Model Fire Safety Plan Guidance

A fire safety plan for shipyard employment must inform employees how to control fire hazards and what actions to take in an emergency. While OSHA provides a non-mandatory model plan for guidance, the plan required by 1915.502 should cover three main areas:

• Worksite Fire Hazards: Identification of potential fire hazards and ignition sources, types of fire protection equipment available, and the personnel responsible for maintaining these systems.
• Alarms and Reporting: Procedures for reporting a fire and a description of the emergency alarm system(s).
• Evacuation: Emergency escape procedures, assigned routes, methods for accounting for all employees, and procedures for assisting employees with physical impairments.

The evacuation section of a shipyard's fire safety plan must clearly outline procedures for employees to follow in an emergency. Based on OSHA's non-mandatory guidance, the plan should specify:

• Emergency escape procedures and assigned evacuation routes.
• Procedures to account for all employees after an evacuation is complete.
• The different types of evacuation that may be necessary and each employee's role.
• Specific procedures for assisting physically impaired employees during an evacuation.

A shipyard's fire safety plan should detail the specific measures used to control fire hazards at the worksite. According to the model fire safety plan provided by OSHA, this section should include:

• Measures to contain fires.
• How selected employees will be trained to use fire protection equipment.
• Instructions on what to do upon discovering a fire.
• Potential ignition sources and methods to control them.
• A description of available fire protection equipment and systems.
• An assessment of the firefighting capability on the vessel or in the facility.
• Identification of personnel responsible for maintaining fire prevention and control equipment.