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Risk Assessment - OVAP Scoring

Purpose

  1. The purpose of this Knowledge Base Article is to demonstrate how to calculate the Risk Assessment Score for an Occupancy.

Background

OVAP Definition: Occupancy Vulnerability Assessment Profile


Purpose: Risk assessment (AKA OVAP Scoring) is a tool used to identify and evaluate important factors and characteristics of individual Occupancies and their relative risk to a community.  Risk assessment is a determination of the probability of and the consequences of a fire incident to a community.  The higher the risk assessment score, the more likely a fire incident in an occupancy will affect a community.


It is recommended to create a local policy for the evaluation process to maintain consistent results in accordance with community parameters.  The final risk assessment score can be utilized to determine the frequency of code compliance inspections, incident response criteria (number of fire companies needed), community fire risk, economic loss potential, etc.

Related Article

Video


Instructions


Note: Permissions Required:
Pre-Planning Bucket - Calculate Needed Fire Flow - Button
Pre-Planning Bucket - Calculate Risk Assessment - Button






Note: Unhide the Risk Assessment fields for the roles that you desire to have Risk Management - OVAP Score available for.
Navigate to Admin > Field Management.  Filter by the Risk Assessment section.  Select "Edit Role Permissions" and make sure "Update" is selected for the Role(s) that you desire to calculate the Risk Assessment Score (see example below).  Perform this action for all fields except Exposure A-D Separation (these fields are not used in the calculation).  You will perform this action for 19 fields.







1. Open the Occupancy Record and make sure you are in the Occupancy Section.
  1. Note: Fields required to achieve a Risk Assessment/OVAP Score will be demonstrated in this KBA. Your agency may desire or require additional information within the Occupancy data set.

Open the Occupancy Record and make sure you are in the Occupancy Section.




2. Click on Area and enter data into the Area Section.
  1. Required Data:
    1. Area Per Floor
    2. Floors Above Grade
    3. Floors Below Grade
    4. Total Area
  2. NOTE: The system can calculate the area per floor and total Area, or enter the data directly into the appropriate fields.

Click on Area and enter data into the Area Section.




3. Click on Construction and select the appropriate Construction Type.


Click on Construction and select the appropriate Construction Type.




4. Click on Occupancy Loads and enter the Posted Occupancy Load.


Click on Occupancy Loads and enter the Posted Occupancy Load.




5. Click on Needed Fire Flow. See the related article on how to calculate the needed fire flow.


Click on Needed Fire Flow. See the related article on how to calculate the needed fire flow.




6. Click on Risk Assessment.
  1. The Risk Score and Category will auto populate after the data is entered and calculated.

Click on Risk Assessment.




7. Building Section
  1. Enter the Average Exposure Separation distance in feet.
  2. NOTE: Exposure A-D Separation fields are not used for the calculation.
  3. Construction Type, Floors Above Grade, Floors Below Grade, and Total Area will auto populate from data previously entered.
  4. Fire Department Access: Indicate the appropriate number of sides with fire department access for advancing hose lines, setting ladders, etc. and the placement of apparatus to support firefighting operations.

Building Section




8. Life Safety Section
  1. Posted Occupancy Load will auto populate from data previously entered.
  2. Occupant Mobility:
    1. Do occupants sleep (hotel, motel, Residential, etc.) at the occupancy?
    2. Are Occupants non-ambulatory (health care, nursing home, etc.) or restrained (correctional facility, jail, etc.)?
  3. Warning Alarm:
    1. Automatic = Automatic alarm detection
    2. Central = Central Station monitored alarm system
    3. Local = Alarm rings at occupancy only
    4. Manual = Occupant action triggers alarm
  4. Exiting System:
    1. Conforming = Egress/Exiting Systems are code compliant
    2. Non-Conforming = Egress/Exiting Systems are not code compliant

Life Safety Section




9. Risk - Frequency/Likelihood
  1. Regulatory Oversight:
    1. Highly regulated, Mandatory compliance = Code official regularly performs Code Compliance Inspections and requires compliance for continued occupancy.
    2. Highly regulated, Inspections scheduled = Code Official regularly performs Code Compliance Inspections.
    3. Regulated, inspections schedule random = Random pace of Code Compliance Inspections.
    4. Regulated, Voluntary Compliance = Code Official performs inspections and attains voluntary compliance only.
    5. Un-regulated, Un-inspected = No Code Compliance Inspections conducted.
  2. Human Activity:
    1. No access to unauthorized person = No unauthorized person allowed entry.
    2. Controlled access to unauthorized persons =Unauthorized person allowed entry upon approval only.
    3. Business activity, Sales and Retail = Normal Business activities.
    4. Group Activity, Transient population = Persons with no knowledge of the occupancy.
    5. Domestic activity, No occupant control = No control for access.
  3. Experience:
    1. Indicate the frequency of fire department activities at the Occupancy.  Consider Code Compliance Inspections, Pre-planning, fire department responses, etc.






10. Risk - Consequence Section
  1. Capacity to Control – Indicate the degree of difficulty that can be expected during firefighting activities.
  2. Hazard Index – Indicate the appropriate types of hazards found in the occupancy.
  3. Fire Load:
    1. Light Hazard — This classification applies to spaces where the quantity of combustibles is low and/or the combustibility of contents is low which would result in relatively low rates of heat release if ignited. Examples of spaces with a light hazard classification might include offices, healthcare facilities, churches, schools, etc.
    2. Ordinary Hazard (Group 1) — This classification applies to spaces in which the combustibility of materials present is low and the quantity is moderate, with no stockpiles of combustible material exceeding 8 feet (2.4 meters). Examples of spaces with this classification might include mechanical plants, laundries, food processing facilities or other manufacturing operations in which a fire would release moderate rates of heat.
    3. Ordinary Hazard (Group 2) — This classification applies to spaces where the quantity and combustibility of contents are moderate to high, and which may have stockpiles of materials up to 12 feet high (3.7 meters) that could release moderate rates of heat release if ignited. Examples of this occupancy include distilleries, barns and stables, dry cleaners, libraries, machine rooms, and auto repair shops.
    4. Extra Hazard (Group 1) — This classification applies to spaces where the quantity and combustibility of contents are very high and dust, lint, or other materials are present, which introduce the probability of fires that burn hot and spread fast, such as upholstery shops, sawmills, plywood manufacturers, or textile factories. This classification may include spaces with some small amounts of combustible or flammable liquids, but the classification is primarily based on the presence of highly combustible solids.
    5. Extra Hazard (Group 2) — This classification applies to spaces in which moderate to substantial amounts of flammable or combustible liquids are routinely present or where there are large amounts of combustibles, such that the extensive use of heat shields are needed to keep them from igniting. Examples of these include plastic manufacturing operations, steel manufacturing, and automobile paint spray booths.

Risk - Consequence Section




11. Water Demand Section
  1. Fire Flow Required - Will auto populate from data previously entered.
  2. Fire Flow Available: Consider the fire department’s ability to utilize the available water supply system(s) (e.g. hydrants, tender/tanker water shuttles, drafting sites, etc.) to deliver the needed fire flow.
    1. Yes
    2. No
  3. Fire Sprinklers:
    1. Yes = Sprinkler system present and in-service
    2. No = No sprinkler system present
    3. Partial = Partial coverage in an occupancy by a sprinkler system
  4. Standpipe systems:
    1. Yes = Code Compliant Standpipe Systems present
    2. No = No standpipe Systems
  5. NFPA Fire Year Inspection:
    1. Yes = Sprinkler and/or Standpipes have had a NFPA Inspection within the last 5 years and are Code Compliant.
    2. No = Sprinkler and/or Standpipes do not have a current NFPA Inspection within the last 5 years.

Water Demand Section




12. Impact to Community - Value Section
  1. Consider factors such as the number of employees impacted, tax revenue impacts, economic impact, etc.

Impact to Community - Value Section




13. Click on Calculate Risk Score.


Click on Calculate Risk Score.




14. If data is missing, expect to see this error message:






15. The Calculated Risk Score and Risk Classification will be displayed.


The Calculated Risk Score and Risk Classification will be displayed.




16. The Calculated Risk Score and Risk Classification will be displayed at the top of the Risk Assessment Section of the Occupancy Record:







17. Risk Classifications: