The fire hose that is found inside buildings is typically referred to as an “Occupant Use Hose.” The name stems from the fact that professional fire services will not use these hoses in the event of an emergency, but will instead use their own professional-grade hoses. Occupant Use Hoses were intended to be used by the building occupants, like an extinguisher, to fight early stage fires.
These types of fire hoses need to be inspected annually to ensure that they work in the case of an emergency. Fire hose inspection is important because they operate under pressure from water flow. If there is damage to the hose or it is not maintained properly, it could cause the fire hose to work improperly, or not at all, when needed. There are a few important factors that you need to be aware of when it comes to fire hose inspections.
Professional Inspections
Every year, or after each use, an Occupant Use Hose needs to be inspected by a professional. During the annual inspection, the fire hose needs to be physically inspected by removing it from the rack and unrolling it. The physical inspection of the fire hose includes checking the hose, couplings, and nozzle for debris, mildew, rotting, or damage by chemicals, burns, cuts, abrasions, or pests. Also, the nozzle controls need to be adjusted to make sure they function properly.
In addition to the annual inspection, the fire hose needs to be tested every three years, with the first time being 5 years after the manufacturing date. This test is referred to as the Hose Pressure Service Test. A fire safety professional can take care of this for you along with annual inspections.
Self-Inspections
In between annual inspections, a visual inspection should be done by someone within the facility. This can be done at the same time as the monthly fire extinguisher inspection, or whatever schedule works best for the facility. During a visual inspection, look for cracks, vandalism, fraying, and any broken couplings. If any damage is found, contact your fire safety professional for help.
Permanent Removal of Occupant Use Hose
If a building owner wants to remove the occupant use hose permanently, they will need to seek permission to do so from their local AHJ and/or insurance company. An AHJ or insurance company may likely require the hose to be replaced with appropriate number of fire extinguishers to meet code requirements. Also, with the removal of the hose, the facility is no longer required to train their employees on how to use an occupant use hose.
Let Koorsen be your Fire Safety Professional
It is important to have a fire safety professional that can help keep your facility up to code. There is a long list of fire safety requirements, one of which is fire hose inspections, which need to be kept current. Koorsen Fire & Security has been in business over 70 years. Our highly trained and certified technicians can take care of your routine inspections, and any additional repairs that may be needed. Contact Koorsen Fire & Security today to get started.
