Load Testing or Certification

OTHER EGRESSES AND EXTERIOR STRUCTURES WE SERVICE

Ladders • Wood Staircases • Spiral Staircases • Balconies • Porches • Decks • Roof Decks • Ramps • Elevated WalkWays • Pedestrian Bridges • Guard Rails

STEPS to Certify a Fire Escape:

  1. Verify with your local official, the AHJ (Authority Having Jurisdiction), the requisite certification procedure for your jurisdiction. The NATIONAL code requires fire escapes be certified every five years.
  2. Schedule An Inspection or a Pre-Load Test Evaluation with Load Test
  3. Submit certification if the fire escape system passed. If the fire escape failed, submit Inspection/Deficiency Report to AHJ.
  4. Do repairs if required to certify. A Technical Repair Report is a Construction Control Document that is used for bidding by fire escape repair vendors. Vendor oversight is when the chosen vendor’s work is overseen by a Certified Fire Escape Engineer and then certifies the work to the AHJ. Vendors must be qualified with correct licenses and insurance to do fire escape repairs and cannot certify their own work.
  5. Certification by Load Test, Restoration (Other Evidence of Strength) or Repairs with disclaimer of liability.

Other Evidence of Strength Certification is accepted by the AHJ when a system has been fully restored.  Restoration removes all corrosion and replaces all connections whether welded or bolted with new bolts.  Any components with material loss are reinforced or replaced.  Each connection is sealed with 50 year paintable silicone.  Then the system is primed and the entire structure painted.

 

Five year certification, with a disclaimer of liability by the owner, after repairs is accepted by the AHJ. 

 

A load test is required in some jurisdictions every five years.