The BC Fire Code specifies when a Fire Safety Plan is required. A Fire Safety Plan is required in buildings having inherent life safety risks:

Assembly Use

(Places where people gather such as schools, restaurants, churches, meeting halls, theatres, community centres).

  • Occupant load is large.
  • Occupants are not necessairly familiar with the building.
  • Supervisory staff need to be trained in fire prevention and evacuation procedures.

A Fire Alarm System

  • The fire alarm system is designed to provide early warning of a fire.
  • Occupants are not necessarily familiar with the building.
  • Supervisory staff need to be trained in fire prevention and evacuation procedures.

Care, Treatment or Detention Uses

  • Occupants are limited in their ability for self-preservation and under some degree of restraint.
  • Supervisory staff need to be trained in fire prevention and evacuation procedures.

Areas Of Buildings Under Demolition and/or Construction

  • Building protective systems are incomplete or temporarily out of service.
  • Demolition or construction fuel loads are high.
  • Sources of fire ignition are plentiful.
  • Fire rated separations are incomplete and may contribute to rapid fire spread.
  • Exits may be compromised or incomplete.
  • Supervisory staff need to be trained in fire prevention and evacuation procedures.

Warehouse Storage

  • Fuel loads in storage may not necessarily match the ability of the building or built-in protective systems to provide adequate and minimum acceptable protection.
  • Supervisory staff need to be trained in managing the fuel load limits, fire prevention and evacuation procedures.

Areas Where Flammable or Combustible Liquids Are Stored or Handled

  • Flammable and/or combustible liquids are regulated by the BC Fire Code and quite possibly local jurisdiction fire bylaws. Permits to store, handle or use may be regulated by the local permit.
  • Supervisory staff need to be trained in managing the fuel load limits, fire prevention and evacuation procedures.

Areas Where Hazardous Processes or Operations Occur

(Examples: hot work, spray painting, coating or dipping operations, woodworking or other operations creating combustible dusts, laboratory, dry cleaning operations, industrial baking and drying processes).

  • The hazardous processes or operations are regulated by the BC Fire Code and in some cases, by the BC Building Code and may require specific local permits.
  • Supervisory staff need to be trained in managing the hazardous processes or operations, fire prevention and evacuation procedures.

A Fire Safety Plan may also be required as a condition of building design as part of an “Alternative Solution” to meet required Building and/or Fire Code Objectives.

  • A record of special building design parameters relative to building or life safety/protection may be required.