Key points:
- Why fire guards must be trained in cannabis-specific compliance.
- How patrolling and logging is different in cannabis facilities.
- When to begin monitoring and how often to patrol and log.
Cultivation facilities require specialized electrical systems to maintain climate control, air quality, grow lights, and smart agriculture systems. This creates a high electrical load, and increased fire risk factors. Combined with the VOCs produced during cultivation and hazardous gases used to grow cannabis and extract cannabis oil, grow houses and extraction labs are held to strict fire codes. When fire safety systems go down, trained and certified marijuana cultivation facility fire watch guards must be dispatched.
Marijuana dispensaries are classified as standard Group M (Mercantile) retailers and are subject to stringent security measures and standard retail fire watch compliance. Cultivation facilities and grow houses fall into the Group F-1 (Industrial) classification, and Extraction Labs fall into Group H (High Hazard). They are subject to stringent fire watch compliance.
Unique Fire Watch Protocols for Extraction Labs and Grow Facilities
The cost of loss and downtime in any indoor lab or farming facility is detrimental. Even a small ignition that is rapidly extinguished can wipe out crops and render technology and equipment inoperable. Not to mention the time and cost of post-incident reporting and increased regulatory scrutiny.
Unless they’re trained and certified, a team member can’t be your monitor. For fire code and regulatory compliance, you must dispatch a trained and certified firewatcher. You can assign a team member to monitor your facility while waiting for your third-party partner to arrive.
Marijuana cultivation facility fire watch guards must:
- Maintain static safety by ensuring none of their clothing is high-static (nylon or polyester).
- If the gas detection system is down, ensure their flashlight is explosion-proof.
- Perform ventilation checks to ensure the Hazardous Exhaust System is running.
- Beyond standard fire safety and monitoring protocols, your guard must inspect Cannabis Critical points. This includes checking CO2 sensors and alarms and visually inspecting CO2 lines for frost, leaks, or signs of malfunction.
- Check for “daisy chaining”, the top cause of grow house fires in Colorado. This is the use of multiple extension cords and power strips (often to grow lights) that overload the electrical board.
- Monitor electrical ballast, checking for signs of overheating or malfunction, including discoloration and the presence of smoke.
- Cannabis businesses require strict security protocols, which often include limited access points with any combination of mag-locks, keycard/fob/code access, or security bars. To provide compliant patrolling and logging, your guard requires full access to your facility. As such, security in these areas may need to be scaled down a notch to ensure efficient egress.
Fire Watch Patrol Frequency in Cannabis Businesses
- Dispensaries and Retailers (Group M): Every 30 minutes.
- Extraction Labs (Group H): Every 15 minutes.
- Growth/MIP Zones (Group F): Every 15 to 30 minutes, depending on hazards and electrical load.
When to Begin Patrolling in Cannabis Businesses
- Faulty gas detector: Immediately
- Faulty exhaust fan: Immediately
- Water line interruption: Immediately
- Fire alarm system or fire sprinkler: After 10 hours in a 24 hour period
- Hot work: Before work begins and for 60 minutes after
Cannabis Facility Patrol Logs
Patrol logs require a few additional fields, including logging the DFD Marijuana Operational Permit Number at the top of the log and the hydrocarbon/CO2 levels. This is in addition to standard patrol log data.
In addition to your logs, the Denver Fire Department reserves the right to request security camera footage to verify your rounds.
Read more:
- How to Keep Compliant Patrol Log Sheets
- Emergency Fire Watch in Downtown Denver
- The Critical Role of Temporary Fire Watch
- Why Dispatch Dual-Trained Fire Watch Security Guards
- Fire Watch Duties vs. Security Guard Duties
Marijuana Cultivation Facility Fire Watch Guards in Denver
Scout Security provides fire watch guards in Colorado Springs and the Denver Metro Area. We provide compliant monitoring for all industries, including Cannabis dispensaries, grow labs, and extraction facilities.
You can preschedule our team or book us for 24/7 emergency services. Book now!
