Rescinded [2010-04-01] - Standard for Fire Inspections - Chapter 3-5

Establishes minimum requirements for fire inspections of Government of Canada real property.
Date modified: 1992-02-01

This page has been archived on the Web

Information identified as archived is provided for reference, research or recordkeeping purposes. It is not subject to the Government of Canada Web Standards and has not been altered or updated since it was archived. Please contact us to request a format other than those available.

Archived

This page has been archived on the Web.

Archives

This standard is replaced by:

View all inactive instruments
Print-friendly XML
Expand all Collapse all

1. General

1.1 Purpose

This standard establishes minimum requirements for fire inspections of Government of Canada property to minimize fire risks to life and property and to protect and conserve the Government's financial position.

1.2 Application

This standard applies to all:

  1. departments and agencies listed in Schedule I and II of the Financial Administration Act (FAA) with the exception of the Department of National Defence;
  2. branches designated as departments for the purposes of the FAA; and
  3. those departments and other portions of the Public Service as defined in Part I of Schedule I of the Public Service Staff Relations Act.

1.3 Scope

This standard identifies the requirements of a fire inspection of Government of Canada property and describes the roles and responsibilities of Treasury Board, custodian departments, tenant departments, Labour Canada, and the Office of the Fire Commissioner of Canada in ensuring that periodic fire inspections are carried out.

1.4 Administration

  1. The Fire Commissioner of Canada or his authorized representative is responsible for the administration and enforcement of this standard.
  2. The requirements of this standard are not to be interpreted as permitting practices specifically prohibited by provincial, municipal, or other federal legislation.

1.5 Definitions

In this standard:

  1. custodian department means a department or agency with responsibility to administer real property (ministère administrateur);
  2. Government of Canada property means real or personal property under the administration and control of a federal government department or agency, including property leased to the government (bien du gouvernement du Canada);
  3. heritage building means any federally owned building that has been designated as either "Classified" or "Recognized" for its heritage significance upon recommendation by the Federal Heritage Building Review Office (bâtiment du patrimoine);
  4. historic building means any federally owned building that has been declared of national significance by the Minister of Environment Canada on the advice of the Historic Sites and Monuments Board of Canada (bâtiment historique);
  5. tenant department means a department which does not have custodial responsibility over real property, but rather is responsible to administer and control personnel of that department, and such machinery and equipment over which its personnel has control (ministère locataire).

1.6 Abbreviations

In this standard:

  1. "FC means Fire Commissioner of Canada or the authorized representative of the Fire Commissioner of Canada;
  2. "NBC" means the latest edition of the National Building Code of Canada;
  3. "NFC" means the latest edition of the National Fire Code of Canada;

2. Background

In accordance with the Memorandum of Understanding between Treasury Board and Labour Canada respecting fire protection services, Labour Canada acting on behalf of the Treasury Board, is responsible to conduct fire inspections. Inspections are essential to maintain a satisfactory standard for fire safety in buildings and to ensure the protection, conservation and consequent minimization of risks to life, property and the Government's financial position. Inspections limit the risk of life and property losses from fire by identifying and causing the correction of those conditions which contribute to the occurrence and spread of fire.

3. Roles and responsibilities

3.1 Custodian department

  1. Custodian departments are accountable for the protection of property. Custodian departments are to comply with Treasury Board fire protection policy and to co-operate with Labour Canada and municipal fire authorities, on matters pertaining to fire protection.
  2. Custodian departments are responsible to arrange for the inspection, testing and maintenance of all fire protection equipment and systems in properties under their administration and control in accordance with the requirements of the NBC, the NFC, and Treasury Board fire protection standards.

3.2 Tenant department

  1. Tenant departments are accountable for the protection of contents, processes and operations. Tenant departments are to comply with Treasury Board fire protection policy and to co-operate with Labour Canada on matters pertaining to fire protection.
  2. Tenant departments are responsible to arrange for the inspection, testing and maintenance of additional or specialized fire protection equipment and systems protecting contents, processes and operations under their administration and control in accordance with the requirements of the NBC, the NFC, and Treasury Board fire protection policy. Where fire protection systems are installed to meet tenant department operational requirements, the tenant department is responsible for their effective interface with the buildings' existing fire protection systems.

3.3 Treasury Board

  1. Treasury Board approves and communicates to departments and agencies fire protection standards which may be required in excess of those prescribed pursuant to the Canada Labour Code, Part II.
  2. Treasury Board reviews instances where Labour Canada reports that a custodian or tenant department is unable or unwilling to comply with Treasury Board fire protection policy and determines the appropriate action to be taken.

3.4 Labour Canada

  1. Labour Canada provides fire inspection services (as detailed in sections 4 and 5), analyses fire risks, advises Treasury Board on fire protection policies and standards, and reports to Treasury Board situations where custodian or tenant departments are unable or unwilling to comply with standards.
  2. The FC, within Labour Canada, is responsible for the administration and enforcement of Treasury Board fire protection standards and those portions of the NBC and the NFC that cover fire protection.
  3. The FC may make arrangements with municipal fire authorities for the provision of fire inspections on Government of Canada properties.

4. Fire inspection requirements

Fire inspections are to be carried out by Labour Canada on behalf of Treasury Board to monitor compliance to codes and standards, to evaluate the danger to life from fire and to determine ways for minimizing fire danger to properties, contents and Government operations. Fire protection items and fire protection systems to be inspected by Labour Canada include, but are not necessarily limited to, the following:

  1. Building design and construction;
  2. building exposures;
  3. building services;
  4. hazardous materials, processes and operations;
  5. materials storage and handling;
  6. fire detection and alarm systems;
  7. water supply and fire suppression systems;
  8. portable fire extinguishers;
  9. special extinguishing systems;
  10. fire emergency systems;
  11. fire emergency procedures, organizations and evacuation plans;
  12. fire department response and equipment; and
  13. measures to minimize loss or damage subsequent to fire.

5. Priorities and frequencies for fire inspection services

5.1 In order to establish priority and frequency of inspection, the FC will take the following items into consideration for each property/building and associated occupancy:

  1. The fire inspection is requested by a federal government department or agency and the nature of the request is considered urgent and important for the safety of the building occupants, protection of the property, or protection of operations;
  2. there is a high number of fire significant protection deficiencies identified in previous inspections not rectified, or re-occurring, which are resulting in an undue hazard to building occupants, property, or operations;
  3. the type of building and occupancy has a fire loss frequency and severity above the normal or acceptable level; or
  4. a fire risk analysis of the property identifies:
    1. potential large life risk;
    2. potential for large property fire loss, where a fire could result in a loss of more than $1,000,000 to buildings and/or contents;
    3. potential for loss of an historic or heritage building; or
    4. an unacceptable interruption of essential government operations or services.

5.2 Properties falling into any one of the four items identified in subsection 5.1 are to be given a high priority in conducting fire inspections on a periodic basis.

Expand all Collapse all
Report a problem or mistake on this page
Date modified: