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MODULE 10
Fire Protection System Inspection Process
OBC 108
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OVERVIEW OF MODULE 10
Module 10 will:
•Identify who conducts inspections of fire protection Systems,
their role and qualifications.
•Identify applicable code sections
•Identify what to look for based on the requirements of the code
and the approved construction documents.
•Establish a process for records, communication, and solving
discrepancies
•Establish a system for testing based on the requirements of
proper code sections and standards
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Who conducts inspections of fire protection systems?
Fire protection system inspector
•Responsible for determining compliance with the approved
construction documents for fire protection systems in
accordance with Section 108 OBC.
•Certified by the Ohio Board of Building Standards
Ohio Department of Commerce
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Who conducts inspections of fire protection systems?
Building inspector
•Responsible to determine compliance with the approved
construction documents in accordance with section 108.
•Certified by the Ohio Board of Building Standards
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Who conducts inspections of fire protection systems?
Fire department Certified Fire Safety Inspector
•Member of the civil service, defined in section 124.01 of the
Revised Code, or who is employed by or voluntarily serves a
village or township
•Examines the property of another person for the purpose of
identifying fire safety hazards.
•Certified by Ohio Department of Public Safety
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Who conducts inspections of fire protection systems?
Owner’s Insurance Company
•May require inspections by their own inspectors in order to
insure a building
•Is not required by the code or standards
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Who conducts inspections of fire protection systems?
Private Contractor
•An individual or provisional individual certified to service, test,
repair or install fire protection or fire fighting equipment
•Certified by the State of Ohio Fire Marshal
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What to look for?
Approved construction documents on site
•OBC 107.7 Approved construction document sets.
• One set of approved construction documents shall be kept
by the building official. The other set(s) shall be returned
to the applicant, kept at the work site, along with
manufacturers’ installation instructions and product
information, and shall be available for use by the
inspector.
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What to look for?
Contractor’s test certificates
•Fire protection system must be tested in accordance with the
requirements of the OBC and the IFC.
•These documents must be kept on site.
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What to look for?
Documentation/records of periodic maintenance inspection and
testing
•Records of all system inspections, tests, and maintenance must
be maintained on site for a minimum of 3 years
•Initial records include the name of the installation contractor, the
type of components installed, the manufacturer of the
components, and the location and number of the components
installed per floor
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What to look for?
Walk through to compare approved
plans with actual installation
•The building official is required to
verify that the building is
constructed in accordance with the
approved construction documents
•The permit holder notifies the
building official when the item is
ready for inspection.
http://www.glencoemn.org/wp-content/uploads/2009/04/istockphoto-construction.jpg
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What to look for?
On-site inspection record and inspector’s log with compliance
•After an inspector finds that completed work is in accordance
with the approved construction documents, the inspector shall
• communicate the findings to the owner’s on-site
representative.
• make a note of the satisfactory inspection on an on-site
inspection record and in the inspector’s log
• communicate their findings to the building official
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What to look for?
Onsite-inspection record, inspector’s log, and communication with discrepancies
•After an inspector finds that completed work is in accordance with the approved construction
documents, the inspector shall:
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Communicate the nature of the differences to the owner or the owner’s on-site
representative and offer options
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make notations on the on-site inspection record and in the inspector’s log, which shall
include:
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the inspector’s name
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the date of the inspection
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the type of inspection
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the observed items of noncompliance
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the option chosen by the owner or the owner’s on-site representative
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the name of the person communicated with
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the estimated dates of compliance and follow-up inspections, if applicable.
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What to look for?
Ask owner’s representative how discrepancies will be resolved.
•The following options will be offered:
• The owner will bring the item of noncompliance into
compliance,
• The owner will revise the drawings and resubmit to the
department,
• The items of noncompliance will not be brought into
compliance and will be referred to the building official
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What to look for?
Notify building official if any potential serious hazards exist
•If an inspector observes an unsafe condition or a serious hazard,
the inspector shall
• communicate that condition to the owner or the owner’s
on-site representative
• report the findings immediately to the building official
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What to look for?
Building official decides if order or recommended change is
warranted
• After evaluating the inspector’s report, the building official
will:
• render a final determination about the items of noncompliance
• determine whether any approvals are possible.
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Testing of Systems
Acceptance Testing in the OBC
•901.2.1.2 Coordination
•901.5 Acceptance Tests
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Testing of Systems
Acceptance Testing in the OBC
•907.7 Acceptance Tests and completion
•907.7.2 Record of completion
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Testing of Systems
Periodic maintenance inspections and testing
• OFC Chapter 9
• Records must be maintained on the premises for a minimum of 3
years
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Testing of Systems
Test Reports
• NFPA 13 Chapter 26: System Inspection, Testing, and
Maintenance
• NFPA 72 Chapter 14: Inspection, Testing, and Maintenance
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Testing of Systems
Witnessing of tests
• Building inspectors should NEVER conduct tests
• Owner’s conduct testing, building inspectors witness testing
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Lessons Learned
•Fire protection inspectors and building inspectors are certified by
the Ohio Board of Building Standards.
•A set of approved construction documents is given to the
building official and another set is kept on site.
•Records of all system inspections, tests and maintenance must be
maintained on site for a minimum of 3 years
•If a discrepancy is found between the installation and the
approved plans, the owner must decide how those discrepancies
will be solved.
•A building inspector should never conduct testing of items.
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