Commissioning fire protection systems

The NFPA is currently working to develop a new document, NFPA 3, 'Commissioning of Fire Protection Systems.' The scope of the document is to provide guidelines for the commissioning process and requirements for the integrated testing of fire protection and life safety systems. The proposed document can be utilized in any building with integrated fire protection and life safety systems that will undergo commissioning. NFPA 3 defines integrated systems as a combination or group of systems either interconnected or separate but required to operate together as a whole to achieve the fire protection and life safety objectives. The document outlines the commissioning process as beginning before the design phase of the project. In this pre-design phase, the fire protection and life safety commissioning team will be established. The CP (commissioning plan) will be a working document for the design team throughout the design, construction, and life cycle of the building.