RUMFORD – Federal and state inspectors have found the Municipal Building has no emergency lighting, no fire alarms in the auditorium and outdated fire extinguishers.
A routine inspection by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration and another by the State Fire Marshal’s Office have revealed violations of electrical, fire and safety codes.
Among the infractions listed by OSHA are: electrical issues throughout the building; lack of emergency lighting, exit lighting, backstage lighting and a fire alarm in the auditorium; cleanup needed in the basement; no written or oral emergency exit plan for the building; and outdated fire extinguishers.
“We’ll go through each item and respond with a remedy,” Town Manager Steve Eldridge said Wednesday. “This is a wake-up call, particularly regarding documentation.”
He plans to go before the Board of Selectmen today with the information and to begin work on the documentation.
The town has 15 days, or until March 7, to devise a plan for bringing the nearly century-old building up to code. The town won’t be fined as long as it has a plan in place, he said.
The OSHA inspection was a routine, annual event.
The State Fire Marshal’s inspection was because Dirigo High School students asked to use the historic site for their annual prom. Now, they are looking into using their school, the Black Mountain lodge or the Sons of Italy hall for the prom.
The auditorium can be used for meetings and other events as long as no more than 250 people attend, but for a dance permit, as requested by the neighboring school district, permission by the fire marshal is required, Eldridge said. Events planned for the weekend can go ahead as scheduled, he said.
“Prior to the fire marshal coming, we had already asked for quotes on electrical needs,” Eldridge said. “We plan to put together a comprehensive plan. Some listings just require written policies.”
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