NFPA 3

Standard for Commissioning

and Integrated Testing of
Fire Protection and Life
Safety Systems

Copyright © 2008 National Fire Protection Association, All Rights Reserved

A Balanced Approach
 Technical Committee Representatives
Include:
• Enforcers (AHJ’s)
• Insurance
• Installers/Maintainers
• Manufacturers
• Research Technologies
• Special Experts/Consultants
• Users of the Standards
A Balanced Approach
NFSA AFAA NAFED AFSA
Lifespan Harvard University
UL, State Farm, XL GAP, Liberty Mutual, FM Global
USAF US Navy US GSA NIBS
RJA Schirmer Hughes Fisher
Viking TYCO Bechtel Fike
Ftech (Mexico) AXA (France)
Defence Construction (Canada)
Clark County Carmel Boulder Reno
Scope
 To provide the minimum requirements
for procedures, methods, and
documentation for commissioning and
the integrated testing of active and
passive fire protection and life safety
systems
Commissioning
 A systematic process that provides
documented confirmation that specific
and interconnected fire protection and
life safety systems function according
to the intended design criteria and
satisfy the owner’s operational needs,
including compliance requirements of
any applicable laws, regulations, codes
and stanards.
Integrated Testing
 Assessment of fire protection and life
safety systems function and operation
using direct observation or other
monitoring methods to determine the
correct interaction and coordination of
multiple systems in conformance with
owner’s project requirements and the
basis of design.
Fire Protection Systems
 Systems, devices, and equipment used
to detect a fire and its by-products,
actuate an alarm, or suppress or
control a fire and its by-products, or
any combination thereof.
Sprinkler System Riser
 Backflow Preventer
 Indicating Valves
 Alarm Supervision
 Flow Switches
Sprinkler System Riser
 Valves Supervised
 Electronic Flow Switch
Zone Control Valve
 Electronic Alarms
 What’s Missing???
Fire Pump
Room
cannot be
used for
ANYTHING
else
Can you spot the Problem???
Hotel in Dubai Aluminum Louvered Ceilings
 Detectors?
 Sprinklers?
 Notification?
Foam System in Aircraft Hangars
Peeling Paint in a Water Tank

15
Sprinkler System Water Tank

16
Check Valve Installed Backwards

Module 0-17
Life Safety System
 Those systems that enhance or
facilitate evacuation, smoke control,
compartmentalization, and/or
isolation.
Life Safety Issues?
Integrated System
 A combination or group of systems
either interconnected or separate, but
required to operate together as a
whole to achieve the fire protection
and life safety systems
Commissioning Team
 Owner
 Commissioning Authority
 FCxA
 Installation Contractors
 Manufacturer Representatives
Commissioning Team
 RDP’s
 Construction Manager/ General
Contractor
 Owner’s Technical Support Personnel
 Insurance Representative
 Third Party Test Entity
 Facility Manager/Operations Personnel
 AHJ
Periodic Integrated Testing
 Fire protection and life safety systems
that have been commissioned upon
installation in accordance with the
commissioning process of this standard
shall have integrated testing in
accordance with the commissioning
plan.
Questions?

Timothy Hawthorne
thawthorne@nfpa.org
617-984-7259
Staff Liaison for NFPA 3