Small Fire Safety Ticket Items are bign overlooked in Hotels and Motels across the USA

 

Small Fire Safety Ticket Items are beign overlooked in Hotels and Motels across the USA.

 

 

Why yes, even the smallest of things that you may think that will not matter much in a fire safety inspection may just cause the life of a guest!

 

As a traveler and I travel about 300 days a year and stay in Hotels/Motels about 100+/- days a year I see a host of things that have caught my eye. The power too makes sure that the business operators correct the potential LIFE-THREATENING FIRE CODE VIOLATIONS in their business is up too you thru aggressive measures, such as repeated attempts of code enforcement, letters to the business operator's insurance agent, the agent supervisor, then the corporate office of the insurance company with video documented and photo documentation, State Fire Marshalls Office for their assistance. If you have the working co-operations of the County Prosecuting Attorney, use them via court order(s).

 

What are they you may ask; here are some that I have found in my travels:

1. Smoke Detectors missing from the room(s) and or hanging off the walls.
2. Inoperable smoke detectors by wire being taken off of direct wiring and or missing the battery and the detector is left open.
3. Missing Fire Extinguishers.
4. Fire Extinguisher(s) not charged but in the cabinet.
5. Safety Pins missing from the fire extinguishers and/or partially filled.
6. Storage of combustibles on and under steps deemed for EMERGENCY ESCAPE ROUTES.
7. Blow/burned out light bulbs in Emergency Escape Lighting.
8. Emergency Exit Signs not working and or missing in the hallways of hotel(s).
9. Lighting being spliced together by wire nuts and not in an approved electrical junction box.
10. Electrical Outlets within 8' of water in all directions not being GFCI Outlet and marked as such. Outlet/Switch Plate Covers broken and missing.
11. Electrical Outlets hanging out of the junction box.
12. Electrical Outlets with charred outlets still inside the junction box.
13. Smoke Detectors improperly installed too close to a wall/ceiling junction.

The list is endless on the violations and or potential problems in a room, meeting room, convention halls, kitchen(s), in room kitchenettes, bar area(s), storage room, pump house room, pool chemical storage. You are the person representing the fire department with your name on file that you have signed off too this location being FIRE SAFE.......you could be libel for injuries and or deaths resulted from in incident that may have occurred after the inspection. If the cause was because you failed at your inspection.....some states, you can be held libel for the injuries/deaths.....you are the SAFETY EXPERT. You have been trained to do this job; the fire department has instilled its trust in you to complete the job correctly. BY CUTTING GORNERS IN YOUR INSPECTION PROCESS YOU WILL CAUSE SOMEONE TO BECOME DIABALED AND OR DEATH. SAFETY IS THE UTMOST IMPORTANT FACTOR IN REDUCTION OF POTENTIAL FIRE & OR INJURY CAUSE(S)!

As an inspector it is your job to ensure that the public is FIRE SAFE! As such its your job to ensure that the rooms are properly inspected too Fire Codes that your fire department follows such as BOCA (Building Code Ordinance Administration International), City, County, State Fire Codes, State Fire Marshalls Fire Codes.

This is an utmost important value that you should instill in the Hotels/Motels that you inspect that they are compliant with regulations for Guest safety. It is also your job to ensure that all fire extinguishers are charged Smoke/Co Alarms are properly working, Fire/Smoke Alarm Panels are working properly. Sprinkler heads are not blocked with a clear 36" in all directions from the head no blockage and a minimum of 18" under the head of clear path space. proper storage of chemicals, no storage Infront of the electrical panel, all hazardous materials are properly stored and marked in proper storage cabinet.

That all employees are trained on what to do in the event of a fire, how to get the motel/hotel evacuated in a proper orderly fashion too the assigned meeting place. That the employees have proper training in fire extinguishers & how to use them. What to do for chemical spills and how handle the spill including clean up. Propre storage of Pool/Hot Tub Chemicals and handling procedures.
Help the business operator understand their business is not only important to them but as a Fire Marshall it's your job to prevent a major catastrophe from happening at the location that you have inspected. Furthermore, your name is on file that you are being of sound mind and sound body attest to this place being FIRE SAFE. Failure shall not fall back upon you but too the owner for their carelessness mistakes. You need to make sure that all avenues that could lead back to you and or the fire department is migrated and extinguished and ends with the Business Operator/Owner being negligent in their operations and compromised the guest's safety.

Hopefully you have taken a Certified Commercial Building Inspectors course that is NFPA backed and State Compliant. In most states the State Fire Marshalls Office has a Fire Inspector Course. Check for the next availability. If you state does not have on then take the NFPA Fire Inspectors Course, Some Colleges also offer this course. I took the course way back in the late 80's thru University of Missouri, Fire Rescue Training Institute when NFPA was in the development stage of the program, and it opened my eyes.....so I pass on my knowledge and hopefully you will also see the potential problems as soon as you walk into the business.

Finally,


COVER YOUR REAR BUTT.......BE FIRE WISE, BE FIRE SMART, BE FIRE SAFE! A WELL DOCUMENTED BUSINESS INSPECTIONS WITH VIDEO AND PHOTOGRAPHY WITH A DETAILED INSPECTION REPORT WILL ASSIST YOU IN THE COVERING OF YOURSELF AND OR THE FIRE DEPARTMENT IN ANY POTENTIAL LEGAL AQCTIONS BROUGHT AGAINST YOU.

BE FIRE WISE, BE FIRE SMART BE FIRE SAFE!

ROY