When Is Fire Watch Required in BC?

Fire watch requirements in BC depend on the property, the work underway and the authority responsible for the site. A watch may be required when fire-protection systems are impaired, during certain construction or hot-work activities, or under a site-specific order or procedure. The responsible authority or qualified fire-safety professional should confirm whether a watch is required and what it must cover.

It is not a substitute for repairing, maintaining, or restoring required fire-protection systems. It is also not a licence to improvise. The reason for the watch, the area covered, the inspection frequency, the communications, the records, and the conditions that end the assignment should be established by the responsible parties before coverage begins.

Already have a fire-watch requirement? Review TrustPoint’s fire watch security services or request fire-watch coverage with the written requirement, location, start time and expected duration. Availability is confirmed after the assignment is reviewed.

5 situations that may call for fire watch

The following are reasons to obtain a site-specific assessment. They do not create a universal rule for every property:

• a required fire alarm, sprinkler, detection, suppression, or monitoring system is impaired, shut down, or undergoing planned work;
• construction, renovation, demolition, shutdown, or temporary occupancy changes fire risks or available protection;
• hot work or another activity creates a defined need for continued observation under the employer’s safe-work procedure or permit;
• a fire department, authority having jurisdiction, insurer, fire-safety professional, owner, or site plan requires temporary alternative measures;
• a high-risk area must be observed until equipment is restored, the activity ends, or the responsible authority releases the watch.

For a municipal example, the City of Vancouver’s fire-watch guidance addresses system outages, hot work and construction, alteration or demolition. Its local requirements should not be assumed to apply throughout BC. Confirm the applicable requirements with your local fire department or authority having jurisdiction and review the BC fire safety codes and bulletins relevant to your property.

Information the provider needs before deployment

What a fire-watch professional may be assigned to do

Duties vary with the approved plan. A professional may be instructed to follow a specified route, observe defined areas for smoke, flame, heat, odour, sparks, unsafe hot-work conditions, obstructed exits, or changes in the impaired zone; maintain access to exits and emergency equipment; keep a time-based log; and remain available to initiate the communication and evacuation steps written for the site.

The assignment should also say what the person must not do. Security personnel do not design the building’s fire-safety system, certify repairs, authorize occupancy, replace the fire department, or continue into an environment that requires specialized protective equipment or firefighting training beyond their role.

Documentation is part of the safety measure

A useful fire-watch log identifies the site, date, watch period, assigned person, impairment or reason, route or zones, observation times, conditions noted, actions taken, contacts made, relief handovers, and the person who authorized the end of coverage. Any missed area, access problem, active work, alarm, smell, smoke, heat, or unsafe condition should be handled according to the written escalation procedure.

Records do not make an incomplete patrol safe, but they establish accountability and help the responsible parties verify that the temporary measure was performed as instructed.

Fire watch for hot work is a separate planning question

WorkSafeBC’s OHS Regulation, Part 12 sets requirements for welding, cutting and related work. Sections 12.116 and 12.126 address flammable or explosive substances, safe work procedures and fire extinguishers. The employer or contractor must determine the controls for the actual work. If a fire watch is part of that plan, confirm the duties, hazards, training, equipment and observation period before treating a general security assignment as suitable.

Who can authorize the end of a fire watch?

Coverage should continue until the person or authority named in the plan confirms that the watch may stop. That might follow system restoration, testing, completion of the hazardous activity and required observation period, a change in occupancy, or another approved control. The security provider should receive and record that authorization rather than ending a shift based on assumption.

TrustPoint can assess the staffing, observation duties, communications and records needed for the assignment. Fire-watch coverage provides personnel and documented observation; fire-alarm installation, sprinkler repairs and system certification require the appropriate qualified service provider.