Fire Protection Manual
Chapter 5 Fire Protection System Impairment Procedure

1.0 Purpose

To provide a method of mitigating the exposure to a potentially catastrophic fire loss when a fire protection system, or portion of a system, is impaired and out of service. This impairment procedure ensures that proper notification is given, hazards are controlled, and repairs are expedited.

2.0 Scope

Impairment procedures are implemented each time a fire detection system or a fire suppression system is partially or fully out of service. Impairment procedures at Jefferson Lab are accomplished using one of two methods as described below.

· Preplanned Impairment Program: fire protection system impairments that occur during normal business hours to accomplish inspection, testing, and maintenance activities and minor alterations to alarm or suppression systems.

· Emergency Impairments and Extended Preplanned Impairments: fire protection system impairments that become necessary through equipment malfunction or breakage or planned major alterations to alarm or suppression systems that will extend past normal business hours.

3.0 Responsibilities

Note: Management authority may be delegated to a task-qualified TJNAF employee at the discretion of the responsible manager.

3.1 Fire Marshal: acts as the Impairment Coordinator for all fire protection impairments

3.2 Fire Watch: consists of trained personnel who continuously patrol the affected area. Ready access to fire extinguishers and the ability to promptly notify the fire department are important items to consider. During the patrol of the area, the fire watch is only looking for fire, but making sure that the other fire protection features of the building such as egress routes and alarm systems are available and functioning properly.

4.0 Process Steps

4.1 General Impairment Requirements

Fire protection impairments require planning and extensive notification efforts prior to the impairment activity. The occupants of the affected structure and those responsible for emergency response must be prepared to accommodate impairments.

The Impairment Coordinator ensures the notification efforts are accomplished and leads the planning effort to minimize the time a fire protection system is unavailable to perform the designed function.

Planning an impairment must include the following considerations:

· necessary tools

· necessary replacement parts

· manufacturer’s instruction manual

· technician to accomplish the required work

· proper level of training for the technician to access the space

· coordination of support trades as needed

· temporary fire protection or termination of hazardous operations as needed

· back-up plan in the event of an unsuccessful repair attempt

4.2 Preplanned Impairment Program

4.2.1 Fire Protection System Testing and Maintenance on the Accelerator Site

Fire alarm or suppression system impairments in the beam enclosure or experimental halls are not to be scheduled during beam delivery.

· Work in the following areas must be reviewed and approved by the local work coordinator.

LERF (FEL)	Jim Coleman	(897-0008)
Hall A	Jessie Butler	(768-1302)
Hall B	Denny Insley	(757-810-9576)
Hall C	Walter Kellner	(757-592-1527)
Hall D	Mark Stevens	(757-876-3940)
Accelerator Tunnel	Steve Suhring	(584-7670)

· At the direction of the work control coordinator an Atlis or similar work control document is prepared detailing the planned testing or maintenance activity. Fire suppression system impairments require area specific work control documents.

o Fire alarm testing activity is scheduled to avoid interference with other planned activity in the area and may not require an area specific work control document (Atlis or equal).

· Complete the information required on the Pre-Planned Impairment Form. This form is completed each day that testing and maintenance activities are performed. The form is specific to the immediate areas involved in the test. A separate form is written for each affected Fire Alarm Control Panel (FACP) area or building.

· On the back of the Pre-Planned Impairment Form, use a HI‑Lite type marker to circle the area, building numbers, and names that are included in the testing area.

· After completing all of the information, make four photo copies of the form.

· Insert one copy in each of four magnetic document holders provided by the Technical Representative (TR). Deliver one document holder to each of the following locations:

o Facilities Management Department, Fire Marshal’s Office, SSC Room 64. Security Post 2, Accelerator Gate, Building 51

o Accelerator Operations Crew Chief in the MCC, Building 85

o Front cover of the FACP involved in the testing or maintenance activities

4.2.2 Fire Protection System Testing & Maintenance in the Campus Buildings

· Work in the Technical & Engineering Development (TED) or the Test Lab is reviewed and approved by the Facilities Manager.

o Tom Renzo – Renzo@jlab.org

· Complete the information required on the Pre-Planned Impairment Form. This form is completed each day that testing and maintenance activities are performed. The form is specific to the immediate areas involved in the test. A separate form is written for each affected Fire Alarm Control Panel (FACP) area or building.

· On the back of the Pre-Planned Impairment Form, use a HI‑Lite type marker to circle the area, building numbers, and names that are included in the testing area.

· After completing all the information make three photo copies of the above form.

· Insert one copy in each of three magnetic document holders provided by the TR. Deliver one document holder to each of the following locations:

o Facilities Management Department, Fire Marshal’s Office, SSC Room 64Security Post 2, Accelerator Gate, Building 51

o Front cover of the FACP involved in the testing or maintenance activities

4.3 Emergency and Extended Preplanned Impairments

4.3.1 An emergency impairment may occur as a result of a failed component of a FACP that warrants immediate repair; or a damaged sprinkler pipe. Every emergency impairment is immediately evaluated and the temporary mitigation measures immediately implemented. An evaluation is made by the Fire Marshal and the affected Division Safety Officer will result in the most expeditious dissemination of information and response to implement temporary measures.

4.3.2 A Temporary Operational Safety Procedure (TOSP) is used to establish the need for temporary fire protection, termination of hazardous operations, and frequency of inspections in the areas involved. All work possible is done in advance to minimize the length of the impairment.

· Emergency and extended impairments will usually involve fire watch patrols. The contract security force is the first choice for fire watch personnel. The Impairment Coordinator makes necessary arrangements to augment the on-duty security staff in order to accomplish the scope of the fire watch that is determined necessary for a particular impairment.

4.4 Restoring Systems to Service

At the conclusion of impairment, the Impairment Coordinator ensures the following actions have been accomplished:

· Necessary inspections and tests have been conducted to verify that affected systems are operational.

· After completion and restoration of automatic sprinkler protection, a 2‑inch drain test is performed on the downstream side of each valve that was closed. This test is very important as the final check to ensure that all control valves have been left in the wide-open position.

· The Building Manager and or Work Coordinator are advised that protection is restored.

· The impairment notices and tag are removed.

5.0 References

· NFPA 25 Water-Based Fire Protection System Handbook

· FM Global Property Loss Prevention Data Sheets 2-81 FIRE PROTECTION SYSTEM INSPECTION, TESTING AND MAINTENANCE AND OTHER FIRE LOSS PREVENTION INSPECTIONS

6.0 Revision History

rev	summary	date
0.4	triennial review: updated local work coordinator list (4.2.1); updated header and footer per discussion with T. Minga, 04.15.2022; made general edits and format updates (e.g., bullets, spacing, etc.)	04.18.2022
0.3	periodic review; no changes	06.02.2019
	periodic review; updated TPOC from D. Kausch to T. Minga	06.02.2016
0.2	Changed FEL contact in 4.2.1 from D. Walker to J. Coleman	10.18.2013
0.1	periodic review; updated contacts	09.17.2013
0.0	initial release	09.28.2009

ISSUING AUTHORITY	AUTHOR	APPROVAL DATE	NEXT REVIEW DATE	rev
Fire Protection Department	Tim Minga	04.18.2022	04.18.2025	0.4

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It is the user’s responsibility to ensure that the document is the same revision as the current online file. This copy was printed on 4/19/2022.