Detailed explanation of “fire protection records””

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1.jpg Definition: What is a fire protection archive? Fire protection records are historical documents in the form of text, charts, audio, and video, which are directly generated by organizations that are key players in fire safety management as part of their fire safety oversight efforts. Establishing and maintaining fire protection records is an important aspect of fire management for organizations that are considered key entities in terms of fire safety; it serves as the foundation for ensuring effective fire safety management and the implementation of various fire safety measures. I. The role of fire protection records Article 17 of the Fire Protection Law stipulates that \"units that are key targets for fire safety measures shall establish fire protection records.\" The Regulations on Fire Safety Management for Government Agencies, Organizations, Enterprises, and Institutions (Order No. 61 issued by the Ministry of Public Security) dedicates a separate chapter to fire protection records, requiring that such units develop and maintain comprehensive fire protection records, which demonstrates the important role that fire protection records play in fire safety management. Units that are not considered key fire safety entities do not have to maintain fire safety records, but they should still keep together and make available for reference the basic information about the unit, various legal documents filled out by the fire protection agencies of the public security authorities, as well as any materials and records related to fire safety work. (1) Fire protection records are the “identity documents” of units that are key targets for fire safety measures. Fire protection records contain basic information about the organization, as well as various documents and materials related to fire safety management. They enable the organization’s leadership, relevant departments, fire agencies of the public security authorities, and those involved in fire safety management to stay informed, thereby supporting decision-making and daily operations. In daily work, fire protection records can be combined with on-site inspections as an important basis for higher-level authorities, competent departments, and fire protection agencies of public security organs to evaluate a unit’s performance in fire safety management ； In the event of a fire, it can provide evidence to help investigate the cause of the fire, determine responsibility for the incident, and hold those responsible accountable. Furthermore, fire protection records can also provide first-hand information for research on fire prevention and extinguishing materials, the modification of fire protection technical specifications, and the revision of fire operation procedures. (II) Fire protection records serve as a means for organizations to assess the performance of personnel in relevant positions regarding their fulfillment of fire safety responsibilities, as well as to evaluate the professional competence and work ability of full-time (or part-time) fire protection (fire prevention) managers. They help to strengthen the sense of responsibility in fire safety management within an organization and promote the development of such management practices in a more standardized and systematic manner. II. Contents of fire protection records The fire protection records consist of two main components: basic information on fire safety and details regarding fire safety management, along with necessary charts. The basic situation of fire safety is the main content of fire safety records; it includes information related to fire safety for key organizations. It represents the basic requirements for such organizations to implement standardized fire safety management, and it is also a concrete manifestation of their fulfillment of fire safety responsibilities. The content of basic fire safety information includes: an overview of the organization and details on key areas with high fire safety risks ； Documents and materials related to fire protection design review, fire protection inspection, and fire safety checks prior to the construction, use, or opening of buildings or facilities ； Fire management organizational structure and fire safety responsible persons at all levels ； Fire safety regulations ； Status of fire protection facilities and extinguishing equipment ； Status of full-time fire brigades, volunteer firefighters, and their firefighting equipment ； Information on personnel in key positions related to fire safety: Certificates of conformity for new fire protection products and fire-resistant materials ； Fire extinguishing and emergency evacuation plan. Fire safety management mainly includes two aspects: first, various legal documents prepared by the fire protection agencies of public security organs in accordance with the law. The main ones include the “Fire Inspection and Supervision Record Form”, the “Notice of Order to Make Corrections”, and other legal documents related to fire administrative penalties. The second is related to work records. The main documents include regular inspection records for fire protection facilities, inspection and testing reports for automatic fire protection systems, as well as records of maintenance and repairs ； Records of fire hazards and their rectification status ； Fire prevention inspection and patrol records ； Records related to the inspection of gas and electrical equipment, etc ； Fire safety training record ； Records of drills for fire extinguishing and emergency evacuation plans ； Fire incident record ； Records of fire safety rewards and penalties. The above record should include the name of the inspector, the time, the location, the details of the inspection, any fire hazards identified, and the measures taken to address them ； Fill in the training time, participants, content, etc ； Fill in the time, location, content of the drill, the departments participating, and the personnel involved, etc. III. Management of fire protection records The collection, organization, and storage of fire protection records are aimed at ensuring their effective use to support the unit’s fire safety management efforts. The quality of fire protection record management should be assessed primarily based on its ease of use, which constitutes the fundamental starting point and goal of such management. Fire protection records should be incorporated into the unified management of the organization’s records. Formulate management regulations for fire protection records and assign management responsibilities. (1) Fire protection records shall be uniformly kept and made available for reference by units that are considered key in terms of fire safety. Centralized and unified management of such records is essential for these key fire safety units. Although fire protection records are created by certain departments or individuals, their significance extends beyond those who create them. Such records should be centrally stored and made available for reference by a specialized agency designated or established by the organization in question; they must not be kept separately by the agencies or individuals responsible for handling them. Only in this way can the limitations associated with scattered storage and independent management of these records be overcome, allowing them to serve their purpose more effectively. (II) Fire protection records must be complete and secure. Only when fire protection records are complete and secure can they provide the necessary material foundation for record-keeping work. Maintaining the integrity of fire protection records has two aspects: on one hand, it is necessary to ensure that the records are complete in terms of quantity, so that those records that should be compiled and stored are not incomplete ； On the other hand, in terms of quality, it is necessary to preserve the organic connection and historical authenticity of the archives; they should not be artificially separated or scattered, nor piled up in a disordered manner, and certainly not altered or marked in any way that could distort the accuracy of the archives. Only when the quantity of archival materials is complete can the systematic integrity of the archives be ensured, and their organic connections maintained; only then can there be a scientific basis for having a complete set of archives. Maintaining the safety of fire protection records has two aspects: on one hand, it involves taking physical measures to prevent the records from being damaged, thereby extending their usable lifespan as much as possible ； On the other hand, fire protection records also possess a certain degree of confidentiality; it is necessary to prevent these records from being lost and to ensure that they are not stolen or leaked. (III) Classification of fire protection archives: Fire protection archives should be divided into several categories based on differences and similarities in the stages of their creation, content, timing, and format, using the approach of grouping items that are similar together and separating those that are different. There is a certain relationship between these categories, as well as a defined hierarchy and order, ensuring consistency from one category to another. This facilitates the filing of archives, as well as the arrangement and cataloging of case files, thereby creating conditions for their management and utilization. (IV) Fire protection record retrieval: Retrieval involves recording the content and structural characteristics of fire protection records and storing them in retrieval tools, so that relevant records can be located promptly as needed for fire safety management, for use or utilization. It is an essential preparatory step before accessing archives, and it represents an effective means to accurately and quickly locate the required fire protection archives. A catalog is an important tool commonly used for archive retrieval. To improve the efficiency of searching fire protection records, it is necessary to compile a catalog of these records and establish a complete cataloging system. (5) Destruction of fire protection records: A unit’s fire protection records are accumulated over time through daily fire safety management activities; as more materials accumulate, some of them lose their value for retention and no longer need to be kept. To streamline archival materials and highlight key areas of work, archives should be regularly cleaned up in a purposeful, planned, and standardized manner. Useful materials should be summarized and compiled for continued retention ； Materials that have indeed lost their value for preservation and need to be destroyed should be disposed of in accordance with the **procedures for managing documentary archives**, so as to prevent the archives from becoming overly cluttered and mixed up, which could hinder their management and use. The materials for archiving fire protection records can be referred to in the table below. Archive Catalogue: Serial Number, Name. 01 Basic Information on the Unit; 02 Floor Plan of the Unit; 03 Records of Building Approval/Registration, Inspection/Approval before Use or Opening, and Fire Safety Inspections; 04 Fire Management Organization Structure; 05 Registration of Buildings and Fire Protection Equipment; 06 Fire Safety Management Systems; 07 Registration of Personnel in Key Positions; 08 Registration of Critical Areas; 09 Management of Rented Properties; 10 Registration and Management of Flammable and Explosive Chemical Hazards; 11 Inspection Records for Gas and Electrical Equipment; 12 Archives of Fire Fighting and Emergency Evacuation Plans; 13 Archives of Fire Safety Training Programs; 14 Archives of Other Important Fire Safety Matters (including records of fire incidents, fire safety rewards and penalties, new fire protection products, expenditures on fire safety measures, and fire safety awareness activities)