Annual Fire Alarm Test Reported Complete With Untested Devices
An annual test of an addressable fire alarm system in a 4-story, 120-bed assisted living facility covers 220 initiating devices and 85 notification appliances. The technician tests all devices on floors 1 through 3 but cannot access 14 smoke detectors in locked resident rooms and 6 duct detectors in a mechanical penthouse because the facility says no staff are available. The report marks those 20 devices as 'tested, no defects.' The batteries in the FACP are 5 years old. The remote annunciator has a trouble signal for a ground fault that clears when the panel is reset. Elevator recall was tested, but the elevator lobby smoke detector on floor 4 was one of the untested devices. The AHJ requires a complete annual report signed by the NICET-certified inspector.
1. Evaluate the technician's report and decide whether it can be signed as a complete annual test.
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The report cannot be signed as a complete annual test. Marking 20 untested devices as 'tested, no defects' is a false record. The annual test must cover all initiating devices and notification appliances required by the adopted code and the manufacturer's instructions. The 14 inaccessible smoke detectors and 6 duct detectors remain untested, and the duct detectors are especially important because they initiate HVAC shutdown and may affect smoke control. The elevator lobby detector on floor 4 is also untested, so the elevator recall sequence has not been fully verified even though recall was partially tested. The ground fault trouble is an active deficiency that clears only by reset, and the 5-year-old batteries are at or beyond typical replacement life. The report should be returned as incomplete, with the untested devices listed and the deficiencies described.
2. What steps should be taken to complete the test and correct the deficiencies?
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Schedule access to the 14 resident rooms and the mechanical penthouse with facility staff, and test each device at its location using the manufacturer's test method. Test the floor 4 elevator lobby detector and re-verify the complete recall sequence, including primary and secondary recall and the elevator machine room detector where provided. Investigate and repair the ground fault rather than resetting it away, and replace the batteries according to the manufacturer's recommended interval. The duct detectors should be tested for alarm initiation and verified for fan shutdown and any damper action. Once all devices are tested and defects corrected, the report can be completed and signed. The inspector should not certify devices that were not tested, even if the facility is cooperative and the missing devices are likely to pass.
3. How should the inspector coordinate with the AHJ and document the partial test?
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The inspector should issue an interim written report that states the test is incomplete, identifies the 20 untested devices by address and location, describes the ground fault and battery condition, and explains the effect on elevator recall and duct detector functions. The AHJ should be notified under the jurisdiction's impairment or deficiency reporting procedure. The facility should implement any required fire watch or other interim measures for the affected detection. The final report should include the original deficient report, the repair records, the retest results for each previously untested device, and the signature of the qualified inspector. Keeping both the interim and final records prevents the file from showing a false complete test and demonstrates that the AHJ was notified.