Safety is paramount in our industry, so the need to ensure fire systems are properly maintained is essential. Crucial to this maintenance is the requirement for regular functional testing of detectors. Standards such as BS:5839 and NFPA 72 don’t just govern their source countries but are increasingly influencing best practice in other countries without their own standard. Whilst the need for testing is clear, in recent years there has been a growing need to prove that such testing has been carried out – proving compliance and providing audit trails is becoming more and more important, and rightly so.
In the past, paper-based records have been subject to errors and an over-reliance on manual input has never been great for productivity. In recent years, digitalisation has opened so many opportunities and now, new test solutions are taking full advantage of digital technologies available.
As the designer of the world’s leading test solutions for fire detectors, Detectortesters hold a unique position: understanding the daily routine of fire engineers responsible for carrying out testing and leading on the development of universal solutions that make this work as easy as possible by supporting fast and compliant testing of all detectors, old or new, and all detector brands.
This insight has allowed for the development of our latest solution – Testifire XTR2. Like the current Testifire solution, it’s an all-in-one solution that offers the ability to test both smoke and heat, making it ideal for both single and multi-sensor detectors. It’s here that the similarities end as, along with all the productivity benefits associated with an all-in-one tester, Testifire XTR2 also delivers on reporting, providing a solution that captures digital records of testing that are automatically turned into test reports ready to be shared with other parties, such as service managers, clients and so on.
So how does it work? Unlike any previous test solution, Testifire XTR2 works alongside an App via Bluetooth. At the start of the maintenance visit, geo-mapping is used to identify the site and begin the test job. Depending on the selection made, smoke or heat is automatically generated once the tester is placed over the detector, with sensors within the test cup waiting for the detector LED to illuminate. At this point a ‘Pass’ record is recorded against that detector and stored within the App. If the detector fails to activate and no LED is displayed, a ‘Fail’ status is recorded. All this data is captured as a digital record.
At the end of the site visit, with all detectors tested, a report is auto generated providing details of all the test results and placing details of any failed detectors at the top of the report, allowing for easy identification of defects that need fixing. Let’s face it, making sure that issues are resolved and everything is compliant is what it’s all about. Before the report is compiled, a signature from the responsible person onsite can be requested, acknowledging the work that has taken place.
With the report complete and the job closed, the report is automatically available to the service manager or admin team at the service company, allowing it to be reviewed and quickly shared with the end client along with any invoice or additional supporting documentation.
The complete solution brings benefits to service engineers, service managers and building owners. Following industry trails over the last 18 months and the initial launch at Firex International, Testifire XTR2 is entering the final stages of testing and will shortly be launched within the UK.
For more information, or to register for a Testifire XTR2 webinar, visit www.Detectortesters.com
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