OEH&S Fire Safety

• UCSF Fire And Life Safety Program
• In Case Of Fire
• Fire Extinguisher Use
• Fire Watch
• Corridor Doors
• Plans Review

The Fire Drill Plan is under the oversight of the Campus Fire Marshal. The objective of the Fire Drill Plan is to familiarize employees with procedures to follow in the event of a fire. When the procedures are followed, the staff will minimize injuries and loss of life among patients, visitors and personnel. The Campus Fire Marshal or designated representative conducts yearly drills for campus buildings and quarterly for hospital buildings. The drills are conducted according to Uniform Fire Code, Life Safety Code 101 and / or Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations (JCAHO) regulations. During the drill, staff is to remove anyone from the danger area, call the emergency number (9-911), activate the building alarm, close doors and windows, locate the fire extinguisher and exits.

The following acronyms, R.A.C.E. and P.A.S.S. have been adopted as memory aids for fire incidents. R.A.C.E. is in case of a fire and P.A.S.S. is for fire extinguisher use.

In Case Of Fire...R A C E

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Fire Extinguisher Use…P A S S

Fire And Life Safety Program

The UCSF Fire and Life Safety Program was developed to provide employees, visitors and patients with a safe environment, and to meet regulatory requirements. The program is the direct responsibility of the Campus Fire Marshal (CFM). The program consists of Fire and Life Safety inspections, fire watch implementation, fire drills, plan review and 24 hour emergency response. Implementation of this program is supported by Environmental Health and Safety (OEH&S) Department Safety Advisors (DSA) for campus facilities and the OEH&S Clinical Program for hospital facilities. The Campus Fire Marshal may be reached at 476-0570.

Fire and Life Safety Inspection

• Campus routine inspections and hospital safety rounds are performed on a routine basis and include fire door operations, chemical container labeling, personal safety, equipment accessibility and emergency action plan.
• Non-routine investigations are conducted after a fire, life safety accident or significant incident in a campus or hospital facility.
• Special services are provided, if requested, verbally or in writing, by campus or hospital staff.

Fire Watch

The Campus Fire Marshal authorizes a fire watch a when a campus or hospital building is considered unsafe during construction due to non-operational fire alarm system or normal exiting obstruction. The Campus Fire Marshal authorizes the fire watch (which includes hourly physical patrol of the affected areas) looking for visible signs of smoke or water leakage. If any sign is present, fire watch personnel shall call the emergency number 9-911, activate the fire alarm (if operable), and / or radio information to the UCSF Police Department. Documents for these rounds are maintained and forwarded to the Campus Fire Marshal upon completion of the watch.

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Corridor Doors

No person shall install, place or permit the installation of equipment or combustible material in any exit corridor, stairway or adjacent area. Exits shall not be obstructed in any manner nor at any time and shall remain free of material where its presence would obstruct or render the exit hazardous.

In 1983, UCSF negotiated a corridor plan with the Office of the State Fire Marshal. We agreed to keep all corridors clear of all materials, with the exception of select floors in the Health Science East and West Buildings. These floors must not have been renovated and materials stored only in recessed spaces between columns. The only allowable storage items are metal cabinets not over 7 feet (no flammable liquid or acid storage cabinets), closed metal file cabinets, refrigerators and freezers not over 7 feet (no flammable liquids), benches and chairs (non-padded or upholstered) and combustible waste in approved waste containers, provided the waste is removed daily. Items are to be removed and not replaced should they become inoperable.

Plans Review

Campus policy requires that all construction and renovation plans be reviewed by OEH&S for compliance with health and safety requirements. The OEH&S Plans Review Program reviews campus and hospital drawings and specifications for compliance with pertinent codes, standards and laws. They recommend that proper safety equipment and adequate precautions are incorporated into the design of UCSF property with respect to hazardous materials. The drawings and specifications for major projects, minor projects or small renovations are submitted by Project Managers at Facilities Management, Design and Construction, or Building Managers. Principal Investigators are strongly encouraged to contact their DSA at the earliest stage of the design for their input.