, the Campus Fire Marshal, and any additional appropriate emergency responders. Facilities Services, Environment Health & Safety (EH&S), and/or the Office of Emergency Management may also respond as needed to mitigate the incident.

Other procedures related to fire alarms and building evacuations are found here.

Off Campus

For all other UC Berkeley facilities, the appropriate local emergency responder must be notified by calling 911. Local emergency agencies will respond as appropriate and notify the UCPD, which will in turn contact the Campus Fire Marshal so an investigation and other follow-up activities can occur.

Responsibilities

Everyone at UC Berkeley:

Report all on-campus fires by using the nearest fire alarm pull station and/or calling 911 (510-642-3333 via cell phone).
Evacuate buildings immediately when a fire alarm sounds or at the direction of campus officials. Get to know the locations of ALL exits from your building.
Report possible fire hazards to the appropriate supervisor as soon as possible.
Follow rules and regulations related to fire safety and prevention as required by the California Code of Regulations (CCR), as well as those policies and procedures established by the Campus Fire Marshal. While links to the full regulations are provided in the “Related Documents” section below, applicable highlights are to be provided in safety training and outreach materials issued by supervisors and EH&S.
Keep corridors and exits unobstructed at all times.
Do not tamper with, damage, or alter any fire protection devices or equipment. Prevent materials from being stored within 18 vertical inches of a fire sprinkler.
Do not use or store prohibited items in residence halls. Specific information regarding allowable items in residence halls can be found at the student housing website or by contacting Residential and Student Service Programs.
When planning an event (see definition below; does not include routine business operations or meetings), apply on-line for a special use permit from the Campus Fire Marshal at least 10 days prior to events that meet one or more of the following conditions:

50 or more people are planning to attend.
The number of attendees will exceed the normal capacity of the requested space.
Tents or canopies greater than 400 square feet in size will be used.
The proposed location of the event includes a roadway, pathway, or plaza used for access by emergency vehicles.
Open flame items will be used, including candles, torches, cooking devices, or pyrotechnics.
Compressed gas cylinders will be used.

Building Managers and Coordinators:

Building managers or coordinators should ensure that a responsible staff person is assigned to accompany the Campus Fire Marshal (or deputy) during routine inspection activities.
Building managers or coordinators are responsible for communicating to the responsible unit or person the required actions to abate fire hazards for issues that are under the control of building occupants. They are to report lingering uncorrected issues to the Campus Fire Marshal for further action.

Principal Investigators:

Principal Investigators have a special responsibility to ensure that conditions in their lab are safe, including the proper storage of hazardous materials and appropriate training for lab personnel regarding fire and explosion hazards their work may entail.
In laboratories, do not exceed the approved maximum allowable quantities of hazardous chemicals. Store all hazardous chemicals and substances properly. Hazardous material storage, use, and safety information may be found online in the EH&S Hazardous Materials Storage Guide. (Custodians and others who work in laboratories but who may not have computer access are provided appropriate safety training by their home department and EH&S.) The Campus Fire Marshal can offer additional guidance and information regarding maximum allowable quantities of hazardous materials.

Campus Fire Marshal, Office of Environment, Health & Safety (EH&S):

Ensures that the campus complies with California statutes and fire regulations of the California State Fire Marshal as adopted or referenced in Title 19 and Title 24 (Parts 2, 3, 4, 5, and 9) of the California Code of Regulations.
Makes decisions in accordance with the Campus Design Guide or nationally recognized fire protection practices or standards, such as those promulgated by the National Fire Protection Association and other nationally recognized organizations/agencies, as well as commonly accepted fire prevention best practices.
Works with UCPD as appropriate to control access to, or to cause either complete or partial evacuation from, a building or complex in any unsafe, dangerous, or hazardous circumstance. Authorizes re-occupancy of evacuated buildings following mitigation of the emergency or hazardous conditions.
Serves as the Lead Designated Campus Fire Marshal (LDCFM) as appointed by the Office of the State Fire Marshal. Oversees and monitors implementation of the rules and regulations described in the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between the UC Office of the President and the Office of the State Fire Marshal. Serves as the Authority Having Jurisdiction (AHJ) in all matters concerning fire safety, fire safe construction, and plan approval.
Reviews those campus facilities and processes assigned by the Office of the StateFire Marshal at least annually to ensure conformance with state statutes, rules, regulations, and UC fire safety policies.
Confirms that required fire safety system tests and maintenance are completed by the appropriate campus entity. Provides independent inspections and audits to ensure fire protection systems are maintained in conformance with state statutes, rules, regulations, and UC fire safety policies.
Provides fire prevention consultative services and technical assistance to campus departments in support of the establishment of realistic plans and timetables forcorrecting identified hazardous or illegal conditions.
Upon request, provides training in fire prevention topics and use of fire extinguishers to building occupants, staff, or other interested parties. Ensures that applicable fire safety regulations are appropriately summarized and communicated in safety training and outreach materials provided by EH&S.
Reviews and approves plans and specifications for all new construction or alterations to existing campus facilities and conducts ongoing construction inspections, including commissioning, testing, and final occupancy approval inspections.
Creates, updates, and posts to the web the Annual Campus Fire Safety Report and Residential Fire Log as required by the Jeanne Clery Act.
Notifies the California State Fire Marshal Duty Chief of any fires on campus property. Conducts post-incident investigations to determine cause and origin of fires and prepares reports for submission to the Office of the State Fire Marshal and appropriate campus managers and executives. Provides subject matter expert assistance to law enforcement in possible criminal case investigations related to fires and explosions.

Project Managers (this term applies to any employee who oversees a construction or renovation project):

Design and build to the applicable code by the project funding date all projects involving renovation, utilities, life safety system installations/upgrades, and new construction or major capital outlays.
Initiate projects by going to the Project Initiation website for information regarding space alterations, leases of rental space, and renovation or construction projects. Very small projects or maintenance work will require a Project Review Requisition through the Office of Construction & Design.
Submit construction documents to the Campus Fire Marshal for review and final approval for all projects. Detailed information regarding submission of construction documents can be found at the EH&S Fire Prevention website.
Coordinate and schedule project construction inspections by the Campus Fire Marshal through the Division of Real Estate and the Campus Fire Marshal. Procedures for scheduling construction inspections can be found at the Division of Real Estate website.
Consult with the Campus Fire Marshal regarding requirements for precautionary measures concerning projects having inherent fire or explosion potential or obstruction of fire department access lanes or fire protection equipment.
Ensure that outside contractors working on campus are aware of fire safety policies, including required permit and access interruption reporting requirements as described in project contract documents.

Facilities Services:

Performs California Fire Code and CCR Title 19 mandated testing and maintenance to ensure that all fire protection systems are maintained in conformance with state statutes, rules, regulations, and University of California fire safety policies including:
1. building fire alarm systems
2. automatic fire sprinkler and stand-pipe systems
3. smoke control systems
4. fire extinguishers
5. emergency lighting
6. emergency generators
7. fire pumps
8. fire rated doors and walls
9. smoke/fire dampers
Uses the appropriate Office of State Fire Marshal forms when documenting testing and maintenance of fire protection systems as required by state code. All forms must be made available for the Campus Fire Marshal’s review and retained for a period of five years.
Provides technical assistance to the Campus Fire Marshal during annual fire drills.
Provides assistance as needed to the Campus Fire Marshal, EH&S Designated Spill Response team, and UCPD during emergencies.
Monitors fire alarm equipment during planned fire alarm shut-downs as required by the Campus Fire Marshal or UCPD.
Ensures the correction of facilities-related fire hazards identified during building inspections performed by the Campus Fire Marshal or designee.

Residential & Student Service Programs (RSSP):

Assumes responsibility for items 1 – 6 above for all facilities under RSSP control.
Working with EH&S resources, provides fire safety training and evacuation drills for all students housed in their facilities. (This responsibility also applies to all other residential organizations operating on UC property.)

UCPD:

Responds to reports of fires or explosions on campus.
Answers emergency calls for assistance, monitors fire alarms, and contacts all appropriate first responders through its Dispatch Office.
Immediately contacts the Campus Fire Marshal to report fires and explosions.
Contacts the appropriate designated responsible party at locations that have been involved in a fire emergency.
Provides security at fire scenes and denies access to non-first responders until the incident is terminated by the incident commander and the building is released for occupancy.
Provides assistance and technical support to the Campus Fire Marshal during fire investigations.

Consequences of Non-Compliance

Non-compliance with this policy will be addressed through the applicable personnel policy or union contract (for faculty, staff, and student employees) and/or the Student or Faculty Code of Conduct. Additionally, violations of state regulations may be addressed through law enforcement and the judicial system.

Glossary

Authority Having Jurisdiction (AHJ): An organization, office, or individual responsible for enforcing the requirements of a code or standard, or for approving equipment, materials, an installation, or a procedure.
CCR: California Code of Regulations.
Clery Act: a federal statute (codified at 20 U.S.C. § 1092(f)) that requires all colleges and universities that participate in federal financial aid programs to keep and disclose information about crime on and near their respective campuses.
Events: Activities organized and supervised by campus departments, registered student organizations, off-campus organizations, or other groups or individuals for the benefit and enjoyment of the campus community and held on campus property or in campus-occupied facilities. Events do not include routine business operations or meetings.
Lead Designated Campus Fire Marshal (LDCFM): the Authority Having Jurisdiction in University fire prevention issues, including prevention and fire-safe construction. The LDCFM is appointed by the Office of the State Fire Marshal through a memorandum of understanding between the University of California Office of the President and the California State Fire Marshal.
Office of the State Fire Marshal: the Authority Having Jurisdiction for operational and construction activities related to fire protection at the University of California, Berkeley.