A fire marshal inspection doesn’t have to be stressful. Most citations come from a short list of preventable issues, and most of them can be fixed in an afternoon.
Paperwork to have ready
- The latest sprinkler inspection report, and a current tag on each riser
- The annual fire alarm test report and your monitoring company’s details
- Your backflow test certificate
- Fire extinguisher service tags from the last annual service
- Kitchen hood suppression service records, if you have a commercial kitchen
- Any open deficiency, and your plan and date to correct it
What inspectors check on the walk-through
- Clearance below sprinklers — keep at least 18 inches clear under sprinkler deflectors. Storage creeping upward is the most common finding.
- Exits — signs lit, paths clear, doors unlocked from the inside.
- Extinguishers — mounted, visible, charged and tagged.
- Fire department connection — visible, capped and not blocked by landscaping or parking.
- Riser room and alarm panel — accessible, with nothing stored in front of them.
- Fire doors — closing and latching on their own, not wedged open.
- Sprinkler heads — none painted, damaged, corroded or covered.
If something fails
Deficiencies are usually written up with a deadline to correct them. Schedule the repair quickly and keep the work order — showing progress matters. If a system has to be out of service during the repair, follow your impairment procedures.
Book a pre-inspection walk-through
A few weeks before your inspection date, we’ll walk the building with you and flag anything an inspector would catch while there’s still time to fix it.