FMO Fire and Building Inspection Reference Manual 2003 Code Edition, version 7.11.07 Prince William County Fire Marshal s Office 5 County Complex Court, Suite 160 Prince William, Virginia 22192 703-792-6360
FIRE MARSHAL S OFFICE FIRE PROTECTION AND BUILDING PERMIT ASSOCIATED INSPECTIONS Effective February 14, 2007, the following guideline is in place regarding all fire protection (FPP), building (BLD), and fire lane plan (FLP) permit inspections conducted by the Prince William County Fire Marshal s Office. Fire Alarm Systems The inspections shown below are required for all fire alarm system installations under permit. If there an emergency power generator present and the fire alarm system is wired to the generator as power back up, the fire alarm battery test (74) is not required. However, the system must be tested utilizing the generator power source prior to the fire alarm final inspection (81). The fire alarm battery test is also not required when replacement of a fire alarm device is done of like kind equipment. 73- Fire alarm test 74- Fire alarm battery test 81- Alarm final Note: Where the fire alarm is connected to a fire suppression system, elevator with fire department recall, and/or a mechanical system to shut down circulation fans, the inspection/test must be coordinated with the appropriate trade(s). This coordination is necessary to permit the testing of the connection between the fire alarm and the devices on the affected systems. Failure to have representatives of the other trade(s) present will result in an automatic rejection of the inspection/test. Underground Fire Main The inspections/tests shown below are required for all underground fire main installations under permit. Regardless of who does the work, the underground fire main must be inspected/tested from the point it leaves the street main to the point that it is connected to the sprinkler/standpipe system. If the installation is broken into two permits, the underground flush (61) can be done one time as long as the entire length of underground main is being flushed. The underground final (82) is an administrative action done by the Fire Marshal at the time of completion of all other required tests/inspections (59, 60, 61). 59- Visual inspection 60-Underground hydrostatic test 61-Underground flush 82-Underground final (administrative approval) Page 1 of 6
Automatic Systems Wet Pipe System The inspections/tests shown below are required for all wet pipe sprinkler system installations under permit. Some of the inspections/tests are only required when the particular piping/appurtenance is present. If there is a breezeway loop present, the following inspections are mandatory: 84-Breezeway Loop hydrostatic test 85-Breezeway Loop visual inspection 86-Breezeway Loop flush If the sprinkler system is a NFPA 13R system, the following flow test is required: 87-Four-head flow 13R If the sprinkler system is a NFPA 13D system, the following flow test is required: 89- Two- head flow 13D If the system has an anti-freeze loop or component the following inspection is required: 90- antifreeze If there is a standpipe included as part of the sprinkler system, the following inspections/tests are required: 67-Standpipe hydrostatic test (if equipped with standpipes and not tested with remainder of sprinkler system) 68-Standpipe flow test (if equipped with standpipes) If there is a fire pump present and is required to supply the sprinkler system with adequate pressure and volume of water, the following test is required: 72-Fire pump test (if so equipped) ALL wet pipe sprinkler system installations/modifications under permit are required to have the following tests/inspections. There is an exception to the hydrostatic test for 1) the addition or relocation of less than five heads, 2) the addition of ten or less new fittings, 3) the addition of twenty feet or less of pipe (pipe nipples shall not be counted as pipe length), or 4) any combination of these items. In addition, in order to gain approval on a wet sprinkler final inspection, any underground fire main piping supplying the system must have final approval as well as the fire alarm system monitoring the sprinkler system must have had a fire alarm test (73) and be capable of monitoring the Page 2 of 6
sprinkler system. (The monitoring system, if required, must be in-service and able to call an approved and listed monitoring company.) If there is an anti-freeze system being employed to protect an area subject to freezing, a visual inspection/test of the antifreeze protection temperature must be performed and is part of the visual inspection of the sprinkler system (83). 62-static test 83-Visual inspection 66-Wet sprinkler final Dry Pipe System ALL dry pipe sprinkler system installations/modifications under permit are required to have the following tests/inspections. There is an exception to the hydrostatic test for 1) the addition or relocation of less than five heads, 2) the addition of ten or less new fittings, 3) the addition of twenty feet or less of pipe (pipe nipples shall not be counted as pipe length), or 4) any combination of these items. In addition, in order to gain approval on a dry pipe sprinkler final inspection, any underground fire main piping supplying the system must have final approval as well as the fire alarm system monitoring the sprinkler system must have had a fire alarm test (73) and be capable of monitoring the sprinkler system. (The monitoring system, if required, must be in-service and able to call an approved and listed monitoring company). 83-Visual inspection 62-static test 65-Air test 64-Trip test 88-Dry pipe sprinkler final Clean Agent and Hood Systems Clean agent and hood systems installations under permit are required to have the following tests, as appropriate. These systems must be connected to and sound the building fire alarm system, upon initiation, where a fire alarm system is present. 69-Clean agent test 70-Hood system test Fire Marshal s Office Final Inspection for Shell Buildings (146-FMO final inspection Shell) Effective February 14, 2007, all shell building trade inspection permits must have a partial approval (PAP) or approved (APP) status prior to the FMO final inspection-shell (146) inspection being scheduled and/or approved. This includes the fire protection Page 3 of 6
permits (FPP) and fire lane plan permits (FLP) for the shell. Fire Marshal s Office Final Inspection for Tenants (149-FMO Final Inspection- Tenant) Effective February 14, 2007, all tenant building and trade inspection permits must have a partial approval (PAP) or approved (APP) status prior to the FMO final inspection- Tenant (149) inspection being scheduled and/or approved. This includes any trade or fire protection permits (FPP) and/or fire lane plan permits (FLP) pertaining to any shell permits that the tenant space may be associated with. Page 4 of 6
Fire Marshal s Office Fire Protection Systems Inspection flow chart (3/13/07) Fire Alarm System Automatic System Standpipe System Underground Fire Main Wet System 73 Fire Alarm 74 Battery Test*** 81 Fire Alarm Final Dry System 83- Visual 62 Test 65 Air Test 64 Trip Test 84 Bzy LP hydro 85 Bzy LP visual 86 Bzy LP flush 88 Dry System Final YES 90 antifreeze 87 4 head flow 13R 66 Wet Final Breezeway Loop? 83 Visual *62 Test NO 70 Hood system 89 2 head flow 13D 67 68 Standpipe Flow 72 Fire pump 69 Clean agent test 59 Visual 60 U/G 61 U/G Flush 82 U/G final 146- FMO Final Shell ** 148 Stocking (Optional) 149 FMO Final Tenant Page 5 of 6
General Notes: For an 88 or 66, the U/G fire main must have had an Underground Fire Main Final (82) with all of the required Underground Fire Main inspections approved if there was an underground fire line involved. An Underground Fire Main Final (82) must have a Underground Fire Main Visual (59), Underground Fire Main hydro (60), and Underground Fire Main Flush (61) to get a final. The flush may come from another permit in the case of a split permit for the street valve to 5 feet outside the building and 5 feet outside the building to the sprinkler flange (spool). An Dry System final (88) or a Wet final (66) must have final approval of all sprinkler components and a fire alarm test (73) to get a final. For 146-149 inspections, ALL fire protection systems must have been approved and finalled. An FMO final inspection- tenant (149) cannot be scheduled until the FMO finalshell (146) inspection for the shell (if applicable) has a status of provisional approval (PAP) or approved (APP). * only required if 1) five heads or more, 2) ten or more fittings, 3) twenty or more feet of pipe, or 4) any combination of the three. **For an optional Stocking/storage inspection (148), the fire protection systems (sprinkler, standpipe, and fire alarm) must be finalled. Other systems may not be required to be final until the 149 inspection. Shells cannot have Stocking/storage inspection 148 inspections done as stocking of a shell is not permitted. **If stocking is not needed, the inspections proceed directly to FMO final- tenant (149). ***A fire alarm battery test may or may not be required on an existing system depending upon the scope or work being done. Page 6 of 6