I recently ran across a newspaper article where a fire marshal openly admitted that fire inspections are not being completed in a good majority of commercial facilities due to the lack of resources. We, of course, knew this based on the data we collect from the field, but to actually hear it admitted by a fire professional really sends the message home. With Authorities Having Jurisdiction (AHJ’s) such as the Joint Commission over the health care arena, we obviously see a much more active inspection and maintenance plan in place for health care facilities in regards to fire damper testing and smoke damper inspections. With no equivalent AHJ in place for non-health care facilities, we find a resounding number of facilities that are completely vulnerable to loss of life from fire because of lack of inspection and maintenance. In fact, according to the deficiencies we have compiled from our inspection data, approximately 8 out of 10 non-health care facilities have not inspected their dampers. When we are able to convince them of the importance of the inspections, we find quite an array of deficiencies, ranging from inoperable actuators to dampers being completely rusted shut due to the length of time since they were last exercised. Here, take a look at our list of Top 10 Fire and and Smoke Damper Deficiencies for Non-Health Care Facilities* :
1. Inoperable actuator
2. No power to actuator
3. No power wired to actuator
4. No air to actuator
5. No airline to actuator
6. Not enough air to actuator
7. Screw in track
8. Linkage out of alignment or broken
9. Bout in tracks (racking)
10. Damper rusted
What’s even more concerning is that we have found that approximately 10% of dampers fail during a fire and smoke damper inspection – quite a resounding number when you consider that the average facility has one damper per every 1000 square feet of space. So, the next time you are in your local convention center for a concert, staying in a hotel, on a cruise ship or sitting where you are right now – in an office building that you consider a safe place, question when the last time the passive fire protection system in place was inspected. It might even be a good idea to know your means of egress out of the building like the back of your hand because, chances are, the dampers are not being maintained and they will likely not work correctly in the event of a fire because of it.
*Deficiencies compiled from Based on LSS Life Safety Services’ data.