Inspection, Testing, Maintenance, and Documentation
Inspection, testing, and maintenance
Inspection is a visual and functional check of conditions; testing verifies operation; maintenance corrects deficiencies. NFPA 72 requires acceptance testing before a system is placed in service and periodic ITM thereafter. Common annual testing includes initiating devices and notification appliances, with all devices tested rather than a small sample. Smoke detector sensitivity testing is required within the first year after installation and at the interval adopted by the AHJ, commonly every two years. Batteries need periodic inspection and load testing; replace them when they fail or reach the manufacturer's service limit.
Documentation
The record of completion documents system features, device locations, and test results. As-built drawings, sequence of operations, battery calculations, and ITM records should be available to the AHJ. Each ITM record should identify the device, date, tester, test method, result, and corrective action. Records must be retained and produced on request.
Worked example. A system has 150 smoke detectors and 60 notification appliances. The annual test requires functional testing of all 150 detectors and all 60 appliances, not a 10 percent sample. If five detectors fail, repair or replace them, retest the affected devices, and record the failures and corrections. The test report should also show that signals reached the supervising station and that batteries were checked.
Traps that cost marks
A visual inspection is not a functional test. Do not skip duct detectors, remote annunciators, or off-premises signal transmission. Do not use a sample in place of the required annual test. Do not leave ITM records vague; missing dates, device IDs, and results weaken the record. Do not forget to retest after repair.