More than 100,000 fires occur in non-residential buildings every year, according to the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA), costing organizations billions of dollars in damages. For this reason, maintenance and engineering managers need to ensure that their facilities’ fire and life safety systems have been correctly installed and maintained to protect from property damage or, worse, a loss of life.
It can be challenging at times to coordinate the various facets associated with the inspection, testing, and maintenance (ITM) required to keep these systems up to code, such as keeping track of when testing is required, determining who should do the testing, reviewing the documentation for the tests, and keeping it all organized. But in the event of an emergency, it can mean the difference between a frustrating inconvenience and disaster.
Frequency focus
Testing of fire-protection systems can occur weekly or annually, or even as infrequently as every five years, depending on the system type. Managers need updated copies of all applicable reference standards, and they need to become familiar with general testing requirements, inspection frequencies, and the locations of relevant sections within these standards.
Testing frequency can change with the development of newer technology and testing procedures, and some managers might have overlooked or misapplied requirements for years. For these reasons, most standards are updated every three years.
Model building fire and life safety codes adopted by cities, counties, and states require the use of passive systems — fire-rated construction components — and active systems — fire sprinklers, fire alarms, and smoke controls — when buildings are being designed, constructed, or renovated. These codes also reference standards for the design and installation as well as inspection, testing, and maintenance.
For a list of fire protection and life safety systems for institutional and commercial facilities that require periodic inspection, testing and maintenance, see the accompanying sidebar.
If a department fails to complete ITM regularly, the result could be failures during an emergent event, such as a delay in notifying first responders, a delay in notifying building staff and occupants, inadequate protection by a fire sprinkler to control a fire, a lack of water flow or pressure for use by the fire department, and increased egress times.
ITM of fire protection and life safety systems is critical in institutional facilities, where building occupants often are incapable of self-preservation or are incarcerated and, as a result, require additional time to evacuate a facility. Similarly, high-rise facilities can have longer egress times because occupants trying to evacuate have to traverse many flights of stairs.
Another challenge that managers face when it comes to ITM is balancing the cost and risk of using in-house staff with hiring a licensed contractor to perform the work. While it is convenient to use people already on staff, doing so can take away from other tasks within the facility and might require additional certifications, licenses or training.
For example, NFPA 72 requires the fire alarm system to be tested by operators with certification by the National Institute for Certification in Engineering Technologies , which requires working knowledge of fire alarm systems and the ability to pay for and pass a standardized test.
By comparison, NFPA 80 only requires the persons performing testing on fire doors to be knowledgeable. For those working in health care, this topic has been hotly debated for the last few years until recent clarifications from Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services.
NFPA 80 defines a qualified person under section 3.3.95 as “a person who, by possession of a recognized degree, certificate, professional standing, or skill and who, by knowledge, training and experience, has demonstrated the ability to deal with the subject matter, the work or the project.” This definition clearly allows anyone with knowledge of the subject and the skills to perform the work required without any recognized training, although training might be beneficial. Managers also should check with local authorities to verify whether or not they have adopted any specific certification or training requirements for ITM of specific fire protection and life safety systems.
After the completion of any ITM, it is vital that managers review all testing documentation completed by staff or a contractor. Oftentimes, workers leave boxes unchecked, miss systems or components during the inspection, miscount devices, forget to include pages, or document deficiencies without noting corrections. These oversights could be simple to correct, or they could be substantial enough to require shutdown of an entire building system or fire watch
Although these tasks can be time-consuming, they are as essential to ensure that fire protection and life safety systems will perform properly in the event of a fire. It is often helpful to engage another person within the department or a trusted partner to assist with document review.
Another common issue when it comes to ITM — especially in 24/7 facilities, facilities with high levels of security, or even standard commercial buildings — is scheduling the work. Fire alarm testing at 7 a.m. or 5 p.m. can disrupt building occupants. Flowing water from standpipes or a fire pump might temporarily close stairwells or rooms, or it could destroy landscaping. Activating smoke control systems can make doors difficult to operate, cause issues with furniture or artwork within an atrium, or bring in large quantities of cold air during winter.
Because of these potential problems, coordinating testing not only with facility staff but other ancillary staff and building occupants in affected areas can be critical to successful ITM. That said, proper care and coordination in advance can assist in successful testing.
Regular testing of fire protection and life safety systems will ensure proper operation while keeping buildings and occupants safe. Managers also must make sure they do not forget passive systems. Outside of healthcare occupancies or correctional facilities, these systems often go overlooked and, as a result, can be just as dangerous in leading to the spread of fire, smoke, and hot toxic gases. Walls, floors, and doors that are not inspected – even though the building has a brand new fire alarm system or a fire sprinkler system – present a major risk for the building.
ITM for fire protection and life safety systems within a facility can be a difficult task. Managers need to make notifications, schedule system shutdowns, and review documentation, in addition to ensuring technicians complete everyday tasks. Successful ITM requires ample care and coordination in advance by the staff or by contractors performing the work with the facilities staff, ancillary staff, and building occupants.
Despite these challenges, completing all ITM requirements will ensure that a facility’s fire protection and life safety systems are in the best possible state to perform as intended if needed.
