Welding, cutting, open torches and other hot work operations and equipment shall comply with all UCSF policies and Chapter 35 of the California Fire Code.Hot Work– Hot Work includes, but is not limited to: brazing, torch cutting, grinding, soldering, and welding. The UCSF Hot Work Hazardous Conditions Permit (Appendix A) is required for any operation on UCSF property involving hot work.Hot work permits, issued by an approved responsible person under a hot work program, shall be available for review by the fire code official at the time the work is conducted and for 48 hours after work is complete.
There are times when UCSF Real Estate may utilize third party project management for construction projects; commonly in leasehold locations. There is nothing which prohibits this practice; however, it is important that project managers working on behalf of UCSF have a thorough understanding of the processes and requirements.
An elevator shunt, or shunt trip, is a safety device that cuts power to an elevator's motor by tripping its main circuit breaker when smoke or heat detectors in the machine room activate, stopping the elevator. This system uses heat detectors set at lower temperatures than sprinklers to trigger.
UCSF buildings, whether under construction or existing, are required to have fire protection and life safety systems that are integrated with each other; rarely are these systems operating in isolation. Systems such as fire alarms, fire suppression (including sprinklers), smoke control, elevator recall, emergency communications, HVAC, and security are designed to interact during emergency conditions.These systems are typically tested individually in accordance with standards such as NFPA 13, 72, and 92. However, individual tests do not verify whether these systems will function together as intended. For example, even if a kitchen hood suppression system and a fire alarm panel pass their respective acceptance tests, there is no guarantee that a suppression activation will properly signal the fire alarm system unless an integrated test is performed. NFPA 4, Standard for Integrated Fire Protection and Life Safety System Testing, ensures that systems designed to work together have been demonstrated to work together.For high-rise buildings, integrated testing shall comply with NFPA 4 per CFC 901.6.2.1, with an integrated test performed prior to issuance of the certificate of occupancy and at intervals not exceeding 10 years, unless otherwise specified by an integrated system test plan prepared in accordance with NFPA 4. Integrated testing is required for existing buildings when new systems are added and integrated, systems are modified, or site-specific software is changed.
The California Building and Fire Codes recognize there are many reasons an occupant may need to vacate a building such as fires, hazardous material spills, gas leaks, seismic incidents, structural failures, and workplace violence. To help ensure all occupants can evacuate in a timely manner, the codes provide criteria that establish a minimum number of exits that must always be available.Another concern, though not regulated in the California Building or Fire Codes, is providing security to protect personnel and property from people not authorized to be in a building or in a specific location within a building. Early planning with all stakeholders is necessary to ensure buildings accomplish both mandated egress requirements and security concerns. This bulletin is provided to outline egress requirements that must be accommodated when incorporating provisions for security. Exceptions exist in the code for certain institutional (Group I) buildings, such as jails and prisons, buildings housing occupants who might do harm to themselves or others, and buildings in which occupants are incapable of self-preservation, such as surgery suites and intensive care units. To compensate for the lack of free egress, these buildings are required to have additional safeguards that are not found in other occupancies. Egress requirements for Group I buildings are not discussed in this bulletin.
These Guidelines are intended to provide general information on what is needed during phases of a construction/remodel project. The information is NOT all inclusive, special circumstances can and do arise and each will be evaluated on a case-by-case basis. If items on the list are not required for the specific job, they shall be treated as not applicable.
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Coming Soon
For fieldwork conducted in remote locations or hazardous environments off campus, it is essential to develop a comprehensive field safety plan that incorporates site-specific information and emergency procedures.
Every year, this document is reviewed and uploaded, as it is a regulatory requirement.
