KEN KIRSCHENBAUM, ESQ
ALARM - SECURITY INDUSTRY LEGAL EMAIL NEWSLETTER / THE ALARM EXCHANGE
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Comments on are you required to provide passcode to fire
October 10?2022
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Comments on are you required to provide passcode to fire alarm from article on September 26, 2022
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Ken,
????First, we do not interpret that we have to leave "electronic media", the "programming information" we have on site gives the pertinent information, but in written form on paper.?We do find some people interpreting "program" to mean electronic copy, however, the "program" can be a printed copy, limiting how useful it will be to another company.?The information, "program", we leave at the panel is actually less informative than just printing out device and system report on the systems printer.?
??????????Here is how we handle leaving a copy of the programming to be left at the panel, we use "Word" to create a list of each smoke detector and module with the "zones" assigned to them.
??????????We create a couple lists from this, one for inspection and testing so we can check off and make notes device by device, and one left at the panel,
example of the programing left at the panel (very basic):??
Address??Zones:
L01D042??0, 03, 08, 12
L02M025??5, 16, 32
and similar format of very basic info for the main system information like type of SLC circuit type, etc.
??????????The list is?"nonvolatile, nonerasable, non-rewritable memory", it is on paper, not electronic.?
??????????From the program information we have on site?accessible to AHJ, building personnel, etc. can allow for review, changes, etc.
??????????On all of our large subscriber buildings, especially those with limited parking we have a job box on site with tools, parts, wire and 4' & 6' step ladders so we can just hop on a train or subway and have what we need on site already.?In the box is a loose leaf (and sometimes a USB drive) with all the system information and notes for any tech to use and refer to.
The list in the job box book would be similar to:
??
Address??Location??Zones:?????Notes:???????Insp:?Tested: Comments:
L01D042??Room 201??0, 03, 08, 12???????????(Y)(N) (Y)(N)?___________
L02M025??RF5?????5, 16, 32????Need 8' ladder???(Y)(N) (Y)(N)?___________
?
We make up this list for various uses with different formatting, such as:
By floor, by location, by zone, etc., all of which are in the book for easy reference.
Jeff
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Another comment
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Ken
??????????The First page #3 & 4 of the NFPA 72 Fire Alarm Inspection form indicates this requirements and location where stored.
??????????If more companies would use the approved forms instead of whatever makeshift form they use and have used in the past then this question would be answered.
??????????We recently performed an inspection at a facility in which the Jurisdiction adopted The Compliance Engine to their local ordinance.
??????????We found during our inspection that the system had never finished being programmed.
??????????The Site specific software was not stored onsite or provided to the building owner, and the program password was no longer default.
??????????The installing contractor was contacted to make appropriate repairs and program updates but could not access the panel either because the person who programmed the system no longer works for them and the password was unavailable.
It took said company 8 weeks to get the factory (Notifier) to generate and send a password of the day so the company could finish the program.
??????????We marked this as a deficiency due to the fact that this information was not onsite and we could not verify the program integrity.
??????????The installing contractor Monitors and inspects the building in question since 2008 and it passed every year, this year they did not qualify to perform the inspections because they did not pass the vetting process with The Compliance Engine.
This is what we found:
1.?Smoke detectors address L1D028 and L1D029 DO NOT HAVE LABEL DESCRIPTION
2.?SMOKE DETECTORS ADDRESS L1D035 AND L1D036 DID NOT ALARM; THESE DEVICES APPEAR TO BE COOPERATIVE OR IN ALARM VERIFICATION MODE.?THIS CANNOT BE CONFIRMED WITH OUT THE SITE SPECIFIC SOFTWARE AND PASSWORD.
3.?ASBUILT DRAWINGS ARE NOT PRESENT ON SITE; THE APPROVED DRAWINGS ARE PRESENT BUT THE SYSTEM IS NOT BUILT TO THE DOCUMENTS AVAILABLE ONSITE.
4. RECORD OF COMPLETION ROC NOT PRESENT.
5.?10 DUCT DETECTORS ARE SHOWN ON APPROVED DRAWINGS TO SHUTDOWN DAMPERS AND AIR HANDLERS; DEVICES ARE NOT PRESENT.
6.?DAMPERS DO NOT CLOSE AS INDICATED BY OPERATION MATRIX "CONTROL DUCT DETECTOR FOR SHUTDOWN ON GENERAL ALARM."
7. NONE OF THE SPEAKER STROBES OR STROBES ARE LABELED PER NFPA72
8.?MANUAL PULL STATION IN LOBBY IS NOT LABELED PER NFPA72
9.?SEVERAL SMOKE DETECTORS ARE INSTALLED TOO CLOSE TO AIR SUPPLY REGISTERS WHICH IS NOT IN COMPLIANCE WITH NFPA72.
10.?VOICE EVAC PANEL IS NOT SUPERVISED FOR TROUBLES OR SUPERVISORY PER NFPA72 AND CFC 907.
11.?CELL COMMUNICATOR PANEL IS NOT SUPERVISED FOR TROUBLES OR SUPERVISORY PER NFPA72 AND CFC 907
12.?SITE SPECIFIC SOFTWARE IS NOT ONSITE FOR REVIEW AND SAFEKEEPING.
13.?SITE SPECIFIC PROGRAM PASSWORD IS NOT ON SITE OR AVAILABLE; PROGRAM INTEGRITY CANNOT BE CONFIRMED.
14.?SEVERAL FIRE DOORS WERE BEING WEDGED OPEN; OCCUPANT NOTIFIED THAT THIS IS A VIOLATION AND WEDGES NEED TO BE REMOVED.?ONE DOOR WAS BEING HELD OPEN BY COPY MACHINE.
15.?SMOKE DETECTOR LOCATIONS IN THE PROGRAM DO NOT MATCH THE FLOOR PLAN ROOM NAMES; ALL SMOKE DESCRIPTIONS NEED TO BE UPDATED.?IE BEGINNERS IS NOW ROOM 11.
Jerry VanWagoner??Owner?
Cal-West Fire Alarm Service
Consulting & Design
3355 Myrtle Ave.??Ste. 220
North Highlands, Ca 95660??
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Response
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??????????I couldn’t reproduce the form Jerry sent but you can access NFPA forms on its?website
??????Inspection and test form is?here:
??????Keep in mind that your contract with the customer may be of little interest to the Fire Marshal when they are looking for the codes.??Presumably your relationship with the Fire Marshals is valuable to your fire alarm operations, so you may want to check with them to find out their requirements.
??????????Be sure you are using the?Fire All in One?for commercial fire jobs, especially for the after-install services.
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To order?up to date Standard Form Alarm /?Security / Fire and related Agreements?click here:?www.alarmcontracts.com
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Ken Kirschenbaum,Esq
Kirschenbaum & Kirschenbaum PC
Attorneys at Law
200 Garden City Plaza
Garden City, NY 11530
516 747 6700 x 301