WSR 13-20-118
PERMANENT RULES
BUILDING CODE COUNCIL
[Filed October 1, 2013, 3:02 p.m., effective November 1, 2013]
Effective Date of Rule: Thirty-one days after filing.
Purpose: This rule is needed to implement legislation passed during the 2013 legislative session. The 2013 legislature amended the number/type of school emergency drills to include lockdown drills. This rule will amend the Fire Code to require three rather than six emergency drills per school year, referencing RCW 28A.320.125 for lockdown requirements.
Citation of Existing Rules Affected by this Order: Amending WAC 51-54A-0405.
Statutory Authority for Adoption: RCW 19.27.031, 19.27.074.
Adopted under notice filed as WSR 13-14-116 on July 3, 2013.
Number of Sections Adopted in Order to Comply with Federal Statute: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0; Federal Rules or Standards: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0; or Recently Enacted State Statutes: New 0, Amended 1, Repealed 0.
Number of Sections Adopted at Request of a Nongovernmental Entity: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0.
Number of Sections Adopted on the Agency's Own Initiative: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0.
Number of Sections Adopted in Order to Clarify, Streamline, or Reform Agency Procedures: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0.
Number of Sections Adopted Using Negotiated Rule Making: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0; Pilot Rule Making: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0; or Other Alternative Rule Making: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0.
Date Adopted: September 20, 2013.
C. Ray Allshouse
Chair
AMENDATORY SECTION (Amending WSR 13-04-063, filed 2/1/13, effective 7/1/13)
WAC 51-54A-0405 Emergency drills.
405.1 General. Emergency drills complying with the provisions of this section shall be conducted at least annually in the occupancies listed in Section 404.2.1 or when required by the fire code official. Drills shall be designed in cooperation with the local authorities.
405.2 Frequency. Required emergency drills shall be held at the intervals specified in Table 405.2 or more frequently where necessary to familiarize all occupants with the drill procedure.
405.2.1 Group E occupancies. The occupancy shall conduct at a minimum the following drills during the year:
1. One drill using the school mapping information system.
EXCEPTION:
Day cares not colocated on a school campus.
2. ((Six)) Three fire evacuation drills.
3. One shelter-in-place drill.
4. Additional drills shall be as required by RCW 28A.320.125.
Table 405.2
Emergency Drill Frequency and Participation
Group or Occupancy
Frequency
Participation
Group A
Quarterly
Employees
Group Bc
Annually
Employees
Group E
Monthlya,e
All Occupants
Group F
Annually
Employees
Group I
Quarterly on each shift
Employeesb
Group R-1
Quarterly on each shift
Employees
Group R-2f
Quarterly on each shift
Employees
Group R-2d
Four Annually
All Occupants
High-rise buildings
Annually
Employees
a
The frequency shall be allowed to be modified in accordance with Section 408.3.2.
b
Fire and evacuation drills in residential care assisted living facilities shall include complete evacuation of the premises in accordance with Section 408.10.5. Where occupants receive habilitation or rehabilitation training, fire prevention and fire safety practices shall be included as part of the training program.
c
Group B buildings having an occupant load of 500 or more persons or more than 100 persons above or below the lowest level of exit discharge.
d
Applicable to Group R-2 college and university buildings in accordance with Section 408.3.
e
Day cares colocated on a Group E campus shall participate in emergency drills occurring on the campus.
f
Applicable to boarding homes, group homes, and residential treatment facilities licensed by the state of Washington.
405.4 Time. Drills shall be held at unexpected times and under varying conditions to simulate the unusual conditions that occur in case of an emergency.
405.5 Recordkeeping. Records shall be maintained of required emergency evacuation drills and include the following information:
1. Identity of the person conducting the drill.
2. Date and time of the drill.
3. Notification method used.
4. Staff members on duty and participating.
5. Number of occupants participating.
6. Special conditions simulated.
7. Problems encountered and corrective actions taken.
8. Weather conditions when occupants were evacuated.
9. Time required to accomplish complete evacuation, or shelter-in-place.
405.6 Notification. Where required by the fire code official, prior notification of emergency drills shall be given to the fire code official.
405.7 Initiation. Emergency drills shall be initiated in accordance with Sections 405.7.1 through 405.7.2.
405.7.1 Fire evacuation drills. Where a fire alarm system is provided, emergency evacuation drills shall be initiated by activating the fire alarm system. The fire alarm monitoring company shall be notified prior to the activation of the fire alarm system for drills proposed and again at the conclusion of the transmission and restoration of the fire alarm system to normal mode.
EXCEPTION:
Drills conducted between the hours of 9:00 p.m. and 6:00 a.m., in Group R-2 boarding homes, group homes, and residential treatment facilities licensed by the state of Washington.
405.7.2 Shelter-in-place drills. Shelter-in-place drills shall be initiated by the shelter-in-place alert signal, generated by the alerting system in accordance with Section 915.
405.8 Accountability. As building occupants arrive at the assembly point, efforts shall be made to determine if all occupants have been successfully evacuated and/or have been accounted for in the shelter-in-place.
405.9 Recall and reentry. The recall signal initiation shall be manually operated and under the control of the person in charge of the premises or the official in charge of the incident. No one shall reenter the premises until authorized to do so by the official in charge.