You know that a well-maintained fire sprinkler system is essential for safeguarding lives and property.
Research carried out by the NFPA, identified significant reductions in the impact of fires where sprinklers were present.
But you also know that’s only half the story.
Your customers need to feel good about trusting you with their fire sprinkler inspection. They want to know that you've got everything under control. That your systems and processes are keeping them safe AND fully compliant with local fire safety regulations.
So what are you doing to make sure you are a trusted name when it comes to fire sprinkler inspection?
The common stresses and strains of fire sprinkler inspections.
For companies delivering thorough and compliant fire sprinkler inspection services, there’s a lot to think about. Aside from the practical knowledge to carry out the inspection, understanding the complexities of international standards and staying current with the latest developments is essential.
Regulations vary by region, which complicates matters. The three main standards, and the ones we’re talking about in this blog, are the British Standard BS9251, the British/European Standard BS EN 12845 and the US Standard NFPA 25.
Don’t be fooled by the US standard! It can still be relevant in the UK, particularly if the building being inspected is owned by a US parent company who, for insurance reasons, may need to comply with both US and UK regulations.
Fire Sprinkler Inspection Standards Explained.
BS9251: The British Standard
BS9251 is a standard that provides guidelines for fire sprinkler systems located in residential and domestic premises in the UK. This standard focuses on systems intended to control fires at an early stage and minimise damage.
BS EN 12845: The British/European Standard
BS EN 12845 specifies the requirements for automatic sprinkler systems in residential, commercial and industrial buildings.
NFPA 25 Standard: The United States Standard
NFPA 25 specifies the requirements for residential, commercial and industrial systems in the United States.
The following table breaks down the inspection requirements of each of the three standards.
Fire Sprinkler System Inspection Requirements by Standard.
The challenges of demonstrating compliant fire sprinkler inspections.
As we’ve already discovered, compliance is not a one-size-fits-all process. Each standard caters to different types of building and fire safety objectives, creating a patchwork of requirements and inspection frequencies depending on where you are in the world.
The risk of getting it wrong is huge, the legal and financial repercussions of non-compliance don’t bear thinking about.
Yet many inspection companies still rely on outdated methods for logging their inspection data.
How are building owners and inspection companies currently demonstrating compliance?
Are you still using manual paper-based reporting?
Take this as your sign to ditch the paper for good!
Relying on paper-based reports for fire sprinkler safety inspections can introduce some significant risks. This is because:
- The manual nature of paper reporting leaves room for human error, whether through misinterpretation, illegible handwriting or wrongly entered data.
- Inconsistency can easily creep in when different inspectors have varying styles of documentation or when reports are physically transferred and stored, leading to difficulties in tracking and comparing data over time.
- Filling out paper forms is time-consuming and inspectors could rush the job and make mistakes.
- Paper reports can be easily damaged or lost, posing a risk to maintaining long-term records, which is essential for compliance and safety monitoring.
Introducing a better way – Rugged Data fire sprinkler inspection software.
Imagine if there were a way to eliminate the risks of paper-based reporting, significantly improve your efficiency and save money.
With Rugged Data software, it's possible!
Rugged Data fire sprinkler inspection software streamlines the inspection process, providing users with a comprehensive and systematic app-based approach to inspections and maintenance. It helps ensure that all aspects of the sprinkler system are thoroughly checked and documented digitally, reducing the risk of oversights or errors.
By automating and recording inspection data, our software helps organisations like yours streamline the whole inspection process, saving time, improving the accuracy of inspections and ensuring your customers can demonstrate regulatory compliance.
Happy inspectors, happy customers!
Rugged Data fire sprinkler inspection software includes:
A user-friendly digital interface:
We prioritise making our mobile software user-friendly. With features like an easy-to-navigate dashboard and in-app guidance, Rugged Data technology is a breeze for on-site technicians with mobile devices to adopt, without a steep learning curve.
Custom workflows:
Our step-by-step workflows and compulsory fields remove the risk of non-compliance. Tailored to the way you work, your field inspectors can quickly and easily complete inspections with confidence.
Built around you:
During our Faster Fieldwork 28 Day Sprint, we work with you to develop your workflows and checklists, so that you can standardise and streamline your processes while ensuring adherence to safety standards. Working in locations where you’ll struggle with mobile signal? Don’t worry, our software has an offline function and will sync your data next time you are online.
Two-way communication:
Our cloud-based system The Hub allows information to flow freely between field services teams and back-office functions. Custom forms are pre-populated with customer data, saving inspectors from hours of duplicated work and potential typing errors.
Visual management of assets:
Rugged Data software creates a single source of truth, with digital site maps, schematics and geolocation features that help inspectors save time by quickly locating sprinkler heads on site. Upload images from mobile devices and add date stamps to reliably communicate issues or evidence work.
Detailed and compliant reports:
Rugged Data automates your customer reporting process, saving you time and providing accurate and easy-to-understand reports that you can send to your customers with pride. You can brand them as your own, creating a great impression and giving your clients peace of mind that their inspections are professional, comprehensive and compliant.
Implementation and training:
We’ve made our software as easy to use as possible and we want you and your field service teams to feel confident using it. Moving from paper to digital reporting, or switching apps to one that better meets your needs, can be a big change though, so we will work with you at every step to implement your new software, providing support, a roll-out strategy and staff training.
Are you ready to upgrade to fire sprinkler inspection software?
Now is the time to say goodbye to outdated, inefficient and potentially non-compliant ways of working.
When you transition from paper-based, manual reporting to Rugged Data digital software, you can look forward to:
· Reduced risk because you have minimised the potential for human error.
· Cost savings due to streamlined and automated processes that reduce the time spent on each inspection.
· Peace of mind knowing your customers’ premises are 100% compliant with local fire sprinkler safety standards.
We’d love to take you through a demonstration of Rugged Data fire sprinkler inspection software and show you how it could help your business. There’s no obligation or hard sell, simply drop us a message and a member of our team will arrange a time and date to suit you.
