NFPA 72 code sections · System Testing & Maintenance
The owner owns ITM — and only qualified people may do it
NFPA 72 puts responsibility for inspection, testing and maintenance on the property owner or the owner's designated representative. The owner can hire it out, but can't hand off the accountability. The people doing the work must be qualified and experienced — the code lists acceptable evidence such as factory training on the specific equipment, NICET certification in fire alarm systems, or a state license — and the AHJ can ask for that evidence. Inspection (looking), testing (operating) and maintenance (repairing or servicing) are three different activities with three different frequency tables.
NFPA 72 reference
Chapter 14 — Inspection, Testing, and Maintenance
14.2.2 Responsibilities (14.2.2.1 property owner or designated representative); 14.2.3 Personnel qualifications (14.2.3.2 service personnel, 14.2.3.3 evidence of qualification); 3.3 definitions of Inspection, Testing, Maintenance
References use NFPA 72 2019/2022 numbering — section numbers can shift between editions, so confirm in the edition your AHJ has adopted.
On the job
A property manager assumes the monitoring company is 'taking care of the fire alarm' because the bill arrives monthly. At the fire marshal's visit there is no annual test record for three years. Monitoring is not testing: the owner is cited, hires a licensed service company, and the first annual test finds four dead strobes and a failing battery set.
Quick check
1. Who is ultimately responsible for seeing that ITM is performed?
2. Which is acceptable evidence that a technician is qualified to test a system?
3. Operating a pull station to confirm the panel responds is:
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