Spotlight on Safety
Ready When Needed Maintaining fire life safety systems helps safeguard buildings + occupants By Sean Coustillac S.A. Comunale
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hen people enter a building, the first thing they notice is the aesthetics, then they might take notice of the lighting and the temperature. The last thing anyone typically thinks about is a building’s fire life safety equipment. Fire alarm systems, fire extinguishers and fire sprinklers are some of the most important pieces of equipment in any building, however. Though hidden from sight, they offer essential protection from one of the biggest threats to a building and its occupants – fire. It is crucial to have a diligent, thorough maintenance routine to keep equipment ready to respond in the event of an emergency. A fire alarm system is a collection of smoke and heat detectors and notification devices, such as horns and strobe lights, that are hardwired into building electricity. Alarm systems alert occupants PREPARED TO PROTECT Hands-on fire extinguisher training helps employees develop the of smoke and possible fire to help confidence and skills needed to respond quickly and safely to a small, contained fire. ensure they have time to evacuate, component. During these inspections, for portable fire extinguishers. NFPA 10 while also automatically alerting the fire department through a moni- components are tested for proper func- outlines monthly and annual inspection tionality, then documented. items as well as maintenance intervals a toring setup. licensed contractor should follow to help These complex systems are made Maintaining fire extinguishers ensure these vital pieces of equipment up of circuit boards, processors and When a small, contained fire breaks will work properly if an emergency strikes. wires – which, just like in our personal computers, can fail due to age, out, hand-held fire extinguishers can be Fire sprinkler function + operation power surges or other environmental lifesaving tools that prevent a fire from While movies might make it seem like factors. You can also think of these spreading. Though they may seem simple, systems like a smart phone or tablet; it’s essential to understand how they work every sprinkler head in the building will release water by the slightest whiff of no matter how advanced, eventually and how to keep them maintained. OSHA (Occupation Safety and smoke, sprinkler systems are complex systechnology becomes obsolete and Health Administration) requires tems that require diligent maintenance. needs replacement. Sprinkler heads are typically the only Routine inspection completed by a annual training for any employees licensed contractor in accordance with expected to use fire extinguishers, per part of a sprinkler system you will see, National Fire Protection Association OSHA 1910.157. A licensed contrac- but pipes, fittings and valves hidden (NFPA) 72 – the national fire alarm tor can perform the training, which above ceilings and behind walls feed code – is key to keeping alarms up to includes classroom time, a written test these devices. When a fire breaks out, a date and operational. NFPA 72 guide- and hands-on experience putting out a fusible link or bulb in the sprinkler head melts, releasing water in targeted areas lines provide inspection, testing and controlled fire. Extinguishers should be maintained in where the fire is hot enough to activate maintenance routines frequent enough for the unique needs of each system accordance with NFPA 10, the standard them. Unlike in the movies, only a small 52
Properties | August 2026
Photo courtesy of S.A. Comunale
Keeping alarm systems up to date