PURPOSE

The purpose of the Department of Energy /National Nuclear Security Administration (DOE) Fire Safety Committee is to provide a forum to facilitate the interaction between the DOE, its program offices and contractor personnel with common interests regarding the identification and resolution of fire safety-related issues including the development of appropriate fire protection Orders, Guides, and Technical Standards.

VALUE STATEMENT

The Fire Safety Committee will promote fire safety throughout the Department by sharing information, expertise, and sponsorship for the development of DOE fire protection Orders, Guides, and Technical Standards that are consistent with those promulgated for both nuclear and non-nuclear (industrial) industries. Such Orders Guides and Technical Standards will promote a level of fire protection that is consistent with the best class of industrial properties and achieve defense in depth.

OBJECTIVES

  1. Serve as the DOE focal point for fire protection Orders, Guides and Technical Standards issues.
  2. Function as the Preparing Activity/Reviewing Activity for developing fire protection Standards for the DOE Technical Standards Program Office (TSPO). In this capacity the Committee will provide assistance to the Office of Primary Interest (OPI) with coordination of newly-published Standards.
  3. Be prepared to define the DOE-wide position on DOE, non-DOE government, and non-government consensus fire protection Standards published or in comment coordination.
  4. Produce, when the need arises, fire protection Standards for national or international use.
  5. Partner and interface with non-DOE Standards development bodies (i.e., National Fire Protection Association/American National Standards Institute/American Nuclear Society/American Glovebox Society). Develop, when the need arises, a government-wide technical position on fire protection Standards for adoption by other non-DOE Technical Standards organizations.
  6. Promote implementation of DOE-wide best practices for nuclear and non-nuclear safety-related fire protection methods and requirements.
  7. Provide a path for fire protection technology transfer from the DOE.
  8. Establish and maintain liaison with other DOE topical committees having mutual interests through the TSPO. (The Committee shall advise all other DOE Technical Committees on the preparation of Standards related in subject matter and the correlation and consolidations of similar Standards prepared by these committees, and promote cooperation between these technical committees in areas of common interest.)
  9. Form direct ties with counterpart Standards development organization topical committees to participate in the development and review of national and international technical Standards.
  10. Participate with representatives of other topical committees and the TSP manager to establish guidance and protocols for topical committee operations under the TSP.
  11. Identify fire safety issues of concern for the Department.
  12. Sponsor the DOE/Contractor Fire Protection Workshop.
  13. Suggest areas of fire protection research to the Department.

MEMBERSHIP

Membership in the DOE Fire Safety Committee is open to all DOE and DOE contractors with responsibility for managing and overseeing implementation of fire protection requirements at DOE facilities. Every major DOE field element may have a representative on the committee. A majority of members will be Federal employees who will elect a committee chairperson on a two-year cycle to act as the official Committee lead and spokesperson. HSS representatives will serve as Committee Co-Chairperson, and Committee secretary.

SPONSORSHIP

The Fire Safety Committee is a standing topical Standards committee sponsored by the DOE Technical Standards Program. The following principles will govern its operation:

  1. Openness: Participation in Committee Standards development process will be open to all persons who are directly and materially affected by the activity in question.
  2. Balance of Interests: Any Order, Guide or Technical Standard development activities undertaken by the Committee will be comprised of representatives of all categories of interest that relate to the subject matter.
  3. Due Process: The Committee will ensure that any individual or organization within DOE who believes that an action or inaction of the Committee causes unreasonable hardship or potential harm is provided the opportunity to have a fair hearing of his/her concerns.
  4. Reporting: The Committee will report on fire protection Standards-related activities to the DOE TSPO on a frequency that is appropriate to the activity and consistent with the needs of the TSPO.

MEETINGS

Committee meetings will normally be held in conjunction with regularly scheduled workshops and conferences at which fire protection engineering management and oversight personnel attendance is expected. When the physical presence of the Committee is required, special meetings will be scheduled. These meetings will normally be hosted by the contractor at a DOE facility.

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