Fire Safety Inspections Policy

Introduction

This policy establishes guidelines for Room Safety Inspections in the undergraduate and graduate dormitories. We recognize that there is a great deal of variety in the residence system, so this policy is designed to leave many of the details of the inspections up to the house managers of each hall. If you have questions about the process in your hall, contact your house manager. Inspections will occur once a year, early in the Fall term. The Fire Safety Room Inspection Checklist will be posted in your dormitory's front lobby for the resident's reference.

Before the Inspection

House managers will be responsible for scheduling inspections. If you chose to be present at the time of the inspection see your house manager for additional information. Residents of a living area should have at least two weeks prior notice of an inspection, and house managers are not to deviate from this schedule once it has been set. This time will allow a student to preemptively correct any violations he/she becomes aware of upon viewing of the safety checklist. Inspections should be widely publicized in the forms of emails, fliers, posters, etc. . Students who had previously indicated a desire to be present at the inspection of their rooms may take this time to reschedule with the house manager, if necessary. Students may also inform the house manager that another student will be present at the inspection as a proxy if that resident cannot be present him/herself.

The Inspection

Each inspection will be conducted by the house manger, and in some cases the house manager and an elected/employed student. The house mechanic may also be present, but does not need to be. Residents who are available during the scheduled time may be present, as well. It is preferable to have the student present, if possible; it allows for a direct communication between the house manager and the resident if there is a violation or other problem and saves the house manager the effort of tracking the student down for a future discussion.

Students who previously indicated that they would like to be present at the inspection, but who did not contact the house manager to reschedule due to anticipated absence, waive their right to be present, and their rooms can be inspected at the previously scheduled time.

During the inspection, the house manager should use the previously distributed checklist when looking for violations in the student's room. Students will not be disciplined for safety violations not on this list, but the house manager may choose to have a discussion with the student at his/her discretion about the violation and what needs to be done about it.

If the inspection uncovers illegal materials or violations of other Institute policies, the house manager is responsible for dealing with these through the normal channels. The inspection team should, by no means, make special efforts to find this sort of violation, though.

The act of inspection should balance the need for discovery of safety issues with the need for privacy on the part of the resident. An inspection should consist of a visual inspection of the public areas of the rooms, such as walls, floors, desktops, etc., but should exclude personal areas such as drawers or closets. In the event that a safety device, such as a sprinkler head, is in a closet, the house manager is responsible for checking this area. The student should be previously aware that this area would be inspected.

The inspection team should fill out a checklist for each room during the inspection. This checklist should be signed upon completion by the student (if present) and a member of the inspection team. The student will receive one copy of the completed form, and the house
manager will keep the other copy on file. If no violations were found, the inspection process for that room is completed for the year. If one or more violations are found, these should be noted on the form, and a follow-up inspection should be scheduled for at least one week from the date of the first inspection.

After the Inspection

In the case that violations are found, the resident will be given at least one week to remedy the situation. A follow-up inspection should be scheduled with the house manager. In the event that there are repeat and extreme offenses, immediate corrective action and disciplinary action may be taken, most likely in the form of a fine or community service.

Students are responsible for fixing violations that they are responsible for, such as daisy-chained extension cords, but the Institute is also responsible for providing students with as safe an environment as possible. Larger problems, such as damaged sprinkler heads or fire alarm equipment, should be addressed by the house managers. In halls where the physical facilities include older codes, the inspectors should take this into account and make the necessary allowances.

Conclusion

This policy is written with the intent of allowing the maximum level of safety and privacy for those involved. The Institute has a duty to insure that its housing is safe for residents, but also an obligation to respect privacy of residents. Students who feel their inspection violated their privacy (i.e. went beyond what was described in this policy, included drawers, etc) should report this incident to the chair of the Residential Fire Safety Committee, Dennis Collins (colins@mit.edu).