ATLANTA, Georgia – July 25, 2017 – BuildingReports®, the most trusted name in fire and life safety compliance reporting technology, announces the availability of the third annual Fire and Life Safety Inspection Benchmark Report. The new report examines key performance indicators for the industry, leveraging the world’s largest and most robust database of nearly 3.7 million fire alarm, sprinkler, suppression, security and life safety inspections, covering more than 9 billion square feet of facility space.
“We cannot understate the importance of big data when it comes to continuous improvement in the effort to protect people and property,” said Jason Kronz, president and chief technology officer. “As the largest source of this type of data in the world, we feel we have a responsibility to share this unique insight with service companies, building operating management, code enforcement officials and industry associations.”
Inspectors use mobile devices equipped with BuildingReports’ online inspection and reporting technology to scan and log device inspection results of fire and life safety devices throughout commercial and industrial facilities. Upon completion of an inspection, a building’s report is uploaded to BuldingReports’ web-based portal, where customers can access it online at their convenience. The detailed, verifiable reporting provides a comprehensive record of device inventory, which devices passed or failed, why devices failed, (including the associated codes and standards) and what action is required to be in compliance.
Previous editions of the report uncovered key findings, such as:
- Fire extinguishers are one of the most compromised fire and life safety devices, requiring regular service and being at-risk for human tampering. Following the NFPA 10 requirements for monthly visual inspections can effectively reduce this risk.
- While only 13.39% of the total devices inspected were attached to conventional as opposed to addressable systems, conventional systems accounted for 17.68% of total device failures.
- Fire alarm and signaling signage was the most common device type failure at 33.83%, while sprinkler system air compressors took the most time to inspect at just under 27 minutes on average.
As in previous years, the 2016 report includes a special supplement that takes a deeper dive into a specific occupancy type. “Industrial occupancy types inherently have their own unique sets of challenges, and downtime due to an incident in these facilities can be extremely costly for companies,” explains Kronz. “By helping environmental safety professionals identify common risks and strategies for avoiding them, we can hopefully reduce the number of fire and life safety incidents, and in turn help better protect occupants.”
