Fire and Life Safety Inspections

Fire & Life Safety Inspections

Newberry Springs Fire Department inspectors are responsible for inspecting existing occupancies for compliance with the California Fire Code (CFC), Title 19 of the California Code of Regulations, the California Health and Safety Code, and applicable National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) standards and other referenced standards.

Fire and life safety inspections are an important part of preventing fires and protecting the people who live, work, and visit our community. These inspections give us an opportunity to identify hazards before they become emergencies and to work directly with business owners and property managers when corrections are needed.

California law gives local fire departments and fire protection districts responsibility for enforcing State Fire Marshal fire and panic safety standards within their respective jurisdictions. The California Fire Code also authorizes fire code officials to conduct inspections necessary to determine compliance with the Code.

Who May Be Inspected?

The type and frequency of an inspection will depend on the occupancy, the activities taking place on the property, and any applicable state or fire code requirements.

Inspections may include commercial businesses, restaurants and other assembly occupancies, schools, multi-family residential properties, care facilities, fuel-service and repair facilities, properties with hazardous materials or high-piled storage, and other occupancies subject to fire and life safety requirements.

Certain occupancies are also subject to inspections at frequencies established by California law.

What Do We Look For?

Every business is different, so there is no single inspection checklist that applies to every property. In general, inspectors are looking for conditions that could contribute to a fire, prevent someone from safely exiting a building, interfere with a fire protection system, or make it more difficult for firefighters to respond during an emergency.

Common items may include:

Clear and unobstructed exits and exit pathways
Properly maintained fire extinguishers
Exit signs and emergency lighting
Fire alarm and automatic sprinkler systems
Commercial cooking fire suppression systems
Electrical hazards, extension cords and improper wiring
Combustible materials and storage
Clearance around electrical equipment and fire protection systems
Flammable or combustible liquids and other hazardous materials
High-piled or rack storage
Propane and other fuel-gas installations
Visible building address identification
Fire department access and emergency access
Required inspection, testing and maintenance records
Conditions or operations requiring an operational permit

The California Fire Code requires fire protection and life safety systems to be maintained in an operable condition and provides requirements for their inspection, testing and maintenance.

What to Expect During an Inspection

When we arrive, an inspector will typically meet with the owner, manager, or another representative of the property and walk through the areas applicable to the inspection.

We are not there simply to hand out violations. Our goal is to point out unsafe conditions, explain why they are a concern, and help the responsible party understand what needs to be corrected.

If something needs attention, the inspector will identify the issue and explain the next step. Depending on the condition, a follow-up inspection may be needed to verify that the correction has been completed.

Preparing for an Inspection

You do not need to wait for the Fire Department to arrive to start looking around your business. Keeping exits clear, maintaining fire extinguishers and fire protection systems, using electrical equipment properly, keeping storage organized, and maintaining emergency access are simple things that can make a big difference.

Hemet Fire, for example, specifically encourages business owners to check fire extinguishers, exits, combustible storage and electrical conditions before their inspection.

Fire Protection Systems

If your building is equipped with a fire sprinkler system, fire alarm, commercial kitchen suppression system, or another required fire protection system, the system must be properly maintained and remain operational.

Business and property owners should maintain applicable inspection, testing and maintenance records and make them available when requested. The California Fire Code places responsibility on building owners to maintain required fire and life safety systems in operating condition.

New Businesses & Changes in Use

Opening a new business or changing how an existing building is used may create different fire and life safety requirements.

We encourage business owners to contact the Newberry Springs Fire Department early if they are opening a business, remodeling a space, changing the use of a property, adding storage or equipment, or making changes to a fire protection system.

Other permits and approvals may also be required through San Bernardino County or another agency having jurisdiction.

Operational Permits

Certain activities, materials, processes and operations may require an operational permit under the California Fire Code. Operational permits are different from building permits and are intended to address activities or conditions specifically regulated by the Fire Code.

The California Fire Code establishes both operational permits and construction permits and authorizes the fire code official to inspect regulated premises as part of the permit process.

Questions or Inspection Requests

Not sure whether your business needs an inspection? Have a question about something an inspector found?