Inspections requirements are often based on NFPA standards, such as NFPA 25 for Inspection, Testing and Maintenance of Water-Based Fire Protection Systems.
Although NFPA establishes many well-accepted engineering practices and has the standards available to be incorporated or adopted into law, this may not always necessarily be true. My question is if any inspection and tests, such as stated within NFPA 25, are legally required? Perhaps by OSHA's General Clause? Are there existing legal provisions that can make NFPA 25 enforceable? Posted anonymously by a member for discussion. Discuss this | Subscribe
9 Comments
Wayne Ammons
2/5/2019 07:28:08 am
The model building codes themselves, and the standards they reference, are not legally binding. It is up to state and local governments to adopt and enforce the model codes. Chapter 1 - Part 2 of the IBC discusses administration and enforcement.
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Randy Day
2/5/2019 10:13:46 am
To add, if IBC is in legal effect, then yes, NFPA 25 inspections should be legally required.
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RJ
2/5/2019 10:12:44 am
I agree with Wayne. It all comes down to whatever the AHJ wants.
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Also
2/5/2019 10:44:34 am
Laws aside, many facilities are on top of their inspections and testing for insurance purposes. A system that hasn't been inspected and maintained may result in a loss of insurance claim if the system doesn't work.
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2/5/2019 11:58:15 am
The NFPA National Fire Codes are adopted by reference by the IBC/IFC. As such you may require the annual, semi annual and quarterly testing per NFPA 25
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2/6/2019 03:07:40 pm
The intention of NFPA 25 regular inspections is to ensure that the fire protection are ready for use even it is not legally required.
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Franck Orset
2/19/2019 11:21:29 am
NFPA 25 is not a legal requirement
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It is impossible to say NFPA 25 is not required (in the US). All model building and fire codes (IBC, IFC, IPMC, NFPA 1, NFPA 5000) either directly reference NFPA 25, or indirectly through the installation standards such as NFPA 13, NFPA 13R, NFPA 14, NFPA 20, etc.
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Michael
9/28/2020 07:38:42 pm
The NFPA Codes are referenced in the IBC/IFC.
Reply
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