ULC S1001 Life Safety Integrated Systems Testing

BR Design offers Life Safety Integrated Systems Testing (IST) services in accordance with CAN/ULC-S1001. With over 10 years of industry experience and certification as a Canadian Fire Alarm Association (CFAA) register Fire Alarm Technician, BR Design offers clients complete system testing with peace of mind that testing is carried out by a knowledge and qualified representative. 

When engaging BR Design to provide IST services, clients can expect:

• Pre-test design review to establish testing requirements with project engineers. 
• Pre-test submission of IST plan to project engineers for review and approval. 
• Qualified Integrated Testing Coordinator (ITC) knowledgeable in the implementation of the IST.
• Professional Engineers stamp. 
• Professional testing documentation in accordance with CAN/ULC-S1001. 
• Quick turn around on final test result documentation for submission to AHJs for occupancy permits. 
• Saskatchewan based company with local representation to provide building owners future support during renovations or alterations that require a new IST be performed. 

In recent years, Saskatchewan has seen a stronger Authority Having Jurisdiction (AHJ) focus on the National Building Code of Canada’s requirement to test the integration between life safety systems. This testing does not take the place of standard commissioning required by individual contractors, but rather compliments it. Integrated Systems Testing (IST) is preformed once all other commissioning is complete. Aiming to provide the client and AHJs with assurances that a buildings life safety systems are operating together as designed.  

What is Integrated Systems Testing?

Integrated Systems Testing (IST) is the practice of verifying the relationship between multiple fire protection or life safety systems. The methodology for this testing is prescribed by CAN/ULC-S1001 Standard for Integrated Systems Testing of Fire Protection and Life Safety Systems. IST is required to be completed once all trades have completed their own required commissioning. By conducting the IST after the standard commissioning phase, the Integrated Testing Coordinator (ITC) is able to identify deficiencies; Connections between systems that may have missed final termination or that have been bypassed during the startup phase. IST provides owners with peace-of-mind that their valuable investments are being protected by reliable life safety systems that function together as a whole.

Why is Integrated Systems Testing Important and Why it was Written Into Code?

Although IST may seem redundant, it does not take the place of standard commissioning, but rather complements it. Prior to the 2010 version of the National Building Code of Canada (NBC), there was no requirement for life safety systems to be tested as a whole to prove that these systems would function as designed in an emergency. Interconnection relationships include HVAC shutdowns, hold-open door releases, magnetic lock releases, damper control, emergency generators and signal transmission to the central station from the fire alarm control panel (FACP). Due to the lack of whole system testing requirements, clients were often left with life safety systems that would not function as designed, leaving their building inadequately protected. IST allows for one final, whole system test designed to flush out any deficiencies within the relationships between each system, and have these issues resolved prior to occupying a building. Giving building owners peace-of-mind that not only are their systems functioning together correctly, but that their occupants will be safe and protected during a potential emergency. 

Code References

NBC 2010 – Where the first requirements for IST was put forth:

3.2.4.6. (1)

Where life safety and fire protection systems are installed to comply with the provisions of this Code or the Fire Code made under the Fire Protection and Prevention Act, 1997, the commissioning of these integrated systems must be performed as a whole to ensure the proper operation and inter-relationship between the systems.

NBC 2015 – Where IST requirements were clarified and introduced CAN/ULC-S1001:

3.2.9.1 (1)

Where fire protection and life safety systems and systems with fire protection and life safety functions are integrated with each other, they shall be tested as a whole in accordance with CAN/ULC-S1001, “Integrated Systems Testing of Fire Protection and Life Safety Systems,” to verify that they have been properly integrated. (See Note A-3.2.9.1.(1).

A-3.2.9.1 (1) 

Testing of Fire Protection and Life Safety Systems. Building owners should verify that fire protection and life safety systems and their components (i.e. fire alarm systems, sprinklers, standpipes, smoke control, ventilation, pressurization, door hold-open devices, elevator recalls, smoke and fire shutters and dampers, emergency power, emergency lighting, fire pumps, generators, etc.), including their interconnections with other building systems, are functioning according to the intent of their design. 

CAN/ULC-S1001, Integrated Systems Testing of Fire Protection and Life Safety Systems - provides the methodology for verifying and documenting that interconnections between building systems satisfy the intent of their design and that the systems function as intended by the Code.

Clause 6.1.5  allows for:

The Integrated Testing Coordinator to accept documented evidence of any tests that have been performed on a system as part of its acceptance testing for the purpose of demonstrating compliance with the integrated testing requirements of that standard, so as to avoid duplication of work.

What is Required of Integrated Systems Testing?

The requirements of an IST will vary depending on the complexity of the connections between life safety systems in a building. The ITC is responsible for producing a testing procedure and having it approved by the design engineers prior to the implementation of the testing. Below is a detailed breakdown of what type of testing is required for each type of life safety system:

Fire Alarm Systems

• Confirmation of input/output correlation 
• Confirmation of signal transmission to the Monitoring Station
• Confirmation of status monitoring from other life safety systems such as:

                - Mass notification systems

                - Emergency generator fault monitoring

                - Notification systems

                - Sprinkler and standpipe systems

                - Fire pumps

                - Water supplies and control valves

                - Freeze protection systems

                - Special hazards fire suppression systems

                - Cooking equipment fire suppression systems

                - Hazardous gas protection systems

Elevators

• Confirmation of the primary homing function
• Confirmation of the alternative homing function
• Confirmation of the shaft or service room alarm indication function
• Connection to emergency power sources

Emergency Generators

• Startup test
• Confirmation of the manual start function
• Confirmation of the automatic start function upon loss of primary power to the building
• Confirmation that the generator can accommodate the most demanding system load

Audio/Visual and Lighting Control Systems

• Confirmation that audio/visual systems required to deactivate do so upon activation of the associated fire alarm system input devices
• Confirmation that lighting control systems required to activate lighting circuits essential to a safe evacuation do so upon activation of the associated fire alarm system input devices

Fire Pumps

• Confirmation that the pump will start by means of manually starting the pump
• Connection to emergency power sources

Hold-Open Devices

• Confirmation that hold open devices release upon activation of the associated fire alarm system input devices
• Confirmation that closure hardware full closes and latches the door(s) 

Electromagnetic Locks

• Confirmation that magnetic door locks release upon:
• Activation of a dedicated fire alarm relay
• Activation of a dedicated manual station

Smoke Control Systems

• Confirmation that the engineered system functions as designed, including:
• Hardwire interconnections
• Software input interconnections

Pressurization systems

• Confirmation that pressurization systems required to activate do so upon activation of the associated fire alarm system input devices.
• Automatic and manual controls
• Confirmation of air relief controllers
• Confirmation of door opening forces

Smoke Exhaust systems

• Confirmation that smoke exhaust systems required to activate do so upon activation of the associated fire alarm system input devices.

Smoke Alarms

• Confirmation that connections to other life safety systems function as designed upon activation of a smoke alarm

Frequency of Testing Requirements

Initial Test

An initial IST is required to be completed upon completion of a newly constructed building or when alterations are made between two or more life safety systems within an existing building. 

Follow-up Periodic Tests

In addition to the requirement for the initial IST, CAN/ULC-S1001 section 8 outlines requirements for periodic testing throughout the life of a building. The frequencies are as follows:

• One year after the initial IST
• Every five years after the one year follow up IST

The intent of follow-up testing is to confirm that connections have not be compromised over years of systems being serviced, and to flush out possible equipment failures due to wear-and-tear.

*Periodic follow up testing may not be required by some AHJs*

Client Benefits of Conducting Integrated Systems Testing

When an effective IST is implemented and maintained, building owners can expect cost savings throughout the life of the building, including:

• Ease of supplying original plans and specifications during a future renovation phase that requires a building permit.
• Service technician’s investigation time will be reduced by the client being able to provide crucial system schematics and documentation, in turn, reducing the cost of service calls.
• Ease of creating or modifying Fire Safety Plans years down the road when commissioning documentation may have been misplaced.
• Compliance with local Fire Marshals requirement for onsite documentation.

In addition to lifetime cost savings, IST also leaves building owners with peace-of-mind that their life safety systems are working correcting, that their contractors have fulfilled their contractual obligations, and that the systems will protect their occupants and first responders in the event of an emergency.