Because fire alarms save lives, annual fire alarm inspections are necessary to ensure that all building-wide emergency notification systems, fire-control equipment, and aids for evacuation are in working order.
By ensuring that your fire alarm system is functioning, you can both protect people and save your business from serious liability in the event of a damaging fire.
According to the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA), fire alarm systems should be inspected annually.
The fire alarm inspection requirements in the Connecticut State Fire Safety Code hold that all fire alarm systems must be inspected and tested by a licensed inspector at least once every 12 months. Schools, hospitals, and high-rise buildings in Connecticut have to undergo fire alarm inspections every 6 months.
Individual alarm components may require functional or visual inspections at even more regular intervals--as often as weekly and monthly. The good news is that suggested weekly, and monthly tests can usually be completed in-house.
That said, any adjustments to your alarm system or the recognition of malfunctioning components during an in-house test should be followed with an immediate professional inspection.
During inspections, security specialists perform tests to make sure that all parts of an alarm system are functioning properly.
The very first step of any inspection is to notify authorities that tests are being conducted. This prevents fire departments from wasting precious resources to respond to alarm tests.
Two fire safety experts will arrive at your property to conduct alarm inspection and testing.
The first expert will stay near the main fire alarm panel, while the second technician starts at the top floor and works his or her way down by testing all fire detectors, pull stations, and alarm annunciators. The technician at the alarm panel will make sure the panel is responsive when sensors are activated.
Fire and smoke detectors are tested with fake smoke from an aerosol can. When the fake smoke is sprayed at a sensor, the technician at the alarm panel will make sure that the panel has activated and correctly identified the location of each tested fire and smoke detector.
To test alarm pull stations, the inspector moving through the site will pull handles to activate alarms while the other technician makes sure that the pull has been registered by the alarm panel.
These and other necessary tests are conducted to reveal any potential issues that could affect the operation of the system's components and to confirm that all state and NFPA standards and requirements are satisfied.
In addition to meeting State of Connecticut requirements, conducting fire systems inspections and tests is required for compliance with NFPA 72, which is the National Fire Alarm and Signaling Code.
These fire protection inspections identify any faulty components or areas in need of repair or replacement in a building's fire signaling system. All inspected elements receive update tags, and a comprehensive report on the inspection must be provided for the record.
To meet alarm testing requirements, the following items are checked for functionality:
Professional fire-safety technicians must annually check fire alarm control panels, fire detection devices, remote annunciators, and devices that communicate with central station facilities.
It's important that employees are informed ahead of time that fire alarm inspection and testing will be conducted at their site. They should expect a little bit of distraction during the inspection as alarms, strobes, and other system tools are tested.
You can trust our team at Mammoth Security to develop and install the right security solutions to protect your commercial properties--whether from fire or from human wrongdoing. Our team has expertise in everything from fire alarms and access control to cameras and cabling. We take pride in what we do, and we’d love to share our expertise and workmanship with you.
If you're ready for the next step toward securing your property, fill out the simple form below to set up a free, zero-obligation site consultation. You’ll meet a friendly member of our team as we survey your property, provide professional advice, and spot any points where your fire alarm system falls short.
The duration of the inspection process varies based on the size of the facility. A small facility with a simple system may take only an hour to test. On the other hand, larger facilities with multiple buildings and complex systems may need several days to meet fire alarm inspection and testing requirements and make sure that all components are working correctly.
In order to ensure the accuracy of test results, it's important that the inspection and testing process is comprehensive and not rushed.
According to the Connecticut State Fire Safety Code, all fire alarm systems must be inspected and tested at least annually by a qualified and licensed inspector. Additionally, the code requires that all fire alarm systems be inspected and tested every six months for occupancies like schools, hospitals, and high-rise buildings. It also states that all fire alarm systems must be inspected and tested after any modification, alteration, or repair.
According to NFPA standards, inspections should be conducted semi-annually to test all equipment, including the control panel and its programming, wiring and wireless connections, power supplies, and any other devices that are part of the fire alarm system.
You can trust our team at Mammoth Security to develop and install the right security solutions to protect your commercial properties--whether from fire or from human wrongdoing. Our team has expertise in everything from fire alarms and access control to cameras and cabling. We take pride in what we do, and we’d love to share our expertise and workmanship with you.
If you're ready for the next step toward securing your property, fill out the simple form below to set up a free, zero-obligation site consultation. You’ll meet a friendly member of our team as we survey your property, provide professional advice, and spot any points where your fire alarm system falls short.
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