DS Fire Safety Plans

1. You will receive the quotation upon providing us with the address. We will also send a form for additional information that is beyond the scope of online resources and we will request any existing floor plans.

2. We will make an appointment for a site visit (usually we need access to all service rooms in the building to prepare floor plans - we do not bother residents/tenants in their suites). Our visit to a building takes from less than 1 to 4 hours, depending on the size and complexity of the building.

3. After the site visit you will receive the invoice. By accepting this invoice, you agree to the following payment terms: a) A deposit of 50% of the total invoice amount is required upfront before work commences.
b) The remaining balance is due upon completion of the project, and is not contingent upon approval from the Fire Department. Acceptance of these terms signifies agreement to proceed with the outlined services under the specified conditions.

4. Then we prepare the fire safety plan in our office and we submit it to the fire department who has the authority in the building's area.

5. A fire inspector will check if the plan is prepared in compliance with the Ontario Fire Code and will also visit your building to check if all the included information is correct. Sometimes the approval process could take even several months, depending on the workload of the assigned fire inspector.

6. If the fire inspector has any comments or if the plan needs any corrections, we will correct the plan (no additional fee of course) and we will be in touch with the fire inspector until the approval.

7. Once the plan is approved, Ds Fire Safety Plans will deliver the plan to you and give you any necessary instructions regarding the implementation of the plan.

8. One hard copy of the approved plan shall be kept in the fire safety plan box in the vicinity of
the main entrance to the building (the location will be specified in the fire safety plan), together
with the keys to the building, and main service rooms for the fire department to enter.

It is required by law to have a Fire Safety Plan for buildings which are listed in Section 2.8 of the Ontario Fire Code. These are, among others, buildings containing:

● Any organization, business, or facility that accommodates people or stores flammable materials. This includes schools, offices, warehouses, and residential buildings
● FSPs are also required for all buildings and premises containing 4 storeys or more,
including storeys below grade.

If you are not sure if you need a Fire Safety Plan, just contact us for a consultation.
*Consultation and estimate are free of charge.

A fire safety plan can be prepared by anyone, however, it is helpful to be familiar with fire safety systems, fire code, and building code. Fire protection is a specific field with a specific codification, and some specialized knowledge is required. The person also needs to be familiar with a drawing software to prepare floor plans of the building.

Every plan for a building listed in Section 2.8 of the Ontario Fire Code must be approved by a Chief Fire Official who has jurisdiction in the building's area. Meaning that the prepared draft of the fire safety plan should be submitted to the fire department for review and approval. A fire
inspector will check if the plan is prepared in compliance with the Ontario Fire Code and will also visit your building to check if all the included information is correct. Sometimes the approval process could take even several months, depending on the workload of the assigned fire inspector.

A fire safety plan should be reviewed annually or whenever there are changes to the building, occupancy, or fire safety regulations. And every 5 years the plan should be updated when there has been a significant change in contacts, occupancies, building renovations, construction or code changes that affect the plan. These changes are to be submitted to Fire Services for approval.

Yes. This is a requirement under the Ontario Fire Code Section 2.8. Fire inspectors and insurance companies can ask for evidence of this training at any time and there are consequences for noncompliance.

Well trained building staff are essential for both occupant and firefighter safety. Fire safety is everybody’s responsibility.

The building Owner is typically required to post that Notice of Violation at their “Front Door” to the building. Navigating and responding to Notice of Violations is a serious subject. If you receive a Notice of
Violation take action immediately. We would be happy to assist you with yours. As a building Owner, you typically have 30 days to respond and correct the violations.

It is important to note: “Every person who contravenes any provision of the Fire Code and every director or officer of a corporation who knowingly concurs in such contravention is guilty of an offence and on conviction is liable to a fine of not more than $50,000 (first offence) and $100,000 (subsequent offence) for an individual or $500,000 (first offence) and $1,500,000
(subsequent offence) for a corporation or to imprisonment for a term of not more than one year or both”.

We can provide and install the FSP boxes for you with an additional fee corresponding to the price of the box and installation. There are also several distributors of boxes, and you can easily find them online.

If you are looking to learn more about your Fire Safety needs to ensure both compliance and a safe building, reach out and connect with us. We offer a no fee consultation.

Dsfiresafetyplans@gmail.com