IAS Special Inspection Agency Accreditation and Firestop System inspections

FCIA has invested resources in the proper DIIM, Design, Installation, Inspection and Maintenance of Firestopping. Inspection is needed in addition to a FCIA Member Specialty Firestop Contractor to verify that the quality Process is working. 

Important Inspection Initiatives from FCIA included development of the ASTM E 2174 & ASTM E 2393 Standards for the Inspection of Penetration and Joint Firestopping, and adding Firestopping to IAS' AC 291 Accreditation for Special Inspection Agencies.

FCIA submitted changes to International Accreditation Services (IAS) Accreditation Criteria AC291, the Criteria Special Inspection Agencies.  As a result, there is a program available for Firestop Inspection Agencies to become accredited by IAS.  This program is very similar to the FM 4991 Approval and UL Qualified Firestop Contractor Programs, but specifically designed for Inspection Agencies.

FCIA Member, IAS Accredited Firestop Inspection Firms

#) Contractors with branches
*) Contractor that is a branch of another member

#) Inspector Firms with branches
*) Inspector Firms that are a branch of another member

Firestop Inspection Agencies, Want to become an IAS Accredited Firestop Inspection Firm?

Below are key items to be noted for agencies who wish to be accredited under this program: 

• The Special Inspection Agency (SIA) needs to document its Quality Management System under the requirements of Sections 3,4 and 5 of AC291.  Check out the document. 
  
  Accreditation criteria AC 291 for IBC® Special Inspection Agencies
  
• The SIA firm needs to have personnel who meet Section 6.11 (pass the UL or FM DRI Exams – based on FCIA’s Manual of Practice) and applicable items under Appendix A must be addressed in the quality documentation.
  
• Submit an application indicating their scope of accreditation.
  
  Application for accreditation as an IBC® Special Inspection Agency
  
  
• Submit an application fee as noted in the application fee schedule.
  
  Fee schedule for IBC® Special Inspection Agency accreditation
  
• Plus, if the inspection agency is also providing inspection services in addition to the firestop systems (such as spray fire resistive materials, welding) indicate them in the application and accordingly address in the quality system documentation.

Here’s how the IAS review and assessment process works:

• After receipt of application, fee and quality system documentation, IAS staff will review the submittal and provide a written feedback within 2 working weeks. The review comments are based on adequacy of compliance of the quality documentation to the requirements of IAS AC291 requirements.
  
• The SIA needs to review the written response from IAS and if further revisions are needed to the Quality Management System documentation, the firm will need to revise the quality documentation accordingly. IAS staff will re-review the revisions and will determine if all requirements of AC291 documentation has been satisfied
  
• Once the quality system documentation is satisfactory, IAS will coordinate with the applicant SIA(s), field and office visit assessment. Usually, IAS expects the assessment per SIA (depending on the size of the inspection agency) to be 1.5 days or 2-days. Meaning, 2-persons conducting an assessment in 1-day. One person will be in the field assessing a sampling of the inspectors (1 or 2 inspectors) and 1 person in the office reviewing the implementation of the documented quality system as per AC291. At the conclusion of the assessment, IAS should be able to present a written report of the assessment findings.
  
• The SIA has 30-days to submit a written response to the assessment findings, if any. IAS staff will review the written response and make a determination of its adequacy. If response is not satisfactory, further correspondence may result.
  
• If assessment findings are satisfactory, IAS will prepare a Certificate of Accreditation and send a preliminary copy of the certificate to the SIA for review and approval. IAS will finalize the certificate after written approval is received from the SIA.
  
• The certificate is valid for one year. IAS will reassess the SIA on an annual basis (see attached flow chart).
  
• IAS will invoice the assessment cost to the SIA towards the office and field visit for 2-persons. The costs will include assessment time, travel time and travel costs (airfare, hotel, car, food, parking, mileage, etc.). IAS will combine assessments with multiple clients to apportion the travel fare and travel time costs.

Standard for the Approval of Firestop Contractors, Class 4991

FCIA's Accreditation Committee worked with FM Approvals to develop FM 4991 in 1999 and 2000.  FM 4991, Standard for Approval of Firestop Contractors, is a quality installation protocol for firestop systems installation. FM 4991 is the quality standard from which Specialty Firestop Contractors can be qualified for zero tolerance Firestop Systems installation.

FM 4991 and the ASTM E 2174 & ASTM E 2393 Standards for the Inspection of Firestop Systems, are complimentary programs.  A contractor who has invested in FM 4991, inspected by a Consultant to the ASTM Standards, means quality contractors, with a project inspection to validate the installation quality process is working.

FM 4991 was the first program of its type to be accepted nationwide by architects and engineers through programs like MasterSpec, SpecLink and other master specifications at leading architectural firms specifying projects worldwide.

To become approved, the contractor firm appoints a Designated Responsible Individual (DRI).  To become a DRI the person must past a rigorous industry exam to become the key person in the firm to monitor the firestopping quality managment process. The person does not officially become a DRI until the company receives FM 4991 Approval.

Once a DRI is in place, the contractor firm then authorizes and pays FM Approvals to audit the contracting firm's procedures as listed in their Quality Manual to confirm that the firm's processes meet their own quality manual statements for Firestop Systems instllation. A field audit of a jobsite may also be part of the process, with a destructive test , performed to verify the management process works in the field.

The FM 4991 Contractor Approval Program focuses on the company, and not the individual. A DRI is not a DRI unless employed by an FM 4991 Approved company. 

FM 4991 Approval is only given once the company has successfully completed Intial Facility and Prodedure Audit Process, and employs an individual who has passed the FM 4991 DRI Exam.

Follow up Audits are performed by FM Approvals yearly by FM Personnel. DRI's must retest and provide verification of CEU eligible Education sessions attended every three years.  Testing and CEU's occurs at FCIA Conferences.

The FCIA Firestop Contractor Members donated time and energy to develop and continue to maintain this program.  The Quality Management System Program is a new trend in the Construction Industry ...... a Quality Process Protocol program for Specialty Firestop Contractors... that can be specified quantitatively to qualify a contractor for better Fire and Life safety in buildings.

Press Coverage
   Passive Fire Protection, 10/03
   CSI Article, 7/03
   Passive firestopping, 4/03
   BSD Fall Newsletter
   CSI Letter, 8/9/02
   Daily Commercial News 7/02
   CSI's Magazine Feb, 2001
   Press Release Jan 31, 2001