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Risk Assessment - OVAP Scoring

Purpose Statement

The Risk Assessment (OVAP Score) feature calculates an occupancy's relative risk to the community by evaluating factors such as building characteristics, life safety systems, occupant characteristics, regulatory oversight, hazards, and available water supply.

OVAP stands for Occupancy Vulnerability Assessment Profile. The calculated score and classification can assist agencies with determining inspection frequency, incident response criteria, community fire risk, and potential economic impact.

Background Information

Risk assessment considers both the probability and potential consequences of a fire incident. A higher Risk Assessment Score indicates that a fire at the occupancy is more likely to have a significant impact on the community.

The OVAP assessment considers information related to:

  • Building characteristics
  • Life safety
  • Frequency and likelihood of an incident
  • Consequences of an incident
  • Water demand and fire protection systems
  • Community impact

Agencies should establish local policies for completing these assessments so evaluators apply the criteria consistently and in accordance with community-specific parameters.

Required Permissions

Pre-Planning Bucket Permissions

Users completing the Risk Assessment require access to:

  • Calculate Needed Fire Flow - Button
  • Calculate Risk Assessment - Button

Field Management Setup

To configure access to Risk Assessment fields:

  1. Navigate to Admin Field Management.
  2. Filter by the Risk Assessment section.
  3. Select Edit Role Permissions for the appropriate roles.
  4. Ensure Update is selected for all applicable Risk Assessment fields except the Exposure A-D Separation fields.
  5. Apply permissions to the required 19 fields.

Note: Risk Assessment fields must also be unhidden for roles that require access to Risk Management - OVAP Score.

Video

Step-by-Step Guide

1. Open the Occupancy Record

  1. Open the appropriate Occupancy Record.
  2. Confirm you are in the Occupancy section.

Note: This guide identifies fields required to achieve a Risk Assessment/OVAP Score. Your agency may require additional information within the Occupancy data set.

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

2. Complete the Area Section

  1. Select Area.
  2. Enter the required information:
    • Area Per Floor
    • Floors Above Grade
    • Floors Below Grade
    • Total Area

Note: The system can calculate Area Per Floor and Total Area, or the values can be entered directly into the applicable fields.

Click on Area and enter data into the Area Section.
 

3. Select the Construction Type

  1. Select Construction.
  2. Select the appropriate Construction Type.
Click on Construction and select the appropriate Construction Type.
 

4. Enter the Occupancy Load

  1. Select Occupancy Loads.
  2. Enter the Posted Occupancy Load.
Click on Occupancy Loads and enter the Posted Occupancy Load.
 

5. Complete Needed Fire Flow

  1. Select Needed Fire Flow.
  2. Complete the Needed Fire Flow calculation.

See the related Knowledge Base article for instructions on calculating Needed Fire Flow.

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

6. Open Risk Assessment

  1. Select Risk Assessment.
  2. The Risk Score and Category populate after the required information is entered and calculated.
Click on Risk Assessment.
 

7. Complete the Building Section

  1. Enter the Average Exposure Separation distance in feet.
  2. Review the auto-populated:
    • Construction Type
    • Floors Above Grade
    • Floors Below Grade
    • Total Area
  3. Complete Fire Department Access by identifying the appropriate number of sides that provide access for activities such as:
    • Advancing hose lines
    • Setting ladders
    • Positioning apparatus to support firefighting operations

Note: Exposure A-D Separation fields are not used in the Risk Assessment calculation.

Building Section
 

8. Complete the Life Safety Section

  1. Review the auto-populated Posted Occupancy Load.
  2. Complete Occupant Mobility, considering:
    • Whether occupants sleep at the occupancy, such as a hotel, motel, or residential occupancy.
    • Whether occupants are non-ambulatory, such as in healthcare or nursing facilities.
    • Whether occupants are restrained, such as in a correctional facility or jail.
  3. Select the appropriate Warning Alarm:
    • Automatic – Automatic alarm detection
    • Central – Central Station monitored alarm system
    • Local – Alarm rings at the occupancy only
    • Manual – Occupant action triggers the alarm
  4. Select the appropriate Exiting System:
    • Conforming – Egress/Exiting Systems are code compliant
    • Non-Conforming – Egress/Exiting Systems are not code compliant
Life Safety Section
 

9. Complete Risk – Frequency/Likelihood

Complete the following assessment areas:

Regulatory Oversight

  • Highly regulated, Mandatory compliance
  • Highly regulated, Inspections scheduled
  • Regulated, inspections schedule random
  • Regulated, Voluntary Compliance
  • Un-regulated, Un-inspected

Human Activity

  • No access to unauthorized person
  • Controlled access to unauthorized persons
  • Business activity, Sales and Retail
  • Group Activity, Transient population
  • Domestic activity, No occupant control

Experience

Consider the frequency of fire department activity at the occupancy, including:

  • Code Compliance Inspections
  • Pre-planning
  • Fire department responses
  • Other applicable department activity

 

10. Complete Risk – Consequence

Complete the following:

  1. Capacity to Control – Indicate the expected degree of difficulty during firefighting operations.
  2. Hazard Index – Identify the applicable hazards within the occupancy.
  3. Fire Load – Select the appropriate classification:
    • Light Hazard
    • Ordinary Hazard (Group 1)
    • Ordinary Hazard (Group 2)
    • Extra Hazard (Group 1)
    • Extra Hazard (Group 2)

Select the Fire Load classification that best represents the quantity and combustibility of materials and the anticipated fire conditions at the occupancy.

Risk - Consequence Section
 

11. Complete the Water Demand Section

  1. Review the auto-populated Fire Flow Required.
  2. Complete Fire Flow Available:
    • Yes
    • No

Consider the department's ability to use available water supply systems, including hydrants, tender/tanker water shuttles, and drafting sites, to deliver the needed fire flow.

  1. Complete Fire Sprinklers:
    • Yes – Sprinkler system present and in service
    • No – No sprinkler system present
    • Partial – Partial sprinkler coverage
  2. Complete Standpipe Systems:
    • Yes – Code-compliant standpipe systems are present
    • No – No standpipe systems
  3. Complete NFPA Fire Year Inspection:
    • Yes – Sprinkler and/or standpipe systems have had an NFPA inspection within the last five years and are code compliant.
    • No – Sprinkler and/or standpipe systems do not have a current NFPA inspection within the last five years.
Water Demand Section
 

12. Complete Impact to Community – Value

  1. Evaluate the potential community impact.
  2. Consider factors such as:
    • Number of employees affected
    • Tax revenue impacts
    • Economic impacts
    • Other applicable community consequences
Impact to Community - Value Section
 

13. Calculate the Risk Score

  1. Review the entered information.
  2. Select Calculate Risk Score.
Click on Calculate Risk Score.
 

14. Resolve Missing Information

  1. If required data is missing, an error message displays.
  2. Review the fields identified in the message.
  3. Complete the missing information.
  4. Calculate the Risk Score again.

 

15. Review the Calculated Results

  1. After a successful calculation, review the:
    • Calculated Risk Score
    • Risk Classification
The Calculated Risk Score and Risk Classification will be displayed.
 

16. Review the Risk Assessment Summary

The calculated Risk Score and Risk Classification are displayed at the top of the Risk Assessment section within the Occupancy Record.


 

17. Review the Risk Classification

Review the resulting Risk Classification and use it in accordance with your agency's established risk assessment policies and procedures.

Best Practices

  • Establish agency-specific policies for completing OVAP assessments consistently.
  • Confirm the appropriate permissions and field visibility before beginning.
  • Complete Needed Fire Flow before calculating the Risk Assessment.
  • Review all auto-populated values for accuracy.
  • Use consistent criteria when evaluating subjective factors such as Capacity to Control and Community Impact.
  • Reassess an occupancy when significant changes occur to its construction, use, hazards, life safety systems, or operations.
  • Use Risk Scores consistently when supporting inspection scheduling and response planning decisions.
  • Document the rationale behind subjective assessment selections when appropriate.

Troubleshooting & FAQs

Why am I receiving an error when I select Calculate Risk Score?
Required information is missing. The system identifies fields that still require data. Complete those fields and calculate the score again.

Why can't I see some of the Risk Assessment fields?
Review the applicable Field Management configuration. Risk Assessment fields must be visible to the role, and the appropriate fields require Update permissions.

Which Exposure Separation field is used for the calculation?
The Average Exposure Separation field is used. Exposure A-D Separation fields are not included in the Risk Assessment calculation.

Can I change information after calculating the Risk Score?
Yes. Update the applicable information and calculate the Risk Score again to update the score and classification.

Why isn't Fire Flow Required available?
Complete the applicable Needed Fire Flow information before completing the Risk Assessment.

When should an OVAP Risk Assessment be updated?
The source recommends updating the assessment when significant changes occur to the occupancy, construction, life safety systems, or operational characteristics. Agencies should establish their own policies for periodic reviews.