Jack’s Code Corner April 2024: NFPA 4
Do you perform Fire and Life Safety inspections, testing, and maintenance in facilities that are either classified as high-rise buildings or have smoke control systems installed? If so, you may need to begin preparing your end customer for the required NFPA 4 Integrated Fire Protection and Life Safety Testing.
The intent of an NFPA 4 inspection is to ensure that all interconnected fire and life safety systems continue to function as designed and are certified in a “whole building” life safety concept.
For example, the IFC 2021 requires NFPA 4 testing to be completed every 10 years after the facility has been occupied. See the excerpt below for further information:
901.6.2 Integrated Testing
Where two or more fire protection or life safety systems are interconnected, the intended response of subordinate fire protection and life safety systems shall be verified when required testing of the initiating system is conducted. In addition, integrated testing shall be performed in accordance with Sections 901.6.2.1 and 901.6.2.2.
901.6.2.1 High-Rise Buildings
For high-rise buildings, integrated testing shall comply with NFPA 4, with an integrated test performed prior to issuance of the certificate of occupancy and at intervals not exceeding 10 years, unless otherwise specified by an integrated system test plan prepared in accordance with NFPA 4. If an equipment failure is detected during integrated testing, a repeat of the integrated test shall not be required, except as necessary to verify operation of fire protection or life safety functions that are initiated by equipment that was repaired or replaced.
901.6.2.2 Smoke Control Systems
Where a fire alarm system is integrated with a smoke control system as outlined in Section 909, integrated testing shall comply with NFPA 4, with an integrated test performed prior to issuance of the certificate of occupancy and at intervals not exceeding 10 years, unless otherwise specified by an integrated system test plan prepared in accordance with NFPA 4. If an equipment failure is detected during integrated testing, a repeat of the integrated test shall not be required, except as necessary to verify operation of fire protection or life safety functions that are initiated by equipment that was repaired or replaced.
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