NICET ITFAS Level I cheat sheet

Inspection verifies that installed equipment is physically present, correctly mounted, and undamaged; testing verifies that each device and circuit actually performs its intended function. A device can pass inspection and still fail testing.

NFPA 72 requires inspection, testing, and maintenance (ITM) to follow the manufacturer's published instructions first, then the applicable code chapter; where they conflict, the more restrictive requirement governs safe performance.

Required test frequencies: control equipment and initiating devices annually; duct detectors annually; supervising station and remote station equipment quarterly or annually depending on the system type; batteries semiannually; smoke detector sensitivity testing within one year of installation and every alternate year thereafter unless the manufacturer specifies otherwise.

Visual inspection of every initiating device and notification appliance is required at least semiannually for most systems, while functional testing of the same devices is required annually; do not treat a visual inspection as a functional test.

Before any test that could transmit an alarm, notify the supervising station, the building owner, and occupants; use the established test signal or place the system in test mode, and restore normal operation and confirm signal receipt afterward.

Record results in a permanent log: device identification, test method, result, date, tester, and any impairment. Noncompliant or failed items require documented follow-up, and impairments must be handled under the impairment procedures in NFPA 25/NFPA 72 as applicable.

Notification appliance testing confirms audibility and, where required, intelligibility in each covered space; sound pressure must reach the minimum required level above ambient, and visible appliances must be verified for correct flash rate and coverage.

A restorable (resettable) initiating device such as a heat detector or manual pull station must be tested without damage and returned to service; nonrestorable devices such as fixed-temperature fusible elements must be replaced after testing or when their listing requires it.

Test methods must not rely on the device's own self-test or on panel indications alone - apply an external stimulus (test smoke, heat source, magnet, or key) at the device and verify the panel annunciates the correct address and zone.

Primary power test: verify the system operates on the normal AC supply, confirm the dedicated branch circuit is labeled and lockable, and verify the disconnect means is accessible only to authorized personnel.

Secondary power test: with the battery connected and AC disconnected, the system must remain operational for the code-required duration (commonly 24 hours of standby followed by 5 minutes of alarm for commercial systems) and then perform its alarm functions.

Battery inspection and testing: check electrolyte level and terminal cleanliness, measure charging voltage, and perform a load test; replace batteries when they fail the load test or reach the manufacturer's service life, and record the replacement date.

Initiating circuit testing: verify each circuit is supervised for opens, grounds, and shorts, and that a single fault does not prevent alarm signal transmission from any device; test the fault by opening the circuit at the farthest point.

Notification appliance circuit testing: confirm all appliances on the circuit sound simultaneously and that circuit supervision reports a fault when a device is disconnected; verify the circuit can drive all appliances within its rated load.

Supervising station signal verification: confirm that alarm, supervisory, and trouble signals are received and correctly identified at the supervising station, and that the system restores to normal after the test.

Documentation package: as-built drawings, sequence of operation, device list with addresses, battery calculations, and the ITM log must be available to the inspector; missing documentation is itself a deficiency to record.

Impairment procedure: when a system or portion is out of service, notify the authority having jurisdiction, the owner, and the supervising station, implement a fire watch or other approved mitigation, and document the start and end of the impairment.