CVFD Training – Inspection Practices

1. CVFD Training – Inspection Practices SFFMA Training Objectives: 11-01.01 – 11-01.04

2. CHAPTER 1 • Introduction • Authority • Public and private sector Inspector’s legal status • Police power • Liability incurred as a result of authority • Outside technical assistance • Right of entry • Modification of requirements, appeals procedures, and judicial review • Enforcement procedures

3. INTRODUCTION Fire Prevention inspections are the single most important nonemergency activity performed by the fire service

4. INSPECTOR’S QUALITIES • Inspectors must have a great deal of knowledge regarding fire safety and building codes • Versatile personality-dealing with a wide variety of people • Good written and oral communications skills

5. INSPECTORS MUST HAVE THOROUGH KNOWLEDGE OF • Statutes that create their position • Statutes that requires fire prevention activities • Laws, codes, and ordinances that establish a fire Inspector’s duties and responsibilities • The edition of the code being used and when it was adopted • The appeals process • Ways that laws or statutes can be changed

6. AUTHORITY • Inspectors must know liabilities inherent in being public officers or employees • Inspectors must know the limits and scope of their authority as fire Inspectors

7. POLICE POWER • Inspectors have power to issue citations • Inspectors have power to shut down a business • Inspectors have power to issue inspection warrants • Inspectors have no power to arrest an individual • Inspectors will call police or an Arson Investigator to obtain identification if needed

8. PRIVATE SECTOR INSPECTOR’S LEGAL STATUS • Private company Inspector-Safety Officer • Insurance company Inspector-targets property preservations versus life safety concerns

9. LIABILITY INCURRED AS A RESULT OF AUTHORITY • The lines of liability may be established by state and or local statutes • In general, fire Inspectors are not held liable for discretionary acts • Fire Inspectors may be held liable for ministerial actions • Limits of liability to the jurisdiction must be adopted by the authority having jurisdiction

10. INSPECTORS LIABILITIES (cont.) • Special duty • Duty to inspect • Civil rights-high priced, high profile affairs

11. PREVENTION OF LIABILITY • Periodic training is necessary to renew skills and knowledge-codes always changing • Inspectors should conduct fewer, but more thorough, inspections • Conduct quality re-inspections in a timely manner

12. OUTSIDE TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE • Fire Protection Engineer • Architects and Designers • Technicians (alarm, sprinkler, emergency generators, etc.)

13. RIGHT OF ENTRY • The right to enter a property to inspect for code compliance is essential in order for fire Inspectors to fulfill their duties • The U.S. Supreme Court has ruled that property owners have the right to refuse admittance to an Inspector unless a warrant is obtained • Where no known or suspected fire hazard exists, insisting on making an inspection in a dwelling is generally considered to be an unreasonable search • To insist on gaining entry to a commercial property without a warrant violates the fourth and fourteenth Amendments to the U.S. Constitution

14. RIGHT OF ENTRY (cont.) • Most of the model codes that a jurisdiction may adopt have language in them regarding right of entry • The Fire Inspector must understand the process for obtaining a search warrant • Any form that is developed by the fire department for obtaining information for a search warrant should be approved by the jurisdiction’s counsel

15. MODIFICATIONS OF REQUIREMENTS • Requests to modify the code generally involve the property owner’s desire to use alternative materials, products, or systems to meet the intent of the code • The modification must meet or surpass the level of protection provide in the code • In most jurisdictions, fire Inspectors have little authority to approve modification of code requirements • Most interpretations are from a superior inspection bureau officer, a fire protection engineer on staff, a fire protection consultant, or an appeals board

16. MODIFICATION OF REQUIREMENTS (cont.) • To receive consideration for a code modification, the applicant must generally make a formal written request to the authority having jurisdiction • If the applicant feels the decision is unfair, the individual can file an appeal

17. APPEALS PROCEDURES • Most codes establish an appeals procedure with a Board of Appeals to interpret the code and issue a ruling • The Board of Appeals usually consists of three to seven members • A one-time variance means the decision is binding for this particular circumstance and may not be directly applied to other similar situations • If the Board of Appeals rules that the code is too vague for enforcement, the fire Inspectors must take steps to ensure that the vagueness in the code is removed • A period of seven days from the time of the inspection is a common figure for an appeal

18. APPEALS PROCEDURE (cont.) • Inspection made • Occupant appeals to Fire Prevention Board Officer • Decision made-Occupant agrees or disagrees • Appeals to the Fire Chief • Decision made-Occupant agrees or disagrees • Appeals to the Appeals Board-Final decision made

19. INSPECTION BENEFITS AND ADVANTAGES • Make Firefighters aware of potential hazards • Provides information to the building occupants and owners

20. INSPECTION PROCEDURES • Preparing for an inspection • Scheduling an inspection • Introduction • Conducting the inspection • Final interview • Follow-up • Inspection report and map

21. PREPARING FOR AN INSPECTION • The preparation phase is one of the most important parts of the inspection process • The preparation phase begins by scheduling the inspection • Use common sense in the manner in which inspections are scheduled • Schedule inspections in general area • Review previous inspection reports for that particular facility • Be knowledgeable of the code for that occupancy type • Make sure all tools and equipment is in the car and ready

22. CONDUCTING THE INSPECTION • The first step in conducting an inspection is arriving at the scheduled time • Inspect the occupancies during normal business hours (nightclubs, restaurants, schools, etc.) • Observe exterior of the structure before entering • Enter business through the main public entrance • Contact the person you made the appointment with • If a surprise inspection, ask for highest ranking employee • Give a short briefing describing the inspection process

23. CONDUCTING THE INSPECTION (cont.) • Make sure the representative has keys to all doors, even the MYSTERY DOORS • Never conduct an inspection by yourself • Conduct the inspection in a systematic approach • Start with the exterior • Three common methods for performing an inspection • Do not demand entry to a locked door-move on and document • Take photographs of violations and when in compliance-they make for great evidence in court – I’VE NEVER LOST ONE YET

24. CONDUCTING THE INSPECTION (cont.) • Use inspection form or a checklist - this is a must • Always document the important information, will be very valuable back at the office • For most routine inspections, a well completed inspection form, along with appropriate drawings and sketches, will be the only documentation need to record the inspection

25. FINAL INTERVIEW • Upon completion of the inspection, conduct a final interview with the person in CHARGE of the property • Note good conditions as well as violations • Try to sell the inspection report as a positive • Avoid confrontations and hostility • Always thank the owner for his/her time • Inform the owner of the re-inspection date if possible

26. INSPECTION DRAWINGS • Field Sketch-rough drawing of the building made during the inspection • The field sketch should have all hazards and their locations specifically noted • The field sketch is used to make the final inspection drawing • There are three types of drawings used to show building information, plot plan, floor plan, elevation view

27. INSPECTION DRAWINGS (cont.) • The plot plan is used to indicate how the building is situated with respect to other buildings and streets in the area • The floor plan shows the layout of the individual floors and the roof • Most of the building detail can be shown on the floor plan • The elevation drawing is used to show both the number of floors in the building and the grade around the building • Some agencies also prefer to attach the original field sketches to the final drawing that will be filed

28. WRITTEN LETTERS AND REPORTS • Fire Inspectors must record every fire inspection • Formal letter or report-life-threatening hazards, major renovations, extensive list of minor violations • The report should be based on facts, not opinions • The report may be sent by registered mail or in person • Most reports are computer generated-stored in electronic form • It is important that you generate a letter or report that is well written, clean, and businesslike • In general, it is preferable that the report be typewritten or computer generated

29. WRITTEN LETTERS AND REPORTS (cont.) • Basic writing techniques include: • Use of complete sentences • Proper grammar • Appropriate use of words

30. WRITTEN LETTERS AND REPORTS (cont.) • Two methods to overcome problem areas of report writing are: • Practice writing skills • Have a second person proofread the report

31. WRITTEN LETTERS AND REPORTS (cont.) • Basic writing techniques include: 1. Use of complete sentences 2. Proper grammar 3. Appropriate use of words • Two methods to overcome problem areas of report writing are: 1. Practice writing skills 2. Have a second person proofread the report • Written communications are an integral part of a fire Inspector’s everyday activity, so it is crucial that clear and effective communications become second nature

32. FOLLOW-UP INSPECTIONS • Follow-up inspections are made to ensure that the recommendations made in the inspection report have been followed • Schedule a re-inspection date when report is delivered or mailed • Only violation areas are re-inspected • Compliment the owner if all violations are corrected-send a follow-up letter stating same • If some hazards remain, schedule another re-inspection and compliment the owner for the violations corrected so far

33. FOLLOW-UP INSPECTIONS (cont.) • If the hazards have not been corrected, and no effort has been shown, issue a final notice with a date for another re-inspection • The final notice should inform the owner what legal action will be taken if full compliance is not attained by the date specified

34. MAINTAINING FILES AND RECORDS • One of the most crucial functions carried out by any fire prevention bureau or division is that of maintaining accurate files and records of all occupancies they are responsible for inspecting • It is most desirable to maintain files for all properties (excluding one and two family residences) within the jurisdiction • It is recommended that records be maintained on a building for the entire life of that building • All files and records maintained by the fire prevention bureau are considered public domain documents (Open Records Act)

35. MAINTAINING FILES AND RECORDS (cont.) • Some agencies that have computerized their inspection documentation process have also chosen to print hard copies of the information and maintain them in a written file • Each inspected property should have a file that contains copies of all building and inspection records for that property • The most reliable method of cataloging inspection records is by the building’s street address • Large jurisdiction’s may have whole rooms dedicated to file storage

36. MAINTAINING FILES AND RECORDS (cont.) • There are two primary methods by which data may be logged into the computer system: • Inspectors use laptop computers or handheld electronic data recording equipment (the more efficient of the two) • Inspectors use written forms to record the information while performing the inspection and then manually enter the information into the computer system upon returning to the office

37. FIRE FIGHTER 1 INSPECTIONS SECTION 112

38. Principles of Combustion • Fire is actually a by-product of a larger process called combustion • Combustion is the self-sustaining process of rapid oxidation of a fuel, which produces heat and light • Fire is the result of a rapid combustion reaction. • An example of very slow oxidation is rusting

39. Principles of Combustion Cont. • The fire triangle illustrates that oxygen, fuel, and heat in certain proportions create a fire; that if any of the three elements is removed, a fire cannot exist • The fire tetrahedron illustrates that fuel, heat, oxygen, and a chemical chain reaction is required to continue flaming combustion • Heat is a form of energy that may be described as a condition of “matter in motion” caused by the movement of molecules

40. Principles of Combustion Cont. • The five general categories of heat energy are as follows: chemical, electrical, mechanical, nuclear, and solar • Spontaneous heating is the heating of an organic substance without the addition of external heat • The three main phases of fire are: incipient, steady-state burning phase, hot-smoldering phase

41. Principles of Combustion Cont. • Incipient phase-is the earliest phase of a fire, temperatures around 1000 degrees. Rollover, sometimes referred to as flameover, takes place when unburned combustible gases accumulate at the ceiling level. • Steady State Burning Phase-total involvement phase, temperatures around 1300 degrees. Flashover occurs during this phase, simultaneous ignition of all combustibles in the room.

42. Principles of Combustion Cont. • Hot-Smoldering Phase-oxygen below 15%. Temperatures may be around the 1000degree range. A backdraft may occur when oxygen is improperly introduced into a hot-smoldering phase fire.

43. Principles of Combustion Cont. • Heat can travel throughout a burning building by one or more of three methods: a. Conduction-direct contact b. Convection-transfer of heat by movement of air c. Radiation-radiation of heat waves. Radiation is the most common form of heat associated with fire spread to exposures

44. Principles of Combustion Cont. • Fire resistance-is defined as the ability of a structural assembly to maintain its load-bearing ability under fire conditions. • Fire-resistive rating-is the period of time that the assembly will perform satisfactorily when exposed to the standard test fire. • A critical factor in overall building fire safety is the combustibility of the materials used for the interior finish.

45. Principles of Combustion Cont. • The most widely used and recognized test for determining the surface burning characteristics of interior finishes is the Steiner Tunnel Test. • Fire Load-is defined as the maximum heat that can be produced if all the combustible materials in a given area burn. • A Fire Wall-is a wall with a specified degree of fire resistance that is designed to prevent the spread of fire within a structure or between structures.

46. Principles of Combustion Cont. • Fire doors-are doors within a fire wall. They must be labeled as such. The labels are commonly found on the edge of the door. • A fire door assembly includes the door, the door frame, the door closing and latching hardware, and other accessories. • Smoke and heat vents-are for the removal of smoke, heat, and toxic gases produced in a fire situation. They are frequently the determining factor in successful fire control operations.

47. Principles of Combustion Cont. • A Fire damper-is a device that automatically interrupts air flow through all or part of an air handling system. • A Smoke damper- is a device that restricts the passage of smoke in an air handling system. • Flammable Decorations-a common fire protection consideration encountered by fire inspectors is the issue of flammable decorations in a particular occupancy.

48. Principles of Combustion Cont. • Permanent decorations are typically found in places such as churches, nightclubs, restaurants, and theaters. • Temporary decorations are commonly found in stores, schools, and college fraternity and sorority houses. • Major fires directly related to improper decorations-Beverly Hills Supper Club, Coconut Grove Nightclub

49. Principles of Combustion Cont. • If the occupant wishes to use a decorative material that is inherently flammable, such as wood, cardboard, cloth, straw, etc. he should be required by the code used in that jurisdiction to use material that has been appropriately treated to be fire retardant. • There are four basic methods for making a material fire retardant-chemical changes, impregnation, pressure impregnation, coating

50. Principles of Combustion Cont. • If there is any question about the flammability of a material encountered by the fire inspector, a Field Test may be performed to determine if an immediate hazard exists.