15 FAM 840
PROCEDURES AND GUIDELINES FOR FIRE EQUIPMENT
(CT:OBO-87; 06-13-2019)
(Office of Origin: OBO)
15 FAM 841 RESIDENTIAL SMOKE ALARMS
(CT:OBO-76; 09-18-2018)
a. Post must install smoke alarms in all residential
units occupied by U.S. Government personnel. Install one single-station smoke
alarm in each sleeping room; one in each corridor serving the sleeping rooms;
and one at the top of the stairs on each level leading to the sleeping rooms.
Mount these smoke alarms on the ceilings by the door or on the side walls.
When placed on the walls, place them no more than 30.5 cm (12 inches) from
ceilings, but no nearer than 10 cm (4 inches) to the ceiling to avoid dead air
space in the corner formed by the ceiling and wall. Post must not install
single-station smoke alarms in nonresidential (office buildings, warehouses,
maintenance facilities), and similar buildings that require a full-fire alarm
system. The Office of Fire Protection, in the Directorate for Operations, in
the Bureau of Overseas Buildings Operations (OBO/OPS/FIRE) will provide
residential smoke alarms based on information entered in the Real Property
Application (RPA) database.
b. Residential occupants must conduct a visual
inspection and test each installed battery-operated smoke alarm monthly and
replace batteries following the manufacturers recommendation.
15 FAM 842 PORTABLE FIRE EXTINGUISHERS
(CT:OBO-76; 09-18-2018)
a. Post must properly place and administer a
maintenance program for fire extinguishers in all U.S. Government-owned and
-leased buildings and in all residential units occupied by U.S. Government
personnel. (See 15
FAM Exhibit 842 for extinguisher type and placement instructions.)
OBO/OPS/FIRE will provide one extinguisher per residence, based on information
entered in the RPA. In U.S. Government-owned and -leased office buildings,
extinguishers will be provided based on established fire codes and standards;
refer to 15 FAM
811.2, Authorities, for further information. Every fire extinguisher must
be visually inspected monthly for operable condition and, at a minimum,
serviced once each year. Inspection and maintenance dates must be recorded
either on the extinguisher inspection tag or electronically. (Refer to Tab G-2
of the OBO Fire Protection Guide in OBO/FIRE Publications, for inspection,
maintenance, and disposal instructions.
b. Residential occupants must conduct a visual
inspection of their fire extinguishers monthly for operable condition and
report any deficiencies to the facilities manager or general services officer.
Inspection dates must be recorded on the extinguisher inspection tag (refer to
Tab G-2 of the OBO Fire Protection Guide in OBO/FIRE Publications, for
inspection, maintenance, and disposal instructions).
c. Non-pressurized fire extinguishers that are 12
years past their manufacturer's date must be turned into facilities management
or the general services office for disposal or hydrostatic testing. The
facility manager staff shall verify the date of manufacture prior to installing
fire extinguishers in residential units.
15 FAM 843 Emergency Lighting
(CT:OBO-76; 09-18-2018)
a. In new office buildings, emergency lighting is
normally installed in the ceiling light grid. In all other office buildings
where the U.S. Government is the sole occupant, post must place and maintain
emergency lights in all exit corridors and in stairwells of multilevel office
buildings. In U.S. Government-owned/capital lease (GO/CL) structures with
multifamily residential units (four or more stories), post is responsible for
installing emergency lights in exit stairwells on each landing and in other
areas recommended by the Office of Fire Protection, in the Directorate for
Operations, in the Bureau of Overseas Buildings Operations (OBO/OPS/FIRE).
Emergency lights must be tested monthly and dates must be recorded either in a
manual or electronic log.
b. Post is responsible for procuring local emergency
lighting units that match the specific country voltage requirements and must
coordinate with OBO/OPS/FIRE for funding and fire/life safety code
requirements.
15 FAM 844 Exit Signs
15 FAM 844.1 New Office Buildings
and Major Renovations
(CT:OBO-51; 06-07-2016)
a. Exit signs must meet the standards of the
International Building Code (IBC). These standards require that exit signs be:
(1) Self-illuminated by an internal light source or
illuminated by an external light source that is capable of providing
uninterrupted lighting during power outage;
(2) Provided in sufficient number to establish and
maintain clearly marked exits and stairways;
(3) Manufactured in contrasting face colors with
lettering of specified size; and
(4) Installed on the ceiling or wall above the exit
doorway (pictorial illustrations are found at Tab C-1 of the OBO Fire
Protection Guide).
b. Signs installed during renovations, additions, or
modifications to facilities must be similar to existing signs to maintain
continuity and ease of visual recognition.
15 FAM 844.2 Existing Buildings
(CT:OBO-41; 12-24-2013)
a. The Department of State uses a standard emergency
sign when illuminated signs meeting International Building Code (IBC) standards
are not required. This sign, referred to as the international emergency exit
sign, is pictographic (illustrated by picture) and luminous (i.e., absorbs
light and glows in the dark). (Pictographic signs are illustrated at Tab C-1
of the OBO Fire Protection Guide.)
b. International emergency exit signs are not required
in buildings equipped with functional illuminated signs meeting IBC standards.
They may be installed in addition to illuminated signs to supplement this
coverage.
15 FAM 844.3 Procurement and
Funding
(CT:OBO-76; 09-18-2018)
Upon request, OBO/OPS/FIRE will provide exit signs to
post. Post will be responsible for installation.
15 FAM 844.4 Exit Sign Types and
Placement
(CT:OBO-51; 06-07-2016)
The four basic types of marking/signs, with placement
guidelines, are:
(1) Exit signs placed on exit doors;
(2) Directional exit signs placed above non-exit doors
or on corridor walls to indicate the most direct route for emergency exiting;
(3) Warning signs that must clearly state what action
to take, such as stating that elevators must not be used in emergencies, and
indicating the direction of the nearest exit stairway; and
(4) Low-level egress path marking and signs placed on
walls and exit doors.
15 FAM 845 Fire Protection Systems
(CT:OBO-28; 03-20-2012)
a. Post will be responsible for inspection, testing,
routine maintenance, and repair of installed fire-protection systems. The
Bureau of Overseas Buildings Operations (OBO) will support these activities by
providing technical training, policies, and guidance. This work is defined
under routine maintenance and repair in 15 FAM 621.
b. OBO will support fire-protection system needs that
are beyond post capability. Normally, post personnel perform these repairs
with guidance and material provided by OBO. For extensive repair and upgrade
of fire protection systems, OBO initiates the projects.
c. OBO will provide fire-protection system replacement
and spare parts for U.S.-manufactured fire-protection systems.
15 FAM 846 Egress
15 FAM 846.1 Unlocking Exits During
Business Hours
(CT:OBO-28; 03-20-2012)
Exit doors that are equipped with locks to provide
after-hours security must remain unlocked during business hours to ensure that
they are usable as exits. They must be marked with exit signs and posted with
additional signs stating when they are to remain unlocked. Post must establish
a policy to ensure that these doors remain unlocked during business hours as a
standard operating procedure. Exit doors with thumb-turn type locks must not
impede egress and must be clearly marked with signs illustrating the correct
operation to lock and unlock them. (See Tab C-1 of the OBO Fire Protection
Guide for illustrations.)
15 FAM 846.2 Emergency Egress and
Security Doors
(CT:OBO-87; 06-13-2019)
a. Locking stairways is in violation of OSHA Standard
29 CFR 1926.34. This regulation states
that in every building or structure exits shall be so arranged and maintained
as to provide free and unobstructed egress from all parts of the building or
structure at all times when it is occupied; and that no lock or fastening
device to prevent free escape from the inside of any building shall be
installed except in mental, penal, or corrective institutions where supervisory
personnel is continually on duty and effective provisions are made to remove
occupants in case of fire or other emergency.
b. During an emergency evacuation of a building, it is
vital that occupants get out quickly and safely. Security locks on doors in
the path of egress must allow for unimpeded access to the exit without
significant delay. The time delay on these locks must not exceed 15 seconds.
Bureau of Diplomatic Security-approved security hardware sets (SHW) are the
only approved door locks for office building doors. Slide-bolt type locks,
Unican locks, and spin dial locks are not authorized to be installed on any emergency
egress door, though they are permitted to be installed to control access on
other office/auxiliary doors. (See 12 FAH-5 Appendix
G, for proper application.) Doors in this category include corridor doors,
inner lobby doors, exit stair doors, and other doors that provide eventual
egress to the building exterior.
15 fam 847 through 849 unassigned
15 FAM Exhibit 842
Location, Fire Extinguisher Type [10# ABC Dry Chemical], and Placement
(CT:OBO-76; 09-18-2018)
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LOCATION
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PLACEMENT
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Office Buildings
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Place in the corridors of the building so that the
travel distance to the extinguisher does not exceed 23m (75 feet) from any
point on each floor. (See Tab G-2, Figure 2 of the OBO Fire Protection Guide
for illustrations.) NOTE: In controlled access areas
(CAAs), post may randomly select up to 35 percent of stock and any unit may
be physically inspected or x-rayed prior to placement into a CAA space.
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Industrial Buildings
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To be used in warehouses, fuel storage, and
gasoline/diesel pumping stations. Maximum travel distance to an extinguisher
must not exceed 15m (50 feet).
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Computer Server Rooms and
Communication Areas
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Place one extinguisher in each computer server
room/communication area. NOTE: Carbon dioxide (Co2) or other clean agent
type extinguishers are not required for these areas.
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Residential Units
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Place one extinguisher in a visible location in or
near the kitchen area.
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For other applications or direction, see the OBO Fire
Protection Guide or contact the Office of Fire Protection, in the Directorate
for Operations, in the Bureau of Overseas Buildings Operations (OBO/OPS/FIRE).
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