riskmanagement
COMPLIANCE
PROMPT
Digital Tracking for Inspection Details By Paul Amendola FOR THE PURPOSES of inspection, fire protection is divided into two categories: fire equipment and fire emergency systems. Fire equipment refers to tools like extinguishers that are on-hand for building occupants and emergency response personnel in the event of a fire. Fire emergency systems are built-in lines of defence, which are designed and engineered to prevent a fire from spreading, and to alert occupants and enable timely evacuation. A Fire Watch program is imperative to protecting the facility and limiting liability. Developing and implementing effective procedures to ensure compliance and emergency preparedness will help building/ facility managers oversee the many different elements of fire protection. ATTENTION-GETTERS Obstructions marring sightlines to fire extinguishers and hoses are one of the most common non-compliance issues related to fire equipment. Fire extinguishers can be overlooked altogether during inspections, particularly if inspectors do not have an inventory to refer to as they make their rounds. Fire emergency systems typically draw close scrutiny during inspections due to the often complicated rules governing how these systems should function and be maintained. Larger buildings, particularly high-rises, will typically have many critical systems, which must be able to perform as expected and often in tandem with each other. Fire inspectors are tasked with ensuring: that firefighters can control and operate elevators with a keyed switch; that egress routes and ventilation are unobstructed; and
that alarm systems and emergency power are operational. They’ll likely pay close attention to areas and/or systems with a high rate of non-compliance such as fire doors and sprinkler valves. Fire-rated doors are integral to providing passive fire protection, containing and compa r t ment a l i z i ng a f i re a nd safeguarding the path of egress for occupants. The door, frame, hinges, hardware, glazing, glass kit and glass beads must all be intact, secured and in good working order with no missing parts. Signage must be present and affixed securely, labels must be clearly visible and easy to read, and the doors must be unobstructed. Inspectors will check sprinkler valves for signs of physical damage or leaks, and will need to ensure that the water pressure is sufficient to extinguish a fire. Building staff need to be particularly vigilant when there is construction work in progress because sprinkler valves may be shut off to enable the work. In that case, extra checks must be performed to maintain safeguards especially if hot work is occurring in the facility. ORGANIZATIONAL TOOL Digital tracking and coordination of fire protection can streamline logbooks into a more manageable platform and leverage technology to help meet and stay current with regulatory requirements. Near-field communications can ensure that each piece of equipment is visited (reducing false reporting) and system integrations can provide alerts of near-due, overdue and deficient inspection items in an easy way to help ensure compliance.
16 October/November 2021 | Canadian Property Management
With fire equipment, for example, a digital solution can help keep track of the inspection status for each fire hose cabinet (FHC), including remaining inspections, and take the place of inspection paperwork. Building/facility management teams are informed through automated email notifications with daily, weekly and/or monthly summaries outlining if any FHCs were missed or have deficiencies. Digital solutions also streamline inspectors’ tasks. The digital application can alert them about required follow-up inspections. It also allows them to include photos and notes, look up manufacturing information, upcoming service dates, and instructions and information specific to the equipment they’re inspecting. The same possibilities apply for fire doors, sprinkler valves and other fire emergency system inspections. Dynamic questions, fields and instructions can be customized according to individual components and inspection needs for each item. Digitized inspection documents produce building/facility data in an exportable and packaged format that is secure, easily accessible and meets code retention requirements. Inspection data can be collected to generate analytics to forecast future inspection needs and associated costs, and review team performance. zz Paul Amendola is Chief Executive Officer of Tap Report, a Toronto-based firm that specializes in digital inspection documents. For more information, see the website at: https://tapreport.io/home/
