Joanna Ku

Data shows additional oversight in Healthcare industry leads to longer fire alarm inspection times, but lower fire alarm system failure rates

ATLANTA – June 9, 2014 – BuildingReports, the most trusted name in compliance reporting, is publishing the 2014 BuildingReports Fire & Life Safety Inspection Benchmark Report, the industry’s first analysis of fire and life safety inspection performance from its vast inspection database. The report examines fire and life safety inspections including device performance rates for commercial facility inspections across industries and will be available later in the year for download at www.buildingreports.com.

According to the benchmark report’s findings, healthcare facilities have a 50 percent lower failure rate (1.44 percent) for fire alarm system devices than any other occupancy facility types (2.83 percent).

Additionally, the report indicates the length of inspections at healthcare facilities is more than double the average of other facility types. The average time to inspect the fire alarm devices during an inspection for a healthcare facility is 6 hours and 10 minutes, whereas other facilities average 2 hours and 40 minutes.

Industry experts believe this data indicates the additional oversight by CMS and its accreditation partners for the healthcare industry (Joint Commission, HFAP and DNV Healthcare) ensures diligent maintenance and inspections resulting in more reliable systems.

The full 2014 BuildingReports Fire & Life Safety Inspection Benchmark Report will examine the reliability between addressable and conventional fire alarm systems. With granular data down to the device type (year, manufacturer, etc.), the report will also include failure rates of fire and life safety equipment and analyze the key factors contributing to device maintenance and performance including manufacturing, installation and environmental conditions.

“BuildingReports is in a unique position to capture and analyze the breadth and depth of inspection data we have collected over the past 15 years,” said Jason Kronz, president and chief technology officer for BuildingReports. “For the first time, we have prepared the benchmark report in order to provide the industry with insights to help improve their businesses. This data will enable fire and safety officials to better work with service companies, building owners and property managers to ensure safety compliance.”

Over the 15 years of providing inspection reporting services, BuildingReports has amassed the largest database of fire and life safety equipment data in the world. With 1.85 million inspections in the database representing over 120 million inspected devices, BuildingReports has committed to providing verified aggregate data to the fire and life safety industry to assist in protecting the safety of all who live, work and visit a facility.

During next weeks NFPA Conference and Expo in Las Vegas, BuildingReports will be revealing for the first time our ScanSeries™ for Android app on the Motorola TC55 rugged scanning smartphone, demonstrating recently released services such as LiveArchive™, and providing a sneak peak at the upcoming Industry Benchmark Report. Please visit us at booth 1839 to review any of these services or technologies.

New service gives users instant access to building inspection reports and historical data

ATLANTA – May 20, 2014 – BuildingReports, the most trusted name in compliance reporting, has launched LiveArchive^TM, a service that provides inspectors, building owners and managers as well as fire officials immediate electronic access to a building’s compliance documentation and other historical data from any smartphone.

Through a unique Quick Response Code, or QR Code, LiveArchive provides secure access to critical reports and historical compliance data on fire, life safety, security and other critical systems.

“Historically, logbooks were compiled of handwritten entries that couldn’t be verified for accuracy and were stored in an electrical box, which in itself poses a fire hazard,” said Jason Kronz, president and chief technology officer for BuildingReports. “While the data is critical, it was difficult to access and confirm that what you were reading was up to date and accurate. LiveArchive solves these problems by giving direct access to the information AHJs, inspectors and building managers need to ensure property and life safety.”

The LiveArchive label can be placed in multiple locations within a facility, to create redundancy if equipment with a QR Code is moved or replaced. By maintaining this critical data in a secure off-site location, the risks of misfiled or inaccessible information are eliminated.

With LiveArchive, authorized users can be onsite at a property and not need anything but their mobile device to access completed reports. Once the QR code has been read, the LiveArchive opens to all available compliance documentation for that facility; the user simply selects the desired report for immediate viewing or sharing.

LiveArchive labels with a building’s unique QR Code are provided exclusively by BuildingReports or a BuildingReports Service Member. For more information about BuildingReports solutions, visit www.buildingreports.com.

BuildingReports will be in Cancun Mexico for the Eighteenth EST Strategic Partners Conference on April 27-29. EST Strategic Partners will be exposed to the newest features added to the BuildingReports service along with a sneak peak at soon-to-be-released technologies and services.

BuildingReports is traveling to Hawaii to represent the worlds largest network of Facilities, Fire Officials and Service Companies at the 2014 AFAA Codes Conference and Annual Meeting. The annual conference held by the Automatic Fire Alarm Association takes place April 22-25 in Waikoloa, Hawaii.

BuildingReports is exhibiting at all three NAFED (National Association of Fire Equipment Distributors) 2014 Regional Conferences highlighting increased mobile options for field data-capture and online electronic reporting benefits. BuildingReports will also be showcasing their SafetyScan Healthcare Report format and new LiveArchive labels for immediate compliance documentation access from any smart-phone.

March 6-7 2014 NAFED Conference – Las Vegas

April 3-4 2014 NAFED Conference – Atlantic City

May 8-9 2014 NAFED Conference – Indianapolis

BuildingReports supports Convergint Technologies during their Partner Night 2014 at the The Woodlands Resort and Convention Center in Houston, TX February 24, 2014.

BuildingReports is pleased to announce the successful conclusion of field beta testing on the Linea Pro 5 scanning sled. Following the 2013 launch of ScanSeries™ for iOS and the immediate availability of the Linea Pro 5, BuildingReports members now have an extensive range of Apple iOS options for field inspections including iPhone 4, 4S, 5, 5S and 5th generation iPod Touch.

The following Linea Pro sleds and kits are immediately available via the online catalog or through emailing memberservices@buildingreports.com.

Linea Pro 4 for iPhone 4 and 4S – Bring Your Own Device (iPhone not included)
Linea Pro 5 for iPhone 5 and 5S – Bring Your Own Device (iPhone not included)
Linea Pro 5 Turn-Key Wi-Fi Kit – includes Linea Pro 5 case and 32GB 5th Generation iPod Touch

While ScanSeries™ iOS will load on any iPhone or iPod Touch, in order to overcome limited battery life and slow camera scanning capabilities while inspecting, BuildingReports only supports using your mobile device in conjunction with a ruggedized Linea Pro scanning sled (similar to a phone cover) with built-in laser barcode scanner, mag stripe reader and auxiliary long-life battery.

BuildingReports is pleased to announce the launch of ScanSeries™ for Apple iOS. Exclusive to members of the BuildingReports network, ScanSeries™ iOS includes the entire suite of inspections apps including FireScan®, SecurityScan®, SprinklerScan®, SuppressionScan® and SafetyScan® (previously ExtinguisherScan).

Available for immediate download from the App Store by selecting this link https://itunes.apple.com/nz/app/brscanseries/id672855505?mt=8 or searching under ” BuildingReports” and selecting the ScanSeries app from our range of iOS mobile applications.

While ScanSeries™ iOS will load on any iPhone or iPod Touch, in order to overcome limited battery life and slow camera scanning capabilities while inspecting, BuildingReports only supports using your mobile device in conjunction with a ruggedized Linea Pro scanning sled (similar to a phone cover) with built-in laser barcode scanner, mag stripe reader and auxiliary long-life battery.

Extensive beta testing revealed the Linea Pro 4 units for the iPhone 4 and 4s are extremely stable, likely due to its years of use in Apple’s own retail stores. BuildingReports has Linea Pro 4 sleds immediately available, order via the online catalog or through emailing memberservices@buildingreports.com. The Linea Pro 4 sleds are considered a BYOD item (Bring Your Own Device) so members would need to use or purchase their own iPhone 4 or 4s, which are currently available from all major telecommunications carriers for free with a term contract.

Beta testing is ongoing for the recently released Linea Pro 5 sleds that work in conjunction with the iPod Touch 5, iPhone 5 and iPhone 5s. The manufacturer has been immediately responsive with early teething issues revealed during the beta testing process, which is anticipated to conclude in early 2014.