Significance of a Fire Alarm System Checklist
Fire alarm systems help with the early detection of fire accidents by issuing audio and visual warnings. Every organisation of scale keeps in place a separate fire alarm trigger mechanism along with trained personnel for the management and maintenance of their fire alarm systems. While a detailed discussion of the type of fire alarm systems is out of scope, they can identify the abnormal smoke, and release of harmful gases (carbon monoxide) to help organisations be prepared to pass the adversity. They are affordable, easy to install and offer crucial benefits.
No organisation or property of scale can afford to ignore having a fire alarm system onboard. However, having a fire alarm system is not the complete story. Without regular maintenance and inspection, there is no way to determine that your fire alarm systems will deliver. So, once aboard, regular inspection of fire alarm systems is crucial to ensure operational efficiency. At the same time, it is also not possible to manually keep track of every essential thing to ensure optimal working of fire alarm systems. That's where a fire alarm system inspection checklist comes in. It effectively allows building owners, facility managers, and other responsible staff to inspect their fire alarm systems without ignoring any aspect.
A fire alarm system checklist is a document that outlines a series of tasks to be completed during a fire alarm system inspection. In a nutshell, it makes inspections accurate and failsafe. A fire alarm inspection checklist includes details related to testing of sensors, batteries, control panels, etc. It may also include fire alarm testing procedures such as what parts to be inspected and how, frequency of inspections, and preventive maintenance measures to take, ultimately hinting at risk mitigation strategies that organisations should undertake.
This fire alarm inspection form is kept in the custody of property managers and fire protection professionals, who must ensure that all the prescriptions in the fire alarm testing template are followed before presenting it to the business managers. This assures organisations that they are totally covered from unplanned fire accidents.
Benefits of a Fire Alarm Checklist
From making the task of inspection easy to helping organisations prepare a risk mitigation plan, a fire alarm checklist guides every step of holding up fire alarm systems. However, some of crucial benefits are as follows:
Reduces Human Error:
Commercial properties are at the mercy of the efficiency of their fire alarm systems. Any lately reported/ unreported fire accident due to incomplete inspection incurs an insurmountable loss of time, money, and personnel. But forgetfulness and human error are unavoidable in manual inspection. A fire alarm system installation checklist ensures that all the essential operational checks are done, eliminating the possibility of any human error or missing some checks.
Safety of Employees and Property:
When unexpected fire breaks out, it becomes easy to contain the damage with a fire alarm checklist, as it helps with preparation in advance. A disaster without preparation always claims more loss of lives and resources. More so for organisations with large machinery and that are at high fire risk. On the other hand, effective fire alarm systems make employees feel safer and focus on work, knowing that they will receive warnings of possible danger If any fire breaks out, there is less panic and chaos.
Organised Disaster Management:
When there's a clear picture of individual components of your fire alarm systems, you can organise a rescue plan well ahead in anticipation of potential risks. For example, you can keep a detailed or brief rescue plan by estimating possible damages and set a timeframe for recovery. By looking at the checklist, a contingent rescue plan can be made that minimises loss of lives, assets and valuable business time.
Improved Life of Fire Alarm Systems:
Fire alarm systems, like everything, require periodic maintenance and regular replacement of spare parts, and an important role of a fire alarm checklist includes inspecting the working condition of the components involved. So, it inherently helps with identifying the worn or damaged spare parts, ensuring that each element is in optimal condition from time to time. This naturally enhances the life of fire alarm systems. Should damage happen, professionals can immediately identify what went wrong or understand what could have gone wrong. Fixing also becomes easy, immediate and cost-effective.
Smooth Business Operations:
Business interruptions are inconvenient for both clients and the owners. It affects all the stakeholders involved. However, interruptions are worse when any unplanned catastrophe happens, and there is no preparation. As a fire alarm checklist helps contain risks, it also helps resume business operations without too much lag.
1) Check for Input A.C Voltage within control 225 V to 235 V
Ok
Not ok
If not ok, Reason
Type here
2) Check for Unregulated Power Supply (Parameters 225 V to 235 V)
Ok
Not ok
If not ok, Reason
Type here
3) Check for Output DC Voltage (Parameters 24 v)
Ok
Not ok
If not ok, Reason
Type here
4) Voltage Observation (Parameters 24 v)
Ok
Not ok
If not ok, Reason
Type here
5) Battery Voltage (Parameters 24 v)
Ok
Not ok
If not ok, Reason
Type here
6) Check for hooter condition
Ok
Not ok
If not ok, Reason
Type here
7) Are all smoke detectors free of dust
Ok
Not ok
If not ok, Reason
Type here
8) Check for all MCP activated
Ok
Not ok
If not ok, Reason
Type here
9) Check whether the automatic change over to the battery supply (secondary power supply) is functioning or not.
Ok
Not ok
If not ok, Reason
Type here
10) Check all the initiating devices (smoke/ heat detectors etc.) on each circuit are functional
Ok
Not ok
If not ok, Reason
Type here
11) Check out the functional tests for the entire switches
Ok
Not ok
If not ok, Reason
Type here
Mains
1) Battery Test
Yes
No
If no, Reason
Type here
2) Lamp Test
Yes
No
If no, Reason
Type here
3) Alarm Test
Yes
No
If no, Reason
Type here
4) Bell Test
Yes
No
If no, Reason
Type here
5) Any other isolating switches
Yes
No
If yes, Reason
Type here
6) Remarks,if any
Type here
7) Signature
Type here
Fire alarm systems are affordable, and help mitigate fire-related accidents. Not just commercial properties but even residential areas of scale, such as apartments and gated communities, transport systems (trains, aeroplanes, ships, etc) are employing sophisticated fire alarm systems these days as the safety of their stakeholders becomes paramount. But even the best fire alarm systems are not failsafe without the accuracy of inspection systems.
So, a professionally prepared fire alarm checklist ensures just that. It is essential to ensure detailed inspection of the fire alarm systems to avoid fire adversities. A fire alarm checklist simply eliminates the necessity of hiring technical professionals to manage fire alarm systems, which are not easily available. For example, it is very easy to train a low-skilled person to carry out inspections rather than hire a skilled professional to manage fire alarm systems. This reduces both the pressure and resources of human resources teams to hire sophisticated professionals.
So, if you are planning to get on board a professional fire alarm system, it is also time to get a professionally prepared fire alarm inspection checklist for your organisation to ensure safety and smooth business operations. Moreover, it ensures the safety of your employees who contribute their lives to make things happen.
