Notes on FDAS ITM errors are not overlooked, ground faults are

acknowledged promptly, and fire and

1 October 2019
trouble/supervisory signals are responded to
immediately when signals are not related to the
INTRODUCTION
testing taking place.
Initial and re-acceptance inspections are
If a deficiency is not corrected at the conclusion
performed to ensure compliance with approved
of system ITM, the system owner or the owner’s
design documents whatever the quality or origin.
designated representative shall be informed of
This involves inspection to ensure that the
the deficiency in writing with 24 hrs.
correct equipment has been used and properly
located and installed. Ensuring compliance
The property or building or system owner or the
helps to assure both operational reliability and
owner’s designated representative shall be
mission reliability.
responsible for ITM of the system and for
alteration or additions to this system.
The purpose for initial and reacceptance tests of
fire alarm and signaling systems shall be to
Service personnel should be able to do the
ensure system operation in accordance with the
following:
design documents. Acceptance and re-
acceptance testing include proper operation and
non-operation of the fire alarm or signaling 1. Understand the requirements contained in
system’s ability to properly interface to other NFPA 72 and the fire alarm requirements
systems. contained in NFPA 70.

The purpose of periodic inspections shall be to 2. Understand basic job site safety laws and
assure that obvious damages or changes that requirements.
might affect the system operability are usually
identified. Visual inspections contribute to the 3. Apply troubleshooting techniques, and
assurance of operational and mission reliability determine the cause of fire alarm system
but do not ensure either. trouble conditions.

The purpose for periodic testing shall be to 4. Understand equipment specific

statistically assure operational reliability. requirements such as programming,
Periodic testing is not necessarily done as a application and compatibility.
complete system test. NFPA 72 requires parts of
the systems to be tested at different frequencies. 5. Read and interpret fire alarm system
At any one particular test, only a fraction of the design documentation and manufacturer’s
system can be tested. Periodic testing ITM guidelines.
contributes to the assurance of operational and
mission reliability but does not ensure either. 6. Properly use tools and test equipment
Periodic testing of the interface between a fire required for testing and maintenance of fire
alarm or signaling system in some other system alarm systems and their components.
of emergency control function is permitted by
NFPA 72 to be performed without actually
7. Properly apply the test methods required
operating the interfaced system or function.
by NFPA 72.

Testing should be performed in such a way that

Notification
testing personnel can promptly respond to
signals as they are initiated during testing and
Prior to any scheduled inspection or testing. The
can ensure that devise are reporting with the
service company should consult with the
correct locations and addresses, programming
building or system owner of the owner’s

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designated representative. Issues of advance of interface equipment and emergency control
notification in certain occupancies, including functions.
advance notification time, building posting,
systems interruption and restoration, evacuation As an example, testing of the elevator fire
procedures, accommodation for evacuees, and service and shutdown functions will usually
other related issues, should be agreed upon by require a coordinated multi-discipline effort with
all parties prior to any inspection or testing. presence of qualified service personnel for the
fire alarm system, the elevator system, and
Before proceeding with any testing, all persons other building systems. The development of a
and facilities receiving alarm, supervisory or test plan should be considered to ensure that
trouble signals and all building occupants shall the testing of these features is accomplished in
be notified of the testing to prevent unnecessary a coordinated and timely manner. This plan
response. should also ensure that all appropriate parties
and personnel are present when needed and
At the conclusion of testing, those previously that the testing requirements for both the fire
notified (and others as necessary) shall be alarm system and the elevator system are
notified that testing has been concluded. fulfilled.

Prior to system maintenance or testing, the Automated Testing

record of completion and any information
regarding the system and system alterations, Failure of a device on an automated test shall
including specifications, wiring diagrams, and result in an audible and visual trouble signal.
floor plans shall be provided by the owner or a
designated representative to the service Test Plan
personnel upon request.
A test plan shall be developed to clearly
Releasing Systems establish the scope of the testing for the fire
alarm or signaling system.
Occupant notification shall be required
whenever a fire alarm system configured for The test plan and results shall be documented
releasing service is being serviced or tested. with the testing records.

Suppression systems shall be secured from The test plan is intended to clarify exactly what
inadvertent actuation, including disconnection of is to be tested and how it is to be tested. Testing
releasing solenoids or electric actuators, closing of fire alarm and signaling systems is often done
of valves, other actions, or combination thereof, in a segmented fashion to accommodate the
for the specific system, for the duration of the availability of testing or other personnel or to
fire alarm system testing. minimize the interruption of building operations.
Where a building owner has contracted the
Testing shall include verification that the performance of ITM activities to outside entities,
releasing circuits and components energized or the test plan, what will and will not be tested,
actuated by the fire alarm system are electrically should be reviewed by those parties. Building
monitored for integrity and operate as intended operations can be affected by testing of fire
on alarm. alarm or signaling system itself and by the
operation of emergency control functions
Interface Equipment and Emergency Control actuated by the fire alarm or signaling system.
Functions The boundary of the fire alarm or signaling
system extends up to and includes the
Testing personnel shall be qualified and emergency control function interface devise. The
experienced in the arrangement and operation testing requirements prescribed in NFPA 72 for
fire alarm and signaling systems end at the

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emergency control function interface device. The - Primary power supply
purpose of the test plan is to document what
devices will and will not actually be tested.  Duct detectors
- Sampling tube
Verify proper orientation. Confirm the
INSPECTION sampling tube protrudes into the duct in
accordance with system design.
Equipment performance can be affected by
building modifications, occupancy changes,
changes in environmental conditions, device Semiannual
location, physical obstructions, device
orientation, physical damage, improper  FACP
installation, degree of cleanliness, or other - Trouble signals
obvious problems that might not be indicated
through electrical supervision.  In-building fire emergency voice/alarm
communications equipment
The intent is to prevent an inspection being - Verify location and condition
made at intervals, exceeding those allowed by
NFPA 72. Annual inspections should be made
 Battery marking
every 12 mos.; monthly inspections should be
Verify marking of the month/year of
made every 30 days, and so forth. For example,
manufacture. Replace if alarm
it is not acceptable to conduct an annual
equipment/battery manufacturer’s
inspection in January of year one, and
replacement date has been exceeded.
December of year two (23-month frequency) just
because the standard requires an inspection
 Batteries
once each year.
Ensure month and year of manufacture is
marked in the month/year format on each
Devices or equipment that is inaccessible for
battery cell/unit. Verify tightness of battery
safety considerations (e.g., continuous process
connections. Inspect terminals for
operations, energized electrical equipment,
corrosion, excessive container/cover
radiation, and excessive height) shall be
distortion, cracks in cell/unit or leakage of
permitted to be inspected during scheduled
electrolyte. Replace any battery cell/unit if
shutdowns if approved by AHJ.
corrosion, distortion or leakage is observed.
Extended intervals shall not exceed 18 mos.
 Remote annunciators
Periodic visual inspections shall be made to Verify location and condition
assure that there are no changes that affect
equipment performance.  Duct detectors
Verify that detector is rigidly mounted.
All devices and equipment shall be inspected Confirm that no penetrations in a return air
during initial acceptance and on regular basis duct exist in the vicinity of the detector.
(annual, semiannual, and quarterly). Confirm the detector is installed so as to
sample the airstream at the proper location
Annual in the duct.

 FACP  Manual fire alarm boxes

Verify their normal condition. Verify location and condition
- Fuses
- Interfaced equipment  Heat detectors
- Lamps and LEDs

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 Verify location and condition When an initiating device, notification appliance,
or control relay is added, it shall be functionally
 Smoke detectors tested.
Verify location and condition
When an initiating device, notification appliance,
 Notification devices or control relay is deleted, another device,
- Audible appliances appliance, or control relay on the circuit shall be
Verify location and condition operated.

Quarterly When modifications or repairs to control

equipment hardware are made, the control
 Supervisory signal devices equipment shall be tested with the following
Verify location and condition methods:

 Verify correct receipt of alarm, supervisory

 Waterflow devices
and trouble signals (inputs); operation of
Verify location and condition
evacuation signals and auxiliary functions
(outputs); circuit supervision, including
detection of open circuits and ground faults;
TESTING
and power supply supervision for detection
of loss of AC power and disconnection of
Initial Acceptance Testing
secondary batteries.
All new systems shall be inspected and tested.
 Illuminate lamps and LEDs.
Reacceptance Testing
When changes are made to site-specific
Reacceptance testing is performed to verify the
software, the following shall apply:
proper operation of added or replaced devices,
appliances, emergency control function devices,
 All functions known to be affected by the
control equipment, and so forth. It is not the
change, or identified by a means that
intent of the committee to unduly burden the
indicate changes, shall be 100% tested.
system owner with increased costs for repeated
testing of devices not directly affected by the
 In addition, 10% of initiating devices that
replacement of devices with like devices.
are not directly affected by the change, up
to a maximum of 50 devices, also shall be
For example, if a 2-amp fuse is replaced with
tested and correct system operation shall
another 2-amp fuse in the fire alarm control unit,
be verified.
verification of the circuit(s) served by the fused
supply is required, but it would not be necessary
 A revised Record of Completion shall be
to test 10% of initiating devices not directly
prepared to reflect these changes.
affected by replacing the fuse. Likewise, it is not
necessary to test all these initiating devices
Changes to the system executive software shall
whenever a smoke detector is replaced with a
require a 10% functional test of the system,
like smoke detector.
including a test of at least one device on each
input and output circuit to verify critical system
When wiring changes are made to correct
functions such as notification appliances, control
improperly supervised circuits, a test of the
functions, and off-premises reporting.
affected device or appliance is required, but not
a test of 10% of initiating devices not directly
Test Methods
affected.

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Fire alarm system testing can be conducted center must be contacted when manual alarms,
using silent testing and the bypassing of waterflow alarms, or automatic fire detection
emergency control functions. All input signals systems are tested so that the fire department
should be verified according to the system will not respond. In addition, persons normally
matrix of operation to ensure they create the receiving calls for supervisory alarms should be
appropriate outputs. Tests of audible notification notified when items such as gate valves and
appliances and emergency control functions functions such as pump power are tested.
should be conducted at the conclusion of Confirmation of the authenticity of the test
satisfactory tests of all inputs. procedure should be obtained and should be a
matter for resolution between plant
The intent is to reduce the amount of time spent management and the central station.
causing audible and visual occupant notification
during tests in an occupied building. This Video image smoke and flame detectors shall be
reduction will help reduce the negative (cry wolf) inspected, tested, and maintained in accordance
impact on occupants caused by excessive with the manufacturer’s published instructions.
operation of notification appliances. System
printouts or history logs are an effective way of Gas detectors shall be inspected, tested and
verifying the correct receipt of signals. However, maintained in accordance with manufacturer’s
many outputs such as occupant notification and published instructions.
emergency control functions are tested for
correct operation, because logs do not For all carbon monoxide system detectors
necessarily verify operation of the system installed after 1 January 2012, carbon monoxide
output. Operation of audible and visual tests shall be performed at initial acceptance
notification appliances could be accomplished in and annually by the introduction of carbon
a lump sum fashion after all inputs are proven monoxide into the sensing chamber or element.
correct by silent testing. All inputs tested in this
manner must be proved to cause the Testing shall be performed in accordance with
appropriate signal by verifying alarm receipt at the following or more often if required by the
the controls as each device is actuated. authorities.
Manufacturer-specific protocols such as “walk
test” or “alarm bypass” are an acceptable It is suggested that the annual test be
means of testing under this section. Other conducted in segments so that all devices are
methods of mitigating the negative impact tested annually. The intent of this is to prevent a
include off-hours tests when the building is not test from being made at intervals exceeding the
occupied. testing frequencies. Annual test should be made
every 12 months; monthly tests should be made
At the request of the authorities, the central every 30 days, and so forth. For example, it is
station facility installation shall be inspected for not acceptable to conduct an annual test in
complete information regarding the central January of year one, and December of year two
station system, including specifications, wiring (23-month frequency) the requirement is to test
diagrams, and floor plans that have been once each year.
submitted for approval prior to installation of
equipment and wiring.

If the authorities strongly suspects significant

deterioration or otherwise improper operation by
a central station, a surprise inspection to test the Devices or equipment that are inaccessible for
operation of the central station should be made, safety considerations (e.g., continuous process
but extreme caution should be exercised. This operations, energized electrical equipment,
test is to be conducted without advising the radiation, and excessive height) shall be
central station. However, the communications permitted to be tested during scheduled

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shutdowns if approved by the authorities. listed and marked sensitivity range, cleaned,
Extended intervals shall not exceed 18 months. and recalibrated, or be replaced.

If automatic testing is performed at least weekly The detector sensitivity shall not be tested or
by a remotely monitored fire alarm control unit measured using any device that administers
specifically listed for the application, the manual an unmeasured concentration of smoke or
testing frequency shall be permitted to be other aerosol into the detector or smoke alarm.
extended to annually.
Test frequency of interfaced equipment shall be
In other than one- and two-family dwellings, the same as specified by the applicable NFPA
sensitivity of smoke detectors shall be tested in standards for the equipment being supervised.
accordance with the following:
Restorable fixed-temperature, spot-type heat
Detectors that cause unwanted alarms should detectors shall be tested in accordance with the
be tested at their lower listed range (or at 0.5% following:
obscuration if unmarked or unknown). Detectors
that actuate at less than this level should be Two or more detectors shall be tested on each
replaced. initiating circuit annually.

Sensitivity shall be checked within 1 year after Different detectors shall be tested each year.
installation.
Test records shall be kept by the building
Sensitivity shall be checked every alternate owner specifying which detectors have been
year thereafter unless otherwise permitted by tested.
compliance with the succeeding provision
below. Within 5 years, each detector shall have been
tested.
After the second required calibration test, if
sensitivity tests indicate that the device has Carbon monoxide apparatus that require
remained within its listed and marked resetting to maintain normal operation shall be
sensitivity range (or 4% obscuration light gray restored to normal as promptly as possible
smoke, if not marked), the length of time after each test and alarm and kept in normal
between calibration tests shall be permitted to condition for operation. All test signals
be extended to a maximum of 5 years. received shall be recorded to indicate date and
time.
If the frequency is extended, records of
nuisance alarms and subsequent trends of Circuit and pathway testing of each monitored
these alarms shall be maintained. circuit or pathway shall be conducted with initial
acceptance or reacceptance testing to verify
In zones or in areas where nuisance alarms signals are indicated at the control unit for each
show any increase over the previous year, of the abnormal conditions.
calibration tests shall be performed.
It is not intended to require testing the pathways
Unless otherwise permitted by the next at every device or circuit junctions.
provision, smoke detectors found to have a
sensitivity outside the listed and marked Single- and Multiple-Station Alarms
sensitivity range shall be cleaned and
recalibrated or be replaced. Household Fire Alarm Systems

Smoke detectors listed as field adjustable shall Circuits from Central Station
be permitted to either be adjusted within the

875701449.docx Page 6 of 8
Household Carbon Monoxide Detection Systems A set of reproducible as-built installation
drawings, operation and maintenance
Public Emergency Alarm Reporting Systems manuals, and a written sequence of operation
shall be provided to the building owner or the
owner’s designated representative.
In-Building Emergency Radio Communication
Systems Site-specific software
With many software-based fire systems, a
In-building emergency radio communication copy of the site-specific software is required to
systems shall be inspected and operationally restore system operation if a catastrophic
tested in accordance with the requirements of system failure should occur. Without a back-
NFPA 1221. up copy readily available on-site, recovery of
system operation by authorized service
personnel can be substantially delayed.
Voice Intelligibility
The intent of this requirement is to provide
Voice communication using prerecorded authorized service personnel with an on-site
messages and manual voice announcements copy of the site-specific software. The on-site
shall be verified as being intelligible copy should provide a means to recover the
last installed and tested version of the site-
Intelligibility shall not be required to be specific operation of the system. This typically
determined through quantitative measurements. would be an electronic copy of the source files
required to load an external programming
Quantitative measurements shall be permitted device with the site-specific data. This
but shall not be required. requirement does not extend to the system
executive software, nor does it require that the
external programmer software if required be
MAINTENANCE stored on site.

System equipment shall be maintained in It is intended that this copy of the software be
accordance with the manufacturer’s published an electronic version stored on a non-
instructions. rewritable media containing all of the file(s) or
data necessary to restore the system and not
The frequency of cleaning and maintenance of just a printed version of the operation stored
system equipment shall depend on the type of on electronic media. One example of a non-
equipment and the local ambient conditions. rewritable medium is a CD-R.

All apparatus requiring rewinding or resetting to The system owner shall be responsible for
maintain normal operation shall be rewound or maintaining these records for the life of the
reset as promptly as possible after each test and system for examination by any authorities.
alarm. Paper or electronic media shall be permitted.

Maintenance, Inspection, and Testing Records

RECORDS
Records shall be retained until the next test
Permanent Records and for one year thereafter.

After successful completion of acceptance test For systems with restorable fixed-temperature,
approved by the authorities, the following shall spot-type heat detectors tested over multiple
apply: years, records shall be retained for the 5 years
of testing and for one year thereafter.

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 The records shall be on a medium that will
survive the retention period. Paper or
electronic media shall be permitted.

One method used to define the required

sequence of operations and to document the
actual sequence of operations is an
input/output matrix.

Supervising Station Records

For supervising station alarm systems, records

pertaining to signals received at the supervising
station that result from maintenance, inspection,
and testing shall be maintained for not less than
12 months.

Records shall be permitted to be maintained

on either paper or electronic media.

Upon request, a hard copy record shall be

provided to the authorities.

Simulated Operations Note

If the operation of a device, circuit, fire alarm

control unit function, or special hazard system
interface is simulated, it shall be noted on the
inspection/test form that the operation was
simulated.

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