How can an audit program that uses randomly sampling instead of 100% inspections be considered a “verification” program?
A program that called for third party re-inspection of every detail of every alarm system on an annual basis would be prohibitively expensive. In the vast majority of jurisdictions today, there is little or no involvement with fire alarm systems on the part of the AHJ after the Certificate of Occupancy. The “systematic program using randomly selected follow-up inspections” described in the definition of Certification in par. 1-4 of NFPA 72 makes possible a reasonably priced tool that allows AHJs to change the status quo. If the third party verifier finds deviations from code during an audit of an installation, those deviations are tracked until they are either corrected or cleared with the AHJ. If chronic, systemic problems are found with an alarm company’s practices, additional systems are selected for audit at an increased level of audit detail. The additional audit work is done at the alarm company’s expense; above and beyond the annual fee. Alarm system owners end up bearing the co
