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Fire Safety Approvals and Inspections

Fire Safety Approvals and Inspections

Application for initial (original) licensure as an adult foster care home for seven or more residents and homes for the aged require approval from the Bureau of Fire Services (BFS) prior to license issuance. BFS approval involves review of architectural plans and shop drawings for the building followed by inspection. Following original license issuance, annual inspections are conducted by BFS thereafter.

When all required information and documents required for the initial step in the license application process have been received by our Licensing Unit, you will be sent the following information:

AFC: A Fire Safety Inspection Request (BCAL-1712) and an Application for Fire Safety Plan Examination (BFS-979) that you must complete and submit.

HFA: A Request for Plan Review (BCAL-1605) Application for Fire Safety Plan Examination (BFS-979) that you must complete and submit.

BFS requires that the applicable forms listed above are attached to your submission of sealed and signed architectural plans of your facility. Attaching all documents together will expedite the fire safety approval process.

In addition, a firm that is certified pursuant to Act 144 must submit to the BFS Plan Review Division:

  • Shop drawings and cut sheets of the hood suppression system.
  • Shop drawings and cut sheets of the fire alarm system.
  • Shop drawings and cut sheets of the sprinkler system which include hydraulic calculations and water flow information based on a water-flow test conducted within the last 12 months.
  • Each certified firm must complete and submit the Application for Fire Safety Plan Examination, BFS 979, with each of the three sets of drawings and cut sheets. The Application has a box on the form for "Related to Existing Project #" which must be checked and the project number (which is issued by the BFS Plan Review Division when the architectural plans are received) filled in on the blank.

 

Once BFS receives the shop drawings and applications, they will be reviewed and the certified firms will receive a plan review report called a "12A" that will either be approved contingent or disapproved. Approved 12A reviews will have a space for the certified firm to sign and document when they are finished with their work. The firm sends the signed 12A in along with a $40 processing fee to BFS. Once BFS has approved and received each signed 12A and fee, the project is ready for inspection. BFS will notify the field inspector that the facility is ready for inspection. The field inspector will contact the facility to set up a time and date for inspection.

 

Michigan Building Code Special Note: A building or a portion of a building that will be state licensed as a Home for the Aged must comply with Type I-2 classification, Condition 1, under the Michigan Building Code.

 

BFS Web Site

http://www.michigan.gov/bfs