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CALIFORNIA CODE OF REGULATIONS
TITLE 19. PUBLIC SAFETY
DIVISION 1. STATE FIRE MARSHAL
CHAPTER 1. GENERAL FIRE AND PANIC SAFETY STANDARDS
SUBCHAPTER 1. ADMINISTRATION
ARTICLE 3. GENERAL PROVISIONS
Date:
08/31/2009
Document:
ยง 3.09. Emergency Planning and Information
(a) All office buildings 2 or more stories in height (except highrise buildings as defined by Health an Safety Code Section 13210).
(1) Owner(s) or operator(s) shall employ either one of the following methods of providing emergency procedures and information to the building occupants:
(A) Emergency procedures information published in the form of a leaflet, brochure, or pamphlet shall be available to all persons entering the building. Emergency procedures information shall be located immediately inside all entrances to the building, as determined by the authority having jurisdiction. Locations shall be clearly marked; or,
(B) A floor plan providing emergency procedures information shall be posted at every stairway landing, at every elevator landing, and immediately inside all public entrances to the building. The information shall be posted so that it describes the represented floor level and can be easily seen immediately upon entering the floor level or the building. Emergency procedures information shall be printed with a minimum of 3/16-inch high non-decorative lettering providing a sharp contrast to the background.
(2) Emergency procedures information shall provide all ambulatory, nonambulatory, and the physically disabled, instructions to be followed in the event of an emergency. Emergency procedures information shall include, but not be limited to the following:
(A) Location of exits and fire alarm initiating stations, if required;
(B) what the fire alarm, if required, sounds and looks like (audible and visual warning devices);
(C) fire department emergency telephone number 911; and,
(D) the prohibition of elevator use during emergencies, if any.
(b) Hotels, Motels and Lodging houses.
(1) Every guestroom available for rental in a hotel, motel, or lodging house shall have clearly visible emergency procedures information printed on a floor plan representative of the floor level and posted on the interior of each entrance door or immediately adjacent to such door. The owner/operator of a hotel, motel, or lodging house may, in lieu of posting emergency procedures information in each guestroom, provide such information through the use of leaflets, brochures, pamphlets, videotapes, or any other method as approved by the authority having jurisdiction. Oral communication in itself does not fulfill the intent of this section. However, oral communication can be incorporated as a part of the transfer of emergency procedures information. When emergency procedures information signage is posted on the interior of the guestroom entrance door, the bottom of the information shall not be located more than 4-feet above the floor level. Visually impaired persons shall receive instructions of a type they will understand, for example: taping of instructions, instructions in braille, or other appropriate methods.
(2) Each method of providing information shall include, but not be limited to that described in subsection (a)(2)(A-D).
(3) Hotels, motels, and lodging houses shall maintain at the registration desk a list noting the guestrooms assigned to guests with disabilities when such guests have indicated that they have special emergency evacuation requirements. The innkeeper shall, at the innkeeper's option, do one of the following: (1) provide a place on the registration form for physically disabled guests who have such requirements to so identify themselves; (2) provide a notice on the room key jacket advising guests with disabilities who have special emergency evacuation requirements to so notify the front desk; or (3) utilize such other means for allowing such guests with disabilities to so identify themselves as may be approved by the authority having jurisdiction.
(c) Hotels, motels, lodging houses, highrise office buildings, and Group I, Division 1 and 2 occupancies as defined in the State Building Code (except honor farms and conservation camps).
(1) Emergency procedures information printed on a floor plan shall be posted at every stairway landing, at every elevator landing, and immediately inside all public entrances to the building. The information shall be representative of the floor level and be posted so that the bottom edge of such information is not located more than 4-feet above the floor, where it can be easily identified. Emergency procedures information shall be printed with a minimum of 3/16-inch non-decorative lettering providing a sharp contrast to the background.
(2) Emergency procedures information shall include, but not be limited to that described in subsection (a)(2)(A-D).
(d) Owner(s) and operator(s) of hotels, motels, lodging houses, highrise office buildings, and Group I, Division 1 and 2 occupancies as defined in the State Building Code (except honor farms and conservation camps) shall appoint a Fire Safety Director, who shall:
(1) Report to owner(s) or operator(s);
(2) coordinate fire safety activities of the facility with the authority having jurisdiction;
(3) conduct, or cause to be conducted, all training as described in subsection (e), for all building employees and maintain records of dates, subjects, and attendance of each training session; and,
(4) develop and maintain a written facility emergency plan acceptable to the authority having jurisdiction. Upon request, the facility emergency plan shall be made physically available at the respective facility to the authority having jurisdiction. Facility emergency plans shall include, but not be limited to the following:
(A) Fire department emergency telephone number 911;
(B) other emergency response telephone numbers;
(C) evacuation or relocation plan for the building occupants;
(D) duties of the Fire Safety Director and other designated emergency personnel;
(E) building employee responsibilities in case of emergency, including individual assignment and reporting responsibilities; and,
(F) procedures to identify and assist the non-ambulatory and physically disabled.
(5) assure that the requirements of subsection (d)(4)(F), procedures to identify and assist the non-ambulatory and physically disabled are accomplished as follows:
(A) Hotels, motels, and lodging houses shall comply with subsection (b)(3);
(B) owner(s) or operator(s) of highrise office buildings shall maintain a list of all permanent building tenants who have disabilities. Building owner(s) or operator(s) shall be notified in writing by those who have disabilities. Information provided in the list shall include any special emergency evacuation needs and permanent work location of such physically disabled persons. The list shall be located in the building manager's office;
(C)(3) Group I, Division 1 and 2 occupancies as defined in the State Building Code (except honor farms and conservation camps) shall comply with normal hospital policies of assisting patients and guests during an emergency evacuation.
(e) Hotels, motels, lodging houses, and highrise office buildings shall conduct annually, emergency procedures training for individuals listed in subsection (d)(3). Group I, Division 1 and 2 occupancies as defined in the State Building Code (except honor farms and conservation camps) shall conduct quarterly fire emergency training for individuals listed in subsection (d)(3).
(1) Fire Safety Directors and their designated emergency personnel shall receive training in the identification and use of facility fire safety equipment, communication procedures, people movement procedures, fire prevention practices, and their duties outlined in their respective emergency plan. The training curriculum shall be approved by, and made available to the authority having jurisdiction.
(2) Individuals designated in subsection (d)(3) shall receive training covering the identification and use of facility fire safety equipment, fire prevention practices, and appropriate procedures to follow in the event of a fire.
(3) Actual evacuation or relocation of building occupants pursuant to procedures contained in the emergency plan shall be conducted at least annually by those individuals designated in subsection (d)(3). Appropriate records, including dates, floors or building involved, and persons conducting evacuation or relocation procedures shall be maintained and made immediately available to the authority having jurisdiction upon their request. The authority having jurisdiction shall be notified not less than 48 hours in advance of such planned evacuation or relocation.
EXCEPTION: In hotels, motels, lodging houses, and Group I, Division 1 and 2 occupancies as defined in the State Building Code, guests and patients are not required to participate in evacuation or relocation of the building. In hotels, motels, lodging houses, Group I, Division 1 and 2 occupancies as defined in the State Building Code, and highrise office buildings, on-duty personnel who have security or maintenance related responsibilities, and designated management personnel approved by the fire authority having jurisdiction shall not be required to participate in any drill but, they shall provide an alternate method approved by the authority having jurisdiction to measure their knowledge of their respective duties pursuant to the emergency plan.
(f) Emergency procedures signage posted prior to the effective date of these regulations may be continued in use until one year after such effective date of these regulations.
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