Risk Management Services FIRE PROTECTION IMPAIRMENT PROGRAM Introduction Fire protection systems represent a significant capital investment for organizations. Companies want to make sure that they are fully operational to perform when needed. These systems, such as automatic sprinkler systems, are effective at reducing damage from fire and smoke as well as the potential for injury or death to building occupants. When such a system is out of service due to a planned or emergency repair, human error, or a malicious act, a fire can grow unchecked, resulting in substantial property loss or personal injury. A fire protection impairment program can be used to manage these situations in order to reduce the threat to property and personnel. The program accomplishes this through the following: limiting the time and scope of unavailable fire protection, controlling hazards, establishing alternate fire detection and alarm activation methods, providing substitute fire suppression systems, and ensuring that response to a fire, should one occur during the impairment, is swift and appropriate. Impairments Impairment can be described as the condition when at least one aspect of fire protection is out of service. While any number of conditions could cause impairment to protection systems, impairments are typically grouped into three types: planned, emergency, and hidden. Planned Impairment A planned impairment is when a fire protection system is out of service due to work, such as maintenance, scheduled repairs, or new construction. To reduce the potential for loss, it is best to schedule maintenance and repair work so that only a part of the system is impaired during the repair or maintenance work. Emergency Impairment An emergency impairment occurs when a fire protection system is taken out of service unexpectedly. Emergency impairments can be caused by numerous occurrences, such as a ruptured pipe or activation of a sprinkler head. Hidden Impairment Impairments are sometimes not readily apparent and are often discovered by accident or during routine inspection, testing, or maintenance of the fire protection system or equipment. A closed sprinkler system control valve is one of the most common of these hidden impairments. When discovered, these impairments should be treated in the same manner as an emergency impairment. Systems and Equipment The scope of an impairment program goes beyond automatic fire sprinkler systems. A thorough impairment management program will also include alarm systems, water supplies, special extinguishing systems, and other equipment. An impairment management program should include all aspects of fire protection including: Fire sprinkler systems Fire pumps Water supplies, including public and private water systems and underground supply piping Fire alarm systems Smoke and fire detection systems Life safety systems, such as evacuation alarms and voice notification systems Special extinguishing systems, such as carbon dioxide, foam, water mist, and chemical extinguishing systems Fire hydrants, fire department connections, and standpipe and hose systems Impairment Management Organizations should develop a documented impairment program, which outlines management s expectations. It should follow many of the guidelines that are introduced in the remainder of this document. In order to ensure that impairments are identified and preventive measures promptly enacted, management should designate an impairment coordinator who is responsible for administering the impairment management program. The impairment coordinator should have sufficient authority to be able to expedite repairs and suspend hazardous operations. Before an Impairment Prior to a planned impairment or immediately after an emergency impairment has been discovered, the following procedures should be followed:
Suspension of Hazardous Operations During impairments, hazardous operations should be stopped until fire protection is fully restored. Such operations can include spray painting, flammable liquid operation, and hot work operations (e.g., cutting and welding). This includes strictly enforcing no smoking rules. If possible, the impairment should be scheduled to occur during idle periods when no ignition sources are present. Control the fuel load in the area of impairment. Minimize or eliminate, if possible, all combustible and other hazardous materials; ensure good housekeeping practices are in place. Notifications Notify the following entities of the impairment: Local fire department being aware of the impaired fire protection system will allow them to respond to an alarm with additional units and resources. The impaired fire protection may also require them to alter their plan of attack. A good pre-plan should consider fires that occur during common impairments. Philadelphia Insurance Companies notifying PHLY allows us to understand the scope of the outage and degree of increased risk. We can review the implemented precautions and provide guidance on any additional ones needed. Finally, it provides another level of reminders to return the fire protection system to full service. Please contact us via e-mail at phlyrms@phly.com. Facility emergency response team (ERT) Alarm monitoring company Affected employees Use Impairment Permits/Tags The fire protection impairment permit should be filled out as a record of the impairment. One impairment tag should be filled out and attached to the impaired valve or piece of fire protection equipment. Finally, a second tag should be attached to the affected fire department connection. The reason for the latter is that it provides prominent notice of the impairment to the responding fire department if called. The permit and tags provide reminders of the impaired state of the system and the necessity to return to full service once the reason for the impairment is no longer present. The person requesting the impairment is responsible for filling out the permit, tags, and obtaining an authorized signature. See PHLY Impairment Permit & Tags associated with this document for these items. For additional information and guidance, see PHLY Fire Protection Impairment Management at the end of this document, which provides a checklist of things to be addressed during impairment. Compartmentalization When fire protection systems are out of service, the last line of defense between fire control and a significant loss may be the fire doors. Whenever possible, fire doors should be closed until fire protection is restored. Therefore, it is important that fire doors are properly maintained and in working order. See Fire Protection Report FP-43-01, Fire Doors, for additional information on this topic. Temporary Fire Protection The facility emergency organization and/or emergency response team (ERT) must be informed. This organization may need to provide alternate fire protection equipment, such as portable extinguishers and charged fire hoses, in the event of an emergency and should maintain a heightened sense of awareness during the impairment. Temporary fire protection measures to be taken include, but are not limited to, the following: Hydrants hooked up to sprinkler riser Hose line(s) charged Extra fire extinguishers distributed throughout the facility Extra security or fire watch patrols provide a means to quickly notify proper authorities in event of fire The use of sectional control valves, whenever possible, to minimize the area without fire protection When possible, place somebody at or near the closed (impaired) control valve(s) so that they can open them in the event of a fire See Fire Protection Report FP-45-20, Emergency Response Teams (ERT), for additional information on this topic. Expeditious Repairs The shutdown can be minimized if repair crews are authorized to work continuously overnight and through weekends. Ideally, the work should be done without interruption until the job is complete. For work that involves a large area, the planned repair or extension should be done in sections, where possible, to minimize the area without fire protection. Additional considerations include: No planned impairment should start until all supplies are present - this will reduce the impairment time A timetable should be employed to allow management to keep track of repair progress During the Impairment During the impairment, the repair crew and their progress should be periodically checked. Temporary protection, such as charged hose lines, should be checked on a regular basis to ensure their status has not changed. The suspension of hazardous operations requirements should be continued. Additional considerations include: Establishing a 24-hour fire watch - this can be done by extending employee hours or hiring a temporary guard service When possible, assigning personnel to reopen fire protection valves in case of a fire Assigning personnel to transmit fire alarms to the occupants and the fire department when the building alarm system is impaired Strictly enforcing no smoking rules
After the Impairment (Restoration) After the impairment, restoration of fire protection must be verified. This is done by performing a main drain test on a sprinkler system or by other methods appropriate for the fire protection system. The impairment coordinator should ensure that all systems are back in service and properly secured. After the fire protection is verified to be back in service, the entities, such as the fire department and Philadelphia Insurance Companies, that were notified of the impairment need to be notified that the fire protection had been restored to full service. Ensure that all copies of the impairment tags are collected, completed, and filed. If the impairment was of a hidden nature, investigate its cause so that its recurrence can be prevented in the future.
Fire Protection Impairment System impaired: Area protected by impaired system Date Hazardous operations in impaired area Halt hazardous operations that could cause or increase size of fire Remove or reduce fuel load as much as practical Schedule impairment during idle period Maintain good housekeeping practices Smoking is prohibited Notifications made Local fire department Philadelphia Insurance Companies Facility management and impairment coordinator Facility emergency response team Alarm monitoring company Affected employees Permit and tags Impairment permit filled out and displayed with copy in office Tag filled out and affixed to impaired control valve or applicable part of system Tag filled out and affixed to fire department connection Compartmentalization Fire doors in impaired area are closed Work planning No planned impairment until all supplies and equipment needed for project are in place Timetable to track progress has been developed and displayed Work done in sections so the area of impaired protection is minimized Interim fire protection measures Hydrant hooked up to sprinkler riser Hose lines placed in impaired area and charged Extra fire extinguishers are provided throughout facility as needed 24-hour fire watch established with means to quickly alert authorities of a fire Sectional control valves utilized where possible Individual posted at or near impaired control valve for ready opening if needed
Restoration after impairment Fire protection system restoration is verified (via main drain or other applicable test) Alarm devices have been restored Make notifications to previously notified parties that system has been restored Restore fire doors Release interim fire protection measures Remove posted permit and tags, and file in office as record of impairment Return to normal operations Ed. 100215