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:
- Supervised
- 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.
The easiest way to describe a “Supervised alarm” vs. “Un-Supervised” is to think about your Fire Alarm being monitored by a 3rd party alarm service. So should the alarm(s) sound when no one is at the business, the 3rd party will notify the fire department for you.
If you have an “Un-Supervised” alarm system the
employer shall assure that a test of the reliability and adequacy of non-supervised employee alarm systems is made EVERY TWO MONTHS.
And here is the specific requirement that almost all facilities that have an un-supervised alarm system fail to meet:
A DIFFERENT ACTUATION DEVICE SHALL BE USED IN EACH TEST of a multi-actuation device system so that no individual device is used for two consecutive tests.
If your facility has a supervised alarm system, then OSHA requires only annual functional testing. However, we suggest monthly testing of the alarm system(s) monthly. We even suggest they be done on the same day each month to set a testing pattern that will reduce people from mistaking a test for a real alarm.