NFPA Building Reopening Checklist

With recent announcements from the federal government and many states beginning to allow businesses to reopen, building owners and facility managers will be getting ready to reintroduce occupants to structures that may have been relatively vacant for an extended period. During this unique time, NFPA has encouraged the maintenance of all fire protection and life safety systems in commercial and multi-occupancy residential buildings. However, it is possible that many of the ongoing inspection, testing, and maintenance (ITM) activities required by locally enforced codes and standards may not have been completed for a variety of reasons. Regardless of the level of ITM performed during this time, it is imperative that building owners and facility managers verify the performance of all building fire protection and life safety systems prior to reoccupation.

To assist with these efforts, NFPA has developed a list of factors that should be confirmed by a qualified person before re-opening a building to ensure safety of all its occupants. Based on the assumption that the building was in compliance prior to being closed, the checklist below provides some initial steps to help ensure that the occupancy is safe enough to reopen until a qualified professional can complete the regularly scheduled ITM of all fire protection and life safety systems.

Any alterations to the building that adhere to public health guidelines, such as the installation of physical barriers or automatic door openers, will need to be evaluated to ensure that they are properly designed and installed and do not negatively impact the fire protection and life safety systems currently in place.

Download the Checklist