A fire alarm system is required to be tested regularly, the results of which are reviewed by the fire department. When scheduling a test of a facility’s fire alarm system, property managers have a vested interest in maintaining safety compliance and limiting their liability exposure while keeping an eye on operating costs. Operating cost reduction might seem like a good reason to conduct in-house testing, but it’s not necessarily the right decision. Having a false sense of a system’s operability can be costly in both lives lost and revenue streams lost over repairs, vacancies and litigation costs. Reputable third party testing companies are partners that understand their responsibilities and ensure they are met, for their own success as a company as well as for the safety of those that rely on their integrity.
Outside of the cost, what may seem like an upside to using an in-house maintenance technician to test the life safety system may actually be a downside. Using an employee that is completely familiar with the facility can save time, but the property manager must remember why the test is mandated by the fire department: Proper operation of the system and devices. A maintenance staff member probably buys a can of smoke and sprays smoke at the detector until it activates. That’s a functional test of the detector that ensures smoke can enter the chamber and that the detector will eventually operate. It’s not a test of whether the smoke detector will activate before smoke fills the room, which is main reason the test is required. A reputable fire alarm testing company will ensure a detector has the proper sensitivity to smoke so it activates when it should and not false alarm or conversely, activate only after smoke levels are life threatening.
Additionally, when using staff to test correcting deficiencies identified during system testing must compete with the everyday requirements of their position. An in-house technician may not view the needed corrections as a high priority when other maintenance issues emerge on a daily basis. Once a lower priority is established, life safety repair postponements may become routine and forgotten, contributing to a false sense of operation by management and building occupants. A third party testing agency doesn’t have the same pressures or familiarity. It may know the building well, and may have been testing there for years, but they will be looking with a fresher set of eyes and with fewer expectations.
Most fire departments mandate the use of a third party to test the fire alarm and/or the emergency voice system to ensure proper operation. Check with your local fire department to verify their testing requirements before you decide on your testing procedure. Affiliated Fire Systems has the equipment, expertise and support you need to install, test, inspect and service your fire alarm and emergency voice system. If you have any questions regarding your life safety needs, contact us via our ‘Contact Us’ page on our website, or email me directly at generowe@affiliatedinc.com.
About Gene Rowe
Thanks for sharing this! I am in charge of making sure our new office building is up to code. I plan on getting new fire alarms, and I want to make sure that I do things right. Hopefully I’ll be able to pass all of the fire department requirements on our first try!
I see, they dispense smoke into a room in order to test the fire alarm. I always wondered how they tested them without starting a real fire. It’s really important to have your fire alarm inspected. I know that I’d want the alarm in my home to keep me safe. It can only do that if it’s running properly. http://www.tri-security.com/commercial-security/