automatic fire alarm association

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Automatic Fire Alarm Association

2020 Webinar Series

So – You’re a Fire Inspector

Presented by Art Black

Carmel Fire Protection


THE WEBINAR WILL BEGIN AT 1PM EDT


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So - You’re a Fire Inspector!

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What is a Fire Inspector?

• “The Big Four”• Fire Department

• Fire Sprinkler Contractor

• Fire Alarm Contractor

• Kitchen Fire System Contractor

• All of the above are “Fire Inspectors”

• Scopes are different

Fire Department Inspector

• Fire Department• Municipal Fire Department

• Fire District

• State

• Military

• NFPA 1031 is the professional qualifications standard for fire service fire inspectors.

Fire Sprinkler Inspector

• Fire Sprinkler Installation Company

• Fire Sprinkler Inspection Company

• Professional Backgrounds Vary Wildly• Sprinklerfitter• Other

• NFPA 25 is the standard that defines job performance for this position

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Fire Alarm Inspector

• Fire Alarm Installation Company

• Fire Alarm Service Company

• Professional Backgrounds Vary Wildly• Fire alarm installation technician

• Other

• NFPA 72 defines job performance requirements

Kitchen Fire System Inspector

• Kitchen Hood and Duct Fire Suppression Contractors

• NFPA 17A is the appropriate standard defining duties

Other Fire Inspectors

• Many other NFPA standards contain requirements for inspections• NFPA 10 – Portable Fire Extinguishers

• NFPA 20 – Fire Pumps

• NFPA 24 – Underground Fire Service Mains

• Others

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Fire Department Inspector

NFPA 1031

• “Standard for Professional Qualifications for Fire Inspector and Plan Examiner”

• Fire Inspector I, II, and III

• Plan Examiner

Fire Inspector I Field Inspections

• Competencies Required• Determination of Occupancy Classification

• Determination of Occupant Load

• Inspection of Means of Egress

• Determination of Type of Construction

• Verification of Existing Fire Suppression Systems

• Verification of Existing Fire Alarm Systems

• Verification of Existing Portable Fire Extinguishers

• Determination of Hazardous Conditions

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Determination of Occupancy Classifications• Recommended Resource

• International Building Code

Determination of Occupant Load

• Recommended Resource• International Building Code

Inspection of Means of Egress

• Recommended Resource• International Building Code

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Determination of Type of Construction• Recommended Resource

• International Building Code

Verification of Existing Fire Suppression Systems• Recommended Resources

• NFPA 11, NFPA 11A, NFPA 12, NFPA 12A, NFPA 13, NFPA 13R, NFPA 14, NFPA 15, NFPA 16, and NFPA 20

Verification of Existing Fire Alarm Systems• Recommended Resources

• NFPA 72

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Verification of Existing Portable Fire Extinguishers• Recommended Resources

• NFPA 10

Determination of Hazardous Conditions• Recommended Resources

• International Fire Code

• 49 CFR

• NFPA 704


• Competencies Required• Determination of Modifications to Existing Fire Systems

• Verification of Existing Emergency Planning

• Determination of Adequate Emergency Access

• Inspection of Flammable/Combustible Storage

• Inspection of Hazardous Materials Storage

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Determination of Modifications to Existing Fire Systems• Recommended Resources

• NFPA 11, NFPA 11A, NFPA 12, NFPA 12A, NFPA 13, NFPA 13R, NFPA 14, NFPA 15, NFPA 16, NFPA 20, NFPA 72

Verification of Existing Emergency Planning• Recommended Resources

• NFPA 550 and NFPA 551

Determination of Adequate Emergency Access• Recommended Resource


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Inspection of Flammable/Combustible Storage• Recommended Resource

• NFPA 30 and NFPA 54

Inspection of Hazardous Materials Storage• Recommended Resource

• NFPA 400


• Competencies Required• Determination of Fire Growth Potential

• Determination of Code Compliance

• Calculation of Required Fire Flow

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Determination of Fire Growth Potential• Recommended Resource

• NFPA 555

Determination of Code Compliance• Recommended Resources

• International Code Council

• NFPA

Calculation of Required Fire Flow

• Recommended Reference• NFPA 291


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• The Public Sector Fire Inspector Library

Fire Department Inspector Scope

Report Writing Skills

• “Reports of such inspections shall be prepared and submitted in writing for review and approval.”

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Questions?

Fire Sprinkler System Inspector

Fire Sprinkler System Inspector

• NFPA 25

• 1.1 Scope. This document establishes the minimum requirements for the periodic inspection, testing, and maintenance of water-based fire protection systems and the actions to undertake when changes in occupancy, use, process, materials, hazard, or water supply that potentially impact the performance of the water-based system are planned or identified.

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NFPA 25 Scope Limitations

• 1.1.3.1* This standard does not require the inspector to verify the adequacy of the design of the system.

Sprinkler System OwnerResponsibilities• 4.1.1* Responsibility for Inspection, Testing, Maintenance, and Impairment. The

property owner or designated representative shall be responsible for properly maintaining a water based fire protection system.

• 4.1.1.1* Inspection, testing, maintenance, and impairment procedures shall be implemented in accordance with those established in this document and in accordance with the manufacturer’s instructions.

• 4.1.1.2 Inspection, testing, and maintenance shall be performed by qualified personnel.

• 4.1.1.2.1* The owner shall coordinate with the entity conducting the inspection, testing, and maintenance activities to minimize any water damage caused by the discharge of water.

• 4.1.1.3* Where the property owner or designated representative is not the occupant, the property owner or designated representative shall be permitted to delegate the authority for inspecting, testing, maintenance, and the managing of impairments of the fire protection system to a designated representative.

• 4.1.1.4 Where a designated representative has received the authority for inspecting, testing, maintenance, and the managing of impairments, the designated representative shall comply with the requirements identified for the property owner or designated representative throughout this standard.

Sprinkler System OwnerResponsibilities• 4.1.2* Freeze Protection. The property owner or designated

representative shall ensure that water-filled piping is maintained at a minimum temperature of 40°F (4°C) unless an approved antifreeze solution is utilized.

• 4.1.3* Accessibility. The property owner or designated representative shall provide ready accessibility to components of water-based fire protection systems that require inspection, testing, and maintenance.

• 4.1.4 Notification of System Shutdown or Testing. The property owner or designated representative shall notify the authority having jurisdiction, the fire department, if required, and the alarm-receiving facility before testing or shutting down a system or its supply.

• 4.1.5* Corrections and Repairs.

• 4.1.5.1* The property owner or designated representative shall correct or repair deficiencies or impairments.

• 4.1.5.2 Corrections and repairs shall be performed by qualified maintenance personnel or a qualified contractor.

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Sprinkler System OwnerResponsibilities• 4.1.6* Changes in Occupancy, Use, Process, or Materials. The property owner

or designated representative shall not make changes in the occupancy, the use or process, or the materials used or stored in the building without evaluation of the fire protection system(s) for its capability to protect the new occupancy, use, or materials.

• 4.1.6.1 The evaluation required by 4.1.6 shall not be considered part of the normal inspection, testing, and maintenance required by this standard.

• 4.1.6.2* The evaluation shall consider factors that include, but are not limited to, the following:

• (1) Occupancy changes such as converting office or production space into warehousing

• (2) Process or material changes such as metal stamping to molded plastics

• (3) Building revisions such as relocated walls, added mezzanines, and ceilings added below sprinklers

• (4) Removal of heating systems in spaces with piping subject to freezing

• (5) Changes to the storage method, arrangement, height or commodities

• (6) Changes in water supplies

Sprinkler System OwnerResponsibilities• 4.1.7* Addressing Changes in Hazard.

• 4.1.7.1 Where changes in the occupancy, hazard, water supply, storage commodity, storage arrangement, building modification, or other condition that affects the installation criteria of the system are identified, the property owner or designated representative shall promptly take steps to evaluate the adequacy of the installed system in order to protect the building or hazard in question.

• 4.1.7.2 Where the evaluation reveals that the installed system is inadequate to protect the building or hazard in question, the property owner or designated representative shall make the required corrections.

• 4.1.7.3 Corrections shall be approved.

• 4.1.8 Valve Location. The location of shutoff valves shall be identified at the system riser or other approved locations.

• 4.1.9 Information Sign.

• 4.1.9.1 A permanently marked metal or rigid plastic information sign shall be placed at the system control riser supplying an antifreeze loop, dry system, preaction system, or auxiliary system control valve.

NFPA 25 Inspection and Testing

• 4.5* Inspection. System components shall be inspected at intervals specified in the appropriate chapters.

• 4.6 Testing.

• 4.6.1 All components and systems shall be tested to verify that they function as intended.

• 4.6.2 The frequency of tests shall be in accordance with this standard.

• 4.6.3 Fire protection system components shall be restored to full operational condition following testing, including reinstallation of plugs and caps for auxiliary drains and test valves.

• 4.6.4* Test results shall be compared with those of the original acceptance test (if available) and with the most recent test results.

• 4.6.5* When a component or subsystem is adjusted, repaired, reconditioned, or replaced, it shall be tested in accordance with the original acceptance test required for that subsystem or the requirements where specified by the standard.

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NFPA 25

• Fire Sprinkler Systems

• Standpipe and Hose Systems

• Private Fire Service Mains

• Fire Pumps

• Water Tank Systems

• Water Spray Systems

• Foam-Water Sprinkler Systems

• Water Mist Systems

NFPA 25 Summary Tables

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National Certification

• NICET• National Institute for Certification of Engineering

Technologies

• Fire Sprinkler Technician

• Fire Sprinkler Testing Technician

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Fire Alarm System Inspector

NFPA 72 Inspector Requirements

• 10.5.3* Inspection, Testing, and Service Personnel. (SIG-TMS)

• 10.5.3.1* Inspection Personnel. Inspections shall be performed by personnel who have developed competence through training and experience that are acceptable to the authority having jurisdiction or meet the requirement of 10.5.3.4.

• 10.5.3.2* Testing Personnel. Testing personnel shall have knowledge and experience of the testing requirements contained in this Code, of the equipment being tested, and of the test methods. That knowledge and experience shall be acceptable to the authority having jurisdiction or meet the requirement of 10.5.3.4.

Section 10.5.3.4

• 10.5.3.4 Means of Qualification. Qualified personnel shall include, but not be limited to, one or more of the following:

• (1) Personnel who are factory trained and certified for the specific type and brand of system being serviced

• (2) Personnel who are certified by a nationally recognized certification organization acceptable to the authority having jurisdiction

• (3) Personnel, either individually or through their affiliation with an organization that is registered, licensed, or certified by a state or local authority to perform service on systems addressed within the scope of this Code

• (4) Personnel who are employed and qualified by an organization listed by a nationally recognized testing laboratory for the servicing of systems within the scope of this Code

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• NFPA 72

• 14.2.1.3* The purpose for periodic inspections is to assure that obvious damages or changes that might affect the system operability are visually identified.

• 14.2.1.4* The purpose for periodic testing is to statistically assure operational reliability.

NFPA 72

• NFPA 72• Chapter 7 – Documentation

• Chapter 10 – Fundamentals

• Chapter 14 – Inspection, Testing and Maintenance

• Manufacturer’s Published Instructions

National Certification

• NICET• National Institute for Certification of Engineering

Technologies

• Fire Alarm Technician

• Fire Alarm Testing Technician

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NFPA 72 Table 14.4.3.2

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Kitchen Hood and Duct Suppression System Inspector

Kitchen Hood and Duct System Inspector• NFPA 17A• 1.7 Only trained persons shall be considered

competent to design or lay out, install, and service wet chemical systems.

• 7.3.1 A service technician who performs maintenance on an extinguishing system shall be trained and shall have passed a written or online test that is acceptable to the authority having jurisdiction.

• 7.3.1.1 The service technician shall possess a certification document confirming the requirements in 7.3.1 and issued by the manufacturer or testing organization that is acceptable to the authority having jurisdiction.

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Kitchen Hood and Duct System Inspection Requirements• NFPA 17A

• 7.1 General. The responsibility for inspection, testing, maintenance, and recharging of the fire protection system shall ultimately be that of the owner(s) of the system, provided that this responsibility has not been transferred in written form to a management company, tenant, or other party.

• 7.2 Owner’s Inspection.

• 7.2.1 On a monthly basis, inspection shall be conducted in accordance with 7.2.2 and the owner’s manual.

• 7.3 Maintenance.

• 7.3.2* A service technician who has the applicable manufacturer’s design, installation, and maintenance manual and service bulletins shall service the wet chemical fire-extinguishing system at intervals of no more than 6 months as outlined in 7.3.3.

• 7.3.3* At least semiannually and after any system activation, maintenance shall be conducted in accordance with the manufacturer’s design, installation, and maintenance manual.


• 4.5* Inspection. System components shall be inspected at intervals specified in the appropriate chapters.

• 4.6 Testing.

• 4.6.1 All components and systems shall be tested to verify that they function as intended.

• 4.6.2 The frequency of tests shall be in accordance with this standard.

• 4.6.3 Fire protection system components shall be restored to full operational condition following testing, including reinstallation of plugs and caps for auxiliary drains and test valves.

• 4.6.4* Test results shall be compared with those of the original acceptance test (if available) and with the most recent test results.

• 4.6.5* When a component or subsystem is adjusted, repaired, reconditioned, or replaced, it shall be tested in accordance with the original acceptance test required for that subsystem or the requirements where specified by the standard.

NFPA 17A Scope

• 1.1* Scope. The provisions of this standard apply to the design, installation, operation, testing, and maintenance of pre-engineered wet chemical fire-extinguishing systems that discharge wet chemical from fixed nozzles and piping by means of expellant gas.

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Recap

• Fire Service Inspector• Knowledge Requirements – Multiple

• Fire Sprinkler Inspector• Knowledge Requirements – Limited to scope of NFPA 25

• Fire Alarm Inspector• Knowledge Requirements – Limited to scope of NFPA 72

• Kitchen Hood and Duct System Inspector• Knowledge Requirements – Limited to scope of NFPA

17A

• Not really an “inspector” – more of a technician

Questions?

Art BlackCarmel Fire Protection

Carmel-by-the-Sea, California

www.carmelfire.com

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