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Policy: Fire Protection Equipment Program

Responsible Party: Director, Safety and Risk Management

Revised: 3/6/2024

Effective date: 7/1/2013

Review date: 3/1/2025

Introduction and Purpose:

Safety and Risk Management is committed to promote effective regulatory compliance, environmental health and safety practices through expertise and assistance; incorporating Risk Assessment and Risk Control strategies throughout MSU increasing our organization’s ability to succeed while enhancing institutional value. The Safety and Risk Management Program endorses programs, procedures and resources which assist in this promotion.

This program is an overarching document that outlines the programs set in place by Safety and Risk Management (SRM) for Montana State University (MSU) and its employees. Referenced procedures, written programs, training requirements and guidelines apply to employees as described in the relevant programs and procedures. MSU departments, administrators, managers, faculty, and staff are required to comply with the requirements and specifications established for this purpose.

The primary goal of the Safety and Risk Management Program is to ensure that the safety and health of faculty, staff, students, and the visiting public will not be compromised while on campus. A major contributing factor to this is through practicing industry best practices to maintain compliance with environmental and safety laws, rules, and regulations.

Program:

100.00 GENERAL

The Office of Safety and Risk Management (SRM) has developed and implemented the Fire Protection Equipment Impairment Testing Program at MSU. This program is designed to establish testing inspection and maintenance of Fire Protection Equipment throughout MSU to maintain its working order.

Fire Protection Equipment located throughout MSU is tested, as required by the currently adopted International Fire Code (IFC).

200.00 AUTHORITY

The regulatory documents MSU uses to test and maintain Fire Protection Equipment (FPE) throughout MSU are:

- The currently adopted International Fire Code (IFC).

- All NFPA Standards listed by reference within the IFC.

300.00 RESPONSIBILITIES

Oversight of the Fire Protection Equipment Testing is provided by the MSU Fire Marshal who oversees, testing and maintenance scheduling, record keeping, maintenance, and repair of MSU’s fire protection equipment.

310.00 MSU Fire Marshal

  1. Oversight of the FPE responsibilities and condition
  2. Testing and Maintenance of FPE
  3. Recordkeeping of FPE
  4. Maintenance and Repair of FPE

320.00 Office of Facilities Services

Test and maintain FPE with certified technicians, where required.

330.00 Supervisors and Management

Notify the MSU Fire Marshal when FPE is in ill condition or has been tampered with.

340.00 Licensed Contractors

Assist in the testing and maintenance as outlined by MSU Fire Marshal.

400.00 IMPAIRMENT TESTING PROTOCOLS

The SRM Fire Marshal shall supervise and schedule all inspections and tests of fire alarm, suppression, and firefighting water supply systems at MSU-Bozeman. Testing at MSU shall be in accordance with the current adopted International Fire Code (IFC) and applicable NFPA Standards.

310.00 Individual Item Testing Protocols

  1. Fire alarms, and related devices, (smoke and duct detectors, fire door operation, horns, and strobes) shall be inspected and tested bi-annually in accordance with the currently adopted IFC and NFPA 72 The National Fire Alarm and Signaling Code requirements.
  2. Automatic water fire suppression systems (sprinkler systems) shall be inspected and tested on a semi-annual basis in accordance with the currently adopted IFC and NFPA 25 Standard for the Inspections, Testing, and Maintenance of Water-Based Fire Protections System requirements.
  3. Fire pumps shall be exercised monthly and tested annually as required through the currently adopted IFC and NFPA 25.
  4. Clean Agent and Halon extinguishing systems shall be inspected and tested bi-annually in accordance with the currently adopted IFC and NFPA 12A Standard on Halon 1301 Fire Extinguishing Systems and NFPA 2001 Standard on Clean Agent Fire Extinguishing Systems.
  5. Automatic extinguishing systems provided for MSU cooking equipment shall be inspected and tested in accordance with the currently adopted IFC and NFPA 17A Standard for Wet Chemical Extinguishing Systems.
  6. Dry Chemical extinguishing systems used for chemical storage and paint booths enclosed steel outbuildings will be inspected, tested, serviced, and maintained in accordance with current IFC and NFPA 17 Standard for Dry Chemical Extinguishing Systems.
  7. All MSU Bozeman campus fire hydrants will be inspected and tested for available water flows on an annual or bi-annual basis in accordance with the currently adopted IFC and NFPA 25.
  8. MSU Standpipe Systems are tested in accordance with the currently adopted IFC and NFPA 25. Hose connections and Fire Department Connections (FDC’s) are inspected semi-annually. Dry Standpipe systems are hydrostatically tested every 5 years.
  9. All MSU Bozeman campus fire extinguisher units shall be inspected, on a monthly basis, in accordance with the currently adopted IFC and NFPA 10 Standard for Portable Fire Extinguishers.
  10. Inspections may be conducted by MSU custodians, and any exceptions noted will require the extinguishers be replaced.
  11. Horizontal sliding, vertical sliding, or overhead rolling fire and/or smoke doors located throughout the MSU Bozeman campus buildings shall be tested annually by a qualified individual in accordance with the manufacturer, the currently adopted IFC, NFPA 80 Standard for Fire Doors and Other Opening Protectives, and NFPA 105 Standard for Smoke Door Assemblies and Other Opening Protectives.

500.00 DEFINITIONS OF FIRE PROTECTION EQUIPMENT (FPE)

  • Alarm panels, associated indicating devices, detection devices, and occupant notification devices, and fire doors (Tested by NICET Certified MSU Fire Alarm Technician/Technicians)
  • Water-based fire sprinkler systems (Tested by a licensed contractor)
  • Fire Pumps (Tested by a licensed contractor)
  • Clean Agent Extinguishing Systems (Tested by a licensed contractor)
  • Dry Chemical Fixed Extinguishing Systems (Tested by a licensed contractor)
  • Portable Fire Extinguishers (Tested by MSU Custodial and/or licensed contractor)
  • Kitchen Hood Extinguishing Systems (Tested by a licensed contractor)
  • Standpipes and Hose Connections (Tested by MSU SRM personnel and/or a licensed contractor)
  • Fire Hydrants (Tested by a licensed contractor/MSU SRM personnel and/or MSU FS Plumbers)
  • Fire doors (Tested by a qualified individual)

APPENDIX
A:  References:

National Fire Protection Association (NFPA)

International Fire Code (IFC)