Qualified Person Requirement Added to Fire Door Inspection Standard
NFPA 80's 2013 edition contains the new requirement.
A signification change has been made in the 2013 edition of the NFPA 80 standard concerning inspection of fire door and window assemblies, and it will answer one of the most frequently asked questions about the standard, the association reported last week, The question is who can perform the mandatory annual inspection of fire doors, and whether those individuals need formal training or certification.
The 2007 and 2010 editions included this text: "Functional testing of fire door and window assemblies shall be performed by individuals with knowledge and understanding of the operating components of the type of door being subject to testing."
However, the 2013 edition of the standard states this: "Acceptance testing of fire door and window assemblies shall be performed by a qualified person with knowledge and understanding of the operating components of the type of assembly being subject to testing."
The term "qualified person" is defined in Chapter 3 as "Qualified Person. A person who, by possession of a recognized degree, certificate, professional standing, or skill, and who, by knowledge, training, and experience, has demonstrated the ability to deal with the subject matter, the work, or the project."