As part of those 10-year surveys, the Illinois State Board of Education (ISBE) requires that school districts maintain safety reference plans for each of their buildings, for use by schools and to be shared with local fire and police departments for establishing emergency protocols and procedures for each building. The ISBE also requires that those safety reference plans be kept continuously current over time as buildings are modified.
Such modifications may be as complex as large additions and/or major remodeling, or as simple as the conversion of a storage room into an office. Plans should be updated each time a change occurs, not just every 10 years. It is recommended that school district personnel review the safety reference plans at least annually and have them updated to reflect changes so that the plans remain viable tools for emergency planning and preparedness. Administrators and facilities directors should also review their plans for compliance with state requirements. 23 IAC Part 180 Section 180.330 provides a listing of the information required on all safety reference plans.
It is also important to know which part of the Illinois Administrative Code (Part 185, Part 175 or Part 180) was in effect at the time of a facility’s design, as well as subsequent building additions since each area must be maintained in compliance with the code that was in force at the time the project was completed. Each part and referenced code has a different impact on area limitations, occupancy loads, exiting requirements, fire ratings and a number of other parameters that must also be indicated on the safety reference plans.
Kluber’s integrated team of architects and engineers welcomes any questions you may have and would be glad to assist with the review and updating of your district safety reference plans and 10 Year Health/Life Safety Surveys.