How To Report Fire Code Violation in 2024

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How To Report Fire Code Violation in 2024

Field Service Management
July 28, 2024
9 Min Read

Fire codes are an imperative part of ensuring life safety for all individuals. It also aids in maintaining compliance with regard to industry standards, which averts insurance issues and hefty penalties from being incurred. When fire codes are not in place, it is dangerous not just for the building occupants but also for every individual around the unsafe property. Hence, if you come across buildings that are not complying with the essential fire codes, it’s a moral obligation to report them to authorities to ensure better safety for the entire locality.

In this blog, we will discuss the common fire code violations we typically encounter around us and how to report any code violations that could prove catastrophic in the long run.

Importance Of Fire Codes

Fire codes are a sure-shot way to equip the best fire prevention systems in place. It makes sure that all individuals are evacuated quickly and safely, minimizing injuries or any fatal accidents during egress. These codes act as strategic guidelines that aid in preventing chaos and blunders during emergencies by having robust precautionary measures in place.

Apart from just saving the lives of individuals and emergency responders, fire codes also keep your property in mind while establishing guidelines for safety. It helps minimize the extent of damage to your property, aids in the process of containing the fire, halts its spread to other parts, and keeps nearby property and individuals safe and sound. Fire codes are essential to meet the legal requirements and industry standards of basic fire protection. If fire codes are not followed and not properly in place, issues can arise later on with regard to fire insurance coverage. Fulfilling insurance requirements mandates having the applicable fire codes in place. Damage caused by a severe fire can be entirely covered via insurance unless the lack of fire codes raises issues and ends up with fingers getting pointed at you for not adhering to the required safety guidelines.

Last but not least, you need fire codes to keep your property as well as your community safe from the unpreventable hassles of fire damage and injuries. It helps your business run smoothly without getting discontinued by fire-related disruptions. In short, it helps boost your business operations and keeps the revenue coming.

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Violation Of Fire Codes

Non-compliance with fire codes is a serious problem that requires particular attention and focus. When fire codes are being violated, it is not just the property owner who is facing the adverse effects of it, but also his staff, the occupants in the establishment, and other individuals around him. In case of a fire emergency causing significant damage and loss of lives, the responsible party could face a lawsuit owing to the fact that the individual failed to establish the required fire codes in place. Not only is it going to lead to the closing down of the business, but it will also incur reputational damages such as loss of trust in individuals and loss of employee morale, considering that their lives are at an all-time risk at your property.

Employees can feel threatened for their lives and safety if their employer fails to provide them with enough security and protection against the adverse effects of a severe fire incident. Not only that, they will be risking their company along with their reputation, which can hamper their business operations and revenue and create a bad image in the public. Fire codes are necessary to maintain compliance, and if not, they are bound to face legal consequences that can be severely damaging to their revenue earning.

Violating fire codes can also increase the chance of fire accidents taking place, and an increased fear among individuals that they are not secured in the given space. They are exposed to life threatening situations that can turn fatal at any given moment.

Why Report Violation Of Fire Codes

If you ever come across a property or work for an employer that habitually violates fire codes, it’s a moral obligation to report them and their property to the relevant authorities.

Reporting violations of fire codes enables better life safety of individuals, contributing towards minimizing the spread of fire and potential perils for the locality. It enhances public safety and ensures compliance with industry standards and requirements. Employees deserve complete protection from fire and would not want to work with someone who wouldn’t care about their safety. Employers who consistently risk the lives of their staff need to be reported to the authorities. The authorities then proceed with the next steps of their inspection, which can reveal the violations, and the business will be penalized accordingly. The penalties can range anywhere up to $100,000 or more, depending on the extent of the breach and the occurrence of any repeated violations.

Fire codes play an important role in minimizing disruptions in business operations and maintaining the property manager’s or business owner’s reputation.

A few examples of violations of fire codes could be blocked exits, faulty alarms, and overcrowded spaces.

How To Report A Fire Code Violation

Taking care of your property and adhering to fire codes is your primary responsibility for keeping yourself and the people around you safe from accidental fire hazards. But what if somebody in your neighborhood, or probably your employee, is putting everyone’s life at risk through their own insensibility and negligence?

This is when you should consider filing a fire code violation report for your and your community’s safety.

Steps To Report A Fire Code Violation:

Identify: The first and foremost step is to identify the violation. Whether it’s obstructed egress, cluttered pathways, faulty fire alarm devices, or visible wiring issues, make a proper observation of the deficiencies.

Document: Keep your observations properly documented with enough detail and clarity. You can also insert photographic or video evidence for more authority and concrete evidence if possible.

Contact: Now, it’s time to contact your local fire department. They’ll provide you with the next steps on how to proceed with the situation.

Provide: You need to submit the information on the exact fire code violation you have gathered along with the multimedia evidence. Generally, you’re provided a physical or digital form where you need to input all the information. You might also need to submit your contact number in case they need to reach out to you for further communication.

Follow-up: As investigations can take time, keep checking your report status from time to time not to let it go overlooked.

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Anonymity and Whistleblower Protections

Even though reporting fire code violations is an integral step towards maintaining and guaranteeing your community’s safety, there are a very specific type of issues that can occur in situations like this. Which is the fear of retaliation or vengeance from the one complained about. They could be their employers, who could take harsh steps like firing, denying benefits, making threats, intimidation, or harassment. When considering the backlash that could be received from the other end, it might be problematic and challenging for them to report safety issues or violations of necessary safety codes.

Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) implements whistleblower protection laws comprising various fire safety code violations. Its Whistleblower Protection Program enforces the provisions of laws that protect employees from retaliation. You can fill out their online whistleblower complaint form or you can lodge a complaint orally. To determine if an investigation is necessary, OSHA will contact you for a follow-up, which you must respond to. Failure to respond to them might result in dismissal of your complaint.

Remember!

You cannot file a whistleblower complaint with OSHA anonymously. If the investigation is conducted, OSHA will be required to notify your employer, and the complaint may be shared with the employer.

In Conclusion

Fire codes must be adhered to since they aim to protect you and your property from accidental ways of inviting a fire emergency. Non-compliance with essential fire codes can not just lead to grave penalties but also jeopardize you, your property, and the individuals around you. In some cases, fire code violations can occur due to a lack of awareness or negligence about the procedure. If it’s due to awareness, make sure that you get yourself familiarized with the safety codes. You can also refer to NFPA 1 to accurately understand what needs to be done.

If you’re facing a situation where fire codes are violated right in front of you, be it your neighbor or your employer, you must take the necessary steps to report it to your local authority and get it inspected. You do not need to worry about retaliation; you can file a whistleblower complaint with OSHA anytime.

If you need more information on fire codes and their violation penalties, check out our other blogs and resources. We also provide comprehensive checklists that can help you effortlessly assess your fire inspections and device functionalities.

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