Att 07 - _Impairment of Fire Protection and Life Safety Systems_020622a.pdf

NIST S 7401.03 (Uncontrolled Copy in Print) Page 1

IMPAIRMENT OF FIRE PROTECTION AND 3

LIFE SAFETY SYSTEMS 4

NIST S 7401.03 6

Approval Date: 03/23/2018 7 Effective Date:1 06/30/2023 8

1. PURPOSE 11

The purpose of this suborder is to define the requirements and associated roles and 12 responsibilities when performing any activity that may require the impairment (see Section 7, 13 DEFINITIONS) of a fire protection and/or life safety system. 14

2. BACKGROUND 17

a. NIST Policy (P) 7400.00: Fire and Life Safety, articulates NIST’s commitment to making 18 fire and life safety an integral core value and vital part of the NIST culture, in part by 19 complying with applicable laws, regulations, and other promulgated fire and life safety 20 requirements. 21

b. NIST Order (O) 7401.00: Fire and Life Safety, details the duties and powers of the NIST 23 Authority Having Jurisdiction (AHJ)2 with respect to fire protection and life safety 24 requirements for impairments to fire protection and life safety systems. 25

c. Impairment of a fire protection and/or life safety system may be necessary under specific 27 circumstances, such as unique laboratory operations, asbestos abatement, demolition, 28 renovation, etc. This type of work may produce smoke, sparks, steam, flames, fumes, dust, 29 or similar particulates that could result in the unintended activation of one or more of these 30 systems. Impairments may also come in the form of hampering or impeding the use of 31 egress components such as corridors, stairwells, doorways, etc., through any number of 32 means. Impairments may be made to building systems or research-specific systems (see 33 Section 7, DEFINITIONS). During these impairments, building occupants and emergency 34 responders are exposed to a higher degree of hazard (e.g., delayed notification due to fire 35

1 For revision history, see Appendix A.

2 As indicated in Section 10, the NIST AHJ may delegate the authority to carry out any AHJ responsibilities to other Fire Protection Engineers (FPEs) in the Office of Safety, Health, and Environment (OSHE).

https://oshe.nist.gov/apps/docs/programs/Documents/NIST%20P%207400.00%20-%20Fire%20and%20Life%20Safety_021017.pdf https://oshe.nist.gov/apps/docs/programs/Documents/NIST%20O%207401-00%20-%20Fire%20and%20Life%20Safety_030617.docx

NIST S 7401.03 (Uncontrolled Copy in Print) Page 2 alarm systems impairment, progressed fire development due to fire suppression system 36 impairment, slower occupant egress due to blockages in a hallway or temporary closure of a 37 stairwell, etc.). Further, buildings and spaces with impaired fire protection and/or life safety 38 systems are more susceptible to increased impact from a fire event (e.g., greater loss of 39 equipment, room or building damage, unnecessary downtime, etc.). For the above reasons, it 40 is imperative that requirements and responsibilities for impairments are established and 41 implemented to minimize risk to life and property. 42

3. APPLICABILITY 45

The provisions of this suborder apply to all NIST activities occurring on NIST-owned and 46 operated sites that as a part of their conduct will require the impairment of a fire protection or 47 life safety system. 48

4. REFERENCES 51

a. International Building Code (IBC), 2015 edition. 52

b. International Fire Code (IFC), 2015 edition. 54

c. International Existing Building Code (IEBC), 2015 edition. 56

d. NFPA 13, Standard for Installation of Sprinkler Systems, 2013 edition. 58

e. NFPA 72, National Fire Alarm and Signaling Code, 2013 edition. 60

f. NFPA 101 Life Safety Code, 2015 edition. 62

g. NFPA 241, Standard for Safeguarding Construction, Alteration, and Demolition Operations, 64

2013 edition. 65

5. APPLICABLE NIST DIRECTIVES 68

a. NIST S 7101.03: Stop Work 69

b. NIST P 7400.00: Fire and Life Safety 71

c. NIST O 7401.00: Fire and Life Safety 73

d. NIST S 7401.01: Fire Protection and Life Safety for Design and Construction 75 https://oshe.nist.gov/apps/spts/SitePages/program/home.aspx?program=Stop%20Work https://oshe.nist.gov/apps/docs/programs/SitePages/View_Public_All.aspx?type=NIST%20Safety%20Policy https://oshe.nist.gov/apps/docs/programs/SitePages/View_Public_All.aspx?type=NIST%20Safety%20Order https://oshe.nist.gov/apps/spts/SitePages/program/home.aspx?program=Design%20and%20Construction%20in%20New%20and%20Existing%20Buildings%20Program

NIST S 7401.03 (Uncontrolled Copy in Print) Page 3

e. NIST S 7401.02: Inspection, Testing, and Maintenance of Fire Protection and Life Safety 76 Systems 77

f. NIST S 7401.04: Fire Prevention During Welding, Cutting, and Other Hot Work 79

6. REQUIREMENTS 82

a. The following fire protection and/or life safety systems shall require approval from the NIST 83

Authority Having Jurisdiction (AHJ)3 prior to impairment: 84

(1) Building systems; and 86

(2) Research-specific systems. 88

b. Impairment of fire protection and/or life safety systems shall only be performed after 90 approval by the AHJ except as noted in Section 6h. 91

(1) Components of the means of egress shall only be impaired when it is determined by the 93

AHJ that, in their absence, the minimum requirements of IBC Chapter 10 and/or NFPA 94 101 are still met. 95

(2) The AHJ may issue an oral stop-work order4 pursuant to NIST S 7101.03 Stop Work for 97 activities that present an imminent danger. 98

c. The duration of impairment shall be minimized, to the fullest extent possible, and the 100 restoration of fire protection and/or life safety systems shall be a priority. 101

d. Planning for Impairments 103

(1) The Impairment Coordinator (see Section 7, DEFINITIONS) should be consulted when 105 considering a request for impairment. 106

(2) Work requiring impairment should be scheduled outside of normal business hours (8:30 108 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.) to limit affected occupants, whenever possible. 109

(3) Systems impairment should be limited, to the fullest extent possible, to the device or 111 component as opposed to the entire system. 112

3 In the context of this document, the use of the term AHJ also includes delegated AHJs.

4 Written stop work orders must be issued by the Contracting Officer (CO).

https://oshe.nist.gov/apps/spts/SitePages/program/home.aspx?program=Inspection,%20Testing,%20and%20Maintenance%20of%20Fire%20Protection%20and%20Life%20Safety%20Systems%20Program https://oshe.nist.gov/apps/spts/SitePages/program/home.aspx?program=Inspection,%20Testing,%20and%20Maintenance%20of%20Fire%20Protection%20and%20Life%20Safety%20Systems%20Program https://oshe.nist.gov/apps/spts/SitePages/program/home.aspx?program=Fire%20Prevention%20during%20Hot%20Works

NIST S 7401.03 (Uncontrolled Copy in Print) Page 4

(a) The full system should not be rendered inoperable, whenever possible. 114

(b) A phased work plan may be necessary when multiple system components are affected 116 or the duration of impairment is deemed excessive by the AHJ. 117

e. Impairment Permitting 119

(1) Planned Impairments 121

(a) Permit requests (Please see Appendix B) shall be submitted to the Impairment 123

Coordinator at least five (5) business days prior to the impairment start date. 124

i. If requested in writing to the Impairment Coordinator, an expedited review of 126 the permit request may be available where justified. 127

(b) Permits shall be requested by: 129

i. OFPM staff members executing work orders; 131

ii. OU Group leaders for OU managed projects; and 133

iii. Contract Officer Representatives (COR) for contractor performed projects. 135

(c) The individual(s) submitting the Impairment Permit shall provide the following 137 information (see Appendix B): 138

i. Reason for the request; 140

ii. Building and room number(s) where impairment will occur; 142

iii. Extent of system impairment; 144

iv. Expected duration of impairment; 146

v. Specific devices to be impaired; and 148

vi. Interim safety measures, as required by the AHJ, to reduce hazards and risks 150 in the affected area. 151

NIST S 7401.03 (Uncontrolled Copy in Print) Page 5

(d) The AHJ will issue the permit within two (2) business days of the permit request. 154

i. An expedited review of the permit request may be available where justified, 156 see Section 6e(1)(a)i of this suborder. 157

(2) Routine Impairments (see Section 7, DEFINITIONS) 159 Annual impairment permits may be approved, where deemed necessary by the AHJ, due 161 to special circumstances in which an OU has the need to routinely or frequently impair 162 Fire Protection Systems due to normal operational needs. 163

(a) In lieu of the standard permitting process and requirements of this suborder, a 165 standard operating procedure (SOP) may be developed by the OU. 166

(b) All SOPs must be submitted to the AHJ for approval. 168

(c) Custody of keys or other devices used to impair Fire Protection Systems must be 170 approved by the AHJ. 171

(d) Renewal of annual impairment permits must be requested by the OU for AHJ 173 approval before expiration and is subject to reevaluation by the AHJ for necessity or 174 modifications to the existing SOP. 175

(e) The AHJ reserves the right to revoke annual impairment permits immediately if it is 177 determined that approved SOPs are not being strictly adhered to. 178

f. Implementation of Impairment 180

(1) Notification 182

(a) Building Systems – The Impairment Coordinator shall notify building occupants and 184

OFPM via email of impairments that affect building fire and life safety systems. 185

(b) Research-specific systems – The individual(s) responsible for the laboratory space 187 shall notify affected laboratory users via email of impairments that affect research-188 specific systems. 189

(c) Notifications shall be sent 3 days before commencement of work and on the day of 191 work commencement. 192

NIST S 7401.03 (Uncontrolled Copy in Print) Page 6

i. In cases of expedited reviews, notifications shall be sent as soon as the 194 requester of the permit is informed of the approval. 195

(d) Notifications shall include the following: 197

i. Building areas impacted; 199

ii. Impaired systems; 201

iii. Duration of impairment; 203

iv. Point of Contact; 205

v. Interim evacuation routes, where necessary; and 207

vi. Any interim safety measures required by the AHJ. 209

(2) Postings 211

(a) A copy of the Impairment Permit shall be displayed in a highly visible location 213 outside of the room/space with the impairment, or as determined by the Impairment 214 Coordinator or AHJ and the COR. 215

(b) If required by the AHJ, additional signage, such as temporary exit or evacuation route 217 signs or signage at building lobbies or entrances, will be posted by the Impairment 218 Coordinator or AHJ. 219

(3) All workers, materials, equipment and tools shall be on-site and ready before any system 221 is shut down or disabled. 222

(4) Combustibles, hazardous processes and other sources of ignition shall be minimized or 224 eliminated in the impaired area. 225

(5) The individual requesting the impairment shall be required to obtain additional passive 227 fire protection systems, e.g., fire extinguishers, if required by the AHJ when 228 extinguishing systems are impaired. 229

(6) An “Out of Service” tag or signage shall be attached on the control valve associated with 231 the impaired extinguishing system component, if applicable. 232

NIST S 7401.03 (Uncontrolled Copy in Print) Page 7

(7) All impairment activities related to the fire alarm system or components tied into the fire 234 alarm system (e.g., water flow switches, tamper switches) must be coordinated with the 235 Impairment Coordinator. 236

(a) The Impairment Coordinator shall: 238

i. Notify the Fire Protection Group (Gaithersburg) or Security Command Center 240

(Boulder) prior to impairing or disabling the device; 241

ii. Provide the Fire Protection Group (Gaithersburg) and Security Command 243 Center (Boulder) with the device type, location, and permitted impairment 244 period; and 245

iii. Keep a log of disabled devices and the impairment expiration. 247

(8) Fire Watch 249

As a part of an Impairment Permit request, the AHJ may require a fire watch over the 251 building or portion thereof affected by the impairment. The requirement for a fire watch 252 will be based on the risks associated with the extent or duration of the impairment and 253 will be based on the hazards associated with the work being performed. 254

(a) A fire watch may be required where an impairment prevents a system from 256 functioning as required by design. 257

(b) A continuous fire watch shall be maintained for the duration of the impairment until 259 all Fire Protection Systems are placed back into service or as required by the AHJ. 260

(c) It may be necessary to assign more than one employee to fire watch duties, e.g. where 262 multiple floors or buildings may be affected. 263

(d) The fire watch shall: 265

i. Be a responsible individual trained in the use of a fire extinguisher and 267 sounding of an alarm; 268

ii. Have no other responsibilities other than to conduct the fire watch; 270

NIST S 7401.03 (Uncontrolled Copy in Print) Page 8

iii. Perform visual survey(s) of any area(s) of the building(s) affected by the 272 impairment(s). When impairments occur over multiple areas, surveys shall be 273 performed once every hour, at a minimum; 274

iv. Verify that exits and means of egress components are unlocked, unobstructed 276 and accessible; 277

v. Have a means of communications to Emergency Services; 279

vi. Immediately report any evidence of heat, smoke or fire to Emergency Services 281 by calling x2222 (Gaithersburg) or x7777 (Boulder); 282

vii. Immediately notify building occupants upon discovery of heat, smoke, or fire 284 by activating a manual fire alarm pull station prior to attempting to extinguish 285 the fire; and 286

viii. Have fire extinguishers readily available and be trained to use them. 288

(9) Protection of sprinkler heads, smoke detectors and heat detectors for the purpose of 290 preventing unwanted alarms will be by 3 mils (0.08mm/0.003 inches) cellophane or thin 291 paper bags. 292

(a) Protective covers supplied in smoke detector packaging are not acceptable 294 alternatives to the above requirements. 295

(b) Care should be taken to ensure that settled dust and particulates are not disrupted 297 when removing covers, thereby resulting in false alarming. 298

(c) Polypropylene bags marketed as “Cello” bags are not acceptable. 300

(10) Systems should be partially or fully restored back to service during periods where work 302 is not being performed and continues for multiple days. 303

(a) Fire Protection Systems shall not be disabled overnight without prior approval by the 305

AHJ. 306

(11) The Impairment Coordinator shall contact the permit holder at the end of expected 308 impairment duration to determine if the impairment shall be put back in working order 309 or if additional impairment time is needed. 310

NIST S 7401.03 (Uncontrolled Copy in Print) Page 9

(a) Additional safety measures, such as fire watch, which were not originally required 312 with the issuing of the impairment permit, may be required if the permit duration is 313 extended. 314

g. Restoration 316

(1) The permit holder shall ensure: 318

(a) Any covers placed on detection or extinguishing devices are removed; 320

(b) Any damage to devices is promptly reported to the Impairment Coordinator; 322

(c) The Impairment Coordinator’s signature is obtained on the Restoration Checklist 324 (please see Appendix C); and 325

(d) The Impairment Permit is returned to the Impairment Coordinator upon closeout. 327

(2) The Impairment Coordinator shall ensure: 329

(a) All extinguishing valves are re-opened and tamper switches report “normal” status; 331

(b) All fire protection equipment is removed from manual mode and restored back to 333 automatic mode; 334

(c) All affected devices are fully functional; 336

(d) All “Out of Service” tags are removed; and 338

(e) Fire Protection Group (Gaithersburg) and Security Command Center (Boulder) are 340 notified when all systems are back in service. 341

h. Emergency and Concealed Impairments 343

(1) If an emergency impairment is necessary or a concealed impairment is found: 345

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(a) The individual requiring the emergency impairment or discovering the concealed 347 impairment shall notify the Impairment Coordinator or the Fire Protection Group5 (in 348 Gaithersburg); 349

(b) The impairment shall be isolated from the remaining Fire Protection System where 351 possible, by the Impairment Coordinator, Fire Protection Group, OFPM Shop 352 personnel, or qualified contractor; 353

(c) Any hazardous operations in the area shall be discontinued and occupants within the 355 impaired areas notified; and 356

(d) After the impairment has been completed, the Impairment Coordinator or the Fire 358 Protection Group6 (in Gaithersburg) shall be notified by the individual(s) completing 359 the impairment that all systems are operational and back in service. 360

i. Impairments Due to Inspection, Testing, and Maintenance 362

(1) Impairments that are necessary as a part of routine inspection, testing, and maintenance 364 or are from work associated with an OFPM M-slip can be performed without an 365 Impairment Permit but shall be performed only after notifying the Impairment 366 Coordinator. 367

(a) The individual requiring the impairment shall notify the Impairment Coordinator or 369 the Fire Protection Group6 (in Gaithersburg) that an impairment is necessary; 370

(b) The impairment shall be isolated from the remaining Fire Protection System where 372 possible; 373

(c) Any hazardous operations in the area shall be discontinued and occupants within the 375 impaired areas notified; and 376

(d) After the impairment has been completed, the Impairment Coordinator, the Fire 378

Protection Group6 (in Gaithersburg), and the space owner shall be notified that all 379 systems are operational and back in service by the permit requestor. 380

5 In the event of an emergency or in the absence of the Impairment Coordinator, trained and authorized personnel from the NIST Fire Protection Group (Gaithersburg) or Security Command Center (Boulder) may bypass necessary components on the Fire Protection System.

6 In the event of an emergency or in the absence of the Impairment Coordinator, trained and authorized personnel from the NIST Fire Protection Group (Gaithersburg) or Security Command Center (Boulder) may bypass necessary components on the Fire Protection System.

NIST S 7401.03 (Uncontrolled Copy in Print) Page 11

j. Training 382

(1) Training shall be provided, documented, and recorded in accordance with the 384 requirements of NIST S7101.23: Safety Education and Training. 385

(2) NIST staff who are responsible for requesting an impairment should complete the 387 suborder training for this program. 388

(3) Fire Protection Group staff members (Gaithersburg) shall undergo annual training 390 provided by the Impairment Coordinator before being authorized to impair a fire 391 protection system by means of the campus fire alarm Graphical Command Center (GCC). 392

(3) NIST fire watch personnel shall complete OSHE training on fire watch duties and on the 394 use of fire extinguishers. Fire extinguisher training shall be completed annually. 395

(a) CORs shall ensure that contractors performing fire watch have received fire watch 397 and extinguisher training from their employer. 398

7. DEFINITIONS 401

a. Acceptable – Considered by the authority having jurisdiction (AHJ) as adequate for 402 satisfying the goals, performance objectives, and/or performance criteria. 403

b. Authority Having Jurisdiction – A qualified FPE7 in OSHE designated by the NIST CSO to 405 enforce8 the NIST-adopted codes and standards relevant to fire, electrical, and life safety on 406 NIST-owned and operated sites. 407

c. Building Fire Protection and Life Safety Systems – Any system that is required by codes and 409 standards adopted by NIST which also serves as part of the overall building fire and life 410 safety protection. 411

d. Concealed Impairment – A concealed impairment is an unknown impairment that may result 413 when a fire protection or life safety system is removed from service by an unauthorized 414 person or when a system is unintentionally left out of service. 415

7 See requirements for Office of Personnel Management Fire Protection Engineering Series 0804.

8 Nature of enforcement is dependent upon the severity of the violation, e.g. stop work, revoke permit, denial of use and occupancy, etc.

https://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/classification-qualifications/general-schedule-qualification-standards/0800/fire-protection-engineering-series-0804/

NIST S 7401.03 (Uncontrolled Copy in Print) Page 12

e. Fire Alarm System – A system or portion of a combination system that consists of 417 components and circuits arranged to monitor and annunciate the status of fire alarm or 418 supervisory signal-initiating devices and to initiate the appropriate response to those signals. 419

f. Fire Extinguishing System – An approved system of devices and equipment which 421 discharges an approved fire extinguishing agent or water onto or in the area of a fire. 422

g. Fire Protection System – Approved devices, equipment and systems or combinations of 424 systems used to detect a fire, activate an alarm, extinguish or control a fire, control or 425 manage smoke and products of a fire, or any combination thereof. 426

h. Fire Watch – The assignment of a person or persons to an area for the express purpose of 428 notifying the fire department, the building occupants, or both of an emergency; preventing a 429 fire from occurring; extinguishing small fires; or protecting the public from fire or life safety 430 dangers. 431

i. Impairment – Temporary shutdown (in whole or in part) of a Fire Protection System where 433 the system is damaged, disabled or out of order. The resulting condition is that the Fire 434 Protection System does not function as intended in the event of a fire or other emergency. 435

(1) Planned – A scheduled impairment that is typically a modification to an existing system 437 for the purposes of improvement or to minimize unwanted activation due to operational 438 needs in an area. All NIST work orders and NIST contracts that require system 439 impairment will be classified under this category and follow the requirements in Section 440 6b. 441

(2) Routine – Impairments to a specific system that requires routine or frequent need of 443 impairment as a result of work. An example is beam detectors located in areas where a 444 crane is operated. 445

(3) Emergency – A condition where a Fire Protection System or portion thereof is out of 447 order due to an unexpected occurrence. 448

(4) Concealed – A previously unknown or undocumented impairment that is newly 450 discovered. 451

j. Impairment Coordinator – A term referring to the Fire Alarm System Administrator in 453

Gaithersburg or the Fire Alarm Contractor under OFPM Safety Fire Protection Engineering 454

NIST S 7401.03 (Uncontrolled Copy in Print) Page 13

Specialist in Boulder. 455

k. Interim Safety Measures – Temporary safety measures put in place to protect the safety of 457 occupants, visitors, staff and emergency responders. These may include but are not limited 458 to temporary Fire Protection Systems, signage, supervision and/or fire watch. 459

l. Life Safety Systems – Those systems that enhance or facilitate evacuation, smoke control, 461 compartmentalization, and/or isolation. 462

m. Research-Specific Fire Protection and Life Safety Systems – Any system required due to a 464 hazard created by a research task and which is not part of the overall building fire and life 465 safety protection. 466

8. ACRONYMS 469

a. AHJ – Authority Having Jurisdiction 470

b. COR – Contracting Officer’s Representative 472

c. FPG – Fire Protection Group 474

d. GCC – Graphical Command Center 476

e. IBC – International Building Code 478

f. NFPA – National Fire Protection Association 480

g. OSHE – NIST Office of Safety, Health, and Environmental 482

9. RESPONSIBILITIES 485

a. OU Directors and Line Supervisors are responsible for: 486

(1) Ensuring that the Impairment of Fire Protection and Life Safety Systems Suborder is 488 adopted and used in their spaces; 489

(2) Providing adequate notice to the Impairment Coordinator of impairment via an 491 Impairment Permit request; 492

NIST S 7401.03 (Uncontrolled Copy in Print) Page 14

(3) Providing notification via email to laboratory users of research-specific system 494 impairments; 495

(4) Posting the Impairment Permit; and 497

(5) Coordinating with the Impairment Coordinator for “Out of Service” tagging, rendering 499 the system impaired, and restoration. 500

b. OFPM is responsible for: 502

(1) Ensuring that the Impairment of Fire Protection and Life Safety Systems Suborder is 504 adopted and used in their spaces; 505

(2) Providing adequate notice to the Impairment Coordinator of impairment via an 507 Impairment Permit request, when required (see Section 6h for exclusions related to 508 routine inspection, testing, and maintenance of systems or work associated with M-slips); 509

(3) Posting the Impairment Permit; and 511

(4) Coordinating with the Impairment Coordinator for “Out of Service” tagging, rendering 513 the system impaired, and restoration. 514

c. The NIST AHJ or (Delegated AHJ) is responsible for: 516

(1) Authorizing all NIST planned impairments and maintaining all permit requests for a 518 period of one (1) year; 519

(2) Ensuring access control to the fire alarm and fire suppression systems on NIST 521 Gaithersburg and Boulder campuses; and 522

(3) Determining the requirements and training for fire watch. 524

d. Impairment Coordinator is responsible for: 526

(1) Routing Impairment Permits to AHJ for approval; 528

(2) Posting additional signage, as required by the AHJ; 530

(3) Providing notice to building occupants via email three (3) days prior to system 532 impairment and after system restoration; 533

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(4) Notifying the Fire Protection Group (Gaithersburg) or Security Command Center 534 (Boulder) at commencement of planned impairment and restoration of systems; 535

(5) Maintaining contact with impairment permit holders and ensuring restoration of systems 537 upon completion of work; 538

(6) Notifying the AHJ when impairments exceed their permitted duration; and 540

(7) Signing the permit holder’s Restoration Checklist upon verification of operability. 542

e. CORs are responsible for: 544

(1) Providing adequate notice to the Impairment Coordinator of impairment via an 546 Impairment Permit request; 547

(2) Ensuring that the requirements established by the Impairment Coordinator or AHJ are 549 incorporated into the contractor safety plan; 550

(3) Posting the Impairment Permit as required by the AHJ; 552

(4) Coordinating with the Impairment Coordinator for “Out of Service” tagging, rendering 554 the system impaired, and restoration; and 555

(5) Providing trained personnel (or contractors) for the capacity of fire watch (see Section 557

9g) when required by the AHJ. 558

f. Fire Protection Group (Gaithersburg only) is responsible for: 560

(1) Notifying the Impairment Coordinator of any emergency or concealed impairments as 562 soon as they have been reported; 563

(2) Providing fire watch personnel in applicable situations; 565

(3) Completing annual training provided by the Impairment Coordinator before being 567 authorized for Fire Alarm System access control; 568

(4) Providing trained personnel for the capacity of fire watch (see Section 9g) when required 570

NIST S 7401.03 (Uncontrolled Copy in Print) Page 16 by the AHJ; and 571

(5) Maintaining constant and continuous monitoring of campus fire alarm GCC. 573

g. Fire Watch Personnel (when required) are responsible for: 575

(1) Completing the training provided by OSHE on the duties of fire watch personnel; 577

(2) Completing annual training provided or approved by OSHE on the use of required fire 579 extinguishers; 580

(3) Knowing and understanding the work site and work hazards; 582

(4) Ensuring that safe conditions are maintained during the work operations; 584

(5) Having fire extinguishment equipment (minimum is a 2A:40B:C extinguisher) readily 586 available; 587

(6) Knowing how to summon emergency help and call for emergency help when necessary; 589

(7) Watching for fires in all exposed areas and trying to extinguish them when the fires are 591 obviously within the capacity of the equipment available; and 592

(8) Visually surveying the area of the building that is affected by the impairment each hour 594 to ensure safe conditions and availability of egress. 595

10. AUTHORITIES 598

The NIST Authority Having Jurisdiction may delegate the authority to carry out any AHJ 599 responsibilities to FPEs in the Office of Safety, Health, and Environment. 600

11. DIRECTIVE OWNER 603

Chief Safety Officer 604

12. APPENDICES 607

A. Revision History 608 B. Impairment Permit Form 609 C. Restoration Checklist 610

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Appendix A. Revision History 613

Revision No.

Approval Date

Effective Date

Brief Description of Change; Rationale

0 03/23/2018 04/01/2019 • None – Initial document

1 02/06/2022 06/30/2023

• Section 6.j(2) added to indicate NIST staff who are responsible for requesting an impairment should complete the suborder training for this program.

• NOTE: Effective date was originally TBD due to the COVID-19 pandemic. It was updated on 4/17/23.

NIST S 7401.03 (Uncontrolled Copy in Print) Page 18

Appendix B. Impairment Permit 616

NIST-XXX U.S. DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF STANDARDS AND TECHNOLOGY

IMPAIRMENT PERMIT

OSHE-FFSG

A. Request Information Requestor Requestor’s Phone # Requestor’s Email Address Campus being Impaired

� Gaithersburg � Boulder

Impairment Duration Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat Sun Date: _____ _____ _____ _____ _____ _____ _____ Start: _____ _____ _____ _____ _____ _____ _____ End: _____ _____ _____ _____ _____ _____ _____

Buildings Impacted

Rooms/Areas Impacted

B. DESCRIPTION OF WORK

C. SYSTEMS BEING IMPAIRED

Fire Alarm

� Smoke or Heat Detectors [Number of Devices: ________] � Beam Detectors [Number of Devices: ________] � VESDA Systems � Notification Devices (Speakers, Strobes, etc.) [Number of Devices: ________] � Tamper Switches [Number of Devices: ________] � Other: ________________________________________________________________________

Suppression Systems � Sprinkler Systems � Flow Switches [Number of Switches: ________] � Valves [Number of Valves: ________] � Clean Agent Systems � Fire Pumps � Specialized Systems: ___________________________________________________________

Life Safety / Egress Systems � Doors [Number of Doors: ________] � Corridors � Stairs � Generators � Other: ________________________________________________________________________

D. SPECIAL PROVISIONS (Completed by AHJ)

� Additional Fire Extinguishers � Additional Impairment Signage � Temporary Evacuation/Egress Routes � Fire Watch

E. OU Group Lead OR COTR

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Signature of OU Group Lead or COTR: Name (Print) of OU Group Lead or COR: Phone Number:

F. AUTHORIZATION

Signature of Authority Having Jurisdiction

(AHJ):

Name (Print) of AHJ:

Phone Number:

NIST S 7401.03 (Uncontrolled Copy in Print) Page 20

Appendix C. Restoration Checklist 620

NIST-XXX U.S. DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF STANDARDS AND TECHNOLOGY

IMPAIRMENT RESTORATION CHECKLIST

OSHE-FFSG

A. Impairment Permit Information Impairment Permit # Completion

Date / Time Did Impairment exceed expected duration?

� Yes, Reason: ____________________________________________________

� No B. Systems Restored to Original State and Verified Operational

Fire Alarm

� Smoke or Heat Detectors [Number of Devices: ________] � Beam Detectors [Number of Devices: ________] � VESDA Systems � Notification Devices (Speakers, Strobes, etc.) [Number of Devices: ________] � Tamper Switches [Number of Devices: ________] � Other: ________________________________________________________________________

Suppression Systems � Sprinkler Systems � Flow Switches [Number of Switches: ________] � Valves [Number of Valves: ________] � Clean Agent Systems � Fire Pumps � Specialized Systems: ___________________________________________________________

Life Safety / Egress Systems � Doors [Number of Doors: ________] � Corridors � Stairs � Generators � Other: ________________________________________________________________________

Temporary Impairment Requirements � Remove all Impairment Signage � Remove all Evacuation / Egress Signage � Remove and Return Additional Fire Extinguishers

C. OU Group Lead OR COTR Signature of OU Group Lead or COTR: Name (Print) of OU Group Lead or COR: Phone Number:

D. Verification Signature of Impairment Coordinator: Name (Print) of Impairment Coordinator:

Phone Number: