Testing, personnel, protection systems

The competence of personnel who select, design, install, test, and maintain fire protection systems is ultimately the factor that controls the effectiveness and reliability of fire protection systems. Many of the personnel described in the following sections are subject to jurisdictional requirements for licensing. 

When a gas and vapor detection system is used either for fire protection or for personnel exposure protection, the system should be managed, inspected and tested on a scheduled basis, and maintained similar to any other major element of the fire protection system or any process safety interlock or safety instrumented system. 

The inspection, testing, and maintenance of fire protection systems by qualified personnel is essential to ensure the operability of the systems during an emergency. 

Qualifying personnel performing the inspections, testing, and maintenance of fire protection systems. 

It is important that the outside service company meet the facility pre-qualification criteria. As part of the review, the facility pre-qualification must determine if the service company is knowledgeable and experienced in the types of fire protection systems they will be servicing. Some states have licensing laws that require the service company designate a responsible managing employee who is licensed by the state. The service company should be able to provide evidence that the personnel performing inspections, testing, and maintenance are qualified to perform the work. 

Collective protection systems development involves some additional considerations compared to personnel individual protection. New material formulations have to be incorporated into prototypes of improved collective protection systems (e.g., shelters) by teams of experienced materials scientists and engineers. Shelter materials must have structural strength as well as agent protection properties. Skillful prototype development and extensive and realistic testing is critical to achieving improved collective CB protection systems. These systems directly impact warfighter survivability in both base and forward environments. 

Detailed design and test safety requirements and procedures are compiled in this section. For example, certain parts of the National Electric Code that are especially important to electrical safety are cited here. Any ASME requirements used in pressure system design and operation are also addressed here. The types of available personnel protection clothing and equipment supplied should also be described. 

The test and maintenance of the conventional protection systems are not only a problem from a point of view of the plant operation, but are also a typical safety issue for the relevant probability of errors due to complex and/or improper procedures, long test and maintenance intervals, complex personnel skillness both on plant operation and electronics. The IPS design address all those issues trying to make the system test and maintenance as easy as possible through the following characteristics ... 

Each type of emergency alarm or signal must clearly inform those onsite of the actions to be taken. This requires training and testing of the alarm so personnel can recognize the alarm and take appropriate action. Some of these alarms may be automatic. For example, detection of a fire may be signaled directly by the protection or detection system rather than by an individual. This alarm signal may alert not only personnel in the immediate area, but all facility personnel and the community fire department. 

Facility personnel who perform testing and maintenance on fire protection equipment and systems must be trained, experienced, and knowledgeable in the systems and the protocols for testing and maintenance. Knowledge can include work history, educational experience, craft certification, manufacturer certification, field verification, and job assessment and testing. Facility person-... 

This section deals with the qualifications of personnel who manage the fire protection equipment and systems and conduct the inspections, testing, and maintenance. This includes qualifying service companies and qualification of service company employees. 

Also establishment and maintenance of adequate measures to protect individuals and the environment from any potential hazards, compliance with relevant laws and regulations, and with ethical principles are important as well as provision of relevant and adequate education and training for all personnel, to promote high-quality work and safety when manipulating in vitro test systems. 

---