How do you prepare for a fire authority inspection?

Who this applies to

Any business or building required to produce compliance certificates for fire safety systems — as part of business licensing, occupancy, licence renewal or an inspection on the authority's own initiative. The scope of what is required varies with the type of building, its use and the systems installed, and is settled with the authority rather than in general.

What it means in practice

• A current compliance certificate for every system installed — detection, automatic suppression, electrical and emergency lighting, public address, generator, suppression in panels and in kitchen hoods. An expired certificate counts as no certificate.
• An up-to-date facility or site emergency file, including drawings that reflect the building after any change, addition or change of use.
• Records of periodic maintenance and of findings closed out — not only that the work was done, but a record showing when and by whom.
• Escape routes, emergency signage and emergency lighting clear, working and tested.
• The siting and quantity of manual firefighting equipment as determined for the building.
• An emergency or evacuation drill within the past year, with a written summary and lessons.

What is usually needed

• A list of the systems installed in the building, with the date each was last tested.
• The certificates and forms themselves — in one file, not scattered among suppliers.
• The previous inspection report and the closure status of every finding in it.
• Current drawings of the building.
• The summary of the most recent drill.

Common mistakes

• Booking the inspection before checking which certificates have expired. The validity of a periodic test is the first thing to fall over.
• Relying on a supplier who "takes care of it" without seeing the certificate and its date.
• Drawings not updated after a change to the building — the inspection is against the building, not against the old drawing.
• Recording that maintenance was carried out without recording that findings were closed; the two are checked separately.
• Running an evacuation drill and writing nothing down. A drill with no record is hard to evidence.

The tool that continues from here

• Fire Safety Inspection Readiness CheckA readiness questionnaire that produces an action list, without stating legal compliance.
• Fire Authority Requirements RegisterSearch the official Israel Fire and Rescue Authority requirements by licensing or construction context.

The Hoshen service