NFPA releases Fire Prevention Program Manager Online Training Series

QUINCY, Mass. —The National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) has launched a new Fire Prevention Program Manager Online Training Series to help the building industry understand and adopt the strategies defined in NFPA 241, Standard for Safeguarding Construction, Alteration, and Demolition Operations, which calls for a fire prevention program and a designated manager to enforce safety onsite.

The topic will also be discussed by a panel of industry experts during an Addressing Fire Safety Challenges During Construction webinar on April 15.

In recent weeks, massive building-under-construction fires have occurred in Las Vegas, Dallas, and Everett, Wash., underscoring NFPA research which shows an average of 3,840 fires in structures under construction and 2,580 fires in structures under major renovation per year. Building-under-construction fires cause an average of four civilian deaths, 49 civilian injuries, and $304 million in direct property damage annually, while fires in buildings undergoing major renovation cause an average of eight civilian deaths, 52 civilian injuries, and $104 million in direct property damage annually.

“We need to enhance safety on construction sites by ensuring that more building owners, contractors, trade workers, and code enforcers are informed about construction site fire prevention and protection strategies,” NFPA President and CEO Jim Pauley said. “This new online learning, centered around NFPA 241, was developed in the spirit of the NFPA Fire & Life Safety Ecosystem, which emphasizes the importance of applying referenced standards,  investing in safety, and a skilled workforce.”

Although NFPA 241 calls for a fire prevention program manager, credentials for the role are virtually nonexistent in the market today, according to the association. To help construction company leaders, building owners, job site supervisors, code officials, fire marshals, facility managers, and fire protection engineers have the skills needed to ensure the safety of buildings under construction, NFPA developed the new five-hour, five-part online learning series, assessment, and digital badge based on the anticipated job performance requirements (JPRs) for fire prevention program managers proposed for the next edition of NFPA 241.

The training covers general fire protection awareness for all people on construction sites and the role of fire prevention program managers on a construction project with an emphasis on:

• Building safety and fire protection systems
• Hazard protection
• Inspections, permits and procedures

This NFPA online training series is intended for fire prevention program managers who are new to the role. The course is designed to help learn how to actively manage a fire prevention program for a typical construction project. Find out more about the new online learning here.

The NFPA webinar scheduled for April 15 will feature a panel of industry experts discussing key considerations for construction site fire safety, including fire risks and the role of the fire prevention program manager, with time allotted for a robust Q&A session.

Webinar panelists providing perspective on the topic include:

• Jim Begley, PE, FSFPE, CFM, TERPconsulting, principal
• Matthew Bourque, PE, WS Development, director of Fire Protection and Construction Operations
• Dick Davis, PE, FM Global, AVP, senior engineering technical specialist
• Nicholas Dawe, division chief/fire marshal, Cobb County (Ga.) Fire and Emergency Services

Visit here to register for the free webinar.