A building owner or agent has a responsibility to implement the provisions of a fire safety plan. The Fire Safety Planning Guide assists building owners and managers to prepare effective and useful fire safety plans.
Fire safety plans contain measures to:
- Control fire hazards in a building
- Ensure a safe and orderly evacuation of a building in the event of a fire
- Effective utilization of fire protection systems and equipment in buildings
Fire safety plans are prepared in the best interests of building owners and occupants and dependent upon the use and occupancy and any unique features. Plans should include specific information on the building and its contents.
Candles are a traditional part of the holiday celebrations, both in the home and in places of worship. It is vital to remain aware of the potential risk of fire and vigilant about preventative measures. This sample checklist provides basic safety measures that can be implemented by places of worship, not just during the holidays, but throughout the year.
- Use good quality candles, inexpensive candles burn down much quicker leaving the flame dangerously close to nearby combustibles like ornaments, tablecloths etc.
- Collect extinguished candles immediately after every service or celebration, place the candles in a metal container with a lid and store outside of the building
- Trim the wicks of short candles to avoid large flames, and dispose of any candle shorter than 2 inches.
- Avoid leaving candles burning for long or extended periods of time.
- If using handheld candles, use only purpose made candles with drip trays. Drip trays help prevent ignition of nearby items and damage to the skin and clothing from dripping wax.
- Avoid any procession that involves a lit candle, unless absolutely necessary and if so, only in a safe and acceptable fashion.
- Place candles in metal holders on a non-combustible surface, safely away from combustible materials.
- Always have a buffer zone of three feet from anything that can burn.
- Never allow children to handle lit candles, consider providing battery operated candles for children.
- Keep matches and lighters away from children.
- Ensure that there is an adequate fire extinguisher available if required.
- Ensure that all exit doors are operational and clear of any obstructions.
- A fire warden or wardens should be appointed for such services, and be responsible for calling the fire department or 911 and deploying the fire extinguisher.
Service leader should be aware of emergency evacuation procedures and be prepared to ask everyone to leave in an orderly fashion in the event of an emergency.
Commercial Cooking
The following qualifications are required for persons intending to inspect or clean commercial cooking exhaust equipment within Regina city limits. Failure to use certified cleaning companies will result in a Fire Inspector requiring the system to be cleaned again by a certified company at the restaurant owners cost.
Inspection & Cleaning of Commercial Cooking Exhaust Equipment
Any person who intends to inspect or clean commercial cooking exhaust equipment shall submit proof that the person has successfully completed one of the following:
- IKECA (International Kitchen Exhaust Cleaning Association) – Certified Exhaust System Inspector (CESI)
- Phil Ackland’s Exhaust Cleaning – Kitchen Exhaust Cleaning Certification
Commercial cooking exhaust systems, if not maintained properly, pose a significant fire hazard involving rapidly spreading grease fires. Regina Fire & Protective Services use the National Fire Code (NFC) to regulate the activities and maintenance requirements of fire and life safety installations in buildings. The Fire Code requires all commercial cooking exhaust systems to be inspected and properly cleaned for continuous safe operation. In addition to the NFC cleaning requirements, a new initiative is taking place that involves the certification of persons that perform duct system cleaning.
Restaurant owners or operators have the right to ask the cleaning company to show you their qualification credentials. The information they should produce is a certification from one of the following organizations:
- IKECA (International Kitchen Exhaust Cleaning Association) – Certified Exhaust System Inspector (CESI) or Certified Exhaust Cleaning Specialist (CECS)
- Phil Ackland’s Exhaust Cleaning – Kitchen Exhaust Cleaning Certification
Depending on the type and volume of cooking at a restaurant an inspection by a qualified person needs to be performed according to the following table:
Schedule for Inspection of Grease Build Up (NFPA 96)
|
Type or Volume of Cooking Frequency |
Frequency |
|
Systems serving solid fuel cooking operations |
Monthly |
|
Systems serving high-volume cooking operations, such as 24-hour cooking, charbroiling or wok cooking |
Quarterly |
|
Systems serving moderate-volume cooking operations |
Semi-annually |
|
Systems serving low-volume cooking operations, such as churches, day camps, seasonal business, or senior centres |
Annually |
Cleaning of Exhaust Systems
Exhaust systems are required to be cleaned when an inspection reveals the exhaust system is contaminated with deposits from grease-laden vapours. The cleaning of the system is to be performed by a properly trained, qualified and certified company or person(s) acceptable to the authority having jurisdiction.
The primary focus of an inspection for cleanliness is to establish whether the volume of grease buildup within the exhaust system warrants cleaning and to determine whether adequate access is available throughout the exhaust system to remove it. Hoods, grease removal devices, fans, ducts and other appurtenances should be cleaned to remove combustible contaminants to a minimum of 50 microns (0.002 in.)
Licensed Inspections
To license a new alternative family care home or daycare, you must complete a fire inspection.
Alternative Family Care Home
If you are opening a new alternative family care home that requires a fire inspection for licensing, you must first obtain a building permit from the City of Regina Building Department. Once the Building Department has granted occupancy, schedule a fire inspection by calling 306-777-7830.
If you require an inspection for licensing purposes, you can request an inspection by sending an email to FAST@regina.ca with your name, contact information and address of location to be inspected. This request will be forwarded to the district Fire Inspector and they will contact you to schedule a time.
An existing alternative family care home (excluding daycares) may require a sprinkler system due to the recent code changes. This depends on the number of occupants and whether they are capable of self-preservation. Consult a design professional (Architect, Engineer, Class 3 Building Official).
All residential licensed facilities that do not have a sprinkler system must meet the following minimum standards for sleeping room windows. These standards are minimum standards, prescribed by the National Building Code. Each building owner and licensed facility operator should conduct their own assessment, consulting a design professional if appropriate, to determine whether windows that exceed the minimum standards should be installed to ensure occupants can safely exit the facility in case of emergency
Sleeping room windows must meet .35m2 (3.7 ft2) in area with no dimension less than 380 mm (15”). The following are examples of acceptable sleeping room window unobstructed openings. This minimum opening is to be measured when the window is fully opened. There can be no obstructions in this opening. As a result, if the window has a “scissor” style opening mechanism or other hinge system that obstructs the opening does not meet the minimum standard.
New window wells are required to have a minimum clearance of 760 mm (30”) from window to edge of window well. Below grade windows installed in sleeping rooms should be designed to swing into the room. If they swing into the window well, the 760 mm (30”) clearance required is from the edge of the opened window. If your window was installed prior to 2013 and your window well has clearance of 610 mm (24”) from window to edge of window well, you are not required by the NBC to meet the 760 mm (30”) requirement.
If your existing window well was installed prior to 2013 and does it does not meet 610 mm (24”) minimum clearance requirement, it will need to be brought up to the current code minimum standard of 760 mm (30”) requirement from window to edge of window well. These standards are minimum standards. It is up to each owner to determine whether larger window wells are required to ensure occupants can safely exit through the window in the event of an emergency.
Smoke alarms, emergency lighting, portable fire extinguishers and fire drills should be tested and/or practiced monthly and recorded on a log for review at your next fire inspection. Failure to conduct these tests and keep proper records could result in prosecution and possible fine.
Daycares
If you are opening a daycare that will be licensed for more than 12, you must first obtain a building permit from the City of Regina Building Department. Once the Building Department has granted occupancy, schedule a fire inspection by calling 306-777-7830.
Smoke alarms, emergency lighting, portable fire extinguishers and fire drills should be tested and/or practiced monthly and recorded on a log for review at your next fire inspection. Failure to conduct these tests and keep proper records could result in prosecution and possible fines.
Occupant Load
Assembly occupancies designed for use by more than 60 persons require an occupant load calculation and card. Assembly occupancies that serve alcohol require an occupant load calculation and card regardless of the amount of people that may enter their establishment.
You can submit for an occupant load by emailing the following to FAST@regina.ca:
- Dimensioned diagram of all useable areas in metres (any service areas can be excluded ie: kitchens, mechanical rooms).
- The dimensions need to be laid out in a way that area can be achieved in meters squared.
- The diagram must show dimensions of all exits and access to exits in mm.
- Details on how this space is to be used. RFPS issues four different numbers, depending on which ones apply to your circumstance (ie. standing, non-fixed seating, tables and chairs, licensed).
Here are three examples of a dimensioned diagrams that would be acceptable:
- CAD Diagram – this would be provided by a design professional and is required for larger more complex occupant loads. e. large areas, multiple rooms, mezzanines etc.
- Microsoft Visio – this would be acceptable in most circumstances.
- Microsoft word – this is acceptable for very straightforward diagrams.
All diagrams must be saved in PDF format and sent via email to FAST@regina.ca. If you have PDF versions of original building plans that show all of the details required above, this would be acceptable. Hand drawn diagrams will not be accepted.
Further to this, existing properties that are in operation and just applying for an occupant load must undergo a current fire inspection. New buildings who have just gone through the City of Regina Building Permit application may not require a current fire inspection to apply for an occupant load.
