What fire alarm inspection involves
Fire alarm inspection is the scheduled visual check and functional test of a building’s fire alarm system. The main reference is NFPA 72, the National Fire Alarm and Signaling Code, which covers fire alarm and signaling systems and sets out what inspection and testing must be done. Visual inspections are scheduled more often than physical tests, and most systems are fully tested once a year.
During the annual inspection and test, a qualified technician typically works through:
- Control equipment. The fire alarm control unit, power supplies, fuses, trouble and power indicators, and any remote annunciators.
- Initiating devices. Smoke detectors, heat detectors, manual pull stations, and sprinkler waterflow and valve supervisory switches.
- Notification appliances. Horns, speakers and strobes, checked for operation in each area they serve.
- Secondary power. Batteries and battery chargers, inspected and tested according to battery type.
- Interfaces. Connections to other building systems, such as elevator recall, HVAC, smoke control and kitchen hood suppression.
- Transmission equipment. The communicator that sends signals to the supervising station, with the provider confirming with the station that test signals were received.
The visit ends with a report listing every device tested, the result and any deficiencies.
Fire alarm inspection requirements: codes and standards
Which edition of NFPA 72 applies, and how it is amended, is decided by the state or local authority having jurisdiction. The points below are reference points, not legal advice.
- Qualified personnel. Testing is performed by personnel factory trained and certified for the type of system, who work for a nationally recognized certified organization or are registered or certified by the local authority.
- Licensing. Many jurisdictions license fire alarm companies and technicians. In New York City, an FDNY-approved fire alarm company must have a principal holding an S-97 Certificate of Fitness and lists technicians who hold an S-98 Certificate of Fitness. New Jersey licenses fire alarm technicians, who must pass an examination and show four years of experience in the field, or a shorter period combined with qualifying education.
- Changes to a system. After a system is modified, NFPA 72 requires testing of 10 percent of initiating devices, up to 50, plus every device, circuit or program that was added or affected, and an update of the component inventory. Local permits can apply as well; in Boston, the Fire Prevention Division reviews changes to existing systems, including battery calculations.
- Workplace alarms. OSHA 29 CFR 1910.37(e) requires employers to install and maintain an operable employee alarm system with a distinctive signal to warn employees of fire or other emergencies, unless employees can promptly see or smell the hazard in time.
- Systems out of service. Section F901.7, as published by the City of Syracuse Fire Prevention Bureau, requires immediate notice to the fire department and fire code official when a required system is impaired, an impairment coordinator, tags at the fire alarm control unit and annunciator, and tests confirming the system works before it is restored. The fire code official can require evacuation or an approved fire watch in the meantime.
Preventive maintenance schedule for fire alarm systems
Many fire alarm problems begin as small faults, such as a swollen battery or a detector painted over during a remodel. Planned inspection finds them before they cause a false alarm, a missed alarm or a citation, and builds the test history fire marshals, landlords and insurers ask to see.
| Task | Recommended frequency | Basis |
|---|---|---|
| Confirm the control unit is in normal condition; check trouble and power indicators, fuses and interfaces | Weekly | NFPA 72 |
| Visually inspect batteries for leaks and corrosion; check terminals for tightness | Monthly | NFPA 72 |
| Test batteries by type (load voltage, discharge or specific gravity) | Semiannually | NFPA 72 |
| Visually inspect alarm transmission equipment | Semiannually | NFPA 72 |
| Inspect and test the entire system | Annually | NFPA 72 |
| Inspect and test batteries and battery chargers | Annually | NFPA 72 |
| Smoke detector sensitivity test (hardwired) | One year after installation, again two years later, then up to every 5 years if results stay within range | NFPA 72, as summarized by Facilitiesnet |
| Walk each area for new obstructions near detectors and appliances | At every annual visit and after any remodel or reset | NFPA 72; Facility First program default, adjusted per site |
| Review open deficiencies and repeat trouble signals | Monthly | Facility First program default, adjusted per site |
The authority having jurisdiction, the manufacturer and the property’s insurer can require more frequent service, and each location’s schedule is set in its program and recorded on every visit.
Signs a fire alarm system needs attention
- A trouble or supervisory light that returns after being cleared
- Repeated false alarms from the same detector or zone
- Batteries that are swollen, leaking or past their date
- Detectors covered, painted or blocked after a remodel
- A request from the fire marshal, landlord or insurer for current test records
Records to keep
- Annual inspection and test reports, with a device-by-device list of results
- Weekly, monthly and semiannual inspection logs
- Smoke detector sensitivity test results
- Deficiency reports and the work orders that closed them
- Component inventory and as-built drawings, updated after every modification
- Permits, plan approvals and acceptance or witness test records for alterations
- Impairment notices, tags and restoration records
- The provider’s license and technician certifications for the jurisdiction
NFPA 72 sets a minimum retention period for test records. Keeping every report lets recurring faults and repair costs be tracked across locations.
How Facility First runs fire alarm inspection across a portfolio
- Inventory and scheduling. Each location’s panel, device count, monitoring account and due dates are recorded, and inspections are booked outside trading hours.
- Dispatch. A vetted fire alarm provider licensed in that jurisdiction receives the work order and places the monitoring account on test with the supervising station before testing.
- Close-out. The technician uploads the report, a photo of the panel in normal condition and any deficiencies.
- Deficiency repair. Work within the client’s approval limits proceeds; anything above a limit is quoted for approval first and tracked until closed.
- Verification and invoice. Facility First checks the report against the scope and invoices in one format, with the record kept in PostControl.
Where an impairment or failure leaves a location unsecured, McCray can post an officer until the work is complete through Security by McCray. Monitoring accounts and communicators are covered under fire alarm monitoring, and portable extinguishers under fire extinguisher inspection.
What affects the cost of fire alarm inspection
- Number and type of devices
- Ceiling height and access equipment needed to reach devices
- Whether smoke detector sensitivity testing is due that year
- Number and age of batteries
- After-hours scheduling and coordination with the landlord
- Local permit and witness test requirements
- Deficiencies found and parts for older panels
Fire alarm inspection for retail stores, restaurants and offices
Retail stores. Horn and strobe tests disrupt customers, so inspections are booked before opening or after closing. In shopping centers the tenant space may report to the landlord’s system, and the lease decides who arranges the test.
Restaurants. Kitchen hood suppression systems are often connected to the fire alarm, so the two providers coordinate to keep a test from triggering a dispatch or a shutdown during service.
Offices. In multi-tenant buildings the base building system usually belongs to the landlord. Tenant fit-outs that add or move devices require updates to the system and its records, and often a permit and acceptance test.
Frequently asked questions
How often should a fire alarm system be inspected?
Under NFPA 72, the entire system is inspected and tested annually. Control equipment is checked weekly, batteries are inspected monthly and tested semiannually, and transmission equipment is inspected semiannually. Local code and the insurer can add to these intervals.
Who is allowed to perform a fire alarm inspection?
Testing is performed by technicians who are factory trained and certified for the system, and who are registered or certified as the local authority requires. Many states and cities also license fire alarm companies and technicians.
What happens if the inspection finds deficiencies?
The deficiencies are listed in the report, quoted where needed and tracked until repaired. If a required system has to be taken out of service, fire codes require notice to the fire department and the fire code official, and a planned impairment also involves notice to the insurer.
Is a new inspection needed after a remodel?
Yes, where devices are added, moved or affected. NFPA 72 requires testing of the changed devices and a sample of the existing ones, and the local fire department may require a permit and a witness test.
Does fire alarm inspection include the monitoring connection?
The annual test includes the transmission equipment, and the provider confirms with the supervising station that each test signal was received. The monitoring contract itself is managed separately.
Sources
- Facilitiesnet: Inspection, Testing, Maintenance: How to Keep Fire Safety Systems Safe (NFPA 72 summary)
- Facilitiesnet: Fire Protection Systems Maintenance Needs Every Facility Manager Should Know
- NFPA: NFPA 72, National Fire Alarm and Signaling Code, code development page
- OSHA: 29 CFR 1910.37, Maintenance, safeguards, and operational features for exit routes
- City of Syracuse Fire Prevention Bureau: Fire Protection Systems Out of Service, Code Requirements
- FDNY: Fire Alarm Company Certificate Application
- New Jersey Division of Consumer Affairs: Fire Alarm, Burglar Alarm and Locksmith Advisory Committee
- City of Boston Fire Prevention: Fire Alarm System Permitting