Use this fire marshal inspection checklist for business establishments to proactively assess the fire safety of the facility year-round and not only in preparation for the annual fire marshal inspection. With this ready-to-use checklist, you can:
A fire marshal inspection is the assessment done by fire marshals to check potential fire risks and other safety hazards that can be found in establishments. Fire marshal inspections help organizations detect and correct fire hazards and stay compliant with the applicable local fire codes. Unmitigated fire hazards and non-compliance with fire codes put people’s lives and property at risk and can lead to business suspensions or shutdowns. Providing fire marshals a checklist that contains necessary information of your building or facility helps expedite the process and also ensures that all areas are inspected. This includes all rooms, exits, exit signs, locking devices, fire escapes, corridors, stairwells, etc. Another factor a fire marshall will inspect is the water supply of the place and determine if it’s adequate.
Apart from helping organizations prevent and mitigate fire incidents, fire marshals inform fire departments of their findings so that responders would know what to do.
According to the National Association of State Fire Marshals (NASFM), fire marshals are also responsible for the enforcement of fire codes, investigation and reporting of fire and arson, and educating the public on fire protection. They also provide firefighter training and respond to hazardous material (HAZMAT) incidents, among others.
From the nearly 1.3 million fires that fire departments in the US responded last year, roughly 3,700 people died, 16,600 were injured, and $14.8 billion worth of property was lost according to the NFPA.
Fire marshals conduct inspections at least once a year with the aim to identify fire hazards and help mitigate fire risks that can result to these statistics.
To get a fire marshal inspection—typically requested by either the owner, administrator, or tenant of the building—an establishment must do the following:
To help you get ready for a fire marshal inspection, we’ve provided a step-by-step guide on what you should do before the scheduled assessment:
Familiarize yourself with specific fire safety requirements that your property must be able to meet. This will give you an idea if you’re already doing great or if you have a lot to improve on
Develop your own checklist or utilize ready-to-use ones based on the local fire requirements. This checklist should include all the necessary items that need to be inspected, making it easy for you to make sure that you’ll be able to cover everything.
Update fire evacuation plans, especially if the building is for public or commercial use. This will most likely be included in the fire marshal’s inspection as well.
Keep accurate documentation of all your fire safety inspections, certifications, and other fire safety records. Inspectors might also look for these records during the inspection.
To avoid the need for reinspection and to ensure compliance with fire safety requirements, proactively resolve any issues, violations, or noncompliance observed even before the actual fire marshal inspection.
Here is a sample fire marshal inspection checklist for fire hazards to check at residential or rental properties:
This fire inspection checklist can be downloaded for free and as PDF just like the other SafetyCulture (formerly iAuditor) checklist templates.
Information gathered during the annual fire marshal inspection is crucial in enforcing fire codes and maintaining fire safety. A fire marshal inspection report typically includes the following information according to the NFPA:
A fire inspection checklist is a tool business owners can use to regularly verify compliance with fire safety requirements and help pass fire marshal inspections. Taking cue from what fire marshals check and include in inspection reports, property managers and safety officers should proactively prevent fires all year round and take extra care to ensure that:
Test fire detectors and alarms to check if they are working properly
Signages for the exit points, fire extinguishers, and hazardous materials should be easy to identify
Egress points should be well lighted and known by everyone in the establishment. Fire exits should allow access from the inside and locked from the outside only.
One good way to catch fire safety hazards or non-compliance with NFPA codes is to proactively look for them during regular internal safety inspections. Conduct risk assessments when there’s a change in the workplace to discover possible fire hazards and other risks such as faulty or overloaded electrical systems. Always be aware of the current occupancy in establishments to prevent exceeding the allowed occupancy.
The above mentioned should not only be looked into before or during the actual fire marshal inspection but should be overseen with vigilance to help prevent or prepare for possible fire incidents. Effective recordkeeping can also help safety officers keep track of implemented fire safety practices or instances of non-compliance and corrective action done year-round, not only after the annual fire marshal inspection.
If a violation was found during the inspection, the fire marshal’s office should immediately contact you to let you know of the non-compliance. You must address this violation by promptly making necessary changes and making sure they won’t be recurring.
Fire marshal inspections are conducted annually. In some industries, it may be necessary to perform inspections more frequently.
In some countries, it is a legal requirement for workplaces to have a fire marshal or warden. The number of fire marshals depends on factors such as the business’ fire risk level, number of employees, and the shift patterns (if any).
Fire marshal inspections are conducted at least once a year to ensure that establishments are compliant with enforced codes and standards, that fire risks and hazards are properly handled, and fire departments are well informed on discovered fire hazards.
Conducting regular internal fire safety inspections not only help organizations to be proactive in keeping establishments safe but also stay compliant with fire codes. With SafetyCulture, a powerful safety inspection app, property managers and facility maintenance professionals are empowered to:
Use this fire marshal inspection checklist to conduct internal checks of schools for fire risks. Inspect the exterior, fire protection equipment, exits, classrooms, special-use rooms, hallways and lobbies, assembly areas (gym, cafeteria, etc), custodial, boiler room, and other points of focus. For this digitized checklist, any item with a “No” answer may need to be corrected before the fire marshal inspection. Take photos of issues found and assign corrective actions.
Inspection template Powered byUse this 16-item fire marshal inspection form to check all residential/rental properties for fire hazards and ensure that the property remains compliant with local fire safety requirements. This digitized template, as well as other SafetyCulture (iAuditor) fire marshal inspection checklists, can be edited to fit the requirements of local regulations.
SafetyCulture Content Team
SafetyCulture Content TeamThe SafetyCulture content team is dedicated to providing high-quality, easy-to-understand information to help readers understand complex topics and improve workplace safety and quality. Our team of writers have extensive experience at producing articles for different fields such as safety, quality, health, and compliance.
Use this fire marshal inspection checklist to conduct internal checks of schools for fire risks. Inspect the exterior, fire protection equipment, exits, classrooms, special-use rooms, hallways and lobbies, assembly areas (gym, cafeteria, etc), custodial, boiler room, and other points of focus. For this digitized checklist, any item with a “No” answer may need to be corrected before the fire marshal inspection. Take photos of issues found and assign corrective actions.
Use this 16-item fire marshal inspection form to check all residential/rental properties for fire hazards and ensure that the property remains compliant with local fire safety requirements. This digitized template, as well as other SafetyCulture (iAuditor) fire marshal inspection checklists, can be edited to fit the requirements of local regulations.
