Fire Protection Systems Commissioning Services

Life Safety Systems Commissioning Services

Life safety systems have become increasingly complex; typically requiring the integration of fire alarm, building automation, smoke management, security and other systems. Validation, verification and acceptance of these systems is a crucial milestone toward achieving a certificate of occupancy. HAI's comprehensive life safety commissioning services ensure these systems are fully integrated, function reliably, and are easy to test and maintain. HAI services range from witnessing final acceptance testing to providing full commissioning support; from design review, to owner operation, maintenance, and training procedures.

HAI typically incorporates 100 percent acceptance testing into a complete commissioning plan that begins during design development to provide greater value to owners in the long-term by helping to ensure that schedule milestones are achieved during the construction phase.

Life Safety System Certification

HAI’s life safety systems certification services comprise document search and review; system inspection and pre-testing; final acceptance testing, and reports.

Document Search and Review

HAI reviews contract design documents including plans, specifications, code reviews, architectural plans, mechanical plans, shop drawings and design basis reports for all life safety systems to ensures that systems are installed in accordance with contract requirements as well as codes.

We also verify issues of coordination between life safety systems as early in the process as possible to ensure that issues are resolved prior to installation. HAI experts document their comments regarding code compliance, contract document compliance, and coordination issues in a report for building owner(s).

Life Systems Inspections and Pre-tests

HAI provides inspection services and pre-testing services of life safety systems. HAI witnesses testing conducted by contractors, such as the hydrostatic test required by NFPA 13, which requires that wet, pre-action, and deluge systems be hydrostatically tested. HAI also witnesses pneumatic testing of pre-action systems to ensure they will maintain air pressure. During witnessing of the hydrostatic tests, HAI will conduct a rough-in inspection of the suppression systems piping based on NFPA 13. The rough-in inspection validates piping, fittings, supports, sprinkler location, and other installation features. HAI provides daily reports of findings and hydrostatic test completion for the suppression systems.

HAI can also provide construction period inspections for other life safety systems on a limited basis to verify overall installation features.
Fire alarm and detection systems, smoke control systems, and passive barriers are inspected during the final acceptance testing of these systems. Fire suppression systems have separate final inspections.

Final Acceptance Testing

Prior to conducting any tests, HAI will create custom forms that detail all equipment to be certified in the building and the appropriate test or inspection to be conducted for each device. Custom forms will be created to verify and document the correct sequence of operation and performance of overall design features as required by code and the contract documents. HAI will complete these forms during certification of the systems and will include the completed forms in our final reports.
HAI will witness the contractor conducted final tests for all Life-Safety systems to include a test for every Life-Safety device and will verify the sequence of operation for every system.

HAI will witness the smoke control testing once the system is completely installed and the level of construction is adequate to allow pressure testing for the stairwells and to minimize air movement into the atrium.

Detailed Reports

HAI documents the findings of all of the life safety systems commissioning services in a detailed final report for each building and system. These reports certify that each system is operational and installed per the contract documents and applicable codes and they include test forms used during the inspection and testing process. The final report is sealed by a licensed Fire Protection Engineer.