Plan Review

ATTEMPTS TO ENSURE FIRE SAFE BUILDING DESIGN BEFORE CONSTRUCTION.  WHEN APPLYING FOR BUILDING PERMIT, PLANS ARE SUBMITTED FOR FIRE DEPARTMENT APPROVAL.

PERFORMED BY FPE OR INSPECTORS AMND MUST HAVE THOROUGH KNOWLEDGE OF CODES AND HOW TO USE AND READ THEM.

ARCHITECTURAL DRAWINGS

THERE ARE 4 MAIN VIEWS OF WORKING DRAWINGS: PLAN VIEW, ELEVATION VIEW, SECTIONAL VIEW, AND DETAILED VIEW.

PLAN VIEW

A 2 DIMENSIONAL VIEW OF SITE/BUILDING AS SEEN FROM DIRECTLY ABOVE AREA.  GIVES INFORMATION CONCERNING OVERALL LAYOUT.  USUALLY REVIEW THREE BASIC PLAN VIEWS.  SITE PLAN, BASEMENT PLAN, FLOOR PLAN.

SITE PLAN (PLOT PLAN)

USUALLY THE FIRST SHEET IN SET OF DRAWINGS.  IT IDENTIFIES THE CONDITIONS CURRENTLY EXISTING ON SITE.  INCLUDES NORTH DIRECTION, LOT DIMENSIONS, UTILITY LINES, GRADE LEVEL, CONCRETE WALKS AND AREAS TO BE LANDSCAPED.

SERVICE LINES ARE DENOTED AS:

• WATER LINES ---w---w---w---w---w---w---w---w---w---w---w---w---w---w
• SEWER LINES -ss-ss-ss-ss-ss-ss-ss-ss-ss-ss-ss-ss-ss-ss
• POWERLINES ---pp---pp---pp---pp---pp---pp---pp---pp---pp---pp---pp---pp
• GASLINES ---g---g---g---g---g---g---g---g---g---g---g---g---g---g---g---g

ELEVATION VIEW Example dwg.

A 2 DIMENSIONAL VIEW OF BUILDING.  AS SEEN FROM THE EXTERIOR.  CONTAINS INFORMATION ABOUT THE EXTERIOR COMPONENTS OF THE BUILDING.  SUCH AS, EXTERIOR FINISH, LOCATION, SIZE, TYPES OF DOORS AND WINDOWS.

SECTIONAL VIEW

THIS IS A VERTICAL VIEW OF THE BUILDING AS IF IT WERE CUT INTO TWO PARTS.  THIS SHOWS THE INTERNAL CONSTRUCTION.  THIS VIEW IS SHOWN IN THREE DIFFERENT METHODS.

• HORIZONTAL - CROSS-SECTION OF COMPLETE BUILDING, WALL TO WALL, CEILING TO FOUNDATION.
• TYPICAL - CROSS-SECTION VIEW OF COMMON CONSTRUCTION ELEMENT. (I.E. WALL)
• DETAIL - CROSS SECTION OF SOME CONSTRUCTION FEATURE TO SHOW EXACT DETAIL.

EXTERIOR WALL VIEW SHALL INDICATE EXTERIOR FINISH, SHEATHING, STUDS, PLATES INSULATION, VAPOR BARRIER, INTERIOR FINISH. MATERIALS ARE USUALLY LISTED ON DRAWING.

SIMILARLY, INTERIOR WALLS, CEILING, FLOORS, ETC., ARE SHOWN IN TYPICAL CROSS SECTION VIEWS.

DETAILED VIEW

IT MAY BE NECESSARY TO SHOW A FEATURE IN LARGER SCALE BECAUSE INFORMATION CANNOT BE CROWDED INTO SMALL SCALE DRAWINGS.  FOR EXAMPLE, A FLOOR DRAWING MAY SHOW A CORNER OF THE ROOM WITH BUILT IN SHELVING.  A DETAILED VIEW WOULD SHOW THE EXACT CONSTRUCTION OF THE SHELVING.

PLANS REVIEW SYSTEM

MUST MAINTAIN POSITIVE WORKING RELATIONSHIP WITH ARCHITECT, CONTRACTOR, BUILDER, ENGINEER INDIVIDUALLY, AS WELL AS THE PLANNING, ZONING AND BUILDING DEPARTMENTS OF THE MUNICIPALITY.

SHOULD DEVELOP STANDARDS FOR EVALUATION PLANS, TURNAROUND TIME, AND A PROCEDURE FOR CORRECTING DISCREPANCIES, AND AMOUNT OF TIME FOR RE-EVALUATION, ETC.

GOOD RECORD KEEPING IS ESSENTIAL.  DOCUMENT ALL COMMUNICATIONS.

REVIEWING SITE PLANS - WHAT TO LOOK FOR:

• FIRE DEPARTMENT ACCESS
• ASSESSMENT OF WATER SUPPLY.  DETERMINE FIRE FLOW.
• DETERMINE OCCUPANCY CLASSIFICATION
• REVIEW OF GENERAL BUILDING PARAMETERS:  LOCATION, PROPERTY LINE CLEARANCES, AND SPECIAL HAZARDS.

REVIEWING STRUCTURAL DRAWINGS

INSPECTORS MUST REVIEW THESE DRAWINGS TO DETERMINE IF THE BUILDING CAN BE BUILT AND USED AS PROPOSED.

CONSIDERATION IS GIVEN TO SIZE, OCCUPANCY LOAD/CLASS, EXIT SYSTEMS, COMPARTMENTALIZING, CONSTRUCTION CLASSIFICATION.

INSPECTORS MAY BE REQUIRED TO REVIEW PLANS OF MECHANICAL COMPONENTS, AND ELECTRICAL DRAWINGS.

REVIEWING FIRE PROTECTION SYSTEMS

THE MAINSTAY OF THE PLANS REVIEW PROCESS FOR THE FIRE DEPARTMENT.

SUBMISSIONS OF THESE PLANS REQUIRE A VERY CAREFUL, DETAILED REVIEW TO ENSURE ACCURACY.

REVIEW MAY BE OF SPRINKLER SYSTEMS, SPECIAL EXTINGUISHING SYSTEMS (HALON, CO2, FOAM, DRY CHEMICAL, ETC.) OR FIRE ALARM AND DETECTION SYSTEMS.

PLANS REVIEW LETTER

UPON COMPLETION OF THE REVIEW, A LETTER SHOULD BE DRAFTED TO INFORM THE PARTIES OF YOUR FINDINGS.

REMEMBER THE INSPECTOR'S RESPONSIBILITY IS TO VERIFY CODE COMPLIANCE AND IDENTIFY ANY DISCREPANCIES, NOT TO RECOMMEND CHANGE.  COMMENTS SHOULD BE RESTRICTED TO WRITTEN PROVISIONS OF THE CODE TO AVOID LIABILITY.

THE RESPONSIBILITY FOR CODE COMPLIANCE IS ASSIGNED TO THE ARCHITECT OR ENGINEER.

THE LETTER SHOULD BE SHORT AND CONCISE.

OFTEN TIMES A CHECKLIST IS SUBSTITUTED FOR AN ACTUAL LETTER.  THIS IS PERMISSIBLE.

THE LETTER SHOULD INCLUDE:

• REVIEWER'S NAME.
• NAME OF PROJECT / NUMBER.
• DATE THE REVIEW STARTED AND WHEN IT WAS COMPLETED.
• DESCRIPTION OF THE BUILDING AND FIRE PROTECTION FEATURES.
• COMMENTS AS A RESULT OF PLANS REVIEW.
• SPECIFIC CODE REFERENCES FOR EACH COMMENT.

Sanborn Map
Coding of structural units for fireproofing and non-combustible buildings.
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