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.

A shipyard's fire safety plan must explain how employees should report fires and react to alarms. The plan should clearly describe the work site's emergency alarm system and outline the specific procedures for reporting a fire, as recommended in OSHA's model fire safety plan. If the worksite uses more than one type of alarm for different situations, the plan should explain each one so employees can respond appropriately.

No, the model fire safety plan found in Appendix A to Subpart P of Part 1915 is non-mandatory. It serves as guidance to help employers develop a site-specific plan that meets the mandatory requirements of the fire protection standard for shipyard employment. The actual requirement for employers to establish a fire safety plan is detailed in 1915.502.