Los Angeles Municipal Code
57.408
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2017 EDITION of the Los Angeles Municipal Code as of June, 2017
Article 7 of Chapter V of the Los Angeles Municipal Code
Section 405
Emergency Evacuation Drills
[California Code of Regulations, Title 19, Division 1, §3.13(a)(1)] Fire Drills. (Group E Occupancies)
(a) Group E Occupancies.
(1) General. Every person and public officer managing, controlling, or in charge of any public, private, or parochial school shall cause the fire alarm signal to be sounded upon the discovery of fire. Every person and public officer managing, controlling, or in charge of any public, private, or parochial school, other than a two-year community college, shall cause the fire alarm signal to be sounded not less than once every calendar month at the elementary and intermediate levels, and not less than twice yearly at the secondary level, in the manner prescribed in California Code of Regulations, Title 24, Part 2, Section 907.
A fire drill shall be held at the secondary level not less than twice every school year.
[California Code of Regulations, Title 19, Division 1, §3.13(c)(2) and (3)] Fire Drills. (Organized Camps)
(c) Organized Camps.
(2) Within 24 hours after arrival, every group of persons attending an organized camp shall be made familiar with the method by which the fire alarm may be activated and with the procedures to be followed upon notification of fire.
(3) At least 1 fire drill shall be held within 24 hours of the commencement of each camping session. Additional drills shall be conducted at least once each week thereafter. When sessions exceed a 7 day period, at least 1 drill shall be held during night-time sleeping hours.
Section 406
Employee Training and Response
406.1
REserved.
406.2
REserved.
406.3
REserved.
406.4
Emergency Lockdown Training.
Where a facility has a lockdown plan, employees shall be trained on their assigned duties and procedures in the event of an emergency lockdown.
Section 407
Hazard Communication
407.1
General.
The provisions of Sections 407.2 through 407.7 shall be applicable where hazardous materials subject to permits under Section 5001.5 are located on the premises or where required by the fire code official.
407.2
Material Safety Data Sheets.
Material Safety Data Sheets (MSDS) for all hazardous materials shall be either readily available on the premises as a paper copy, or where approved, shall be permitted to be readily retrievable by electronic access.
407.3
Identification.
Individual containers of hazardous materials, cartons or packages shall be marked or labeled in accordance with applicable federal regulations. Buildings, rooms and spaces containing hazardous materials shall be identified by hazard warning signs in accordance with Section 5003.5.
407.4
Training.
Persons responsible for the operation of areas in which hazardous materials are stored, dispensed, handled or used shall be familiar with the chemical nature of the materials and the appropriate mitigating actions necessary in the event of a fire, leak or spill. Responsible persons shall be designated and trained to be liaison personnel for the fire department. These persons shall aid the fire department in preplanning emergency responses and identification of where hazardous materials are located, and shall have access to Material Safety Data Sheets and be knowledgeable in the site emergency response procedures.
407.5
Hazardous Material Inventory Statement.
Where required by the fire code official, each application for a permit shall include a Hazardous Materials Inventory Statement (HMIS) in accordance with Section 5001.5.2.
407.6
Hazardous Material Management Plan.
Where required by the fire code official, each application for a permit shall include a Hazardous Materials Management Plan (HMMP) in accordance with Section 5001.5.1. The fire code official is authorized to accept a similar plan required by other regulations.
407.7
FAcility closure plans.
The permit holder or applicant shall submit to the fire code official a facility closure plan in accordance with Section 5001.6.3 to terminate storage, dispensing, handling or use of hazardous materials.
Emergency Planning and Evacuation Requirements for High-Rise Buildings.
408.1
Emergency Planning and evacuation requirements for high-rise buildings.
Emergency planning and evacuation requirements for high-rise buildings shall be in compliance with Sections 408.2 through 408.11.
408.2
Creation and filing of emergency plan.
Every owner, manager, operator, administrator, and tenant of a new or existing high-rise building shall, in cooperation with the Fire Department, establish, implement, maintain and update an emergency plan for the building that complies with, but is not necessarily limited to, the following.
408.2.1
Submission of plans.
The owner shall electronically submit the emergency plan annually to the Fire Department and maintain a current hard copy on the premises. Prior to each annual submittal, the owner shall also review the emergency plan and as a result of that review shall update the emergency plan as necessary to ensure that it is accurate and complete. All emergency plan transactions shall be electronically submitted by means of a Fire Department-approved method. The updated emergency plan shall be submitted to the Fire Department within 10 days of its completion. If the owner determines after an annual review, that the emergency plan does not require updating, the owner shall so inform the Fire Department in writing as soon as that determination is made. This requirement does not preclude an owner from reviewing and updating the emergency plan more frequently than annually.
408.2.2
Changes to the lists of private first responders.
Any changes to the lists of private first responders, essential building personnel, or emergency contact telephone numbers shall be submitted to the Fire Department within 10 days of the date of the change.
408.2.3
Emergency Plan Availability.
The emergency plan shall be made available upon request to personnel of the Fire Department. Upon any change of ownership or management of a high-rise building, the previous owner shall provide all copies of the emergency plan required by this chapter to the new owners within 10 days of the change of ownership. The new owner shall, after receiving the emergency plan, submit any required updates within 10 days.
408.2.4
Hotel guest exemption.
Hotel guests are exempt from the requirements set forth in this section. Building staff and employees shall participate in the requirements as set forth in this section.
408.3
Fire Department approval required.
All emergency plans, procedures and evacuation signs shall be completed and submitted to the Fire Department for inspection and approval prior to their implementation. All plans, signs, procedures and training programs formulated by, or purchased from, a “High-Rise Life/Safety Service” shall also be submitted for approval. All persons engaging in the business of “High-Rise Life/Safety Service” shall be required to obtain a Certificate of Fitness in accordance with Section 117 of this article. The Fire Department may deny approval of any “High-Rise Life/Safety Service” which fails to meet minimum standards set by the fire code official.
408.4
Building inventory forms.
A building inventory on a form provided by the Fire Department shall be completed and submitted as part of the emergency plan and be subject to approval by the Fire Department.
408.5.1
Required designated personnel.
Each emergency plan shall include the personnel as designated in Sections 408.5.1 through 408.5.4.
408.5.1
Fire SAfety Director.
The fire safety director and assistant fire safety director shall be employees of the building owner or manager or reside on the premises or be otherwise approved by the Fire Department.
408.5.1.1
Responsibility for the fire safety director.
The responsibility of the fire safety director shall be established in Sections 408.5.1.1 through 408.5.1.4.
408.5.1.1.1
Fire Safety Director responsibility for the emergency plan.
The fire safety director shall be responsible for the establishment, implementation and maintenance of the emergency plan, the annual emergency evacuation drills, training and all documentation required by the emergency plan.
408.5.1.2
Fire Safety Director responsibility for the security personnel.
The fire safety director shall also verily that all security personnel have a valid State certification. The fire safety director and the assistant fire safety director shall obtain and maintain a valid fire safety director certificate approved by the Fire Department, and shall present their certificate for inspection upon request to Fire Department personnel.
408.5.1.3
Fire Safety Director responsibility for renewal of their certificate.
The fire safety director shall be responsible for renewing their certificate at least once a year in order to maintain a valid certificate. The assistant fire safety director shall be prepared to assume the fire safety director’s duties when necessary.
408.5.1.4
Responsibility for payment of the fees.
The building owner shall be responsible for payment of the fees associated with the issuance of the Fire Safety Director Certificate by the Fire Department as described in Section 408.10.1.
408.5.2
Floor Wardens
A minimum of one floor warden per floor shall be designated to perform the duties required by this section. Additional floor wardens shall be required if the occupant load of a floor exceeds 500 people. The floor warden shall obtain and maintain a valid floor warden certificate, approved by the Fire Department, and shall present their certificate for inspection upon request by Fire Department personnel. Alternate floor wardens shall also obtain a certificate as floor warden and be designated for each floor, and be prepared to assume the floor warden duties when necessary. In a residential building, the floor warden shall be a resident on that floor or an employee of that building owner or manager. In a nonresidential building, the floor wardens shall be employees on that floor. The floor wardens shall receive training at least once each year in order to maintain a valid certificate. Exemptions to this regulation may be granted only upon a written request approved by the fire code official. The building owner shall be responsible for payment of the annual fee associated with the issuance of the required number of Floor Warden Certificates by the Fire Department.
408.5.3
Private first responders.
The operational portion of the emergency plan shall identify and incorporate all private first responders for the building.
408.5.4
Essential building personnel.
The operational portion of the emergency plan shall also identify and incorporate all essential building personnel who are employees of the owner or manager in the building.
408.5
Required designated personnel on-site presence.
With regard to nonresidential high-rise buildings, the fire safety director or assistant fire safety director shall be present on-site during normal business hours.
408.6
Emergency response duties of designates personnel.
Emergency response duties of designated personnel shall comply with Section 408.7.1.
408.7.1
Minimum Duties.
The designated personnel required by Section 408.5 shall have, at a minimum, the duties listed in Sections 408.7.1.1 through 408.7.1.4.
408.7.1.1
The fire safety director or assistant fire safety director.
The fire safety director or assistant fire safety director shall:
1. During an emergency, call 911 or designate someone to place the call; report to the building’s emergency assistance center; direct evacuation operations in the building including disabled personnel in the designated refuge or rescue locations who have identified the need for assistance; and report the current conditions to the Fire Department.
2. Conduct monthly building safety inspections to identify hazards and obstructions in the egress pathways.
3. Develop procedures for implementation of the emergency plan and direct emergency evacuations and drills.
4. Assign wardens for each floor, selected from the occupants on that floor.
5. Incorporate private first responders for each occupied floor if identified by the emergency plan.
408.7.1.2
Floor Wardens.
Floor wardens shall:
1. Know the locations of all exits leading from occupied areas of the building and carry out the requirements in the emergency plan.
2. Direct emergency evacuations and drills for their respective assigned floors in accordance with the emergency plan.
408.7.1.3
Private first responders.
Private first responders shall:
1. Know the location of all exits leading from occupied areas and carry out the requirements in the emergency plan.
2. Assist the floor wardens in the emergency evacuations and drills in accordance to the emergency plan.
408.7.1.4
Essential Building Personnel
Essential building personnel shall:
1. Assist the fire safety director during emergency evacuation operations in accordance with the emergency plan.
2. Assist the Fire Department and other emergency responders during emergency operations as described in the emergency plan.
408.8
Emergency Plan - Minimum Requirements
The provisions of Sections 408.8.1 through 408.8.8. reflect minimum requirements and are not intended to restrict owners from implementing any additional measures.
408.8.1
Procedures.
Each emergency plan shall contain a description of the procedures all occupants should follow in an emergency evacuation or drill during the regular business hours and nonbusiness hours of the building. Each emergency plan shall also have a procedure for total building evacuations.
408.8.2
Evacuation roles and duties.
Each emergency plan shall specify in detail the evacuation roles and duties of the designated personnel, including the names of the fire safety director and assistant fire safety director, and their pagers, in-house, and cellular telephone numbers.
408.8.3
Signs.
Each emergency plan shall require that emergency evacuation signs be posted in elevator lobbies and adjacent to the doorway leading to the exit stairs. The signs shall include, but not be limited to, the high-rise building’s core floor plan describing all corridors, stairways, elevator lobbies, and interior evacuation routes for each floor.
408.8.4
Emergency Assistance Center.
The fire safety director, with the approval of the Fire Department, shall establish as part of every emergency plan an emergency assistance center where the fire safely director or assistant fire safety director and other selected personnel report during an emergency incident. The fire safety director shall also assign a responsible person to meet and direct the Fire Department to the location of the emergency incident. The emergency assistance center may include a fire control room, lobby or safe refuge area outside of the building.
408.8.5
Special needs requirements.
Special needs requirements shall be incorporated in the emergency plan and shall include the current list of the names and usual floor locations of each occupant who has voluntarily, in writing, self-identified their need for assistance and the type of aid required to exit the building during an emergency. One or more places of refuge or rescue shall be designated in the emergency plan including a method to safely remove these occupants from the building. The emergency plan shall include the appropriate number of personnel designated to assist each of these occupants during an emergency evacuation or fire drill.
408.8.6
Occupant Instruction and Training
All high-rise building occupants shall be instructed annually on the procedures to be followed in the event of fire, earthquake, or other emergency and participate in the mandatory fire drill. Documentation of the occupant instructions shall be maintained by the fire safety director and be made available for inspection by Fire Department personnel. These instructions shall also be made available to all new occupants within 14 days of their assuming occupancy in the building.
408.8.7
Fire Drills.
Fire Drills shall comply with Sections 408.9.1 through 408.9.6.
408.8.8
Emergency evacuation plans, signs and procedures.
The proposed emergency exit plans, procedures, and evacuation signs shall be posted after approval by the Fire Department. Evacuation signs shall be located in every elevator lobby above and below the ground floor, adjacent to the doorway leading to the exit stairs, and in other conspicuous floor locations as required by the Department. Each dwelling unit, guest room, and office area shall be provided with the fire safety and evacuation information, as required in Section 4704.4. All plans, procedures, and signs shall be properly maintained.
408.8.9
Filing of the emergency plan.
Each emergency plan, after approval by the Fire Department, shall be filed:
- In the office of the high-rise building;
- At the security desk; and
- In the vicinity of the Fire Department annunciator/control panel or, as to residential buildings, in an identifiable location approved by the fire code official. The emergency plan shall be made readily available to the building staff and to the designated personnel required by Section 408.5 at all times.
408.9.1
Commercial high-rise buildings less than 35 stories in height.
Commercial high-rise buildings less than 35 stories in height are required to conduct mandatory fire drills at least annually under the direction of the fire safety director.
408.9.1.1
Mandatory drill.
A mandatory minimum of one fire drill, shall be conducted annually on individual floors and when practical, shall include at least five floors at a time.
408.9.1.2
During the annual fire drill.
During the annual fire drill the occupants shall proceed to the safest stairwell and relocate to a predetermined floor or outside safe refuge area.
408.9.2
Commercial high-rise buildings, 35 or more stories in height.
Commercial high-rise buildings, 35 or more stories in height, are required to conduct a mandatory fire drill at least annually under the direction of the fire safety director.
408.9.2.1
Mandatory drill.
A mandatory minimum of one fire drill shall be conducted annually on individual floors, and when practical, shall include at least five floors at a time.
408.9.2.2
During the annual fire drill.
During the annual fire drill the occupants shall proceed to the safest stairwell and relocate to a predetermined floor or outside safe refuge area.
408.9.2.3
Total Building Evacuation.
Every 3 years there shall be a total building evacuation fire drill, wherein every occupant of the building proceeds to the safest stairwell and evacuates directly to a predetermined outside safe refuge area.
408.9.3
REsidential high-rise buildings.
Residential high-rise buildings are required to conduct mandatory fire drills at least annually under the direction of the fire safety director.
408.9.3.1
Mandatory drill.
A mandatory minimum of one fire drill shall be conducted annually on individual floors and when practical shall include least five floors at a time.
408.9.3.2
During the annual fire drill.
During the annual fire drill the occupants shall proceed to the safest stairwell and relocate to a predetermined floor or outside safe refuge area.
408.9.4
Buildings that have their stair shaft doors locked.
Buildings that have stair shaft doors locked for security reasons shall include a method in the emergency plan that allows for safe horizontal egress from the stair shaft during a fire drill or emergency evacuation.
408.9.5
Coordination of total building evacuation.
The fire safety director of the building or their designee shall coordinate the date of the total building evacuation drill for buildings 35 or more stories in height with the Fire Department to be conducted during normal working hours. A fire safety officer shall be present to witness the total building evacuation drill.
408.9.6
Documentation of all fire drills.
The fire safety director shall maintain documentation of all fire drills on Fire Department-approved forms and make it available for inspection by the Department. Fire drills may be scheduled in advance, with a notice posted to all tenants. All building occupants shall participate in the fire drills and emergency evacuations.
408.10
Fees.
Fees shall be charged and collected in compliance with Sections 408.10.1 through 408.10.4.
408.10.1
Responsibility for Fees.
The building owner shall be responsible for the following fees.
1. Fire Safety Director Certificate fee. The owner of the building shall be responsible for paying the fee based on one Fire Safety-Director Certificate fee per building.
2. Floor Warden Certificate fee. The owner of the building shall be responsible for paying the fees based on one Floor Warden Certificate fee per floor.
3. Total building evacuation oversight fee. The owner of the building shall be responsible for paying the total building evacuation oversight fee.
408.10.2
Due dates.
Due dates shall be established by Sections 408.10.2.1 through 408.10.2.4.
408.10.2.1
Initial payment.
The permit fee shall initially be due, and shall accompany the filing of an initial permit application, on the first day of January following the date of construction, as that term is defined in Section 105.9.4. For buildings constructed prior to the effective date of these provisions, the initial payment shall be due on the first day of January following that effective date.
408.10.2.2
Annual Renewal.
Annual renewal of certificates and payment of fees for renewal of those existing certificates shall be due and payable each year on the first day of January of the calendar year and shall be submitted with the renewal application.
408.10.2.3
Total Building evacuation Payment.
The total building evacuation oversight fee shall be due and payable each year on the first day of January of the calendar year and shall be submitted with the renewal application.
408.10.2.4
Delinquency.
Fees, whether initial or renewal, which are not paid within 60 days after the due date shall be deemed delinquent and subject to a 50-percent penalty.
408.10.3
Computation manner of determining cost.
The Board, with the concurrence of the Office of the City Administrative Officer, shall determine on a regular basis, not less frequently than once every 2 years, the verifiable cost to the City for the certificate fees and the fees for the evacuation oversight for high-rise buildings. These costs shall be the actual costs incurred as determined by the Board. The costs shall include both direct and indirect costs to the City. The Board shall use these costs to develop a cost recovery schedule of applicable charges. The Board shall adopt such costs as fees at any time during each fiscal year. The cost recovery schedule shall recover the verifiable annual costs of administering the certificates for fire safety directors and floor wardens, as well as the administration of the total evacuation oversight for high-rise buildings, which shall include the cost of collection of any fees due and owing in connection with these fees. It shall take into consideration the number of certificates issued that are subject to the fees. Upon adoption of a schedule of verifiable costs by the Board, as provided herein, the Board shall transmit the Board order to the Mayor and to the City Council for approval.
408.10.4
MAnner of assessing fees.
The cost recovery schedule adopted herein shall impose a charge per certificate and set forth the applicable charges for total evacuation oversight.
408.11
Violations.
Violations shall be punishable as provided in this Fire Code as listed below.
- Each person, owner, manager, tenant, or other responsible party shall be guilty of a separate offense for each and every day during any portion of which any violation of any provision of this section is committed, continued or permitted by that person, and shall be punishable as provided in the Fire Code and as set forth below.
- In addition, any condition caused or permitted to exist in violation of any of the provisions of this section shall be deemed a public nuisance and may be summarily abated as such by the City. Each day that such a condition continues shall be deemed to be a new and separate offense.
408.11.1
Penalties and minimum fines.
Violation of Section 408, including refusal to participate in a mandatory fire drill required by this section, shall be subject to penalties and minimum fines as prescribed in Section 109.4.2 and Table 109.4.