Purpose:

To establish a reasonable level of safety for property protection and building occupants during times life safety systems, either partly or whole, are off-line for the purpose of alteration, repair, construction, etc. Placing a portion of any life safety off line does not relieve building personnel of the responsibility of notifying the fire department upon discovery of any fire, smoke or other potentially dangerous situation anywhere in the building.

Policy:

  A Fire Watch shall be required when any life safety system (fire alarm system, fire sprinkler system, etc.), or portion thereof is placed in “test”, “standby” or “off-line” mode that prevents the system or its portion from performing its intended function.

1. Only the minimum number of devices or areas in the affected zone shall be disabled.
   
2. As required by the North Carolina Fire Code, Section 901.7.2 and 901.7.3, a tag (i.e., notice) shall be used to indicate that a system or portion thereof has been removed from service. This tag shall be posted at all control components (i.e. fire department connection(s), control valves, fire alarm control panels, etc.) and shall indicate which and what parts of the system(s) have been removed from service.
   
3. The building owner or his/her designee shall assign a person to act as the building’s “Impairment Coordinator”. This person shall be responsible for ensuring that the fire watch procedures are being properly implemented and that the life safety systems are properly “tagged” when out of service. All impairments shall require prior knowledge and approval of the Impairment Coordinator.
   
4. Building personnel shall notify their central monitoring company and the Fire Communication Division at 704-336-2441 and notify them the condition, extent and expected duration of system impairment.
   
5. Fire watch personnel shall consist of a minimum of 2 personnel whose only responsibility is to conduct fire watch.
   
6. One of the fire watch personnel shall stay in close proximity to the fire alarm control panel so that he or she will be immediately notified of any activation of the disabled device(s) or system.
   
7. Each affected floor or zone shall be patrolled at least once per hour by at least one of the fire watch personnel. A record or “fire watch log” shall be maintained and shall indicate time of patrol and area(s) patrolled.
   
8. Each fire watch personnel shall have with him or her some form of reliable communication (walkie-talkie, cell phone, etc.) so that any fire, smoke, or other potentially dangerous condition can be immediately reported to the personnel assigned to the fire alarm control panel. Upon discovery of fire or smoke, the fire alarm system shall be activated and immediate evacuation procedures shall be started.
   
9. When the system or systems are placed back in service, the Charlotte Fire Department’s Fire Communication Division (704-336-2441) and the building’s central monitoring service shall be contacted. The fire watch log or record shall be noted as to when system was placed back in service and that all devices have been restored to normal operating condition.
   
10. The document titled “Fire Watch Requirements/Procedures” shall be provided to occupants as needed.