Fire Protection ยป
Fire Response
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Response to fire in the shipyard may be conducted by an
internal fire department, an outside (local) fire response organization, or a
combination of both. Requirements vary depending on the employer's choice for
response.
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Figure 1. Fire truck/equipment response
adjacent to warehouse.
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Fire
Response |
Potential Hazards:
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Inadequate communication between responsible parties.
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Lack of coordination when developing the program.
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Alarms may not be heard in remote or high noise areas.
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Lack of coordination during an event.
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Lack of accountability for workers after evacuation occurs.
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Local fire department has not evaluated facility.
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Incompatibility of local fire department equipment with facilities.
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Failure to locate utility shutoffs.
Requirements and Example Solutions:
- The following type of fire response must be decided upon and implemented by
the employer: [1915.505(a)]
- What type of response will be provided and who will provide it.
[1915.505(a)(1)]
- Create, maintain, and update a written policy that: [1915.505(a)(2)]
- Describes the internal and outside fire response organizations that the
employer will use. [1915.505(a)(2)(i)]
- Defines what evacuation procedures employees must follow if the employer
chooses to require a total or partial evacuation of the worksite at the time
of a fire. [1915.505(a)(2)(ii)]
- Internal fire response. If an internal fire response is to be used, the written
policy must include: [1915.505(b)(1)]
- Basic structure of the fire response organization. [1915.505(b)(1)(i)]
- Number of trained fire response employees. [1915.505(b)(1)(ii)]
- Fire response functions that may need to be carried out. [1915.505(b)(1)(iii)]
- Minimum number of fire response employees necessary, number and
types of apparatuses, and a description of the fire suppression operations
established by written standard operating procedures for each type of fire
response at the employer's facility; [1915.505(b)(1)(iv)]
- Type, amount, and frequency of training that must be given to fire
response employees; and [1915.505(b)(1)(v)]
- Procedures for using protective clothing and equipment. [1915.505(b)(1)(vi)]
- Outside fire response. If an outside fire response organization is used, the written policy
must include: [1915.505(b)(2)]
- Types of fire suppression incidents to which the fire response
organization is expected to respond
at the employer's facility or worksite. [1915.505(b)(2)(i)]
- Liaisons between the employer and the outside fire response
organizations. [1915.505(b)(2)(ii)]
- A plan for fire response functions that: [1915.505(b)(2)(iii)]
- Addresses procedures for obtaining assistance from the outside fire response
organization. [1915.505(b)(2)(iii)(A)]
- Familiarizes the outside fire response organization with the
layout of the employer's facility or worksite, including access routes
to controlled areas, and site-specific operations, occupancies,
vessels or vessel sections, and hazards. [1915.505(b)(2)(iii)(B)]
- Explain how hose and coupling connection threads are to be made
compatible and includes where the adapter couplings are kept. [1915.505(b)(2)(iii)(C)]
- Includes a statement that the employer will not allow the use of incompatible hose
connections. [1915.505(b)(2)(iii)(D)]
- If a combination of
internal and outside fire response is to be used, the written policy must
include the following requirements in addition to those outlined for the
internal fire response requirements: [1915.505(b)(3)]
- Basic organizational structure of the combined fire response.
[1915.505(b)(3)(i)]
- Number of combined trained fire responders. [1915.505(b)(3)(ii)]
- Fire response functions that may need to be carried out. [1915.505(b)(3)(iii)]
- Minimum number of fire response employees necessary, number and
types of apparatuses,
and a description of the fire suppression operations established by written
standard operating procedures for each particular type of fire response at
the worksite. [1915.505(b)(3)(iv)]
- Type, amount, and frequency of joint training with outside fire response
organizations if given to fire response employees. [1915.505(b)(3)(v)]
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Figure 2. Fire extinguishing system specialist inspecting high pressure CO2 system
on vessel.
Figure 3. Inspection of fire protection system alarms (shore-based) by fire
department personnel.
Figure 4. Fire response training by fire department personnel.
Figure 5. Shore-based evacuation plan.
Figure 6. Local fire department responding to emergency.
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- Employee evacuation. The
employer's written policy must include: [1915.505(b)(4)]
- Emergency escape procedures. [1915.505(b)(4)(i)]
- Procedures to be followed by employees who may remain longer at the worksite
to perform critical operations during the evacuation. [1915.505(b)(4)(ii)]
- Procedures to account for all employees after emergency evacuation is
completed. [1915.505(b)(4)(iii)]
- The preferred means of reporting fires and other emergencies.
[1915.505(b)(4)(iv)]
- Names or job titles of the employees or departments to be contacted for
further information or explanation of duties. [1915.505(b)(4)(v)]
- Rescue and emergency response. The employer's written policy must include: [1915.505(b)(5)]
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Maritime Labor/Industry Recommendations |
- Conduct joint drills with shipyard personnel and local fire department
(Figure 7).
- Invite local fire department to tour vessels.
- Compile an emergency call list for quick contact in a fire event.
- Discuss fire response plan with personnel living on board vessels.
- Designate subcontractor supervisors to be accountable for workers during
evacuations.
- Designate workers to visually verify that areas have been evacuated when
alarm sounds for quick accountability.
- Use visual alarms for high noise areas.
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Figure 7. Fire response team
briefing on vessel. |
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Internal
Fire Department |
Shipyard internal fire departments will encounter the
same hazards as any outside fire department. These hazards include:
- extreme heat
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burns
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smoke
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falls
Requirements and Example Solutions:
- Medical requirements for shipyard fire response workers must include: [1915.505(c)]
- All fire response workers receive medical examinations to assure that they
are physically and medically fit for the duties they are expected to
perform. [1915.505(c)(1)]
- Fire response workers, who are required to wear respirators in performing
their duties, meet the medical requirements of
1915.154. [1915.505(c)(2)]
- Each fire response employee has an annual medical examination. [1915.505(c)(3)]
- The medical records of fire response employees are kept in accordance with
1915.1020. [1915.505(c)(4)]
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Figure 8. Internal fire department conducting annual fire drill.
Figure 9. Internal fire department workers extinguishing during training
exercise. |
- Organization of internal fire response must include: [1915.505(d)]
- Organize fire response functions to ensure sufficient resources to
conduct emergency operations safely. [1915.505(d)(1)]
- Establish lines of authority and assign responsibilities to ensure
that the components of the internal fire response are accomplished. [1915.505(d)(2)]
- Set up an incident management system to coordinate and direct fire
response functions, including: [1915.505(d)(3)]
- Provide this information to the outside fire response organization
to be used. [1915.505(d)(4)]
- All fire response workers must be provided, at no cost, with
appropriate personal protective clothing and equipment they may need to
perform expected duties. This may include: [1915.505(e)(1)]
- All personal protective equipment must be maintained. [1915.505(f)]
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