NOM-002-STPS-2010, Safety conditions - Fire prevention and protection in the workplace

Whereas, on 31 August 2009, in compliance with the provisions of article 46, section I, of the Federal Law on Metrology and Standardisation, the Ministry of Labour and Social Welfare submitted to the National Advisory Committee on Occupational Safety and Health Standardisation the Preliminary Draft Amendment to this Official Mexican Standard, and the said Committee considered it correct and agreed that it should be published as a Draft in the Official Gazette of the Federation; Whereas, to comply with the provisions of articles 69-E and 69-H of the Federal Law on Administrative Procedure, the corresponding Preliminary Draft was submitted for consideration to the Federal Commission for Regulatory Improvement, which issued a favourable ruling in respect thereof; Whereas, on 22 December 2009, in compliance with the Agreement establishing the organisation and Operating Rules of the National Advisory Committee on Occupational Safety and Health Standardisation, and with the provisions of article 47, section I, of the Federal Law on Metrology and Standardisation, the Draft Amendment to Official Mexican Standard NOM-002-STPS-2000, Safety conditions - Fire prevention, protection and fighting in the workplace, to become PROY-NOM-002-STPS-2009, Safety conditions - Fire prevention and protection in the workplace, was published in the Official Gazette of the Federation, so that, within the 60 calendar days following that publication, interested parties could submit their comments to the Committee; Whereas, having received comments from sixty-seven proponents, the said Committee proceeded to study them and resolved on them in due time, this authority publishing the respective responses in the Official Gazette of the Federation of 12 November 2010, in compliance with the provisions of article 47, section III, of the Federal Law on Metrology and Standardisation; Whereas, as a result of incorporating the comments submitted on the Draft Amendment to Official Mexican Standard NOM-002-STPS-2000, Safety conditions - Fire prevention, protection and fighting in the workplace, to become PROY-NOM-002-STPS-2009, Safety conditions - Fire prevention and protection in the workplace, as well as of the final review of the draft itself, various amendments were made for the purpose of giving clarity, consistency and legal certainty to the provisions applicable in the workplace, and Whereas, in view of the foregoing considerations and given that the National Advisory Committee on Occupational Safety and Health Standardisation granted its respective approval, the following is hereby issued: OFFICIAL MEXICAN STANDARD NOM-002-STPS-2010, SAFETY CONDITIONS - FIRE PREVENTION AND PROTECTION IN THE WORKPLACE

Appendix A Fire Risk Classification Reference Guide I Safety Instructions for Fire Prevention and Protection Reference Guide II Emergency Response Teams and General Considerations on the Planning of Fire Drills Reference Guide III Components and General Characteristics of the Personal Protective Equipment for Fire Brigade Members Reference Guide IV Fire Detectors Reference Guide V Fixed Fire-Fighting Systems Reference Guide VI Recommendations on Maximum Periods and Activities Relating to the Inspection and Testing of Fire-Fighting Systems and Equipment Reference Guide VII Fire Extinguishers Reference Guide VIII Extinguishing Agents Reference Guide IX Model Questionnaire for Interviews with Workers and Fire Brigade Members

To establish the requirements for fire prevention and protection in the workplace.

This Standard applies throughout the national territory and to all workplaces.

For the correct interpretation of this Standard, the following Official Mexican Standards in force, or those that replace them, shall be consulted:

3.1 NOM-017-STPS-2008, Personal protective equipment - Selection, use and management in the workplace.

3.2 NOM-022-STPS-2008, Static electricity in the workplace - Safety conditions.

3.3 NOM-026-STPS-2008, Safety and health colours and signs, and identification of hazards from fluids conveyed in pipes.

3.4 NOM-029-STPS-2005, Maintenance of electrical installations in the workplace - Safety conditions.

3.5 NOM-003-SEGOB-2002, Civil protection signs and notices - Colours, shapes and symbols to be used.

3.6 NOM-106-SCFI-2000, Design characteristics and conditions of use of the official mark.

3.7 NOM-154-SCFI-2005, Fire-fighting equipment - Extinguishers - Maintenance and recharge service.

For the purposes of this Standard, the following definitions are established:

4.1 Extinguishing agent; extinguishant: The substance, or mixture of substances, that extinguishes a fire on contact with a burning material, in the appropriate quantity.

4.2 Fire alarm: The audible and/or visible signal, different from that used in the workplace for other functions, that warns of a fire emergency. Visible signals shall be of the strobe type, that is, with rapid, high-intensity flashes of light at regular intervals.

4.3 Areas of the workplace: All those spaces intended for administrative, process, storage or service-provision activities.

4.4 Labour Authority; Authority of Labour: The competent administrative units of the Ministry of Labour and Social Welfare that carry out inspection functions in respect of occupational safety and health, and the corresponding units of the federal entities and the Federal District that act in support of them.

4.5 Local civil protection authority: The Authority of the civil protection systems of the Federal Entities, the Federal District and the Municipalities and Delegations that form part of the National Civil Protection System.

4.6 Fire brigade: The group of workers organised within an internal civil protection unit, trained and drilled in basic fire prevention and protection operations and fire emergency response, such as identifying the hazards of the fire emergency situation; handling fire-fighting equipment or systems, as well as evacuation, communication and first-aid actions, among others.

4.7 Workplace: All those places, such as buildings, premises, installations and areas, in which production, marketing, transport and storage or service-provision activities are carried out, or in which persons subject to an employment relationship work.

4.8 Combustible: Any material capable of burning when mixed in the appropriate quantities with an oxidiser and subjected to a source of ignition, such as: wood, paper, cardboard, certain textiles and plastics, diesel, oils and fuel oil.

4.9 Fire-fighting equipment: The apparatus or device, automatic or manual, installed and available to control and fight fires. Fire-fighting equipment is classified: a) By type, into: 1) Portable: Those designed to be carried and operated manually, with a total weight of 20 kilograms or less, and containing an extinguishing agent that can be expelled under pressure to fight or extinguish an incipient fire; 2) Wheeled: Those designed to be transported on wheels, without self-propulsion, with a weight of more than 20 kilograms, and containing an extinguishing agent that can be expelled under pressure to fight or extinguish an incipient fire, and 3) Fixed: Those installed permanently, which may be manually, semi-automatically or automatically operated, with extinguishing agents suited to the class of fire to be fought. These include manual water-based extinguishing systems (hoses); automatic sprinkler systems; spray systems; monitors; cannons, and foam systems, among others. b) By the extinguishing agent they contain, among others: 1) Wet chemical extinguishing agent: Those used to extinguish type A, B, C or K fires, and normally consisting of an aqueous solution of organic or inorganic salts, or a combination thereof, and 2) Special extinguishing agents: Products used to put out class D fires.

4.10 Explosive: A substance, or mixture of substances, solid or liquid, which, spontaneously, through a chemical oxidation reaction, can produce gases at a given temperature, pressure and speed, causing harm to persons or the work environment. Pyrotechnic substances form part of this definition, even where they do not produce gases.

4.11 Fire: The rapid oxidation of combustible materials with the release of light and heat. This phenomenon consists of a chemical electron-transfer reaction, with a high reaction rate and the release of light and heat. It is classified into the following classes: a) Class A fire: One that occurs in solid combustible material, generally of an organic nature, and whose combustion normally takes place with the formation of embers; b) Class B fire: One that occurs in combustible and flammable liquids and flammable gases; c) Class C fire: One that involves energised electrical appliances, equipment and installations; d) Class D fire: One involving combustible metals, such as magnesium, titanium, zirconium, sodium, lithium and potassium, and e) Class K fire: One that occurs basically in kitchen installations, involving combustible substances such as vegetable or animal oils and fats. Class K fires occur in deposits of semi-polymerised fat, and their behaviour differs from that of other combustibles.

4.12 Incipient fire: A fire in its initial stage that can be controlled or extinguished by means of portable extinguishers, fixed fire-fighting systems or other conventional suppression means, without the need to use basic firefighter protective clothing and equipment, such as: jacket, boots, helmets or breathing apparatus.

4.13 Flammable gas: A gas that has a flammable range with air at 20ºC and a reference pressure of 101.3 kPa, including, among others, propane, hydrogen, butane, pentane and ethane.

4.14 Fire: Fire that develops without control in time and space.

4.15 Safety instructions: The description, in logical and sequential order, of the activities that workers shall follow during their activities for fire prevention and protection in the workplace. These instructions may be contained in documents such as procedures, manuals or guides, among others.

4.16 Combustible liquid: Any substance with a vapour pressure equal to or less than 2 068.6 mm Hg, at 20°C, a fluidity greater than 300 on the asphalt scale, and a flash point equal to or greater than 37.8°C, including, among others, kerosene, gas oils, mineral spirits and crude oil.

4.17 Flammable liquid: Any substance with a vapour pressure equal to or less than 2 068.6 mm Hg, at 20°C, a fluidity greater than 300 on the asphalt scale, and a flash point of less than 37.8°C, including, among others, varnishes, lacquers, petrol, toluene and solvent-based paints.

4.18 Safe place: The zone or area selected and identified inside or outside the workplace, which workers and other occupants thereof shall use as a place of safety in the event of a fire alarm and evacuation, in accordance with the provisions of the emergency response plan.

4.19 Extinguisher maintenance: The complete internal and external inspection of the extinguisher and, where required, the testing, repairs, replacement of parts and recharging of the extinguishing agent, so that it operates effectively and safely.

4.20 Flammable material: Any solid, liquid or gas capable of burning easily on coming into contact with a source of ignition or heat, with rapid flame spread.

4.21 Pyrophoric material: Any solid or liquid that ignites on contact with air, even in small quantities, that is, that reacts spontaneously with the release of large amounts of light and heat.

4.22 Fire-resistant material: Fireproof or fire-retardant coatings, as well as construction elements such as walls, ceilings or floors, that can be subjected to the action of fire for a given time without igniting.

4.23 Fire detection means: Elements with automatic sensors and a fire alarm, which respond to physical and/or chemical stimuli such as heat, smoke, flame or combustion products, and which may be contained in independent devices or in systems.

4.24 Mutual aid plan: A set of strategies, actions and resources for assistance and cooperation agreed between two or more companies or organisations, for the prevention of and response to fire emergencies.

4.25 Extinguisher service provider: The individual or legal entity that carries out extinguisher maintenance and/or recharge services, verified against Standard NOM-154-SCFI-2005, or those that replace it, by a person accredited and approved to determine the conformity assessment of the said standard.

4.26 Fire prevention: All those technical or administrative actions carried out to prevent a fire from occurring in the workplace.

4.27 Civil Protection Programmes: The planning instruments for defining and establishing actions aimed at the prevention of calamities, including fire emergencies, and at responding to their impact on companies, industries, institutions or bodies in the public, social and private sectors. They are based on a diagnosis and are divided into three subprogrammes: prevention, relief and support. They are also regarded by different federal entities as internal, specific or special civil protection programmes.

4.28 Fire protection: All those installations, equipment or physical conditions adopted so that, if required, they can be used to respond to a fire emergency.

4.29 Flash point: The minimum temperature, corrected to the reference pressure of 101.3 kPa, at which a substance gives off vapours capable of forming a flammable mixture at its surface, which is not sufficient to sustain combustion.

4.30 Recharging of the agent: The complete replacement of the extinguishing agent with a new one and, where applicable, a certified one.

4.31 Evacuation route: The horizontal or vertical route, or a combination of both, continuous and unobstructed, that runs from any point in the workplace to a safe place outside, called the assembly point, and which includes intermediate premises such as rooms, lobbies, balconies, courtyards and other spaces, as well as their components, such as doors, stairs, ramps and corridors. It consists of the following parts: a) Access to the exit route: The part of the route that leads from any place in the workplace to the exit route; b) Exit route: The part of the route that continues from the access to the exit route, separated from other areas by elements providing a protected path to the exit discharge, and c) Exit discharge: The final part of the evacuation route that leads to an outside area of safety, called the assembly point.

4.32 Hot work: All those processes or activities in which equipment generating flame, heat, sparks, electric arc or incandescence is used, such as welding, cutting, abrasion and casting, among others.

4.33 Internal civil protection unit: The regulatory and operational body, whose sphere of action is confined to the premises of an institution, agency or entity belonging to the public, private or social sectors, which is responsible for developing and directing civil protection actions, as well as for preparing, implementing and coordinating the corresponding internal programme.

5.1 Classify the fire risk of the workplace, or by the areas making it up, such as plants, buildings or levels, in accordance with the provisions of Appendix A of this Standard.

5.2 Have a general sketch, plan or map of the workplace, or of the areas making it up, kept up to date and displayed at the main entry, transit, assembly points or common areas used by workers, containing the following, as applicable: a) The name, business name or trade name of the workplace and its address; b) The identification of adjoining properties; c) The identification of the main areas or zones of the workplace with fire risk, owing to the presence of flammable, combustible, pyrophoric or explosive material, among others; d) The location of the fire detection means, as well as of the fire-fighting equipment and systems; e) The evacuation routes, including at least the exit route and the exit discharge, in addition to emergency exits, emergency stairways and safe places; f) The location of the personal protective equipment for members of the fire brigades, and g) The location of materials and equipment for providing first aid.

5.3 Have the applicable safety instructions in each area of the workplace and disseminate them among workers, contractors and visitors, as appropriate (See Reference Guide I, Safety Instructions for Fire Prevention and Protection).

5.4 Comply with the fire prevention and protection conditions in the workplace, in accordance with the provisions of Chapter 7 of this Standard.

5.5 Have a fire emergency response plan, in accordance with Chapter 8 of this Standard.

5.6 Have fire brigades in workplaces classified as high fire risk, in accordance with Chapter 9 of this Standard.

5.7 Carry out fire emergency drills at least once a year for workplaces classified as ordinary fire risk, and at least twice a year for those with high fire risk, in accordance with Chapter 10 of this Standard (See Reference Guide II, Emergency Response Teams and General Considerations on the Planning of Fire Drills).

5.8 Prepare an annual theoretical-practical training programme on fire prevention and emergency response, in accordance with the provisions of Chapter 11 of this Standard, and train workers and members of the fire brigades on the basis of that programme.

5.9 Provide personal protective equipment to members of the fire brigades, taking into account for that purpose the functions and hazards to which they will be exposed, in accordance with the provisions of NOM-017-STPS-2008, or those replacing it (See Reference Guide III, Components and General Characteristics of the Personal Protective Equipment for Fire Brigade Members).

5.10 Have, in areas of the workplace classified as ordinary fire risk, fire detection means and fire-fighting equipment, and, in those with high fire risk, in addition to the foregoing, fixed fire protection systems and fire alarms, to address the possible scale of the fire emergency, which shall be suited to the class of fire that may occur (See Reference Guide IV, Fire Detectors, and Reference Guide V, Fixed Fire-Fighting Systems).

5.11 Have any of the documents indicated below, in the case of workplaces with high fire risk: a) The record and minutes relating to the satisfactory verification of compliance with this Standard, issued by the Ministry of Labour and Social Welfare, within the framework of the comprehensive assessments of the Self-Management Programme on Occupational Safety and Health, or b) The compliance opinion for this Standard issued by an accredited and approved verification unit, or c) The detailed record resulting from the review, verification, inspection or monitoring of the fire prevention and protection conditions in the workplace by the local civil protection authority corresponding to the address of the workplace, within the framework of internal, specific or special civil protection programmes.

5.12 Present to the labour authority, when so requested, the documents that this Standard requires the employer to prepare and hold.

6.1 Comply with the safety instructions issued by the employer.

6.2 Comply with the fire prevention and protection measures established by the employer.

6.3 Take part in the training and drill activities provided by the employer for fire prevention and protection.

6.4 Assist in responding to fire emergencies occurring in the workplace, in accordance with the training received.

6.5 Comply with the instructions on the use and care of the personal protective equipment provided by the employer to members of the fire brigades.

6.6 Take part in the fire brigades.

6.7 Take part in fire emergency drills.

6.8 Not block, damage, disable or make improper use of the personal protective equipment for emergency response, sketches, plans, maps, and evacuation, prevention and fire-fighting signage, among others.

6.9 Implement the alerting procedure, in the event of detecting a fire emergency situation.

7.1 Have safety instructions applicable to each area of the workplace available to workers, including those relating to the performance of hot work in areas where fires may occur, and supervise compliance with them.

7.2 Prepare an annual programme of monthly extinguisher inspection, and ensure that extinguishers meet the following conditions: a) That they are in the location assigned on the plan referred to in paragraph 5.2, subparagraph d), and that they are installed in accordance with the provisions of paragraph 7.17 of this Standard; b) That they are located in visible, easily accessible places free of obstacles; c) That they bear signage in accordance with the provisions of NOM-026-STPS-2008 or NOM-003-SEGOB-2002, or those replacing them; d) That they have an unbroken tamper seal or strap; e) That the pressure gauge needle indicates pressure in the green (operable) zone, in the case of extinguishers with a permanently pressurised cylinder containing water, water with additives, foam, dry chemical powder, halons, clean agents or wet chemicals as the extinguishing agent; f) That they maintain the rated capacity indicated by the manufacturer on the label, in the case of extinguishers with carbon dioxide as the extinguishing agent; g) That they have not been activated, according to the device included by the manufacturer on the extinguisher to detect activation, in the case of extinguishers containing dry chemical powder as the extinguishing agent, which are pressurised at the moment of operation by means of gas from internal or external cartridges or capsules; h) That the condition of the wheels of mobile extinguishers is checked; i) That there is no evident physical damage, such as corrosion, pressure leakage, obstruction, dents or deformation; j) That there is no physical damage, such as breaks, detachments, bulges or perforations, in hoses, nozzles or the operating lever, that could cause malfunction. The extinguisher shall be taken out of service when it shows damage affecting its operation, or where such damage cannot be repaired, in which case it shall be replaced by another of the same characteristics and operating conditions; k) That the label, plate or engraving is legible and unaltered; l) That the label bears the following up-to-date information after each maintenance service: 1) The name, business name or trade name, address and telephone number of the service provider; 2) The rated capacity in kilograms or litres, and the extinguishing agent; 3) Brief and easily understandable operating instructions, supported by figures or symbols; 4) The class of fire for which the equipment is intended; 5) Contraindications for use, where applicable; 6) The official mark of compliance with the applicable regulations in force, in accordance with the provisions of Official Mexican Standard NOM-106-SCFI-2000, or those replacing it, as applicable; 7) The month and year of the last maintenance service carried out, and 8) The official mark of compliance with Standard NOM-154-SCFI-2005, or those replacing it, and the number of the compliance opinion for it, and m) Dry chemical powder extinguishers shall additionally have the collar required by NOM-154-SCFI-2005, or those replacing it. Verification of the aspects contained in paragraph 7.2, subparagraph l), sub-subparagraphs 7) and 8), and subparagraph m), shall not be required in the case of newly acquired equipment.

7.3 Keep a record of the results of the monthly extinguisher inspection, containing at least: a) The date of the inspection; b) The name or identification of the personnel who carried out the inspection; c) The results of the monthly extinguisher inspection; d) The anomalies identified, and e) The follow-up of the anomalies identified.

7.4 Establish and follow up an annual programme of inspection and testing for fire-fighting equipment, detection means and, where applicable, fire alarms and fixed fire-fighting systems (See Reference Guide VI, Recommendations on Maximum Periods and Activities Relating to the Inspection and Testing of Fire-Fighting Systems and Equipment). If, as a result of that inspection and testing, damage or deterioration is found in the fire-fighting equipment, systems and detection means, they shall undergo the corresponding maintenance by personnel trained for that purpose.

7.5 Establish and follow up an annual programme for inspecting the electrical installations of the areas of the workplace, with emphasis on those classified as high fire risk, to identify and correct any unsafe conditions that may exist, which shall cover at least the following elements: a) Distribution panels; b) Conductors; c) Raceways, including the conductors and free space within them; d) Junction boxes; e) Outlets; f) Switches; g) Light fittings; h) Protective devices, including short-circuit protection - fuses, disconnect switches, circuit breakers, thermal-magnetic devices, among others - in feeder and branch circuits, and i) Earthing of equipment and circuits.

7.5.1 This programme shall be prepared and implemented by personnel previously trained and authorised by the employer.

7.5.2 Among the aspects to be inspected under the programme referred to in this paragraph, the so-called hot spots of the electrical installation shall be considered, together with broken or loose, exposed or burnt insulation or connections; overloads (several loads on a single socket outlet); alterations, and improvisations, among others.

7.5.3 If, as a result of that inspection, damage or deterioration is found in the electrical installations, they shall undergo the corresponding maintenance by personnel trained for that purpose, in accordance with the provisions of NOM-029-STPS-2005, or those replacing it.

7.6 Establish and follow up an annual programme for inspecting liquefied petroleum gas and/or natural gas installations, to identify and correct any unsafe conditions that may exist, which shall contain at least the following elements: a) The integrity of the elements making up the installation, and b) The signage of the installation's pipework, which shall be kept visible and legible, in accordance with the provisions of NOM-026-STPS-2008, or those replacing it.

7.6.1 This programme shall be prepared and implemented by personnel previously trained and authorised by the employer.

7.6.2 If, as a result of the inspection, damage or deterioration is found in those installations, they shall undergo the corresponding maintenance by personnel trained for that purpose.

7.7 Keep a record of the results of the programmes referred to in paragraphs 7.4, 7.5 and 7.6, with at least the following information: a) The name, business name or trade name and complete address of the workplace; b) The date of the inspection; c) The areas inspected; d) The anomalies detected and the actions determined for their correction and follow-up, as applicable, and e) The name and position of those responsible for the inspection.

7.8 Have, where applicable, signage prohibiting smoking, generating open flame or sparks and bringing in incandescent objects, matches, cigarettes or, as applicable, using mobile telephones, radio communication devices, or others that could cause ignition because they are not intrinsically safe, in areas where flammable or explosive materials are produced, stored or handled. Such signage shall comply with the provisions of NOM-026-STPS-2008 or NOM-003-SEGOB-2002, or those replacing them.

7.9 Have signage near lifts prohibiting their use in the event of fire, in accordance with the provisions of NOM-003-SEGOB-2002, or those replacing it.

7.10 Prohibit and prevent the blocking, damage, disabling or improper use of fire-fighting equipment and systems, personal protective equipment for emergency response, as well as evacuation, prevention and fire-fighting equipment and systems signage, among others.

7.11 Establish access controls for workers and other persons entering areas where flammable or explosive materials are stored, processed or handled.

7.12 Adopt safety measures to prevent the generation and accumulation of static electricity in areas where flammable or explosive materials are handled, in accordance with the provisions of NOM-022-STPS-2008, or those replacing it. Likewise, control in such areas the use of tools, clothing, footwear and personal items that could generate sparks, open flame or high temperatures.

7.13 Have safety measures or procedures for the use of heating equipment, heaters, ovens, grills or other heat sources in areas where flammable or explosive materials are present, and supervise compliance with them.

7.14 Prohibit and prevent the storage of materials or placement of objects that obstruct or interfere with access to fire-fighting equipment or to the fire alarm devices or manual activation devices of fixed fire-fighting systems.

7.15 Have evacuation routes that meet the following conditions: a) That they are marked with signage in visible locations, in accordance with the provisions of NOM-026-STPS-2008 or NOM-003-SEGOB-2002, or those replacing them; b) That they are free of obstacles hindering the movement of workers and other occupants; c) That they have emergency lighting devices allowing the floor and any change in its surface to be perceived when the electrical power is interrupted or natural lighting is lacking; d) That the distance to be travelled from the furthest point inside a building to any point on the evacuation route is not more than 40 m. Otherwise, the maximum evacuation time for occupants to reach a safe place shall be three minutes; e) That escalators are considered part of an evacuation route only once the power supplying them and their movement has been isolated; f) That lifts are not considered part of an evacuation route and are not used in the event of fire; g) That changes in level or steps in the passageways and corridors of the evacuation routes are marked with signage, in accordance with NOM-026-STPS-2008 or NOM-003-SEGOB-2002, or those replacing them, and h) That, along the path of the external emergency stairways of newly built workplaces, windows, glass façades or any other type of opening do not represent a risk factor for their use during a fire emergency situation.

7.16 Have normal and/or emergency exits that meet the following conditions: a) That they are identified in accordance with the provisions of NOM-026-STPS-2008 or NOM-003-SEGOB-2002, or those replacing them; b) That they lead to a landing, where they give access to a stairway; c) That, at emergency exits, doors open in the direction of travel, unless they are automatic and sliding; d) That doors are made of fire-resistant materials and capable of preventing the passage of smoke between work areas, where the area or workplace is classified as high fire risk and it is necessary to prevent the spread of a fire towards an evacuation route or adjoining areas owing to the presence of flammable or explosive materials; e) That emergency doors have a mechanism allowing them to be opened from the inside by a simple pushing action; f) That doors regarded as emergency exits are free of obstacles, padlocks, latches or locks secured during working hours that would prevent their use in emergencies, and g) That, where their doors are regarded as emergency exits and operate automatically, or by means of electrical or electronic devices, they allow manual opening should the electrical power be interrupted in emergency situations.

7.17 Install extinguishers in the areas of the workplace, in accordance with the following: a) Have extinguishers suited to the class of fire that may occur (See Reference Guide VII, Fire Extinguishers, and Reference Guide VIII, Extinguishing Agents); b) Place at least one extinguisher for every 300 square metres of area or fraction thereof, where the degree of risk is ordinary; c) Place at least one extinguisher for every 200 square metres of area or fraction thereof, where the degree of risk is high; d) Not exceed the maximum travel distances indicated in Table 1, by class of fire, to reach any extinguisher, taking into account the necessary turns and detours: Table 1 Maximum Travel Distances by Type of Risk and Class of Fire. Fire risk. Maximum distance to extinguisher (metres)

7.18 Provide maintenance to extinguishers as a result of the monthly inspections. Such maintenance shall be guaranteed in accordance with the provisions of NOM-154-SCFI-2005, or those replacing it, and shall be provided at least once a year. When extinguishers undergo maintenance, they shall be replaced in the same location by others of at least the same type and capacity.

7.19 Provide recharging of extinguishers after use and, where applicable, as a result of maintenance, which shall be guaranteed in accordance with the provisions of NOM-154-SCFI-2005, or those replacing it.

8.1 The fire emergency response plan shall contain, as applicable, the following: a) The identification and location of areas, premises or buildings and process equipment used for the manufacture, storage or handling of raw materials, by-products, products and waste or residues involving fire risk; b) The identification of evacuation routes, emergency exits and stairways, lower-risk zones and assembly points, among others; c) The alerting procedure, in the event of a fire emergency, based on the detection mechanism in place; d) The procedures for operating the fire-fighting equipment, tools and fixed systems, and for using the personal protective equipment for members of the fire brigades; e) The procedure for evacuating workers, contractors, employers and visitors, among others, taking into account persons with disabilities; f) The members of the fire brigades, with their responsibilities and functions to be carried out; g) The personal protective equipment for members of the fire brigades; h) The mutual aid plan in place with other workplaces; i) The procedure for requesting assistance from specialised emergency services to respond to the fire emergency, taking into account the directory of the local specialised emergency services; j) The procedures for returning to normal operating activities, for eliminating risks after the emergency, as well as for identifying damage; k) The frequency of the fire emergency drills to be carried out; l) The means for disseminating to all workers the content of the fire emergency response plan and the manner in which they will take part in its implementation, and m) The instructions for responding to fire emergencies.

8.2 For workplaces with high fire risk, the fire emergency response plan shall contain, in addition to the provisions of paragraph 8.1, the following: a) The first-aid, communication and evacuation teams; b) The procedures for carrying out their activities, and c) The resources for performing the functions of the teams.

9.1 To determine the number of members of the workplace's fire brigade(s), at least the following shall be considered: a) The number of workers per shift at the workplace; b) The assignment and rotation of workers across the different shifts, and c) The results of the drills, based on the provisions of paragraph 10.3, subparagraphs d), e), f) and g) of this Standard, taking into account the most serious foreseeable accidents that could occur in the different areas of the premises.

9.2 Members of the fire brigades shall be selected from among workers who are willing to take part and who have the physical and mental aptitude to carry out the functions assigned to them in the fire emergency response plan.

9.3 Fire brigades shall have at least the following functions: a) Assess the hazards of the fire emergency situation, to take the appropriate decisions and actions, through the fire brigade leader or, failing that person, whoever assumes command, in accordance with the fire emergency response plan, and b) Recognise and operate the fire-fighting equipment, tools and fixed systems, and know how to use fire personal protective equipment, in accordance with the manufacturer's instructions, the established procedures and the training provided by the employer or by the trained persons designated by the employer.

10.1 Fire emergency drills shall be carried out by area or for the entire workplace.

10.2 The planning of fire emergency drills shall be recorded in writing and shall contain at least: a) The names of those responsible for coordinating the drill and for establishing the safety measures to be adopted during it; b) The date and time of execution; c) The scope of the drill: comprehensive or by areas of the workplace, with or without prior notice, personnel involved, among others; d) The determination of the type of most critical emergency scenarios that could occur, taking into account mainly the type and quantity of flammable or explosive materials, the characteristics, the fire risk and the nature of the areas of the workplace, as well as the functions and activities to be carried out by the personnel involved; e) The sequence of actions to be carried out during the drill, and f) Where applicable, the participation of the local specialised emergency services to respond to the emergency, if such services exist, and if the type of emergency scenario planned provides for it.

10.3 The results of fire emergency drills shall be recorded with at least the following information: a) The name, business name or trade name of the workplace where the drill was carried out, including the complete address; b) The areas of the workplace in which the drill was carried out; c) The number of persons involved; d) The resources used during the drill; e) The detection of deviations from the planned actions; f) Recommendations for updating the fire emergency response plan; g) The duration of the drill, and h) The names of those responsible for coordinating it.

11.1 Workers shall be trained to prevent fires in the workplace, in accordance with the fire risks that may occur in their areas or workstations, in the basic aspects of fire risks and concepts of fire.

11.2 Workers shall receive theoretical-practical training, as applicable, to: a) Operate extinguishers and/or fixed fire-fighting systems; b) Act in accordance with the fire emergency response plan; c) Act and respond in fire emergencies, as well as prevent fire risks in work areas where flammable or explosive materials are stored, processed and handled, with regard to: 1) Electrical installations; 2) Liquefied petroleum gas or natural gas utilisation installations; 3) Prevention of unsafe acts that could give rise to fires; 4) Fire prevention measures, and 5) Order and cleanliness. d) Take part in the mutual aid plan in place with other workplaces; e) Identify an incipient fire and fight it, as well as activate the alerting procedure, and f) Lead visitors to the workplace to a safe place during drills or in the event of fire emergencies.

11.3 Fire brigade members at workplaces classified as high fire risk shall be trained, in addition to the provisions of paragraphs 11.1 and 11.2, in applying the instructions for responding to fire emergencies, in accordance with the fire emergency response plan, on the following topics: a) The content of the fire emergency response plan, established in Chapter 8 of this Standard; b) The strategies, tactics and techniques for extinguishing incipient fires or, as applicable, fires, according to the potential emergencies of the workplace and the fire emergency response plan; c) Basic rescue and first-aid procedures; d) Internal communication with workers and fire brigade members, and external communication with emergency services; e) The coordination of the fire brigades with external emergency services, to respond to emergency situations; f) The operation, use and maintenance of fire-fighting equipment; g) The inspection of equipment for fire protection and fighting, as well as of first-aid equipment, and h) The safe handling of flammable or explosive materials in emergencies, taking into account the following aspects: 1) The properties and characteristics of such materials, which may be consulted in their respective safety data sheets; 2) Reactivity hazards; 3) Health hazards; 4) Special extinguishing means, techniques and precautions; 5) Contraindications for fire-fighting, and 6) Mitigation methods for controlling the substance.

11.4 The fire brigade leader and whoever is designated to stand in during their absences shall additionally receive training in decision-making and the actions to be taken, depending on the magnitude and class of fire.

11.5 The annual training programme shall contain at least the following information: a) The job positions involved in the training; b) The training topics in accordance with paragraphs 11.1, 11.2 and 11.3; c) The duration of the courses, talks or training activities and their period of implementation, and d) The name of the person responsible for the programme.

12.1 The employer may engage accredited and approved verification units, in accordance with the provisions of the Federal Law on Metrology and Standardisation, to verify or assess compliance with this Standard.

12.2 The employer may consult the current directory of verification units accredited and approved by the Ministry of Labour and Social Welfare at the following website: www.stps.gob.mx.

12.3 Verification units assessing conformity with this Standard shall apply the compliance criteria established in the conformity assessment procedure in Chapter 13 of this Standard.

12.4 Accredited and approved verification units assessing compliance with this Standard shall issue a compliance opinion, which shall contain: a) Workplace data: 1) The name, business name or trade name; 2) The complete address, and 3) The name and signature of the legal representative; b) Verification unit data: 1) The name, business name or trade name; 2) The registration number granted by the accreditation body; 3) The approval number granted by the Ministry of Labour and Social Welfare; 4) The date on which accreditation and approval were granted; 5) The result of the verification; 6) The name and signature of the person responsible for issuing the opinion; 7) The place and date of signature of the opinion, and 8) The period of validity of the opinion.

12.5 The compliance opinions for this Standard issued by verification units shall be valid for three years.

13.1 This conformity assessment procedure applies both to the labour authority, in the exercise of its enforcement powers or when verifying compliance with the Standard, within the framework of the comprehensive assessments of the Self-Management Programme on Occupational Safety and Health, and to verification units.

13.2 The aspects to verify during the conformity assessment of this Standard are carried out, as applicable, by means of physical verification, documentary review, records or interview, in accordance with the following: Type of

5.2 Physical The employer complies when, on conducting a walk-through of the workplace, it is confirmed that: It has a general sketch, plan or map of the workplace, or

5.3 Documentary The employer complies when: It presents documentary evidence that it has the applicable safety instructions in each area of the workplace, and It demonstrates that it disseminates the applicable safety instructions in each area

5.4 and 7 Documentary The employer complies when it presents documentary evidence that: It has safety instructions applicable to each area of the workplace available to workers, including those relating to the performance of hot work in areas where fires may occur, and supervises compliance with

                                handle      flammable    materials     or
                                explosives,   as    well    as    such

                                enter the areas where they process               or    handle    materials
                                store,      process     or   handle flammable or explosives, may
                                flammable materials or explosives;     consist of doors with bolts,
                                Safety measures are adopted padlocks, cordoning off, among other
                                to    prevent     the    generation  and measures and, additionally, have

                            2008 or NOM-003-SEGOB-2002, or emergency       is    not    to     be used
                            those replacing them;            regularly as a means of entry-

1.50 m, measured from floor level to the highest part of the extinguisher, and Protected from damage and from environmental conditions that could affect their operation; At least half the required

5.5 and 8 Documentary The employer complies when: It presents documentary evidence that it has a fire emergency response plan containing, as applicable,

                                    The    procedures     for    the
                                     operation    of     the     equipment,

5.6 and 9 Documentary The employer complies when it presents documentary evidence that it has formed the fire brigade(s), in accordance with the following: (This obligation applies exclusively to workplaces classified as high fire risk.) At least the following was considered when determining the number of members of

5.7 and 10 Documentary The employer complies when it presents documentary evidence that the planning, by area or for the entire workplace, of fire emergency drills contains at least: (It is valid for fire emergency drills to be carried out by area or for the entire workplace.) The names of those responsible for coordinating the drill and for establishing the safety measures to be adopted during it; The date and time of execution; The scope of the drill: comprehensive or by areas of the workplace, with or without prior notice, personnel involved, among others; The determination of the type of most critical emergency scenarios that

5.8 and 11 Documentary The employer complies when it presents documentary evidence that: (Compliance with the requirements of paragraphs 5.8 and 11 may be demonstrated

                             ●    The         properties      and
                                  characteristics    of   such

11.2 and 11.3 of this Standard; The duration of the courses, talks or training activities and their period of implementation, and The name of the person

5.9 Physical The employer complies when, on conducting a walk-through of the workplace, it is confirmed that the members of the fire brigade(s) have fire personal protective equipment, selected in accordance with the provisions of NOM-017-STPS-2008, or those replacing it.

5.10 Physical The employer complies when, on conducting a walk-through of the workplace, it is confirmed that, in areas classified as ordinary fire risk, there are fire detection means and fire-fighting equipment, and, in those with high fire risk, in addition to the foregoing, fixed fire protection systems and fire alarms, to address the possible scale of the fire emergency, which are suited to the class of fire that may occur. (For workplaces with ordinary fire risk, independent devices or detection systems, as well as fire-fighting equipment or systems, may be used.)

5.11 Documentary This Standard is considered to be complied with when the employer presents: (This obligation applies only in the case of workplaces with high fire risk.) The record and minutes relating to the satisfactory verification of compliance with this Standard, issued by the Ministry of Labour and Social Welfare, within the framework of the comprehensive assessments of the Self-Management Programme on Occupational Safety and Health, or The compliance opinion for this Standard issued by an accredited and approved verification unit, or The detailed record resulting from the review, verification, inspection or monitoring of the fire prevention and protection conditions in the workplace by the local civil protection authority corresponding to the address of the workplace, within the framework of internal, specific or special civil protection programmes.

13.3 To select workers to be interviewed (See Reference Guide IX, Model Questionnaire for Interviews with Workers and Fire Brigade Members), to verify compliance with the provisions of this conformity assessment procedure, the sampling criterion set out in Table 2 below shall be applied: Table 2 Random Selection Sampling. Total number of workers. Number of workers to be interviewed. 1-10 1. 11-50 2. 51-250 3 per every 100 workers. More than 250 3 per every 100 workers up to a maximum of 15

13.4 The records and minutes relating to the satisfactory verification of compliance with this Standard by the federal labour inspectorate, within the framework of the comprehensive assessments of the Self-Management Programme on Occupational Safety and Health, shall serve as proof of compliance with the Standard, provided that the workplace does not permanently withdraw from the Programme.

13.5 The detailed records resulting from the review, verification, inspection or monitoring of the fire prevention and protection conditions in the workplace, issued by the local civil protection authority within the framework of internal, specific or special civil protection programmes, shall serve as proof of compliance with this Standard for the three years following their issuance.

13.6 Documentary evidence or records held at the workplace may be presented in printed form or on magnetic media, and shall be kept for three years.

14.1 Enforcement of compliance with this Standard is the responsibility of the Ministry of Labour and Social Welfare within its sphere of competence.

15.1 General Operating Guidelines of the Self-Management Programme on Occupational Safety and Health. Ministry of Labour and Social Welfare.

15.2 NFPA 10 Standard for Portable Fire Extinguishers, 2002 Edition. National Fire Protection Association.

15.3 NMX-J-604-ANCE-2008, Electrical installations - Diagnostic and reconditioning methods for electrical installations in operation - Specifications. Declaration of validity published in the Official Gazette of the Federation of 12 December 2008.

15.4 International Labour Organization; Model Code of Safety Regulations for Industrial Establishments for the Guidance of Governments and Industry, Chapter III (Fire prevention and protection), Geneva, 1950.

15.5 Terms of Reference for the Preparation of Internal Civil Protection Programmes. TRPC-001-1998. Official Gazette of the Federal District of 9 September 1998.

15.6 Fire Safety Manual. Fundación MAPFRE, 2003 Edition.

15.7 Fire Protection Handbook. National Fire Protection Association. MAPFRE Ed., Seventeenth Edition. Artur E. Cote.

15.8 NFPA 101: Life Safety Code. National Fire Protection Association. 2007 Edition. Built area, in square metres Less than 3 000 Equal to or Greater than 3 000 Inventory of combustible liquids, in Less than 2 000 Equal to or Greater than 2 000 Inventory of combustible solids, Less than 15 000 Equal to or Greater than 15 000 Materials pyrophoric and explosives, in Not applicable Any quantity

This Official Mexican Standard does not correspond to any international standard, as no such reference existed at the time it was drafted.

FIRST.- This Official Mexican Standard shall enter into force six months after its publication in the Official Gazette of the Federation. Workplaces with a high fire risk shall hold any of the documents referred to in paragraph 5.11 of this Standard as from 1 January 2014. SECOND.- During the period indicated in the preceding article, employers shall comply with the provisions of NOM-002-STPS-2000, Safety conditions - Fire prevention, protection and fighting in the workplace, or shall make the adaptations needed to observe the provisions of this Official Mexican Standard and, in the latter case, the labour authorities shall provide, at the request of interested employers, advice and guidance for implementing compliance, without the employers becoming liable to penalties for non-compliance with the Standard in force. THIRD.- From the date on which this Official Mexican Standard enters into force, NOM-002-STPS-2000, Safety conditions - Fire prevention, protection and fighting in the workplace, published in the Official Gazette of the Federation of 8 September 2000, shall cease to have effect. FOURTH.- The Ministry of Labour and Social Welfare, through the General Directorate of Occupational Safety and Health, shall promote the coordination actions necessary for the local civil protection authority to use the conformity assessment procedure of this Standard in the exercise of its powers to supervise the fire prevention and protection conditions in the workplace, within the framework of internal, specific or special civil protection programmes. It shall likewise promote the coordination actions conducive to the records and minutes relating to the satisfactory verification of compliance with this Standard issued by the Ministry of Labour and Social Welfare, within the framework of the comprehensive assessments of the Self-Management Programme on Occupational Safety and Health, as well as the compliance opinions issued by accredited and approved verification units, being recognised by the local civil protection authority to certify compliance with the fire prevention and protection provisions in the workplace, within the framework of internal, specific or special civil protection programmes.

Fire Risk Classification A.1 Instructions for classifying fire risk A.1.1 To determine the fire risk in the workplace, Table A.1 shall be applied. Table A.1 Determination of fire risk. Fire risk. Concept. Ordinary. High. square metres. litres. litres. including the furniture of the workplace, in kilograms. kilograms. A.1.2 The classification of the fire risk in the workplace may be determined by the areas making it up, provided they are demarcated by fire-resistant materials or by separation, preventing rapid fire spread between them. A.1.3 To determine the fire risk, the following procedure shall be followed: a) Identify the built area in square metres of the workplace, or of the areas making it up. b) Identify the maximum inventory recorded over the course of a year of the materials, substances or products stored, processed and handled in the workplace, or in the areas making it up, for the applicable concepts of Table A.1. c) To determine the inventory of combustible solids from the furniture in administrative offices and other similar areas, an average of 60 kg per worker of the workplace, or of the areas making it up, shall be considered. Workers who carry out their activities outside the workplace, such as drivers, delivery staff, salespeople and promoters, among others, shall not be counted. The inventory may optionally be determined by considering the actual quantity present. d) When the workplace, or the areas making it up, has two or more materials, substances or products corresponding to the same concept, the fire risk for that concept shall be determined on the basis of the sum of the inventories of those materials, substances or products. A.1.4 The following shall be classified by fire risk: a) Ordinary: Workplaces with a built area of less than three thousand square metres and that obtain a result of less than ONE from applying the formula referred to in paragraph A.1.3, subparagraph e). b) High: Workplaces with a built area equal to or greater than three thousand square metres, as well as workplaces with any built area that obtain a result equal to or greater than ONE from applying the formula referred to in paragraph A.1.3, subparagraph e). A.1.5 Passageways, recreation areas and car parks of the workplace that, exceptionally, are used temporarily, for no more than seven days, to store flammable or combustible liquids, shall not be subject to fire risk classification; however, they shall be provided with at least portable or mobile fire-fighting equipment appropriate to the type of fire that may occur. A.1.6 When the maximum inventories recorded over the course of a year of the materials, substances or products are modified, a new determination of the fire risk shall be made. A.2 Presentation of the fire risk classification A.2.1 The fire risk classification, whether comprehensive or by area of the workplace, shall be recorded in a free-form document, containing at least the following information: a) The name, business name, trade name or specific identification of the workplace; b) The complete address of the workplace; c) The general description of the production process, as well as the materials and quantities used in those processes; d) The maximum number of workers per work shift or, where applicable, those located in premises, buildings or levels of the workplace; e) The estimated maximum number of persons external to the workplace who attend it, such as contractors and visitors; f) The built area in square metres; g) The breakdown of the maximum inventory recorded over the course of a year of the materials, substances or products stored, processed and handled in the workplace, and the corresponding classification in each case, in accordance with Table A.1. Where the classification has been carried out independently for each work area, the breakdown of inventories and the corresponding classification shall be presented for each of them; h) The calculation carried out to determine the final fire risk; i) The date on which the final fire risk determination was carried out; j) The type of fire risk (ordinary or high), and k) The name of the person(s) responsible for the classification carried out.

Safety Instructions for Fire Prevention and Protection The content of this guide is a supplement for better understanding of the Standard and is not mandatory. The following sets out, by way of illustration and not limitation, some general elements to be considered in developing safety instructions for fire prevention and protection: I.1 Safety in fire prevention: I.1.1 Provisions for the entry, supervision and exit of contractors, suppliers, visitors, among others, in the areas of the workplace: a) Registration of entry to the respective work area; b) Use of a badge; c) Safety instructions to be followed while on the premises; d) Actions to be taken in emergency situations; e) Control of access by unauthorised personnel to restricted areas, and f) Control of presence and exit. I.1.2 Control of the entry, storage and removal of combustible, flammable and explosive materials: a) Registration of the entry of materials; b) Entry of materials duly labelled and accompanied by a safety data sheet; c) Safety instructions to be followed during receipt and, where applicable, transfer; d) Safety instructions to be followed for the storage of materials: 1) Ventilated areas; 2) Equipment, vehicles and installations earthed; 3) Cordoning off of areas and signage, and 4) Limiting the quantity of such materials to that required for the activities; e) Proper use, inspection and maintenance of Liquefied Petroleum Gas and/or Natural Gas installations; f) Use of safety containers fitted with a flame arrester and a device that prevents leakage of liquids, and g) Control and cleaning of areas, containers, pipework, among others, in the event of spills. I.1.3 Control of ignition sources: a) Proper use, inspection and maintenance of electrical installations; b) Proper use, inspection and maintenance of heating equipment, heaters or other heat sources; c) Safety procedures for performing hot work; d) Prohibition of smoking or bringing in objects that produce sparks or flame, in fire risk areas; e) Use of intrinsically safe (explosion-proof) electrical or electronic equipment and appliances; f) Control of the generation and accumulation of static electricity on equipment, installations, machinery, clothing, tools, among others, and g) Dissipation of static charges from personnel handling flammable or explosive materials. I.2 Safety in fire protection: a) Information on the location of evacuation routes, emergency exits, emergency stairways, safety zones and assembly points; b) Instructions on the alerting means available for emergency situations; c) Instructions for the fire brigade members and other personnel responsible for responding to the emergency, and d) Information on the location and signage of the fire-fighting equipment and systems available and, where applicable, general instructions for their use.

Emergency Response Teams and General Considerations on the Planning of Fire Drills The content of this guide is a supplement for better understanding of the Standard and is not mandatory. The emergency response team, as a group of persons organised and trained for emergencies, shall be responsible for preventing the occurrence of a serious risk, emergency, incident or disaster within a company, industry or establishment, and its function is aimed at safeguarding people, their property and their surrounding environment. II.1 Formation of teams Workplaces may have the following teams: a) Evacuation; b) First aid; c) Fire prevention and fighting, and d) Communication. Depending on the needs of the workplace, teams may be multifunctional, that is, team members may act in two or more specialities. A team generally has a minimum of three members and a maximum of seven, and shall be made up of a team leader and team members. Workplaces with several risk areas shall determine the number of teams required, in accordance with their emergency response plan. II.2 Characteristics of team members Members of the teams shall have the following characteristics: a) A sense of service and a dynamic attitude; b) Good physical and mental health; c) Willingness to cooperate; d) Command ability and leadership; e) Knowledge of the subject matter; f) Capacity for decision-making; g) Judgement to solve problems; h) Responsibility, initiative, formality, composure and cordiality; i) Awareness that this activity is carried out on a voluntary basis, and j) Motivation for the proper performance of this function, which consists in safeguarding the life and physical integrity of persons. II.3 General functions of team members a) Promote a culture of emergency prevention among the workplace community; b) Activate the safety equipment when required; c) Raise the alarm in the event of a serious risk, emergency, incident or disaster; d) Help people remain calm in the event of an emergency; e) Use their identification badges when a serious risk, emergency, incident or disaster occurs, or the mere possibility thereof, as well as when evacuation drills are carried out; f) Replace or support members of other teams when required, and g) Cooperate with external security forces. II.4 Functions and activities of the evacuation team a) Implement, install and keep in good condition the signage of the building, as well as the guide plans. Such signage shall include fire extinguishers, first-aid kits and hydrants; b) Keep an up-to-date and permanent headcount of personnel; c) Give the signal to evacuate the premises, in accordance with the instructions of the general coordinator; d) Take part in evacuation drills and in emergency situations; e) Act as guides and rearguards in evacuation drills and in emergency situations, as well as lead groups of people towards areas of lower risk and check that no one remains in their assigned area; f) Determine the assembly points; g) Continuously check that the evacuation routes are free of obstacles; h) Lead people, out of danger and to a safe place, during an emergency situation, through the access to the exit route, the exit route and the exit discharge; i) Direct personnel to the alternative evacuation routes, in the event that a situation warrants evacuation of the building and the previously determined evacuation route is obstructed or presents a hazard; j) Carry out a headcount of people on arrival at the assembly point; k) Coordinate the return of personnel to the premises after a drill or an emergency situation, once the danger no longer exists, and l) Coordinate withdrawal actions, when necessary. II.5 Functions and activities of the first-aid team a) Keep a list of persons with chronic illnesses, and have the specific medicines for such cases; b) Assemble the first-aid team at a predetermined point in the event of an emergency, and set up the first-aid post necessary to respond to the serious risk, emergency, incident or disaster; c) Provide immediate and temporary care to victims of a serious risk, emergency, incident or disaster, to keep them alive and prevent further harm to them, while specialised medical assistance is received; d) Hand over the injured person to the emergency services; e) Take inventory of the equipment requiring maintenance and of the medicines used, once the emergency has been brought under control, and replenish the latter, and f) Keep first-aid kits and medicines up to date, valid and in good condition. II.6 Functions and activities of the fire brigade for fire prevention and fighting a) Monitor the maintenance of the fire-fighting equipment; b) Monitor that there is no overload of electrical lines, and that flammable material waste does not accumulate in the areas; c) Monitor that the fire-fighting equipment is easy to locate and is not obstructed; d) Verify that the electrical and gas installations receive preventive and corrective maintenance on a permanent basis, so that they remain safe; e) Monitor that self-contained breathing apparatus is used when working in enclosed spaces, whether in real cases or in drills; f) Know how to use fire-extinguishing equipment, according to each type of fire; g) Intervene with the available means to try to prevent damage and losses to the premises as a result of a fire emergency; h) Conclude their functions on the arrival of firefighters or once the incipient fire has ended; i) Take part in drills and in their evaluation, and j) Know the assembly point for the members of the fire brigade. II.7 Functions of the communication team a) Keep a list of the telephone numbers of the emergency services in the area, which shall be made known to the entire workplace community; b) Make calls to the emergency services, according to the risk of the emergency, incident or disaster that occurs; c) In coordination with the first-aid team, note down the number of the ambulance or ambulances, the name or names of those responsible for them, the name, business name and address or addresses of the hospital institutions to which the patient or patients will be referred, and contact the relatives of the injured person or persons; d) Receive information from each team, according to the risk of the emergency, calamity or disaster that occurs, to report to the general coordinator and the emergency services; e) Provide information to the media, when the risk of the emergency, calamity or disaster warrants it, and in accordance with the structure or organisation in place at the workplace; f) Have the bomb threat form available, in the event of such an occurrence, and g) Remain at the communication post until the last possible moment, subject to prior agreement with the team leader, and, if portable communication devices are available, place them at the assembly point. II.8 Health surveillance of team members a) Health monitoring of team members is recommended from the time they join, and b) Following the response to an emergency. II.9 General considerations on the planning of fire drills a) Place emphasis on orderly evacuation rather than on speed. While speed in vacating a building or relocating occupants is desirable, it is not the sole objective. b) Carry out, in both planned and unplanned fashion and under variable conditions, simulations of the unusual conditions that may occur in a real emergency. c) Fires are always unexpected. If drills are always carried out in the same way and at the same time, they lose much of their value, and when, for some reason, during a real fire it is not possible to follow the usual drill routine to which the occupants have become accustomed, confusion and panic may result. d) Drills should be carefully planned to simulate the conditions of a real fire. They should not only be carried out at different times, but should also use different means of exit, on the assumption that the presence of smoke or flames may render the routes, stairways and emergency exits unavailable. e) Train workers on the fire safety characteristics of the workplace; the location of the available routes, stairways, common exits and emergency exits, and the procedures to follow. Training is an opportunity to guide workers without creating unfounded fears in them about possible emergency situations at the workplace, taking into account the participants' prior knowledge, age and ability. f) Evaluate, before carrying out an emergency exit exercise, the instructions for workers and other occupants, and hold practice sessions. The usefulness and degree of complexity of the emergency exit exercises to be carried out depend on the characteristics, degree of risk and nature of the workplace. g) In workplaces where the number of occupants is variable, such as hotels and department stores, it is not possible to carry out fire drills regularly. In such cases, fire drills should be limited to the workers, so that they can direct the other occupants of the building or premises in the event of a fire. h) In facilities such as hospitals, workers should rehearse the appropriate procedures to be put into practice in the event of a fire. This training is always advisable in all workplaces, whether or not fire drills can be carried out regularly. i) If a fire drill is regarded simply as a routine exercise from which some people may be excused, there is a serious danger that, should a real fire occur, the purpose of the drill will not be fulfilled. However, there may be some circumstances in which it would not be possible for all occupants to take part in a fire drill; for example, incapacitated or disabled patients. When it is not possible for some people to take part in the drills, the emergency response plans should provide for special procedures to protect or evacuate these people and put them into practice during the drills.

Components and General Characteristics of the Personal Protective Equipment for Fire Brigade Members The content of this guide is a supplement for better understanding of the Standard and is not mandatory. This guide sets out some recommendations on the components that should form part of the personal protective equipment of fire brigades, whose functions shall be fire-fighting and rescue activities. However, it should be borne in mind that the content of this guide is illustrative and not exhaustive, and that the requirements established in this regard by the applicable specific regulations, manufacturers' recommendations and the advice of specialists in the field shall be considered. The minimum clothing and equipment for fire brigades are described below, with their respective specifications and, where applicable, the hazards against which they protect: III.1 Jacket and trousers: a) Outer textile: self-extinguishing, does not melt; b) Moisture barrier: polymer layer that prevents water and/or vapour from coming into contact with the person; c) Thermal barrier for fighting fires at an advanced stage: self-extinguishing polymer textile fibre lining, and d) For fighting fires at an advanced stage and in the event of exposure to highly hazardous chemical and biological agents, the jacket and trousers should have vulcanised seams and self-extinguishing reflective tape. III.2 Helmet: a) Outer material: dielectric, highly resistant to impact, temperature and flame, and b) Interior support system: 1) Suspension; 2) Headband; 3) Neck and ear protection by self-extinguishing textile; 4) Adjustment mechanism; 5) Heat-resistant face shield; 6) Heat- and flame-resistant retention system, and 7) Reflective tape. III.3 Rubber boots, resistant to: a) Heat and flame; b) Electric shocks (dielectric); c) Impact and compression (with toe cap), and d) Sole penetration. III.4 Gloves, hood and trouser braces, resistant to: a) Heat and flame; b) Exposure to or contact with corrosive chemical substances; c) High- or low-voltage electric shocks, and d) Where applicable, low temperature. III.5 Self-contained breathing apparatus (for fighting fires at an advanced stage): a) With a minimum duration of 30 minutes, with an end-of-use alarm, and b) Preferably positive-pressure. III.6 General support equipment: a) Pick axe; b) Ropes; c) Torch, and d) General tools for removing debris, among others.

Fire Detectors The content of this guide is a supplement for better understanding of the Standard and is not mandatory. IV.1 Fire detectors are classified as follows: a) Smoke detectors; b) Heat detectors; c) Combustion gas detectors; d) Flame detectors, and e) Other types of detectors that identify some indicator of fire. IV.1.1 Smoke detectors The most commonly used smoke detectors are those that use ionisation and/or photoelectric principles. As a general rule, it is recommended to install one detector for every 80 square metres of ceiling, with no obstructions between the contents of the area and the detector, and a maximum spacing of 9 m between detector centres. These measurements may be increased or decreased depending on the estimated rate of fire development. IV.1.2 Heat detectors The most commonly used heat detectors are fixed-temperature detectors and the most common ones are those listed in Table IV.1. Table IV.1 Commonly Used Heat Detectors. For the selection and placement of heat detectors, a technical study is recommended, since ceiling height, temperature below the ceiling and the type of fire are the variables that determine those factors. IV.1.3 Combustion gas detectors and flame detectors For the selection and placement of combustion gas detectors and flame detectors, a technical study is recommended owing to the complexity of their selection. IV.1.4 Other types of detectors In certain circumstances where smoke detectors are not appropriate, it may be advisable to use flame, heat and other fire detection devices for special purposes. The application of these special types of detectors shall be based on a technical study and shall be used in accordance with the manufacturer's installation instructions. IV.2 For the selection and placement of fire detectors in the workplace, it is recommended that the following be considered: a) The fire risk; b) The characteristics of the goods, raw materials, products or by-products handled; c) The processes, operations and activities carried out; d) The structural characteristics of the workplace, and e) The range of action of the detectors. IV.3 The characteristics recommended for fire detection systems are: a) Having an automatic monitoring system; b) Having remote, visual and/or audible alarm devices; c) Having an alarm signal location system, and d) Operating with an alternating current electrical power supply and having a battery backup. It is recommended that fire detectors operate with alternating and/or direct current, and have an integrated audible and/or visual alarm. IV.4 The recommended factors for the selection of detectors are as follows: a) Fire development: If we analyse the standard fire curve, we might think that the most appropriate detectors for a fire would be, firstly, ultra-sensitive detectors and, secondly, smoke detectors. However, this curve represents an ideal fire development and it will be very common to encounter fires with very different progressions, entirely different from the standard curve. The possible development of a fire in a given room will depend, on the one hand, on the type of material stored or contained and the materials making up the room, and on the other hand, on the way in which these can burn, so that a fire may be generated with abundant smoke, with a great deal of heat, or with flames. b) The height of the room: The response time of the detectors will depend on the height of the room, since the concentration of smoke and the temperature of the gases will decrease with height. c) Ambient conditions: These will have an influence when choosing the detector. d) Temperature: The influence of temperature on flame and smoke detectors is negligible up to 50 ºC, unless the detector's specifications advise otherwise. For thermostatic detectors, the trip temperature shall exceed ambient temperature by between 10 and 30 ºC. It is recommended that they not be used when ambient temperature is below 0 ºC. The use of rate-of-rise heat detectors is not advisable where the temperature of the enclosure may show wide variations. e) Air movement: This condition will affect only smoke detectors, by causing the smoke to disperse into the atmosphere, and through dirt and dust particles lodging in the sensors. The accepted value shall be that specified by the manufacturer, although reference values may be of the order of 8 m/s for optical detectors and 12 m/s for ionisation detectors. f) Vibration: This shall not affect the detectors, except as specified by the manufacturer. g) Humidity: Humidity limits shall be specified by the manufacturer. A high humidity value with condensation may cause false alarms in smoke detectors. h) Smoke, dust and aerosols: This type of particle, as a result of the intensity of the activity carried out, for example in carpentry work, may cause unwanted alarms in smoke detectors. i) Optical radiation: This will not cause alterations in temperature and smoke detectors. In flame detectors it shall be taken into account, depending on the detector's technology type. j) Extent of protection: It is highly advisable to cover the entire building or, above all, the rooms of greatest risk, such as: 1) Storage rooms for products and materials: documents, files, waste, among others; 2) Thermal rooms: boiler rooms, transformer centres, lift machine rooms, among others, and 3) The false ceiling or raised floors where they contain important installations. IV.5 The areas that may not need smoke detection systems are the following: a) Sanitary facilities where there is practically no risk of ignition, unless they are used to store materials that do carry such risk; b) Cable ducts with a cross-section of less than 2 m², provided they are fire-sealed; c) Fire-sealed voids; d) Rooms protected by automatic sprinkler extinguishing systems, unless otherwise required by the regulations in force, and e) Uncovered loading docks. IV.6 Minimum requirements for fire-fighting installations The measurement of temperature and smoke, both from the point of view of safety and of human adaptation to the environment, shall always be referred to parameters close to those required for human survival. In this regard, those extreme conditions of temperature and environmental contamination (in the form of smoke or dust) in which people can still make decisions for an orderly evacuation shall be considered. That is, even though temperature levels may not be high enough to cause a fire through spontaneous combustion, they may nevertheless be fatal for individuals who happen to be present and whose skin, under such conditions, may suffer harm, or whose sight or breathing may be affected by the increase in optical density generated by smoke. Tests carried out by reputable laboratories have established minimum requirements regarding the location and number of detectors per area to be covered, to protect people who happen to be in places where a fire may start. Also, in the absence of people within the protected installation, the requirements for the number and location of detectors will depend on three basic factors: a) Fire load; b) Ceiling height, and c) Smoke paths. In large areas, where the fire load changes position permanently (goods entering and leaving and being stacked anywhere without a routine plan), the most acceptable form of prevention is to position the smoke detector system so that it does not require the stacked goods to be relocated. The agreed basic values start from an open area with a flat ceiling 3 m high, where, if the environment is empty and, at the same time, enclosed within four walls (of any area not exceeding 2 500 m²), the established recommendations are set as follows: a) No detector may be installed less than 0.10 m from the intersection of any side wall and the ceiling, and if installed on the side wall it shall be 0.10 m below the ceiling. See Figure IV.1. Figure IV.1 Location of detectors at intersections b) The maximum distance measured from any wall to the first line of detectors may not exceed 4.50 m, except in the case of linear smoke detectors, in which case it shall be 7.50 m. c) The maximum distance between two smoke detectors for a minimum height of 3 m, measured between the floor and the ceiling, shall be 9 m, where the slab or ceiling has no descending beams projecting downward more than 0.45 m. d) For irregularly shaped areas, the spacing between detectors shall be greater than that recommended by the equipment manufacturers, taking into account that the maximum distance from the detector to the furthest point of the side wall, corner or within its protection zone shall not be greater than

0.7 times the recommended spacing, as shown in Figure IV.2. Figure IV.2 Spacing between detectors e) As the height of the slab, ceiling or false ceiling begins to increase from 3 m to 9 m, the spacing between detectors shall begin to decrease, since the distance to be travelled by smoke or fire shall be greater, in accordance with Table IV.2. Table IV.2 Spacing between Detectors. Height Percentage of recommended spacing

0.00 3.00 100

3.01 3.66 91

3.67 4.27 84

4.28 4.88 77

4.89 5.94 71

5.95 6.10 64

6.11 6.71 58

6.72 7.32 52 (or linear detection)

7.33 7.92 46 (or linear detection)

7.93 8.53 40 (or linear detection)

9.15 onwards, linear detection. Another phenomenon to be taken into account, which depends to a large extent on the material the ceiling is made of, is stratification. Parabolic roofs built with corrugated aluminium sheet or galvanised iron sheet, and gable or parabolic roofs made with corrugated fibre-cement sheets or tarred and painted cardboard fibre sheets, mean that the large temperature differences radiated by these materials must be taken into account, since they are heated by the sun's rays, retaining considerable thermal inertia during the night, that is, they cool slowly. This excess temperature stored in the slab, ceiling or false ceiling creates a zone of variable thickness below the ceiling that smoke cannot reach owing to the loss of thermal buoyancy, that is, since the surface adjoining the slab, ceiling or false ceiling is hotter, there would be a natural barrier against the smoke, and if smoke detectors were placed close to it, it can be predicted that they will not detect the presence of smoke. Once this phenomenon is assumed to be likely, it is recommended that detectors be placed away from the slab, ceiling or false ceiling, by at least 0.30 m, either all of them or every other line of detectors. If it is considered that the stratification phenomenon may occur in the area to be protected, an alternative or complementary option to point-type smoke detectors should be considered, such as linear smoke detection by means of a projected light beam. The dilution of smoke by air currents (ventilation, air conditioning or natural openings) also has a notable effect on the number of detectors required for an installation, see Figure IV.3, since the greater the rate of air movement in the environment, the smaller the area that each detector will be able to cover effectively. A study of the smoke path shall be carried out, using a non-destructive smoke pencil. Figure IV.3 Detector spacing on a sloped ceiling. It is also very useful to know the rate of air movement of the location, using a digital anemometer. Table IV.3 will help determine the safe area per detector, in relation to the air changes of the protected location. Table IV.3 Area Coverage per Fire Detector

    Equipment or system                          Inspection                                             Test
 Manual fire alarm Weekly.                                                Monthly maximum.
 (manual stations, Physical condition.                                  Activation of all activating
 call points                                                         devices.

                        Verify that the pumps are free For 30 minutes                 at   normal   operation    without
                        of physical damage.                             discharge.
                        Check the pressure          of       all   the Annual.

                Rated capacity of dry chemical          Minimum range                          Minimum length
 Type                                                                      discharge
                     powder, kg                      m                                 time of hose, cm

        Agent                                   Operation                               operation
                        rated, in litres                            in metres

        Agent                                   Operation                                 discharge in
                        rated, in litres                            in metres

      1                                                                          X   X
                     The label is legible, visible and that the collar,

      3                                                                          X   X       X       X      X
                     Has no folds in the body.

      7                                                                          X   X       X       X      X
                     Rotate freely on the support axle and do not jam.

Fixed Fire-Fighting Systems The content of this guide is a supplement for better understanding of the Standard and is not mandatory. V.1 Hydraulic networks It is recommended that these comply at least with the following: a) Be of the closed-circuit or ring type, with sectioning valves; b) Have design calculations for the fire-fighting hydraulic network system; c) Have a water supply dedicated exclusively to fire-fighting service, independent of that used for general services; d) Provide for a water supply lasting at least two hours, at a flow rate of 946 l/min, or be defined in accordance with the following parameters: 1) The risk to be protected against; 2) The built area; 3) An allowance of five litres per square metre of construction, and 4) A minimum storage of 20 cubic metres in the cistern; e) Have a pumping system to drive the water through the entire installed pipe network; f) Have a pumping system with at least two power sources, which may be electrical, diesel, elevated tank, or a combination thereof, automated and maintaining the pressure indicated in subparagraph j) of this paragraph; g) Have a jockey pump system to maintain constant pressure throughout the hydraulic network; h) Have an accessible and visible siamese connection for the fire service, connected to the hydraulic network and not to the cistern or water supply source; i) Have connections and fittings compatible with the fire service, and j) Maintain a minimum pressure of 7 kg/cm2 throughout the network. This condition shall be maintained while the system is operating, that is, when a given number of hoses or sprinklers are open, in accordance with the manufacturer's or installer's specifications. V.2 It is recommended that fixed fire-fighting systems have the following characteristics: a) Be manually or automatically activated; b) Be subject to supervision or monitoring to verify the integrity of their activating elements, for example the solenoid valve, as well as the pumps; c) Have a switch allowing the system to be tested without activating the fire-suppression elements; d) Without being limited to them, the following types exist: hydraulic network systems, as well as sprinkler systems with extinguishing agents such as water, carbon dioxide, dry chemical powder, foams, halon substitutes and clean agents, and e) Have the minimum estimated fire-fighting equipment to combat the greatest fire risk in the workplace. V.3 Use of fixed fire-fighting systems of the automatic sprinkler type and other alternatives a) It is recommended to use fixed fire-fighting systems of the automatic sprinkler type in areas of the workplace classified as high fire risk; b) In kitchen areas, or in those where water may be a factor in the loss of property or may increase risks, or where the risk can be protected against with a lower investment, alternative or additional fixed fire-fighting systems, mentioned below, may be installed; c) Whoever designs, installs or provides maintenance for this type of system shall be a person with recognised knowledge and experience, or qualified on the basis of the regulations applicable to that system, and d) Installation and maintenance are specific to each type of fire-fighting system, whose conditions may consist, among others, of the following: 1) Kitchen fire suppression systems: a) Be installed in accordance with the manufacturer's manual; b) Protect all ducts, the hood plenum and all kitchen appliances through nozzles directed at each appliance, or through complete coverage of the area where fire-related work is carried out, in accordance with the manufacturer's manual; c) Have a manual activation system and an automatic one; d) Have a quick gas shut-off valve in kitchens that use liquefied petroleum gas or natural gas; e) Ensure at each inspection that the nozzles have their caps, and that the indicator showing the system is operable is in accordance with the mechanism designed for it by the manufacturer (sight glass or pressure gauge); f) Have a sketch or plan of the kitchen layout specifying the type, dimensions and location of the kitchen appliances and the system diagram, and g) Have a maintenance and testing log. 2) Fire suppression systems based on clean agents, including carbon dioxide: a) Be installed in accordance with the manufacturer's manual; b) Have a manual activation system and an automatic one; c) Have a discharge abort system; d) Have a pre-discharge evacuation alarm for the operation of 100% carbon dioxide extinguishing agent systems. Where clean agent systems already installed produce carbonyl fluoride or carbonyl chloride on contact with fire, the area shall be evacuated within a maximum of 60 seconds after discharge; e) Have the system's design calculations; f) Have plans or sketches of the area or areas to be protected, and g) Have a maintenance and testing log. 3) Dry chemical powder fire suppression systems, subject to prior analysis: a) Be installed in accordance with the manufacturer's manual; b) Have the technical description and justification for their installation in the areas to be protected, and c) Ensure at each inspection that the nozzles have their caps. V.4 It is recommended that documentation relating to the design calculations, plans and design bases of fixed fire-fighting systems be prepared and kept, recording at least the following applicable information: a) The determination of the class of fire risk for which the fixed system has been installed, including the type, quantity and arrangement of the combustible or flammable material present; b) The type of system installed and extinguishing agent used; c) General data and location of pipework, detectors, operating devices, discharge devices and auxiliary equipment; d) Hydraulic calculations; e) Volumetric flow and pressure required throughout the network; f) Supply time; g) The type and capacity of the pumping system; h) The identification and capacity of all equipment and devices forming part of the system; i) The specifications of the discharge devices; j) The materials and main dimensions of pipework; k) Safety measures for personnel installing, operating or maintaining the system and present in the area, and l) The signature of the person responsible, authorised by the employer.

Recommendations on Maximum Periods and Activities Relating to the Inspection and Testing of Fire-Fighting Systems and Equipment The content of this guide is a supplement for better understanding of the Standard and is not mandatory. VI.1 This guide sets out some recommendations regarding the inspection and testing to which some of the main fixed fire-fighting equipment and systems shall be subject. However, it shall be borne in mind that the content of this guide is not exhaustive, and it shall therefore be supplemented in accordance with the manufacturer's or installer's instructions. It is essential to note that such systems and equipment hold a certificate of compliance with applicable national regulations or, in the absence thereof, international regulations. VI.2 Preventive maintenance of devices, equipment and systems shall be carried out in accordance with the manufacturer's instructions, and corrective maintenance shall be carried out immediately in the event of evident damage or failure. The frequency of maintenance and cleaning depends on the equipment installed and the environmental conditions of the area or room. Table VI.1 shows the frequency for inspecting fire-fighting devices, equipment and systems, as well as the type of tests to be carried out. Table VI.1 Frequency of Inspection and Type of Tests. manual). fire. normal operation. Monthly. Annual. Physical condition. Operation of heat and smoke detectors. manufacturer. manufacturer's recommendations. Monthly. Activation of a detector or alarm call point (at least one from a different area each month), to check the ability of the signalling and control equipment to receive a signal, sound the alarm and activate the other alarm devices. Water tanks. Monthly. Physical condition (possible cracking, leaks, evidence of corrosion, operation of floats). Note: Water tanks shall be subject to an annual corrosion-control and sediment-control programme. diesel. pump gauges. Pressure against flow. Check all valves to confirm they are open. electric Verify that the pumps are free At normal operation without discharge. of physical damage. Annual. Pressure against flow. pump gauges. Check all valves to confirm they are open. Hydrants and monitors. Monthly. Check hose cabinets to confirm they are not damaged and that all equipment is in good condition. Half-yearly. On dry-riser hydrants. Check the tightness of the hydrant outlets; the presence of leaks; breaks in the hydrant body; wear or rounded edges on the opening nut, and damage to the threads of the outlets. Annual. Check that all hydrants are accessible. Annual. On wet-riser hydrants. Check the tightness of the hydrant outlets; leaks in the upper part of the hydrants and at the cap joints; breaks in the hydrant body, and wear on the opening nut. Sectioning valves Monthly. Opening and closing. hoses. accessibility and possible physical damage. Personal protective equipment cabinet Monthly. accessibility and possible physical damage.

Fire Extinguishers The content of this guide is a supplement for better understanding of the Standard and is not mandatory. VII.1 Selection of portable and wheeled extinguishers Extinguishers are selected according to the different classes of fire and in accordance with Table VII.1. Table VII.1 Class of Fire and Applicable Extinguishing Agent. Extinguishing agent. Class A Fire. Class B Fire. Class C Fire. Class D Fire. Class K Fire. ABC type. BC type (CO2). * The use of clean agents based on halon gases has been progressively restricted until complete elimination, in compliance with the provisions of the Montreal Protocol1, since these are compounds that damage the ozone layer of the atmosphere. 1 Published in the Official Gazette of the Federation of 25 January 1988. VII.2 Dry chemical powder extinguishers For further information on the rated capacity of dry chemical powder extinguishers, their range and discharge times, refer to the provisions of Table VII.2. Table VII.2 Characteristics of Dry Chemical Powder Extinguishers. Discharge limits s * Extinguishers of more than 20 kg shall be wheeled (mobile). VII.2.1 Minimum discharge The extinguisher charged to its rated pressure and dry chemical powder capacity values shall discharge at least 85% of its rated capacity. VII.2.2 Extinguisher discharge test operation and procedure When the extinguisher is operated with the handles fully actuated for the continuous discharge time set out in Table VII.2, the discharge shall be equal to or greater than 85% of its rated dry chemical powder capacity. VII.3 Carbon dioxide (CO2) extinguishers VII.3.1 Minimum discharge When the extinguisher is operated for the continuous discharge time, it shall discharge in full. VII.3.2 Extinguisher operation The discharge shall be in the form of a gas/snow cloud, which has a range of 1 m to 2.5 m. It shall not be used outdoors or in windy or draughty conditions. VII.3.3 Specific precautions a) The concentration needed to extinguish the fire reduces the amount of oxygen required to protect life, so protective measures are recommended when used in small enclosed spaces; b) Hydrostatic tests shall be carried out every 5 years, for a maximum of 4 times, so that the maximum service life of a CO2 extinguisher is 20 years, and c) Extinguishers shall have stamped, by impact marking, on the dome of the cylinder the following: 1) The serial number; 2) The maximum working pressure; 3) The hydrostatic pressure; 4) The working pressure; 5) The month and year of manufacture, separated by a slash; 6) The identification mark for each hydrostatic test, which shall include the month and year it was carried out and the identification of the person responsible for carrying it out, and 7) The capacity of the cylinder in kilograms. VII.4 Stored-pressure water extinguishers The specifications for stored-pressure water extinguishers are set out in Table VII.3, and those for mechanical foam extinguishers, in Table VII.4. Table VII.3 Specifications for Stored-Pressure Water Extinguishers. Optimum time of. Capacity. Minimum range, in seconds. Table VII.4 Specifications for Mechanical Foam Extinguishers. Time of. Capacity. Maximum range, seconds. mechanical AFFF and FFFP type at 3% and 6%. VII.4.1 Minimum discharge The total quantity of water discharged by the extinguisher up to the end of its usable operation shall be at least 89% of the rated capacity. VII.4.2 Maintenance Stored-pressure extinguishers with wet extinguishing agents shall be subject to inspection and shall be disassembled annually, examining the cylinder and its components, such as the pressure gauge, valve, safety pin, hose and operating handle and, when required, they shall be repaired, their damaged parts replaced or their extinguishing agent replaced. VII.5 Mechanical foam extinguishers The cylinders of extinguishers using an extinguishing agent based on AFFF- and FFFP-type mechanical foams shall be made of stainless steel. VII.6 Portable halon extinguishers Owing to the proven damage these cause to the earth's ozone layer and consequently to human beings, it is recommended: a) That they not be used in drills, and b) That the possibility of replacing them with others using a different extinguishing agent be explored. VII.7 Hydrostatic test Extinguishers shall be hydrostatically tested at intervals not exceeding those established in Table VII.5. Table VII.5 Hydrostatic Test Interval for Extinguishers. Type of extinguisher. Test interval in years. Pressurised water and/or antifreeze 5. Wetting agent (penetrating water) 5. AFFF and FFFP (aqueous film-forming foam) 5. Stored-pressure dry chemical powder, cylinder with welded seams 5. Dry chemical powder with external pressurised cartridge 12. Carbon dioxide 5. Halogenated agents 5. Clean agents 5. Note: It is recommended that, once the hydrostatic test has been carried out, the party performing the test be asked for a document setting out the results thereof. The following sets out a guide to general procedures for the maintenance of extinguishers. User Guide on the Maintenance of Extinguishers Table VII.6 Classification by Type of Extinguisher. Family. Generic Type and Characteristics of the Extinguisher and Extinguishing Agent. Category 1. Permanently pressurised extinguisher containing water, water with additives or foam as the extinguishing agent. Category 2. Permanently pressurised extinguisher containing dry chemical powder, clean agents* or wet chemicals as the extinguishing agent. Category 3. Extinguisher containing water, water with additives or foam as the extinguishing agent, and pressurised at the moment of operation by means of gas contained in internal or external cartridges or capsules. Category 4. Extinguisher containing dry chemical powder as the extinguishing agent, and pressurised at the moment of operation by means of gas contained in internal or external cartridges or capsules. Category 5. Extinguisher containing carbon dioxide as the extinguishing agent, and all cartridges or capsules of the extinguishers referred to in categories 3 and 4. * The use of clean agents based on halon gases has been progressively restricted until complete elimination, in compliance with the provisions of the Montreal Protocol1, since these are compounds that damage the ozone layer of the atmosphere. 1 Published in the Official Gazette of the Federation of 25 January 1988. Table VII.7 General Aspects for the Inspection and Maintenance of Extinguishers. Category. Reference No. Inspection/Maintenance Procedure. Check that: The needle of the pressure gauge is within the operating zone, and that the safety pin, seal or tamper seal have not been tampered with. Otherwise, provide maintenance. Inspect the cylinder in detail. Carry out a hydrostatic test on the cylinder if: It has been more than 5 years since the last hydrostatic test; It shows evidence of corrosion, or its interior surface is rough, or It shows noticeable loss of the exterior paint and corrosion is present. If it fails the hydrostatic test or the corrosion is severe, take the extinguisher out of service. Check that the extinguisher: Has not been exposed to fire; Shows no dents, or Otherwise, take it out of service and replace it with one of the same characteristics. Check that the nozzle or diffuser and hose: Are clean; Are not obstructed inside; Show no cracks or cuts; connections; Are not missing any parts, and Are in good condition. Otherwise, provide maintenance. Check that the extinguisher: Has its full charge, and Otherwise, provide maintenance and, where applicable, recharge. Verify that the instructions for use (mnemonic) and type. Otherwise, replace them. Make sure that the wheels of mobile units: Remain round, and Otherwise, provide maintenance. Check that: The extinguisher bears the label of the last maintenance service carried out, undamaged and legible, and The service provider that carried out the maintenance service holds a certificate of compliance with NOM-154-SCFI-2005. If any of these aspects are not met, provide the extinguisher with maintenance and, where applicable, recharge.

Extinguishing Agents The content of this guide is a supplement for better understanding of the Standard and is not mandatory. VIII.1 Appearance of extinguishing agents VIII.1.1 When extinguishing agents are exposed to the atmosphere, they are classified, according to their physical state, into three groups: a) Liquids; b) Solids, and c) Gases and vapours. VIII.2 Active ingredient of extinguishing agents The name of the active ingredient, its chemical formula and the percentage of extinguishing agent it contains shall be included in the documents supporting the product warranty and the fire-fighting equipment containing them, also indicating the types of fire in which it can be used satisfactorily. VIII.3 Quantities of extinguishing agent to be used in the workplace The quantity of extinguishing agent to be used for fire protection is determined in direct proportion to the fire risk classification of the workplace. The minimum acceptable content of its mass or volume by concentration in a single unit of equipment is set out in Table VIII.1. Table VIII.1 Minimum Content of Extinguishing Agent. * Weighed when compressed or liquefied and under pressure. VIII.4 Recharging of extinguishing agents It is recommended that the charge of gaseous or vapour extinguishing agents be topped up when their mass has decreased by more than 10% of its original weight. In the case of clean agents, a closed recovery system should be provided.

Model Questionnaire for Interviews with Workers and Fire Brigade Members The content of this guide is a supplement for better understanding of the Standard and is not mandatory. This guide sets out examples of questions, not exhaustive, which may be used by verification units, civil protection units or the labour authority, to check the knowledge of workers and fire brigade members regarding fire prevention and protection. IX.1 For workers a) What is fire prevention? b) State where in the workplace the sketch, plan or map is located that identifies the main areas or zones of the workplace with fire risk, as well as the location of the detection means and the fire-fighting equipment and systems. c) What fire-fighting equipment does your workplace have? d) State the main safety instructions established for your position or area of the workplace to prevent fire risks. e) What would you do in the event of an incipient fire? f) When have you taken part in the fire drills carried out at your workplace? g) How do you use the extinguisher? h) How is the alarm raised at your workplace in the event of a fire? i) What fire emergency scenarios have been posed in the drills at your workplace? j) What are the fire risks in your area or workplace? k) State at least three measures for preventing fires in areas where flammable or explosive materials are stored and handled. l) Indicate the evacuation routes of your workplace. IX.2 For fire brigade members a) What personal protective equipment do you use to respond to fire emergencies? b) What are the areas, premises, buildings, installations and processes that pose the main fire risks in your workplace? c) Indicate the location of the evacuation routes, the accesses and exit routes, emergency stairways, lower-risk zones and assembly points of your workplace. d) State the procedure for responding to a fire emergency, in the event of an alert. e) Describe the procedures for operating the fire-fighting equipment and systems. f) Describe the procedure for the evacuation or withdrawal of workers and visitors, in the event of an incipient fire and of a fire at your workplace. g) Indicate the responsibilities and functions of the members of the fire brigade to which you belong. h) Give a general outline of the procedures established in the mutual aid plan in place with neighbouring workplaces. i) Indicate the location of the telephone directory of the local specialised fire services for responding to fire emergencies. j) Indicate the requirements established at your workplace for the return to normal operating activities after a fire emergency. k) State how coordination between the fire brigades and the specialised fire services is carried out, according to the specific types of fire involved in the emergency. l) Give a general outline of the type of inspection carried out on the equipment and systems for fire protection and fighting at your workplace. Given in Mexico City, Federal District, on the thirtieth day of the month of November of the year two thousand and ten.- The Secretary of Labour and Social Welfare, Javier Lozano Alarcón.- Signature.