District-Wide Stage Drapery Fire-Code Compliance + Preventative Maintenance Program for Schools
Facility: Temecula Valley Unified School District (TVUSD)
Service Provider: On-Site Drapery Cleaners
Scope: Stage assessments, NFPA 705 field flame testing, recommendations (clean & re-treat / repairs / replacement), certifications, and a board-wide 3-year preventative maintenance program established.
The Problem
Stage Drapes are naturally flammable and represent a large volume of combustible material in schools. The presence of hot lights, unsupervised spaces and electrical sparks increases the risk of fire. To reduce this risk, the fire code requires that all textiles in public buildings be certified as flame retardant. The Temecula Valley Unified School District did not have documentation needed to confirm that stage drapes and related soft goods were fire-code compliant. They also did not know the condition of the Stage Drapes at their various campuses including which required re-certification, repair and which required replacement.
Key Constraints
- Multi-site assessment program requiring standardized inspection methods, fire code testing, data management and documentation.
- Limited access windows around school operations and auditorium use.
- Flame Retardant Applicators are required to be licensed by the California Fire Department
- Need for non-destructive field testing to satisfy strict requirements of fire code.
- Solutions required to be environmentally friendly without the use of toxic chemicals or generate any hazardous waste.
- Cleaning process must guarantee no fabric damage, shrinkage or fading of drapery.
- Detailed Costs were required for budgeting, public procurement and forecasting.
- Solutions must be cost effective.
- Requirement to support both immediate remediation and a long-term preventative maintenance program.
What On-Site Delivered
1) Controlled Scope + Board-Wide Program Design
- Identified Scope of Work and Specifications to be used for by district to satisfy Public Procurement Rules.
- Developed Schedule of inspections, coordinated with District staff and schools.
- Recommendations made based on consistent scoring of issues (test results, soiling, damage, missing hardware, condition of drapes) and treatment needs.
- Site-by-site recommendations provided to prioritize work and budget planning.
- Developed Preventative Maintenance Program for on-going compliance.
2) Stage Assessments + NFPA 705 Field Flame Testing
- Assessed Condition & Functionality of all Drapery and Tracks. Pictures and Measurements of all drapery. Document any rips, damage, stains, integrity of fabric, life expectancy and missing hardware.
- Conduct visual stage inspection to identify any safety concerns
- Conduct NFPA 705 testing for each drape. Pass/Fail outcomes recorded.
3) Remediation Options: Clean & Re-Treat / Repairs / Replacement
- Least-cost method of achieving fire code compliance was presented for each site.
- Non-immersion cleaning approach to reduce shrinkage risk and preserve fabric.
- Flame-retardant re-application following cleaning, with re-testing to confirm field compliance.
- Repairs coordinated where damage could impact safety/compliance.
- Drapery which was identified as at End of Life was flagged for replacement.
4) Inspector-Ready Closeout Documentation
- NFPA 705 Certification provided stating date tested, materials tested, site location, and expiration dates.
- For new drapes, NFPA 701 certificates provided. In addition, all materials used had to be pre-approved by the California Fire department and show certificate showing Title 19 compliance.
- Certificates packaged electronically for easy access by District, schools and Fire Departments.
- NFPA PASS labeling affixed to each drape onsite with re-testing dates.
- Preventative Maintenance Program Report delivered which specifies actions required for on-going compliance for each site.
- Entered each site into On-Site’s database which tracks expiration dates of all sites. Automated reminders to be delivered to District in advance of expiration dates.
Timeline (Milestones)
- July: Need to update Fire Code Certification of Stage Drapery identified.
- August: Competitive Bid Issued for Stage Curtain Maintenance including Scope of Work and Detailed Specifications
- September: Bid Awarded to On-Site Drapery Cleaners, Contract Signed by both parties.
- November: Site Assessments and Flame Testing completed across all campuses.
- December: Report with recommendations issued providing lowest cost method of achieving Fire Code compliance for each school.
- January: Replacement of all drapery which is at End of Life.
- March: Remediation work completed included Cleaning & Re-Treating with Flame Retardant, Repairs to Damaged Drapery & Track.
- April: Certification of Fire Code Compliance Documentation submitted to District and the California Fire Department as per Title 19, Division 1, Chapter 8 of the California Fire Code.
- May: Preventative Maintenance Plan issued for all sites. Expiration dates of all issued certificates logged in On-Site’s software for tracking.
Results
-
29 sites listed in the district board report results were:
- 18 Sites Failed the Flame Testing and had drapery which was not at End of Life, these sites were cleaned and re-treated with flame retardant same day On-Site
- 7 Sites required repairs such as electric track not closing, rips and missing hardware, all repairs were completed to restore functionality.
- 3 Sites had Drapery which was at End of Life and was replaced.
- 1 Site had some drapery which could be cleaned & re-treated and some drapery which was at end of life and was replaced.
- 7 Sites Passed the NFPA 705 Flame Testing and were issued Pass certificates which will be renewed annually.
- 1 Site had NO DRAPES
- Flame Testing Certificates and Preventative Maintenance Plan issued for all sites. Expiration dates of all issued certificates logged in On-Site’s software for tracking.
