Life Safety Inspections

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Life Safety Inspections occur monthly at an assigned time. The Assistant Directors assigned to the chapter will walk through the house, inspecting common spaces. The House Manager or an appointed member should be available to go this walk through with the Assistant Directors during those times

Guidelines
Fire and electrical safety are high priorities in all residential facilities. For that reason, full sprinkler system coverage is present in all fraternity and sorority housing facilities. Alarm signals are transmitted to a common receiver located in the Lehigh University Police Department. In addition to these safety precautions, there are factors in which residents play a vital role in fire and life safety. To ensure the integrity of the fire safety systems and the electrical systems in each facility, the following Life Safety guidelines are enforced:

Major Life Safety Violations

  • Removing or otherwise disabling smoke detection & suppression equipment, preventing proper function*
  • Disabling any component of the fire alarm system*
  • Disabling exit signs or emergency light fixtures*
  • Blocking stairwells, exits, & hallways by furniture &/or trash*
  • Accessing or tampering with a main or sub-distribution panel
  • Having wiring installed or altered by anyone other than a University designated professional
  • Misusing a fireplace
  • Discharging fire extinguishers except to extinguish an actual fire

If any of these incidents occur accidentally, it will be considered a secondary fire safety violation.

Minor Life Safety Violations

  • Failing to promptly exit facility when alarm signals
  • Causing false alarms by activating pull stations, alarm systems, or hood suppression systems caused by careless cooking practices
  • Violating the University’s smoking or burning policy
  • Illegally parking vehicles in fire lanes
  • Propping stairwell fire doors open
  • Damaging, disabling, or otherwise altering electrical outlets, switches, emergency lights, or lighting fixtures, preventing proper function
  • Connecting electrical devices to the electrical system by means other than a UL approved three prong electric plug into an existing electric outlet
  • Connecting multiple electrical devices to one electric outlet causing an overload of the circuit
  • Using or storing any combustible items in the house

The above listing is a guide. Each incident will be evaluated and sanctioned accordingly, based on the circumstances of the incident.

Violations will be classified as either a group violation (when they are found to be in a common area of a chapter house such as lounges, dining rooms, hallways, etc.) or as an individual violation (when they are found to be in an individual member’s room).

For both group and individual violations, sanctions include but are not limited to disciplinary warning or probation as well as monetary fines.

Please note, if a fraternity or sorority has three major life safety violations in one academic year, the chapter loses the privilege to live in University Group Housing immediately.

Likewise, an individual with three major life safety violations in one year also loses the privilege to live in University Housing.

Fire Code Violation Sanctions

               Major Life Safety Violation        Minor Life Safety Violation

Offense

Group

Individual

Group

Individual

1st

$500 fine, disciplinary probation

$500 fine, disciplinary probation

$300 fine, disciplinary warning

$300 fine, disciplinary warning

2nd

$1000 fine, disciplinary probation

$1000 fine, disciplinary probation

$300 fine, $25/member*, disciplinary probation

$300 fine, disciplinary probation

3rd

Loss of right to University group housing

Removal from University housing

$500 fine, $50/member*, disciplinary probation

$500 fine, disciplinary probation

4th

 

 

$750 fine, $75/member*, disciplinary probation

$500 fine, disciplinary probation

*These fines are assessed to each in-house and out-of-house member.