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nfpa 25

C

cda

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Has anyoone seen a sprinkler contractor give an owner a copy of nfpa 25??

or per nfpa 13 do you require a sprinkler contractor to give the owner a copy of nfpa 25??

24.4 Instructions.The installing contractor shall provide the property owner or the property owner's authorized representative with the following:

(1)

All literature and instructions provided by the manufacturer describing proper operation and maintenance of any equipment and devices installed

(2)

NFPA 25, Standard for the Inspection, Testing, and Maintenance of Water-Based Fire Protection Systems
 
We've just started (in the past couple years) requiring all commercial and multi-family residential properties with fire protection systems to submit copies of their maintenance/testing reports on an annual basis - apparently, not too many sprinkler contractors provide the testing and maintenance instructions or NFPA 25 because it's really frightening how many systems have little, if any, maintenance being performed on them!
 
My experience is unless the AHJ requires fire protection testing it will not be done. We make many 1,000's of "recommendations" a year to do fire protection testing. You can not believe how many companies have no clue and giving them a copy of NFPA 25 will do little. NFPA 25 tells you WHAT is required but does not tell you HOW to do it. Most companies contract with a contractor to do most of the "annual" testing, and do none of the required weekly, monthly and semiannual and quarterly tests. As an example few do the required monthly visual sprinkler valve inspections to prevent the number 1 cause ( 65%) of sprinkler system failures. http://www.nfpa.org/itemDetail.asp?categoryID=2466&itemID=55726&URL=Research/Statistical%20reports/Fire%20protection%20systems/

"When sprinklers fail to operate, the reason most often given (65% of failures) was shutoff of the system before fire began, as may occur in the course of routine inspection or maintenance. Other leading reasons were manual intervention that defeated the system (16%), lack of maintenance (7%), and inappropriate system for the type of fire (5%). Only 7% of sprinkler failures were attributed to component damage."

Bottom line what gets measured gets done, if you do not require it, do not expect it to be done.
 
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It might be a safe bet to say that the majority of systems installed do not receive annual or scheduled maintenance, testing and inspection unless the fire inspector requires it on an inspection or a insurance LP person recommends it as part of their coverage/audits. For the thousands I've caught in my career I must say I rarely have to ask a facility to do it again. I've also been known to turn a few valves per owner's written permission to assure the system is in full operational condition after discovery of a few years of neglect.
 
In the past, when we tried to follow the OFC and the referenced NFPA Standards, the state and local FM often did not back us up. Now we have a new state FM who is requireing the adopted codes be followed. the guy is a ***, but the codes are now being followed. We are doing the Quarterly Sprinkler Inspections, the Semi-Annual Fire Alarm Inspections, and even have done a couple of fire door inpections. To date, we have not lost any clients and have increased our client base. All because one person followed the codes.
 
the guy is a ***, but the codes are now being followed
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Like I try to teach and pass on to all the new inspectors I teach.............be correct, reasonably firm and consistant and eventually they won't call you an %$#&*^%$#@ anymore :)
 
Frank said:
Seems like an NFPA conflict of interest to sell books
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No more conflict than ICC requireing, offering and selling certification classes.
 
itsasurewin said:
I've seen it in the in the contract documents that the engineer specified that the contractor shall provide the building owner 1 copy of NFPA 25.....
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Every class I have been to the instructor make a point of it, and all the contractors there say we always give a copt to the owner.

I have a problem getting the contractor to do this: On 8-1/2 by 11 white paper suitable for copying provide an owner certification of the system at the completion of the project.
 
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