A fire alarm system has to detect a fire, warn occupants and, in many buildings, call the fire department and operate other fire safety systems. Under the fire codes in force across Canada, owners must keep it working through routine checks and a full annual inspection and test, done to CAN/ULC-S536 by qualified technicians. The owner is responsible for making sure that happens and that deficiencies get fixed.
What a fire alarm system includes
- Control unit, the panel that monitors everything and decides what to do
- Initiating devices: manual pull stations, smoke and heat detectors, duct detectors, and sprinkler flow and supervisory switches
- Notification appliances: bells, horns, speakers and visual signals
- Annunciators that show firefighters which zone or device is in alarm
- Power supplies, including standby batteries or emergency power
- Interfaces to other systems: door holders, fans and dampers, elevator recall, and the connection to a monitoring station
The rules
The National Building Code of Canada and provincial building codes decide whether a building needs a fire alarm system and how it must be designed, with installation to CAN/ULC-S524. When a system is installed or changed, it is verified to CAN/ULC-S537; see fire alarm verification explained. Once the building is occupied, the National Fire Code of Canada and the provincial fire codes in Alberta, BC and Ontario require owners to inspect, test and maintain the system to CAN/ULC-S536. Check the editions referenced by your provincial code and any local fire authority requirements.
Who may do the testing also varies. Fire authorities generally expect inspection and testing to be done by technicians with recognized fire alarm training, and some provinces or municipalities set specific qualification requirements. Ask your fire authority what applies.
The annual inspection and test
Once a year, qualified technicians inspect and test the whole system. This typically includes:
- Inspecting and testing the control unit, its indicators, trouble signals and supervisory functions
- Testing every initiating device, including each pull station, detector and switch
- Testing smoke detector sensitivity by the methods the standard allows
- Confirming every notification appliance operates and is audible or visible in its area
- Testing standby batteries and the emergency power supply
- Testing annunciators and confirming they show the correct location
- Testing interfaces with other systems, such as fan shutdown, door release and elevator recall
- Confirming signals reach the monitoring station, where the building is monitored
The technicians provide a written report listing every device tested and every deficiency found. Keep this report; fire inspectors will ask for it.
Checks between annual tests
The fire code also calls for more frequent checks, some of which owners or trained building staff can do. These commonly include confirming the panel shows normal power and no trouble signals, testing parts of the system on a monthly or other rotating schedule, and checking that devices are not damaged, covered or blocked. CAN/ULC-S536 and your provincial code set out what is required and how often.
- Panel shows normal; no alarms, troubles or supervisory signals ignored
- Pull stations visible and unobstructed
- Detectors not covered, painted or damaged, especially after renovations
- Bells, horns and strobes not blocked by new walls or fit-ups
- Fire alarm log kept up to date
Never ignore a trouble signal. A trouble light means part of the system may not work. Call your fire alarm contractor, record the trouble and what was done about it, and put a fire watch in place if part of the system is out of service. Your fire authority may need to be told.
Dealing with deficiencies
Annual reports often list deficiencies such as failed detectors, weak batteries, missing devices or notification appliances that are too quiet. Some are urgent; others are minor. Good practice:
- Read the report as soon as you get it, and ask the contractor to explain anything unclear.
- Rank deficiencies by risk and fix life safety issues first.
- Get repairs done and documented, and keep the documentation with the report.
- Track open items so they are not forgotten until next year's test.
Preparing for the annual test
A little preparation makes the test faster, cheaper and less disruptive:
- Book the test early and confirm the dates with building operations and tenants
- Arrange access to every suite, mechanical room, electrical room and roof area with devices
- Give the contractor last year's report and the list of deficiencies that were fixed since
- Have up-to-date floor plans or device lists so no device is missed
- Agree who will notify the monitoring station and when the system is back to normal
- Plan how occupants will be warned of alarm sounding and how fire safety will be maintained while devices are bypassed
Reading the annual report
A long list of deficiencies is easier to act on if you sort it by what each item means for the building:
| Type of deficiency | Examples | Typical priority |
|---|---|---|
| Something will not detect or warn | Failed detector, pull station or horn; area with no audible signal | Urgent; fire watch may be needed until fixed |
| Something will not reach the fire department | Monitoring signals not received | Urgent |
| Backup is weak | Batteries failing load test | Prompt |
| Other systems do not respond | Fan not shutting down, door holder not releasing | Prompt |
| Documentation and labelling | Annunciator zones mislabelled, missing records | Schedule, but do not leave for next year |
Your contractor and fire authority have the final word on urgency for your building. The point is to make sure that the items that affect people's safety are not lost in a long list.
A typical case
After a tenant fit-up on one floor of an office building, the annual test finds that two horns are now inside a new storage room with the door closed, and the open office area beyond is below the required sound level. A smoke detector also sits inside a bulkhead that was boxed in during the work. None of this was caught at the time because the fire alarm contractor was never involved in the fit-up.
The fix needed a design change, added notification appliances and verification of the altered part of the system. The owner then added the fire alarm contractor to the review of every future tenant fit-up drawing, which is far cheaper than finding the problem a year later.
Renovations and tenant fit-ups
Changes to walls, rooms and ceilings can leave areas without detection or with notification appliances that can no longer be heard. Any change to the fire alarm system needs proper design, permits where required and verification of the altered parts. Make the fire alarm part of every renovation review.
Related systems
Fire alarms work alongside sprinklers, monitoring, emergency lighting and extinguishers. See sprinkler system inspections and how fire alarm monitoring works.
How ehZee can help
Our fire inspections, verification and monitoring service helps owners keep on top of life safety systems: reviewing inspection reports and records, checking that deficiencies are closed, preparing for fire department inspections and coordinating work with your fire alarm contractor. The annual test itself must be done by qualified fire alarm technicians.
Common questions
Can we skip the annual test if nothing has changed?
No. The fire code requires annual inspection and testing regardless of whether the building has changed. Devices and batteries fail with age.
Will the test disrupt occupants?
There will be periods of alarm sounding. Good contractors plan the testing, give notice and coordinate with the monitoring station so the fire department is not dispatched.
What is a fire watch?
A fire watch is a person or people assigned to patrol the affected area, look for fire and raise the alarm if needed while part of the fire protection system is out of service. Your fire authority may set specific requirements for when one is needed and how it is done.