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HomeMy WebLinkAbout206.010 - Field General Inspection Program (GIP)Section 206.010 Page 1 of 4 STANDARD OPERATING PROCEDURES MANUAL FIRE STATION MANAGEMENT 206.010 FIELD GENERAL INSPECTION PROGRAM (GIP) EFFECTIVE: JUNE 2014 Current Revision Date: 01/03/22 Next Revision Date: 01/03/25 Author’s Name/Rank: Leslie R. Forshey, Supervising Fire Prevention Inspector Review Level: 1 Administrative Support: Noemi E. Rogers-Rodriguez, Management Analyst II ADA PURPOSE The purpose of this policy is to provide guidance to field personnel for administering the Field General Inspection Program (Field GIP). APPLICATION This policy applies to personnel assigned to the Operations Division in the performance Field GIP’s for Fresno Fire Department (FFD or Department). OPERATIONAL POLICY This section intentionally left blank. OPERATIONAL GUIDELINE The Department is to assign an Operations battalion chief with administrative responsibility for the Field GIP, as identified in Administrative Manual, Section 101.001, Administrative Assignments. The occupancy types assigned to the field for inspection include business (B), storage (S), mercantile (M) occupancies, factory (F), assembly (A2) with an occupant load of less than 100, and assembly (A3) occupant load less than 300. Day uniform is the appropriate uniform when conducting inspections. Prior to the beginning of the month, each station is to receive monthly General Inspection Program (GIP) forms through the Department courier. The initial inspection of all assigned inspections is to be completed in the month assigned. It is the responsibility of the company officer to ensure all inspections are completed. Exceptions should be pre-authorized by the battalion chief. Section 206.010 Page 2 of 4 Nothing in this policy is to limit the discretion of the Fire Chief to modify the program when, in the opinion of the Fire Chief, the needs of the Department best serve the community. PROCESS Field Procedures The GIP form is to be completed at the site during the inspection. A signed copy of the inspection form can be left on-site with a responsible party if present. The GIP form should be completed accurately, thoroughly, legibly, and with current information as identified in the job aid attached. All commercial buildings are to be inspected no matter what their use is, (i.e. personal storage). Inspections are to be conducted on the address listed on the inspection form not the occupancy. If you encounter any code enforcement violations such as a change of occupancy, persons living in a commercial building or a homeless problem the company officers are to report these issues to the FresGo app. If the occupancy requires a hazardous materials permit, per FPD-F-62 special Hazard Permit Application, the company officer should complete the form with the occupant while on site. Once the form is complete the company officer will place the original form in the station outbox and route to the Department’s Fire Prevention and Support Services Division (Prevention Division or Prevention). If no violations are identified, the original form will be placed in the station outbox and routed to the Prevention Division. If violations are identified but the violations are not distinct hazard as listed in Fire Prevention Manual, Section 406.001, Distinct Hazards Re-Inspections, then no re- inspection is required. Complete the inspection form, marking “Violations noted. No re-inspection” at the bottom of the form. Then place the original form in the station outbox and route to the Prevention Division. If violations are identified and a re-inspection is required, the company officer will take a photo of the inspection with the company iPhone and email it to the Fire- Prevention@fresno.gov mailbox. The company officer will maintain the original form until re-inspection(s) have been completed and all violations cleared. This procedure Section 206.010 Page 3 of 4 is to occur each time a re-inspection is completed. Once all violations are cleared, the original form is to be placed in the station outbox and routed to the Prevention Division. If the violations have not been cleared after a reasonable amount of re-inspections have been completed, contact your respective battalion chief for consent to route the form to the Prevention Division for further follow-up. All forms routed back to the Prevention Division must have an authorization signature by the battalion chief. The company officer should make every attempt to complete inspections assigned. If a company officer is able to verify that the occupancy is vacant (no storage inside) the company officer is to complete an exterior inspection. The company officer is to complete the form as per the policy and note on the inspection form that the occupancy is vacant, and an exterior inspection was conducted. Note any violations or no violations. If it appears the business is operational but not opened at the time of the inspection, check for hours of operation, names and contact phone numbers on the building. Check for any contact information on the inspection form. If attempts to contact are made without success the company officer is to contact your respective battalion chief for consent prior to routing the form to Prevention. All forms routed back to the Prevention Division must have an authorization signature by the battalion chief. If a company officer has attempted to inspect and the business is always closed and all attempts to make contact with the business have been exhausted the company officer is to contact your respective battalion chief for consent prior to routing the form to the Prevention Division. All attempts must be documented in accordance with the document attached. (Each attempt shall be documented with the date and times). Inspections have been assigned to each station using the hydrant zones. Any changes to assigned inspections are to be e-mailed to Fire-Prevention mailbox and evaluated on a case-by-case basis. The original inspection form is only routed to the Prevention Division once the inspection has been completed, all re-inspections have been cleared or respective battalion chief has given written authorization to do so. All data entry is to be completed at Department headquarters by support staff. INFORMATION Supervising Fire Prevention Inspector Responsibilities Contact person for the Operations battalion chief(s) for technical questions. Section 206.010 Page 4 of 4 Route all incomplete GIP forms to the respective battalion chief for distribution back to the appropriate station/shift. Ensure the monthly progress report for Field GIP’s is generated and provided to Operations battalion chiefs. Battalion Chief Responsibilities When an incomplete inspection form is received, the battalion chief is to ensure the distribution of the form to the appropriate captain. When a company officer is unable to make contact with a business owner or there is another circumstance in which the company officer wants to route an incomplete inspection to the Prevention Division the individual inspection must be signed by the battalion chief. A monthly progress report is to be provided to the Operations battalion chief electronically. The battalion chief is to track late or outstanding re-inspections to ensure the first inspection is conducted and violations have been cleared by re- inspection. DEFINITIONS A vacant is considered vacant when it is unoccupied, is empty and there is no storage within the building. A demolished building is considered demolished when it has been destroyed or torn down. A closed building is considered closed when it is occupied but it is outside the operating hours. CROSS-REFERENCES Administrative Manual Section 101.001, Administrative Assignments Fire Prevention Manual Section 406.001, Distinct Hazards Re-Inspections