BUSINESS SELF-INSPECTION PROGRAM
VOLUNTEERS CORNER
How would you like to improve morale, continue quality inspections, reduce costs, improve productivity, target high-risk hazards, make better use of resources and manpower, and improve your image with the business community? The Arvada Fire Protection District in Colorado did all that with a self-inspection program it instituted for selected occupancies.
The Arvada Fire Department protects 56 square miles at the base of the Rocky Mountains with 180 volunteers; the only paid personnel are a district manager, three maintenance personnel, two secretaries, two fulltime dispatchers, a fire marshal, and three deputy fire marshals. In an area subject to violent, rapid weather changes—heavy rain and hail, high winds, tornadoes, and heavy snow— the members have their hands hill
The fire marshal’s office is responsible for more than 4,000 inspections, investigations, origin and cause, and public education. In an effort to handle our increasing workload while coming up with new and innovative fire prevention ideas—all with less money and manpower—we designed a self-inspect ion program for the business community.
SETTING UP THE PROGRAM
Target group. Our first task was to decide on a target group—who would be suited to self-inspection. We wanted those occupancies that statistically have proven to have a low incidence of fire code violations. We immediately eliminated some based on such high-risk factors as high exposure, hazardous materials, fixed systems, and places of assembly. Then we eliminated those occupancies that traditionally were problem areas based on past experiences. (If your list is still too long you can set square footage limits to narrow down your target group.) Finally we were left with the basic “mom-and-pop” operations, also known as the B-2 occupancy—which is 30 to 50 percent of the average division’s workload.
Cover letter. Next we wrote a cover letter that was simple and self-explanatory. It notifies the business of its inclusion in the program and points out that the checklist is in place of an annual inspection, that if there are any questions an inspector will come out, and that if the checklist is not completed within X amount of days the business will be returned to the field inspector’s caseload.
Worksheet!checklist. We had to rework our inspection form to suit our needs for this program. We also had to make sure that the form would stand up in court if contested by the owner or occupant. For example, if a fire started in a self-inspected occupancy because of poor housekeeping and the business checked off on the form that it was adhering to the code regulations for housekeeping, we had to make sure the department would not be held liable in a court of law. This is important if your self-inspection system is to work properly.
CHECKS AND BALANCES
We decided to test our program on 180 occupancies to determine if response would be favorable on a large scale. Eighty-five percent responded within 90 days. After we called the remaining 15 percent, most of them sent back their checklists (only 2 percent did not). Thus we decided to implement the program full-time and limit it to B-2 occupancies, since they generally are the easiest for us to inspect and have fewer violations and problems in terms of life safety.
A number of compliance problems could arise out of such a program on both ends. The inspection staff might be tempted to send out too many forms to lessen their workload or to concentrate on more interesting aspects of their job. The business owners might fill out the forms without making the necessary corrections.
We have taken steps to ensure compliance with the program. A business cannot be self-inspected two years in a row—we inspect participants the routine way the following year. Also, we conduct on-site spot checks to ensure compliance with the fire code. We stress that if there are any questions about the code, an inspector will come in person. And in terms of staff attitude toward the program, we have noticed higher morale created by reductions in workloads, better quality inspections, a better relationship with the business community, and a sense of being part of the problem-solving process.
