Fire and Life Safety System
The following information pertains to the emergency power and life safety systems and the various components associated with these systems.
- The emergency power system is solely for the support of critical system to ensure the safety and welfare of the occupants within the confines of the building. The systems supported by emergency power are: Emergency Lighting, Fire Pumps, Fire Jockey Pumps, Fire Alarm System, Stairwell Pressurization and Smoke Exhaust Fans, and Elevator Control Systems.
- The power distribution is comprised of two separate feed sources and an automatic transfer switch. The first source is the electric service from Georgia Power Company providing “Normal Emergency” power. The second source is the electric power produced by the building’s emergency back-up generator providing “Emergency” power. The automatic transfer switch monitors the “Normal Emergency” power source, for constant and consistent voltage.
- Life Safety System Test and Inspection: The life safety equipment is tested on a routine basis and maintained per manufacturer specification. The following outlines the equipment and test and inspect frequencies.
- Fire Pumps: Daily inspections are conducted and logged on the daily fire pump log form during the morning start-up tour. The pumps are visually inspected and the Pressures logged. The pump control panels are inspected for proper control and automatic configuration and logged. Weekly testing is conducted and logged on the weekly fire pump form. Testing includes starting the pumps, logging pressures, visual inspection of the packing glands, and pump operation. Preventative maintenance is conducted per OEM requirements and scheduled monthly, quarterly, semi-annual, and annually. Tasks are created through the Aware Manager Preventative Maintenance program and the tasks are documented and filed in the equipment file. A certified contractor per NFPA guidelines tests the fire pumps and associated controls annually per NFPA guidelines.
- Fire Jockey Pumps: Daily inspections are conducted and logged on the daily fire pump log form during the morning start-up tour. The pumps are visually inspected and the Pressures logged. The pump control panels are inspected for proper control and automatic configuration and logged. Weekly testing is conducted and logged on the weekly fire pump form. Testing includes starting the pumps, logging pressures, visual inspection of the packing glands, and pump operation. Preventative maintenance is conducted per OEM requirements and scheduled monthly, quarterly, semi-annual, and annually. Tasks are created through the Aware Manager Preventative Maintenance program and the task are documented and filed in the equipment file.
- Generators: Daily inspections are conducted and logged on the daily generator log form during the morning start-up tour. The generators are visually inspected and the conditions logged. The generator control panels are inspected for automatic operation and the fuel monitoring and storage tanks are inspected and logged. Weekly testing is conducted and logged on the weekly generator test form. Testing includes operating the generator, loading to 80% of generator capacity, logging various gauges, and operating conditions. Preventative maintenance is conducted per OEM requirements and scheduled monthly, quarterly, semi-annuals, and annual tasks are created through the Aware Manager Preventative Maintenance program and these tasks are documented and filed in the equipment file. A certified contractor tests the generator and associated controls annually.
The Buildings’ emergency generator capacity is rated at 1500kw at 4,160 volts, 3ph, 4 wire, and 60hz.
- Life Safety Fans: The life safety fans consist of stairwell pressurization fans (58-1, 58-2, P1-8, and P1-9) smoke exhaust fan (58-3), and the lobby/atrium exhaust fan (FM-3). The stairwell pressurization and smoke exhaust fans operate upon any active fire alarm throughout the building. The lobby/atrium fan will operate when at least two device alarms are activated in the lobby or west wing.
Life Safety System Testing: on a daily basis the stairwell pressurization and smoke exhaust fan controls are inspected for automatic control and logged on the startup forms. On a weekly basis the fans are tested and operated from the lobby FCC and logged on the weekly life safety fan test form. Preventative maintenance is conducted on a bi-monthly, quarterly, semi-annual, and annually.
- Fire Alarm System: The fire alarm system is designed to provide both monitoring and activation sequencing upon the activation of smoke and heat detectors and water flow switches.
- Fire Pumps: Daily inspections are conducted and logged on the daily fire pump log form during the morning start-up tour. The pumps are visually inspected and the Pressures logged. The pump control panels are inspected for proper control and automatic configuration and logged. Weekly testing is conducted and logged on the weekly fire pump form. Testing includes starting the pumps, logging pressures, visual inspection of the packing glands, and pump operation. Preventative maintenance is conducted per OEM requirements and scheduled monthly, quarterly, semi-annual, and annually. Tasks are created through the Aware Manager Preventative Maintenance program and the tasks are documented and filed in the equipment file. A certified contractor per NFPA guidelines tests the fire pumps and associated controls annually per NFPA guidelines.
- Fire Alarm System Test and Inspections: The fire alarm panel is checked daily by Engineering and logged and three times per day by security. The checks conducted are for any points that are active, disabled, or in trouble condition and status condition of the fire alarm panel and fan control panel. A flow and tamper test is conducted quarterly by Engineering. A certified contractor on an annual basis conducts a building wide test of the main fire alarm panel, remote panels, and all reporting and activating devices.