855 Fire Inspections

855.1 Responsibility

Managers and supervisors that have been trained by safety and/or fire protection personnel must conduct fire inspections. Training must include instruction on how to conduct inspections, identify unsafe practices that cause fires, and eliminate or correct hazards. The installation head is encouraged to seek assistance from local fire officials and permit them to conduct fire inspections and pre-fire planning programs.

855.2 Frequency

Fire inspections must be conducted in all Postal Service-owned and Postal Service-leased installations. Semiannual inspections are required in all installations with less than 100 work years of employment in the regular workforce. Quarterly fire inspections are required in all installations with more than 100 work years of employment in the regular workforce and in vehicle maintenance facilities. Note: A work year is equal to 1,840 hours for inspections and PEG audits.

855.3 Procedures

Fire inspections may be scheduled to coincide with semiannual or annual safety inspections. They must be documented using the fire inspection checklists that are published periodically and available in the Safety Toolkit.

855.4 Corrective Action

Deficiencies identified in safety checklists must be reviewed by the hazard abatement committee and corrected.

Local authorities must be notified immediately upon discovery of fire hazards that are not under Postal Service jurisdiction, but that affect Postal Service personnel, mail, or property.