Testing your unsupervised fire alarm (sweating the small stuff)

One of the audit findings that we believe to be an essential requirement certainly raises many folks’ blood pressure.  We get accused of “piling on” when we write up findings in our OSH and PSM/RMP audits regarding the incorrect testing of a facility’s employee alarm system(s).  And we use OSHA’s requirements, which are actually quite dated, rather than using the state’s fire code.  So let’s discuss these requirements…

OSHA breaks down employee alarm systems into two (2) types:

1. Supervised
2. Un-Supervised

Since January 1, 1981, ALL employee alarm circuitry that is capable of being supervised IS supervised, and it will provide positive notification to assigned personnel whenever a deficiency exists in the system.