Full-Function Fire Tests / System Interface Tests

The facilitation and supervision of Fire Systems Interface Testing (SIT) is an integral component of the current fire services maintenance standard AS 1851-2012 (and of Greencap’s Annual Statutory Fire and Essential Safety Measures Certification services) but is also offered as a standalone exercise to assist property owners, managers and occupiers in ensuring all active fire protection systems that interface through a building’s Fire Indicator Panel operating according to design and specification.

Annual Systems Interface Testing typically involves:

• Review system design and specification documentation, including complex fire engineering performance solutions and Cause and Effect matrices
• Facilitate pre-test meetings with all contractors and develop a test program to ensure  testing is conducted in the most efficient and least-disruptive manner possible
• Coordinate the attendance of relevant contractors associated with each interfaced fire safety system
• Supervise and direct contractor activities during testing and independently witness system functionality, and
• Report prioritising defects according to greatest impact on life safety and property protection.

Note: where a Cause and Effect matrix is not available for a building or is out of date due, Greencap can assist with the survey and preparation of updated test documentation to ensure interface testing is carried out in accordance with the requirements of the system design.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the Main Purpose of Carrying out Systems Interface Testing?

The main purpose of carrying out Systems Interface Test is to interrogate the integration of mechanical, fire and other building fire safety systems to ensure that the systems function properly.

The standard, AS1851-2012 goes on to state that “AS1851 includes the requirement to annually test all aspects of system interconnection; for example detection and alarm systems with atrium smoke exhaust plant, alarm systems with stair pressurisation, automatic fire sprinkler systems with HVAC fire mode operation and warning systems.”

Typically, these tests involve the activation of a smoke detector or sprinkler alarm and checking that the alarm activates the appropriate mechanical systems such as smoke exhaust fans, stair pressurisation, smoke dampers, door releases, etc.  Critical to this test is an understanding of how the building is designed to operate in fire mode.