NFPA 72

Tom Connaughton is Director, Life Safety & Security Services, for Intertek, the product testing and certification firm. He joins the conversation to discuss trends and challenges in the fire/life-safety industry, as well as the codes adoption process.

Accurate recordkeeping is essential to be successful in any business enterprise, but for fire systems contractors it could be a matter of life or death. Brush up on the requirements and catch up on new additions to NFPA 72’s Documentation specifications.

Sharing knowledge, wisdom and experiences is the path to continuing to move fire and life safety forward. This goes for innovating products, saving lives and reducing injuries and property loss, as well as running more successful businesses. That’s why conferences like NFPA’s recent Suppression, Detection and Signaling Research and Applications Symposium (SUPDET) are so important. .

While NFPA 72 is the most widely referenced document for installing fi re system contractors, the codes and standards it contains are a distillation from a host of other influential organizations and governing bodies. Being a true professional means understanding not just what these directives are but also the how and why.

Large occupancies in which high-quality sound is imperative, such as stadiums and performance theatres, invest big dollars in audio design, testing and equipment systems. Less attention has been paid to the quality of sound emitted by emergency notification devices in large structures; NFPA 72-2010 is making engineers and contractors take notice, however.

New requirements for total coverage, remote alarm indication, audible and visible notification, mass notification systems, and evacuation messages are among the many changes in store for the latest version of NFPA 72. Get a jump on what you’ll need to know to satisfy AHJs with an overview of the updated National Fire Alarm and Signaling Code.

The NFPA 72 standard, National Fire Alarm and Signaling Code, has long been the most highly referenced and respected guide for building managers, AHJs and fire systems contractors alike. The recently adopted 2013 edition contains several important changes to support the mission of protecting lives and property within built environments.

NFPA 72-2010 includes a section outlining important new requirements for voice evacuation systems. Better understand the concept of intelligibility, learn about the code changes and how they apply to notification systems.

Determining fire alarm priorities when elevator emergency phones are involved illustrates the need to sometimes fill in the blanks when situations fall outside the realm of existing codes. Having a third phone line or simply leaving it up to an AHJ are two potential solutions.

Voltage drop is critical to the proper operation of devices attached to a fire alarm system. Nowhere is this as true as with notification appliance circuits (NACs) that connect to a fire alarm control panel. Seven steps show how to do the calculations.

Understanding the mass notification/emergency communication codes, planning process and available technologies can open a new market of opportunities for dealers. Conducting a thorough risk analysis and making the most of its findings is key ...

Annual report points up the need for installing security and fire systems contractors to be diligent in providing the latest life-safety products to residential customers. Discover how regular maintenance services and education are helping reduce
fire fatalities.

Wayne Alarm Systems Technical Operations Manager James Keighley has joined the National Fire Prevention Association (NFPA) Code Committee for NFPA 72.

Though not as quick to migrate to IT network signal transmission as other systems installed by security contractors, fire/life safety is nevertheless following suit. Find out the latest technology and code developments in this emerging area.

Maintaining power is one of the foundations of any fire/life-safety system. Find out the codes, standards and calculations you need to know to make sure batteries deliver when needed.

New standards for emergency communications detailed in 2010 NFPA 72 are expected to bring new business opportunities for fire installers, physical security integrators and other contractors that have the proficiency to install appliances used in mass notification systems (MNS).

A Q&A session addresses code compliance challenges associated with projected beam smoke detectors, annunciators and keypads.

Al Colombo addresses comments prompted by the September's column, "Finding Faults in Fire Systems."

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