Inspecting Commercial Fire and Life Safety Systems Online Course

Fire and life safety features, along with building design and maintenance, play a critical role in protecting occupants and structures. Many of today’s safety regulations are the result of devastating historical incidents where protections were insufficient. This course teaches commercial property inspectors how to perform a visual inspection of a building’s life safety systems in accordance with the ComSOP, while also providing context from relevant codes and standards (IBC, IFC, and NFPA). You’ll learn how to complete inspections for both due diligence and maintenance purposes, and understand how compliance factors can impact a property.

The fire and life safety concepts covered that are related to building design and construction include means of egress, fire-rated materials, fire-resistive construction categories and assemblies, use and occupancy classifications, and occupant loads. You’ll learn how to identify these elements within a building to complete a life safety inspection and recognize common issues associated with them.

The systems and components covered include fire access roads, fire hydrants, building identification signage, exit doors, fire doors, stairways, corridors, aisles, exit signs and lighting, fire extinguishers, automatic and advanced sprinkler systems, standpipes, fire department connections, fire suppression systems, fire alarm systems, advanced sprinkler system components (pumps and generators), as well as the storage of general, flammable, and combustible materials.

You’ll learn how these active and passive fire protection features are intended to protect buildings, along with inspection considerations for assessing their condition and documenting an inventory for an inspection report. By the end of the course, you’ll be equipped to perform a visual inspection and identify material defects, missing components, unsafe egress conditions, potential compliance issues, and critical maintenance items.

Upon successful completion of this course, the student will be able to:

• apply the ComSOP inspection scope;
• understand how fire and life safety requirements differ across commercial, residential, and other property types;
• explain critical life safety concepts in commercial buildings related to design, features, maintenance, and compliance;
• understand the difference between active and passive fire protection elements and identify them in commercial buildings;
• define means of egress components and key fire-resistive construction and compartmentalization concepts;
• identify and assess egress paths and fire-resistive elements for compromised conditions;
• inspect and report visible conditions of the:
  • exterior life safety elements, including fire access roads, fire hydrants, and building identification;
  • means of egress components, including exit doors, fire doors, stairways, corridors, aisles, fire resistive-assemblies, exit signs and emergency lighting;
  • fire extinguishers;
  • fire alarms;
  • fire suppression systems; and
  • automatic sprinkler systems and their components, including distribution, sprinkler heads, main valves, pumps, and fire department connections.
• describe the different types of automatic sprinkler systems, pumps, and generators;
• describe different types of fire extinguishers and where each should be present based on use and hazards;
• assess general storage and the storage of flammable and combustible materials; and
• communicate effectively with property owners, tenants, and other stakeholders regarding life safety concerns and the importance of maintaining safe and compliant properties.