Inspection, Testing, and Maintenance of Fire Alarm Systems
Domain 6 - Inspection, Testing, and Maintenance
NFPA 72 Chapter 14 sets the frequencies, methods, and records. The exam asks who tests what and how often, plus what happens when a system is out of service.
Common frequencies
- Monthly - control unit inspection: indicators, LEDs, fuses, trouble signals, and battery condition.
- Quarterly - waterflow switches, valve supervisory (tamper) switches, and other supervisory devices.
- Semiannual - battery load test.
- Annual - functional test of initiating devices, notification appliances, control unit functions, and interface/emergency control functions; 100% of devices are tested, not a sample.
- Smoke detector sensitivity - within one year of installation, then every two years thereafter, or per the manufacturer's published instructions.
Testing practice
Notify the monitoring company and the fire department before testing to avoid a false dispatch. Where a system or zone is impaired, follow the impairment procedure: notify the authority, institute a fire watch where required, and document the impairment and restoration. Record results on the inspection and testing form and retain them for the authority's review.
Worked example
A building has 120 smoke detectors and is on a two-year sensitivity cycle. This year's annual test: functionally test all 120 detectors and all notification appliances; run the sensitivity test on the half of the detectors due this year (those installed or last tested two years ago). Detectors failing sensitivity within the manufacturer's listed range are cleaned or replaced, then retested.
Traps
Testing a percentage sample instead of 100% annually; confusing the sensitivity cycle with the annual functional test; testing without notifying the monitoring company; failing to document an impairment.