I. Purpose:
Robert Morris University is committed to the development and administration of a comprehensive Fire Safety Management Plan. The plan has been designed to minimize the risk of fire and ultimately preserve the life safety of all faculty, staff, students, contractors and visitors. The purpose of the Fire Safety Management Plan is to save lives, reduce building damage in the case of fire, and take a proactive stance for fire prevention. A few methods to meet the intent of our plan include providing proper fire fighting equipment, correcting deficiencies identified during inspection and testing, and providing training to ensure occupants know how to respond in the event of an incident. To this end, an acceptable level of safety is achieved by the combination of prevention, protection, response and egress.

II. Goals:
The Fire Safety Management goal is consistent with and supports the larger overall mission of Robert Morris University through the development, promotion, and subsequent implementation of proactive fire safety management procedures. The overall goal of this plan is to establish a comprehensive process that benchmarks Robert Morris University as a leader in Fire Safety Management. The short-term goals include:

• Documenting and reviewing all alarm incidents that occur in University facilities.
• Development of a comprehensive fire alarm response plan for the University community.

III. Objective:
The objective of the Fire Safety Plan is to monitor systems, processes and performance and communicate to RMU personnel to ensure the safety of all students, visitors and staff. To meet the stated goals, RMU will implement a procedure requiring that all reported alarms be documented and reviewed by the Fire Safety Subcommittee. Data will be reviewed for trends and opportunities for improvement. Procedures (Fire Procedures Policy) will also be established to ensure members of the University community understand their responsibilities during an alarm or fire incident.

IV. Scope:
This program applies to all Robert Morris University personnel including, but not limited to, those located at the Moon Campus, Island Sports Center, Pittsburgh facilities, and other sites owned/operated by the University. In addition, all students, visitors, and other service providers are included within the general scope of the program.

V. Codes, Standards & Regulatory Requirements:
The Fire Safety Plan has been designed to ensure compliance with all Federal, State, and local safety requirements. These requirements include, but are not limited to the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), the State of Pennsylvania Department of Labor, and the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA).

VI. Organizational Roles and Responsibilities:

1. Fire Safety Subcommittee:
   To ensure that we meet the stated goals, the Fire Safety Subcommittee has been established to develop, administer and monitor the Fire Safety Process. A subcommittee chair has been appointed to facilitate activities of the Fire Safety Plan. The Chair and committee members will review all fire safety data or issues including, interim life safety, routine maintenance of systems, and fire protection, prevention and response. The committee will also establish a process for:
   • Conducting fire/evacuation drills
   • Reviewing fire safety incidents
   • Monitoring performance
2. Departmental Responsibilities
   1. Facilities Management and Construction:
      • Fire Alarm, Detection and Suppression Systems
      • Portable Fire Extinguishers
      • Emergency Lighting and Exit Signs
      • Welding, Burning, and Cutting
      • Routine Maintenance Activities
      • Interim Life Safety Measures During Construction and Renovation
   2. Business Operations:
      • Fire Resistant Purchases
   3. All Departments and Administration:
      • Department Specific Responsibilities, Training, Housekeeping and Clear Corridors.
3. Line Management Responsibilities
   1. Vice Presidents/Directors/Managers
      Robert Morris University Line Management has been assigned direct responsibility for the actual implementation of their departmental Fire Safety Management Plan.

      Line Management has also been assigned the responsibility to evaluate the University-wide Fire Safety Process and which program elements apply to their respective activities and subsequently customize their departmental Fire Safety Procedures accordingly.

      Additional departmental program customizing may be necessary in the form of developing more specific departmental safety implementation policies or guidelines. This decision should be based upon an assessment of departmental needs and actual risk.

   2. Employees:
      All personnel at the university are responsible for complying with the requirements of the Robert Morris University Fire Safety Plan. This includes but is not limited to attending training sessions, properly responding during fire emergencies, following established policies, participating in fire drills, and reporting all deficiencies to the appropriate personnel.

VII. Implementation Programs and Guidelines:
Our plan provides for:

1. Protecting students, personnel, visitors and property from fire, smoke and other products of combustion;
   The University is and all its facilities are constructed to be fire safe on their own. Buildings are provided fire alarm, detection and suppression as required.
2. Inspecting, testing and maintaining fire protection and life safety systems, equipment and components on a regular basis;
   University personnel and/or a qualified vendor will complete required fire alarm and suppression system testing to ensure full functionality.
3. Preparing and responding to fire related incidents;
   "Fire Procedures" will be established and individuals will be provided training/education to ensure they are familiar with function of fire safety systems and how to respond in the event of a fire incident. Fire drills will be conducted and provide an opportunity to practice fire response procedures. The R.A.C.E. acronym summarizes the basic fire response procedures.
   1. Rescue - If it is safe to do so, rescue anyone who may be in imminent danger of fire or smoke.
   2. Alarm - Activate the closest fire alarm pull station and report the emergency to Public Safety at (412) 397-2424.
   3. Contain - Close all doors and windows as you evacuate your area. Shut off all fuel sources, such as piped gas.
   4. Evacuate - Evacuate the facility to your designated assembly point. Trained personnel may use a fire extinguisher for use on small/incipient stage fires.
4. Reporting and investigating fire protection deficiencies, failures and user errors;
   A "Fire Report Form" will be used to document fire related incidents. The Public Safety Department will work with appropriate department personnel to conduct investigations of reported incidents or suspect problems.
5. Implementing interim life safety procedures during construction and similar projects;
   The University will ensure that proper precautions are implemented when the existing fire safety systems of a facility are impacted by construction and similar work activities. Proper "Interim Life Safety" measures are determined and implemented to maintain the safety of associated buildings and occupants.
6. Reviewing proposed acquisitions of furnishings, decorations, and similar materials for fire safety;
   A policy will be administered by Business Operations to purchase items that are fire resistive for use in appropriate University facilities.
7. Annual Evaluation:
   The Fire Safety Management Plan will be evaluated annually by the Fire Safety Subcommittee and University Safety Committee for final approval. The goals, objectives, scope, performance and effectiveness of the overall program will be evaluated, utilizing at least one of the following, staff knowledge and skills, monitoring and inspection activity, emergency procedure and incident reporting, level of staff participation, and inspection, preventive maintenance and testing equipment.
8. A fire prevention orientation and education program that addresses life safety issues.
   All employees will receive fire safety education. Unit or department specific instruction will be included in department orientation. Orientation and ongoing education includes:
   1. Specific roles and responsibilities of personnel during a fire/fire alarm - all staff will be trained on the use of R.A.C.E. as a means of carrying out the correct response while under extreme stress.
   2. Use and function of fire alarm systems - all staff will be trained in the correct procedures to report a fire (the number to call) and to activate the fire alarm system by pulling the nearest pull-station.
   3. Specific roles and responsibilities in preparing for and executing evaluation - Public Safety and Safety Officer have the authority to issue an order to evacuate. All building occupants are to evacuate the facility in the event of a fire or activation of the fire alarm
9. Ongoing monitoring of performance:
   Performance measures are selected to monitor actual and/or potential risk related to one or more of the following issues, staff knowledge and skills, monitoring and inspection activity, emergency procedure and incident reporting, level of staff participation, and inspection, preventive maintenance and testing equipment.

   The following performance measures have been selected for 2005 - 2006:

   1. The total number of fire alarm activations within the University community.
   2. Number of fire alarm activations within specific cause/source categories.

VIII. Information, Collection and Evaluation System:
Status reports will be prepared and submitted to the University Safety Committee on a quarterly basis. The reports will include, but not be limited to, a summary of the program effectiveness as measured by the performance standard identified in this management plan. It will also include risks not anticipated in the original management plan designed; the need for additional resources to accomplish the program goals and objectives; and identified problems, needs, opportunities, and proposed solutions for correction of identified program deficiencies. IX. Safety Management Program Documentation: Every operational department receives a copy of this plan and the associated implementation programs. These documents will be contained in Section 5.0 of the Robert Morris University Safety Policy and Procedure Manual. The manuals will be assembled and distributed through Safety Services.

APPENDIX
Implementation Policies, Procedures & Guidelines

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