06.03.01 – Fire and Life Safety Code
Section: Environmental Health and Life Safety
Area: Fire and Life Safety
I. PURPOSE AND SCOPE
The purpose of the Fire and Life Safety Code is to protect the University of Houston and its faculty, staff, students, and visitors from injury and loss of property or life from fire.
The Fire and Life Safety Code applies to the entire University of Houston campus, regardless of funding source, and to faculty, staff, students, visitors, vendors, and contractors while on university property.
II. POLICY STATEMENT
The Texas Legislature requires all state agencies to use the Fire and Life Safety standards set out in NFPA 101 and NFPA1 and mandatory references as stated in each code and has given the State Fire Marshal's Office authority for enforcement. In turn, the State Fire Marshal's Office recognizes the University of Houston Office of Fire and Life Safety as the Local Authority Having Jurisdiction to enforce NFPA 101 Life Safety Code and NFPA 1 Fire Code . The University of Houston adopts the current NFPA 1 Fire Code and NFPA 101 Life Safety Code as the "University of Houston Fire and Life Safety Code."
University of Houston Campus Safety is committed to preserving life and property through a comprehensive, viable Fire and Life Safety Code. Fire safety in higher educational facilities warrants special attention. Special efforts must be made to reduce the need to evacuate a building. Higher educational facilities must rely on superior construction, fire prevention, early discovery, and extinguishment of incipient fires with prompt, efficient response to all suspected fire emergencies.
The University of Houston Fire and Life Safety Code will emphasize prevention and whenever possible, superior design and construction of facilities. Fire prevention will be accomplished by maintaining compliance with the University's Fire and Life Safety Code and by establishing good fire and life safety work habits at the university. The administration of the University of Houston is committed to this Fire and Life Safety Code as a means to prevent the loss of life and injuries and reduce property losses, which may occur when fire strikes.
III. DEFINITIONS
A. Authority Having Jurisdiction: The Texas State Fire Marshal's Office is recognized by the Texas Legislature as the agency responsible for "approving" equipment, an installation, or a procedure regarding compliance with the Fire and Life Safety Code.
B. Fire Codes: Local, state, or consensus regulations related to fire protection and prevention.
C. Executive Director of Fire and Life Safety/Fire Marshal: An employee of University of Houston Campus Safety Department, Office of Fire and Life Safety (FLS), who has been empowered to manage the fire prevention and protection program. The FLS Executive Director/Fire Marshal is empowered to act for the Assistant Vice President for Campus Safety in all matters related to fire safety and life safety.
D. Local Authority Having Jurisdiction (LAHJ): The Office of Fire and Life Safety is recognized by the State Fire Marshal's Office as the office responsible for "approving" equipment, an installation, or a procedure regarding compliance with the Fire and Life Safety Code for all areas of the University of Houston Campus.
E. National Fire Protection Association (NFPA): An international voluntary organization to promote fire protection and establish safeguards against loss of life and property.
F. University of Houston Campus – All areas of the University of Houston, including areas that are not adjacent to the main campus, such as the UH Technology Bridge, UH at Sugar Land, and UH at Katy.
IV. OBJECTIVES
A. Prevent the number of fire-related incidents and injuries on the University of Houston campus.
B. Ensure that proper fire and life safety practices are conducted on campus.
C. Ensure compliance with sound fire safety practices through a comprehensive inspection program.
D. Provide ongoing fire safety education to faculty, staff, and students.
E. Provide state-of-the-art information from the national code or standard-making agencies concerning fire and life safety.
F. Provide fire and life safety expertise relevant to developing evacuation plans.
G. Ensure that renovation projects and new construction meet national standards of NFPA and practices for fire and life safety through this MAPP.
V. RESPONSIBILITIES
The University of Houston FLS Executive Director/Fire Marshal is the Local Authority Having Jurisdiction in fire and life safety matters. The Office of Fire and Life Safety is responsible for all aspects of the Fire and Life Safety Code, maintaining compliance with all codes and standards applicable to fire and life safety, and establishing good fire safety work practices at the university.
A. University FLS Executive Director/Fire Marshal Responsibilities
1. Chair the University of Houston System Fire Safety Committee. Provide ex-officio representation to other appropriate safety committee(s). The FLS Executive Director/Fire Marshal advises these other committee(s) concerning fire and life safety and recommends appropriate action as required.
2. Provide fire safety training in the proper use of portable fire extinguishers, fire safety work practices, and response to suspected fire emergencies.
3. Provide expertise and assistance in developing evacuation plans and conducting evacuation drills as required.
4. Review all plans and specifications for renovation projects and new construction for fire and life safety concerns and NFPA codes.
5. Serve as the Local Authority Having Jurisdiction in all fire and life safety issues.
6. Inspect all university facilities (owned and leased) for fire and life safety concerns and provide code reference to violations and corrective action follow-up in those areas requiring attention.
7. Inspect and maintain all fire extinguishers except specialty extinguishers. Specialty fire extinguishers shall be maintained by the end user(s).
8. Advise departments, colleges, agencies, and other university entities on the requirements relevant to fixed extinguishing systems that are part of their operations.
9. Observe Facilities/Construction Management groups in the periodic maintenance testing of all fire pumps, sprinkler systems, smoke and heat detectors, fire alarm systems, and fire hydrants.
10. Serve as the university liaison to the Houston Fire Department and the State Fire Marshal's Office.
11. Provide general evacuation procedures and assist colleges and departments in developing more specific procedures.
12. Serve as the university liaison in working with the insurance carriers' engineering representatives in fire protection matters.
13. Issue appropriate operational permits as outlined in NFPA 1 Fire Code to include: hot work, open flame, tent, fire protection impairment, fire protection installation, construction, and pyrotechnics.
14. Investigate the cause and origin of all fires on university property and report all fires to the State Fire Marshal's Office.
15. Observe all fire drills on campus and address any concerns witnessed by faculty, staff, students, and visitors.
16. Issue Certificates of Occupancy for all renovation projects and new construction with regard to fire and life safety.
17. Conduct inspections of renovation projects and new construction for fire code compliance prior to issuance of certificate of occupancy, and participate in an eleven-month warranty review for all completed renovation projects and new construction projects.
18. Witness all tests concerning fire sprinkler systems, fire alarm systems, new water lines and any new construction, renovations or repairs that has a responsibility to an NFPA standard.
B. Facilities/Construction Management Responsibilities
1. Ensure that all construction plans, specification documents, contractors, and construction projects adhere to all codes adopted by the State Fire Marshal and all University of Houston Master Specifications pertaining to fire and general life safety.
2. Provide plans and specifications concerning renovation projects and new construction to the Office of Fire and Life Safety for review, comment, and approval of Fire and Life Safety.
3. Maintain all sections of the Master Construction Specifications that deal with any fire code or standards. The Office of Fire and Life Safety shall be consulted before any changes are made to the Master Construction Specifications regarding fire-related equipment, or any standards with a fire concern.
4. Ensure fire protection systems are maintained and the maintenance work is documented by Facilities/Construction Management personnel or by an outside vendor.
5. Provide the Office of Fire and Life Safety copies of all documents related to the maintenance of fire protection systems, and invite the Office of Fire and Life Safety to all pre-final and final inspections on renovation and new construction projects and eleven-month warranty inspections.
6. Ensure Facilities/Construction Management staff is appropriately trained to:
a. Assist the Fire Department in case of fire;
b. Perform required preventative maintenance on fire equipment systems;
c. Maintain buildings that comply with fire code requirements; and
d. Correct any fire code violation found in a building within a reasonable time period as prioritized by the Office of the Fire and Life Safety.
C. College/Division/Department Leadership Responsibilities
1. Ensure employees are provided the necessary training and instruction in maintaining documentation.
2. Take appropriate action on all reported fire and life safety complaints. If the complaint cannot be resolved in the department, forward the complaint to the Office of Fire and Life Safety.
3. Auxiliary groups including, but not limited to, Student Housing and Residential Life, the Student Center, the Hilton Hotel, and the Athletics Department shall participate in university programs established to maintain fire protection equipment. Documentation of contracted services and work performed must be provided to the Office of Fire and Life Safety.
D. Individual Responsibilities
1. All employees will acquaint themselves with policies and procedures related to fire protection and prevention.
2. All students, faculty, staff, visitors, vendors, and contractors will abide by the University of Houston fire safety policies and procedures and the University of Houston Fire and Life Safety Code.
3. Employees and students should report suspected code violations or other unsafe conditions to their immediate supervisor; if not possible, please notify the Office of Fire and Life Safety at 713-743-5858.
REFERENCES
NFPA 1 Fire Code , and mandated applicable references
NFPA 101 Life Safety Code , and mandated applicable references
UH Master Specifications
Issued: 12/02/1999
Last Reviewed/Revised: 06/11/2024
Responsible Office(s): Campus Safety