Making Sense of Fire Sprinkler
Inspection, Testing, & Maintenance
Reports
© National Fire Sprinkler Association, Inc. - 2015 1
Learning Objectives
• Recognize the record-keeping requirements
assigned to owners/property managers by
NFPA 25.
• Identify and define common terms used on
ITM reports.
• Develop priority-based correction and/or repair
plans based on the information contained in the
ITM reports.
• Determine if ITM reports prepared by contractors
comply with NFPA 25.
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Why NFPA 25?
• Contains all the requirements for an existing
system
• Strives to balance the cost of system
maintenance with what provides the best
return
• Referenced in all national model building and
fire codes
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NFPA 25/ITM Stakeholders
• There are 3 stakeholders in the NFPA 25
based ITM process
– Owner
– Contractor
– AHJ
INFORMATION
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Stakeholder Communication
© National Fire Sprinkler Association - 2011 5
Important Terms
• Inspection
• Testing
• Maintenance
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Inspection
3.3.23 Inspection. A visual
examination of a system or
portion thereof to verify that it
appears to be in operating
condition and is free of
physical damage.
© National Fire Sprinkler Association - 2011 7
Testing
3.3.47* Testing. A procedure used to determine the
operational status of a component or system by
conducting periodic physical checks, such as water
flow tests, fire pump tests, alarm tests, and trip tests
of dry pipe, deluge, or preaction valves.
© National Fire Sprinkler Association - 2011 8
Maintenance
3.3.25 Maintenance. In
water-based fire protection
systems, work performed to
keep equipment operable or
to make repairs.
© National Fire Sprinkler Association - 2011 9
Organization of NFPA 25
• Chapters 1-4
– “Administrative Chapters”
• Chapters 5-13
– “System Chapters”
• Chapters 14 & 15
– “Corrective Chapters”
• Chapter 16
– Special Requirements from Other NFPA
Documents (new in 2014 edition)
• Annexes A-F
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Summary Tables
• Each system chapter has “summary tables”
outlining ITM frequencies
• Tables are good reference but be sure to read
the sections that are referenced
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Summary Tables
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Owner Responsibilities
• Chapter 4 “General Requirements”
• Section 4.1 “Responsibility of Property Owner
or Designated Representative”
• Most owner requirements were combined
into 4.1 in the last few cycles of NFPA 25
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Owner Responsibilities
• Section 4.1 – Owner is responsible for:
– Inspection, Testing, & Maintenance
– Maintaining temperature in the building
– Providing access to important features
– Notification of shutdown
– Impairment handling/Appointing coordinator
– Corrections and repairs
– NOT making changes without evaluation
– Addressing changes
– Maintaining records
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NFPA 25 Documentation
• ITM reports are the primary source of
information about the condition of
the system
• Other documentation
is also required
• NFPA 25 doesn’t mandate
the use of any particular
form or report
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NFPA 25 Documentation
• ITM records:
– Shall be maintained by the owner
– As-built drawings, hydraulic calculations, original
acceptance test records, and manufacturers cut-
sheets shall be retained for the life of the system
– Subsequent records shall be retained for a period
of 1 year after the next inspection, test or
maintenance of that type
ORIGINAL + CURRENT CYCLE + LAST CYCLE
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NFPA 25 Documentation
• ITM Reports must contain (per NFPA 25-2014
section 4.3.2):
1. The procedure/activity performed
2. The organization that performed the activity
3. The required frequency of the activity
4. The results and date
5. The name and contact info of the qualified
contractor or owner, including lead person for
the activity
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NFPA 25 Documentation
• Understanding the information on ITM reports
is critical
• Deficiencies
• Impairments
• Observations
• Each require corrective
action for NFPA 25 compliance
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Deficiency
3.3.7* Deficiency. For the purposes of
inspection, testing, and maintenance of water-
based fire protection systems, a condition that
will or has the potential to adversely impact the
performance of a system or portion thereof but
does not rise to the level of an impairment.
© National Fire Sprinkler Association - 2011 19
Non-Critical or Critical
• Critical Deficiency
– A deficiency that, if not corrected, can have a
material effect on the ability of the fire protection
system or unit to function as intended in a fire
event.
• Noncritical Deficiency
– A deficiency that does not have a material effect
on the ability of the fire protection system or unit
to function in a fire event, but correction is
needed to meet the requirements of this standard
or for the proper inspection, testing, and
maintenance of the system or unit.
© National Fire Sprinkler Association - 2011 20
Impairment
3.3.21* Impairment. A
condition where a fire
protection system or
unit or portion thereof
is out of order, and the condition can result in the
fire protection system or unit not functioning
in a fire event.
© National Fire Sprinkler Association - 2011 21
Impairment
• Preplanned Impairment
– A condition where a water-based fire protection system or a
portion thereof is out of service due to work that has been
planned in advance, such as revisions to the water supply or
sprinkler system piping.
• Emergency Impairment
– A condition where a water based fire protection system or
portion thereof is out of order due to an unplanned
occurrence, or the impairment is found while performing
inspection testing or maintenance activities.
© National Fire Sprinkler Association - 2011 22
Observations
• Items outside the scope of NFPA 25
• May or may not be code violations
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NFPA 25 Documentation
• Contractor’s performing ITM in accordance
with NFPA 25 may not point out things outside
the scope of the standard
– Recalled sprinklers
– Unsprinklered areas
– Changes to use
– Coverage issues
– Concealed spaces
– Evidence of “less-frequent” I&T’s
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Stakeholder Responsibilities
• The owner is responsible for maintaining the
system(s)
• The contractor's role is to provide the owner
with information (facts) about the condition of
the system
• The AHJ’s role is enforcement (making sure
NFPA 25 is being followed) along with some
consultation
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NFPA Documentation
© National Fire Sprinkler Association - 2011 26
Questions?
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Thank You!
Jason Webb
Director of ITM
National Fire Sprinkler Association
webb@nfsa.org
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