General UTHSCSA Safety Standards

4.1. Introduction

The object of the UTHSCSA Safety Program is to promote and maintain a safe work environment for students, faculty, and staff. Meeting this goal requires adherence to established health, fire, and life safety standards as outlined in guidance documents such as:

A. UTHSCSA Handbook of Operating Procedures HOP.

B. The Code of Federal Regulations (CFR).

C. Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) Manual and General Publications.

D. National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) Fire and Life Safety Codes.

E. American Conference of Governmental Industrial Hygienists (ACGIH).

UTHSCSA HOP, Chapter 8, Policy 8.5.4 requires employees and students to follow “all health and safety standards and rules”. Meeting this requirement necessitates implementation of the following standardized safety practices.

4.2 General UTHSCSA Safety Standards

A. Storage

(1) Main hallway (egress pathways) to exits leading directly out of any UTHSCSA building will be free and unobstructed for the entire length and width of the hallway. NFPA 101, Life Safety Code 2000 Edition, 7.1.10

(2) Use of ANY portion of a hallway for files or equipment storage must be approved (in writing) by EH&S Physical Safety Division. Approved items stored in hallways must:

Be labeled with EH&S Physical Safety Approval sticker
Leave a minimum of 44 inches clear width of hallway for unimpeded pedestrian traffic and emergency egress. (NFPA 101, Life Safety Code 2000 Edition, Section 39.2.3.2)

(3) Remove:

Unapproved items stored in UTHSC building hallways.
Items which reduce hallway clear width to less than 44 inches.
Combustible items stored in hallways
Items stored in Emergency Stairways and Mechanical Equipment Chases/Rooms

(4) Items stored in the hallway must be at least:

8 feet away from Emergency Stairway Exit or Fire Door
24 inches away (on either side) of Eyewash, Safety Shower, or Fire Hose Cabinet stations.
24 inches away (on either side) from doorways leading into or out of occupied spaces.

(5) Ensure there is a minimum of 18 inches between the top of items stored on shelves or other areas of the UTHSC and the room’s ceiling.

B. Storage Areas and Occupancies

Any indoor/outdoor area used for storage must comply with fire safety requirements outlined in NFPA 1, Fire Prevention Code; NFPA 101, Life Safety Code and NFPA 230, Fire Protection of Storage. The following areas, cabinetry, or vessels shall not be used for storage:

(1) Air-Handling Plenums and Mechanical Chases. NFPA 90A,

(2) Emergency Stairways. 1: 4-1.2; 101:7.1.3.2.3, 7.2.2.5.3.

(3) Loading Docks

(4) High-value equipment areas

(5) Unapproved or unlisted chemical storage cabinets

(6) Unapproved or unvented canisters and containers

C. Use and Storage of Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LP-Gas)

NFPA 58, Liquefied Petroleum Gas Code: Section 5-3, storage of LP-Gas in buildings frequented by the public to 200 lbs. Hand torches and similar devices powered with LP-Gas are limited to being used with “cylinders with a maximum water capacity of.2.5lbs (1.1 kg)…”.

4.3 Appliance Safety

A. Personal or departmental electrical appliances (coffee pots, toasters,

toaster ovens, etc.) used in UTHSC buildings must be:

(1) Underwriter’s Laboratories approved, listed, and appropriately

labeled.

(2) Manufactured with an automatic shutoff switch that turns the unit off when the unit is left unattended for a predetermined period of time.

(3) Used only in the mode and manner for which it is manufactured.

(4) Attached only to approved, permanently mounted, electrical, wall outlets of appropriate voltage and current.

B. Personal, portable, space heaters are a fire hazard and will, under no circumstances, be used in UTHSC buildings. Please refer Heating, Ventilation, and Air Conditioning (HVAC) irregularities to Facilities Management Utilities Control Room at 567-2947.

4.4 Special Occasion Decorations

A. Conservatively decorating department offices and workspaces in celebration of special occasions such as birthdays, office parties, holidays (Christmas, Valentine Day, Easter), baby showers or birth announcement, is acceptable when the following NFPA 101, Life Safety Code, Interior Finish, Contents, and Furnishings, Chapter 10, Sections 10.2.4.6 and 10.3 requirements are met:

(1) Decorations shall be made of fire resistant material.

(2) Doors and exit passageways shall remain unobstructed, obvious, and easily recognizable.

(3) Exit Signs and visual fire alarm devices (strobe lights) shall remain unobstructed and clearly visible.

(4) Fire Alarm audible notification devices shall remain uncovered and at sound levels as initially installed.

(5) EH&S Physical Safety Division shall approve decorating more than a single office or room, to include, intra-departmental competitions.

(6) Furnishing or decorations of an explosive or highly flammable quality shall not be used.

(7) NFPA 101, Life Safety Code, Edition 2000, Chapter 7, Section 7.1.10.2.1, “No furnishings, decorations, or other objects shall obstruct exits, access thereto, egress therefrom, or visibility thereof”.

(8) Candles (votive, decorative, or ceremonial) are a significant fire hazard and shall not be used in any UTHSC building or holding.

4.5 Cooking Operations Fire Safety

a. Outdoor Parties and Barbecues

Only UL approved, listed, and appropriately labeled outdoor equipment will be used at parties or barbecues held on or at UTHSC property and holdings.

(1) Barbecue pits and outdoor cooking appliances shall be mounted no less than 50 feet away from UTHSC buildings or holdings.

(2) At least one UL listed, fully charged, serviceable, ABC, portable fire extinguisher must be kept within immediate reach or ten feet of lighted barbecue pits or outdoor cooking appliances

b. Commercial Cooking Areas

NFPA 96, Standard for Ventilation and Fire Protection of Commercial

Cooking Operations, Section 1-3 requires “Cooking equipment used in

processes producing smoke or grease-laden vapors shall be equipped with

an exhaust system that complies with all the equipment and performance

requirements of this standard, and all such equipment and performance

shall be maintained per this standard during all periods of operation of the

cooking equipment.” The standard further requires, “Cooking equipment

in fixed, mobile, or temporary concessions, such as trucks, buses, trailers,

pavilions, tents or any form of roofed enclosure, shall comply with this

standard unless all or part of the installation is exempt by the authority

having jurisdiction.”

c. Food Services Operations

NFPA Life Safety Code 101, Edition 2000, Section 13.6 requirements are as follows:

13.7.1.1 All devices in connection with the preparation of food

shall be installed and operated to avoid hazard to the safety of

occupants.

13.7.1.2 All devices in connection with the preparation of food

shall be of an approved type and shall be installed in an approved

manner.

13.7.1.4 Portable Cooking Equipment. Portable cooking

equipment that is not flue-connected shall be permitted only as

follows:

(1) Equipment fueled by small heat sources that can be

readily extinguished by water, such as candles or alcohol-burning equipment, including solid alcohol, shall be permitted to be used, provided that precautions satisfactory to the authority having jurisdiction are taken to prevent ignition of any combustible materials.

(2) Candles shall be permitted to be used on tables used for food services where securely supported on substantial noncombustible bases located to avoid danger of ignition of combustible materials and only where approved by the authority having jurisdiction.

(3) Candle flames shall be protected.

(4) “Flaming Sword” and other equipment involving open flames and flamed dishes, such as cherries jubilee or crepe suzette, shall be permitted to be used, provided that precautions subject to the approval of the authority having jurisdiction are taken.

(5) Listed and approved LP-gas commercial food service appliances shall be permitted to be used where in accordance with applicable NFPA standard.

d. Cooking in Assembly Occupancies

In Assembly Occupancies where fifty or more people are gathered,

NFPA Life Safety Code 101, Edition 2000, Section 13.7.4.3.8 states:

“Open flames devices within exhibit booths shall comply with 13.7.2.”

Section 13.7.2 states, “…No open flame or pyrotechnic device shall be

used in any assemble occupancy.”

4.6 Combustible Fuel Loading (CFL)

Combustible fuel loading significantly increases the risk and spread of fire. Common CFLs include but are not limited to: Cardboard Boxes, paper, wood, wood chips, or sawdust; dried plants, untreated fabric, heavy fabric, grain or wood dust. For this reason, the following items can be accumulated for future use or bulk disposal ONLY when stored in accordance with requirements outlined in Paragraph 2B of this chapter; NFPA 1, Fire Prevention Code; NFPA 101, Life Safety Code:

A. Empty cardboard boxes

B. Paper (superseded or inactive records and files, books, etc.)

C. Scrap wood and wooden Pallets

D. Combustible gases and liquids

E. Hazardous wastes

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