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QUESTION:
Hi Ken, I need your help.
I have a good customer requesting my assistant, recently the fire Marshall asked him to make sure his fire alarm is been monitored and working and the customer asked me to provide him with a letter indicating that the fire alarm system is working and tested annually.
In order to produce this letter; should I test the system and recommend to customer to upgrade the system to be fully compliance? i.e pull stations, strobes, new smoke detectors etc, The customer does not want to "spend" the money now on upgrade he is planing to renovate in the future.
Any thoughts?
Best. Eli
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ANSWER:
The answer should be obvious; you cannot give a letter regarding the system that is not accurate. You can't state that you've performed an inspection when you haven't. I am surprised that a Fire Marshal would no insist that a required system be up to code and AHJ requirements.
Keep in mind that there are two essential contracts for commercial fire alarms. www.alarmcontracts.com The Fire Alarm Sales contract covers the design and installation. This contract provides for the installation of a fully approved permitted system up to all AHJ requirements. Because it's not unusual for alarm companies to work on non approved systems I have provided for that in the Fire Alarm Sales contract for that as well. Your subscriber will be representing that the fire alarm is an approved system and you are performing repairs, not doing new work that would require you to go through the application, inspection, permit or approval process.
The next contract is the Fire Alarm Inspection and Service contract. Inspections are performed in consideration of recurring revenue; the service is on a per call, pay for service, basis. If you want a recurring revenue service relationship then you use the Service Contract also.
You cannot mess around with fire alarm installation, service or monitoring. The consequences for economic loss is unimaginable, the potential for loss of life possible, and penalties can transcend monetary damages and include criminal prosecution. No job is worth that risk.
What to do? Properly document your relationship with written contracts written for fire alarm installation, inspection and service, and make sure you comply with local licensing, codes and AHJ requirements.