Fire protection systems are the mechanical, electrical, and structural systems that are designed to detect, contain, control, or extinguish fire. According to the NFPA (National Fire Protection Association) standards and IBC, there are typically two types of fire protection systems: active and passive. Generally, passive fire protection systems are a subset of life safety systems, so we are going to discuss them in a different section.

Active Fire Protection System

Active systems are those that activate automatically or manually whenever there is a fire. For example, sprinkler systems work automatically, and fire extinguishers can be used manually to suppress small fires. Here is a list of the most common active fire protection systems:

Fire Alarm Systems

Fire alarm systems detect fire early and notify the occupants about it. The key components of this system are smoke detectors, carbon monoxide detectors, heat detectors, a manual pull station, notification appliances like strobes and horns, a fire alarm control panel, and an annunciator panel. 

The requirements for inspecting, testing, and maintaining fire alarm systems are set by NFPA 72 (National Fire Alarm and Signaling Code). Annual inspection by a certified fire professional is mandatory, and it often includes functional testing of fire detection systems, control panel, annunciator panel, voice evacuation systems, and backup power supply. However, the frequency of inspections might vary depending on your occupancy risk and local regulations. 

Automatic Fire Sprinkler System

Automatic sprinkler systems discharge water whenever a fire is detected in order to control or extinguish it. Some of the common types are wet (water is always there in the pipes), dry (water is discharged only on activation), pre-action (combination of dry and detection system), and deluge sprinkler (open heads activated by detection systems) systems.

Fire sprinkler systems are to be inspected weekly, monthly, quarterly, annually, and every 5 years according to NFPA 25 (Standard for the Inspection, Testing, and Maintenance of Water-Based Fire Protection Systems). Weekly and monthly inspections can be conducted by an in-house staff who is trained on NFPA 25 regulations and codes, while all the other inspections need to be performed by a certified fire protection professional.

Weekly inspections primarily include testing of control valves and gauges of pre-action, deluge, and dry pipe sprinkler systems, while monthly inspections include testing the alarm valves and gauges of wet-pipe sprinkler systems. The certified fire protection professional is required to inspect water flow alarm devices, valve alarm devices, control valves, signal devices, hydraulic nameplates, and fire department connections. Annual inspections typically include testing the pipework, fittings, seismic bracing, information signage, sprinkler heads, and backflow prevention assemblies.

However, building owners must communicate with their local AHJ (Authority Having Jurisdiction) to know about the applicable codes and regulations in their respective region.

Fire Pumps

The main purpose of fire pumps is to provide adequate water pressure to fire protection systems. The typical components of it are pumps, controllers, jockey pumps, and relief valves. 

NFPA 25 requires fire pumps to go through weekly, monthly, and annual inspections by both in-house and certified fire protection professionals. 

Weekly inspections include testing the pump house, conducting a no-flow test of diesel pumps, and performing an electric pump test. Extended churn tests should be performed monthly, and a complete pump inspection must be conducted annually. 

Fire Extinguishers

Fire extinguishers are the first line of manual defense for small fires. The types of fire extinguishers are: Class A (water, dry chemical), Class B (CO2, dry chemical), Class C (clean agent, dry chemical), Class D (dry powders), and Class K (Wet Chemical). Your employees must be trained on the PASS method and should be well aware of which fire extinguishers to use under which conditions. Use the free fire extinguisher training checklist to make sure that your employees are trained enough to effectively handle small fires. 

NFPA 10 ( Standard for Portable Fire Extinguishers) outlines the requirements for the inspection, testing, and maintenance of fire extinguishers. They should be inspected monthly by the building owner or designated personnel to make sure that the extinguishers are in place, easily accessible, and do not have any physical damage. Annual inspections need to be done by a certified fire technician who will thoroughly check all the components, their functionality, and verify the pressure level. 

Fire Suppression Systems

Fire suppression systems are generally used to protect locations like data centers, kitchens, transformer rooms, chemical storage, and areas where water can cause damage. 

Common types of fire suppression systems include dry or wet chemical systems (for commercial kitchens), foam systems (for flammable liquid storage), CO2 systems, and clean agent systems. 

Wet and dry chemical systems need to be inspected monthly to check that the pressure gauges are in the operable range and semi-annually by a qualified technician. Additionally, they need to be hydrostatically tested every 5 years. Clean agent suppression systems need to be inspected at least twice a year to check the pressure levels, agent weight, battery status, and overall appearance of the system and cylinders. According to NFPA 11, the foam-based suppression system needs to be inspected annually to make sure that they are properly functioning in case of a fire emergency.