Fire Inspection and Prevention Initiative begins its work
Richmond, B.C., — The Fire Inspection and Prevention Initiative (FIPI) has begun its work to address inspectional and jurisdictional gaps in Fire Code inspections that were identified following explosions at two B.C. sawmills in 2012.
FIPI Steering Committee, chaired by Deputy BC Fire Commissioner Kelly Gilday, held its first meeting today. The committee includes representatives from the BC Safety Authority, WorkSafeBC, and industry stakeholders.
In advance of the steering committee meeting, the three agencies conducted some preliminary joint inspections to understand each other’s protocols and the expectations on each agency in this initiative.
In October of 2012, Pat Bell, Minister of Jobs, Tourism and Skills Training and Minister Responsible for Labour, and Shirley Bond, Minister of Justice and Attorney General announced the creation of the FIPI.
In December, Ray Roch was named its director. Roch is seconded to FIPI for two years from his WorkSafeBC role as director, Emerging Issues Prevention. WorkSafeBC is providing up to $1 million in funding over two years for the FIPI.
The FIPI will address inspectional and jurisdictional gaps related to Fire Code compliance and fire inspections of commercial facilities, particularly high-risk complex industrial facilities with the potential for combustible dust accumulation, and, hence, improve worker safety. The priorities of the FIPI are to:
- develop a referral system to triage Fire Code compliance issues identified by WorkSafeBC and BC Safety Authority inspectors to the appropriate fire inspection jurisdiction;
- develop and deliver increased training opportunities for the fire inspection community, e.g., the Local Assistant Fire Commissioners (LAFCs), particularly in rural areas of the province;
- update training and educational material about fire safety and deliver to high-risk building owners and employers with responsibility under the BC Fire Code and to their workforces.
The steering committee plans to meet several times in 2013. The schedule has not been finalized.
Quotes:
Pat Bell, Minister of Jobs, Tourism and Skills Training and Minister Responsible for Labour —
"The role of the Fire Inspection and Prevention Initiative cannot be understated — these efforts towards improved fire inspection and prevention will translate into better health and safety for workers in all industries in British Columbia. Worker safety is our top priority and I look forward to hearing more about the steering committee's work over the next two years."
Ray Roch, Director, Fire Inspection and Prevention Initiative —
"The legacy of this initiative will be a robust inspection referral system that helps ensure Fire Code compliance at high-risk commercial facilities does not fall through jurisdictional gaps. The combined efforts of the Office of the Fire Commissioner supported by the BC Safety Authority and WorkSafeBC and industry stakeholders will enhance the safety of B.C. workers in environments that may be at risk of fire hazards."
Kelly Gilday, Deputy BC Fire Commissioner and Chair, Fire Inspection and Prevention Initiative Steering Committee and —
“Today’s steering meeting committee is an important step toward improving information sharing between agencies and with commercial facility operators. The framework we are creating with this initiative will improve the awareness of inspectors, workers and employers’ in fire safety obligations and education about the BC Fire Code standards.”
Quick Facts:
- The Fire Inspection and Prevention Initiative (FIPI) will be for two years with up to $1 million in funding provided by WorkSafeBC over the period.
- The FIPI steering committee is chaired by Kelly Gilday, Deputy BC Fire Commissioner, and includes representatives of the Office of the Fire Commissioner, WorkSafeBC, the BC Safety Authority and industry stakeholders, both facility owners/users and fire safety professionals.
WorkSafeBC is an independent provincial statutory agency governed by a board of directors that serves about 2.3 million workers and more than 210,000 employers. WorkSafeBC was born from the historic compromise between B.C.’s workers and employers in 1917 where workers gave up the right to sue their employers and fellow workers for injuries on the job in return for a no-fault insurance program fully paid for by employers. WorkSafeBC is committed to safe and healthy workplaces and to providing return-to-work rehabilitation and legislated compensation benefits.
Contact:
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