Property risk solutions - Risk Engineering

Property risk solutions 

Inside this issue 

Welcome to the Property 

risk solutions newsletter. 

This quarterly publication 

focuses on fire protection and 

human element programs for 

property and boiler/machinery 

exposures. This edition is 

designed to introduce Zurich 

as your new insurance services 

provider and supply some 

basic information on ordering 

boiler inspections, and 

checking and testing 

your fire sprinkler systems. 

• Message from Risk 

Engineering 

• Boiler Inspection Request 

• Checking and testing your 

fire protection equipment 

Message from Risk Engineering 

Dear Zurich Customer, 

We are very pleased to be sending you our property loss prevention 

newsletters. Zurich has significant engineering resources that we 

encourage you to utilize in the course of your business, especially when 

you make any major changes to your facilities or build new ones. 

It is a well established fact that the majority of all property losses are 

a result of a human element failure. These failures include the lack of 

regular loss prevention inspections, poor maintenance and/or poor 

housekeeping, lack of emergency training for your employees in how 

to react to a fire or other loss scenario, and failure to make sure all 

sprinklers are open and that other fire protection equipment is operable. 

We strongly encourage you to incorporate loss prevention practices and 

procedures that you will learn about in this and future newsletters to 

make your facilities safer and your staff more capable. The existence 

of an adequate Human Element Loss Prevention Program within your 

business model could likely save your company the disruption of a major 

property loss. 

Please let us know if we can assist you in any way. 

Zurich Services Corporation 

Property risk solutions 2nd Quarter 2010 | Page 1

Boiler Inspection Request 

“A comprehensive 

boiler and machinery 

maintenance 

program can 

actually increase 

profitability...” 

You may have seen the ads on 

TV or in magazines for one 

of those auto quick lube 

retailers in your area. They 

all seem to have a similar 

message… “Pay now or 

pay later!” Although many 

of these ads are somewhat 

humorous, there is a lot of 

truth to what they are saying. A 

comprehensive boiler and machinery 

maintenance program can actually 

increase profitability by improving equipment 

life and reliability, and limiting potential for 

production losses due to unplanned down time. 

In addition, almost all states and many local 

communities have regulatory requirements that 

make business owners responsible for the regular 

inspection of boilers and pressure vessels. 

Zurich Services Corporation Risk Engineering 

understands that machinery breakdown 

assessments and jurisdictional boiler/machinery 

inspections are critical elements of any facility’s 

comprehensive maintenance program. Zurich 

can provide jurisdictional inspections to meet the 

inspection and reporting requirements of various 

states that have adopted the American Society 

of Mechanical Engineers (ASME) Boiler and 

Pressure Vessel Code. 

You may request a boiler inspection online or by 

calling Zurich’s toll free number. 

• Online request – Go to http://www. 

zurichna.com/. Click on Online Services/ 

Customers/Boiler Request form. 

• Phone requests – Call us during the hours of 

8:00 a.m. - 5:30 p.m. CST Monday through 

Friday at 800-562-5814 to speak with a 

Customer Services Representative or leave a 

message on our automated answering service 

anytime, day or night. 

For additional information about boiler and 

machinery services, please visit our Zurich 

Services Web site at www.zurichservices.com 


Checking and testing your fire 

protection equipment 

“Why should I have my fire system alarms 

tested more often than what the fire 

department requires” This is a common 

question our clients ask when we suggest they 

improve their testing program. There is a lot of 

confusion associated with the topic, so we will 

try to sort it out here. 

NFPA 25, Standard for the Inspection, Testing, 

and Maintenance of Water-Based Fire Protection 

Systems, provides the basis of a comprehensive 

Fire Protection Inspection and Testing Program. 

The NFPA (National Fire Protection Association) 

publishes codes, standards, recommended 

practices, and guides used by building code 

authorities, the insurance industry, product 

manufacturers, and the fire department service. 

NFPA 25 is a standard, which means its language 

implies requirements versus recommended 

practices. Like other NFPA standards, it has an 

appendix containing explanatory and supportive 

information. The current edition is 2008, and 

standards such as this are updated about every 

3 years. The NFPA also has well-known codes 

and standards related to installing automatic fire 

sprinkler systems, fire pumps and their water 

supplies, fire extinguishers, flammable liquids, 

explosion control, safety, etc. For example, 

the National Electrical Code® and NFPA 70 

are actually the same publication. So, there is 

an established history here. 

Some insurers elect to follow their own 

guidelines to adjust or supplement what the 

NFPA says. For example, some insurers ask their 

insureds to install locks and chains on all fire 

protection system water supply valves even if 

they are equipped with tamper switches. Other 

insurers are okay with tamper switches or locks 

as a means of security. Some ask for monthly 

testing of waterflow alarms while others ask for 

a quarterly or semiannual routine. 

Zurich Services Corporation’s Risk Engineering 

division has an ISO 9001 certification and 

seeks a consistent, meaningful Fire Protection 

Inspection and Testing Program. This means that 

we follow NFPA 25 with limited exceptions. The 

following table highlights the checking/testing 

frequencies of some of the commonly found 

features in industrial fire protection systems with 

references to some other NFPA publications: 

Frequency 

Weekly 

Zurich Services Corporation Recommended Fire Protection Inspection 

and Testing Program 

• Visually check all fire protection control valves that are fitted with breakable seals to 

verify that they are open. Include valves inside ceilings, in pits, and at fire pumps. 

• Start and run electric fire pumps via pressure drop for at least 10 minutes and diesel fire 

pumps for at least 30 minutes exercising both sets of batteries. Verify that the diesel fire 

pump’s fuel tank is at least two-thirds full. 

• For dry pipe, preaction, and deluge sprinkler systems, check the gauges for proper 

air pressure to verify that the systems have not tripped and check their enclosures for 

adequate heat to prevent freezing. 

Comments: Years ago, the requirement for churning an electric fire pump was monthly. Not exercising 

a fire pump often enough can lead to drying and premature failure of packing glands. 

chart continues onto next page 


Monthly 

• Visually check all locked and/or supervised fire protection control valves including those 

inside ceilings, in pits, and at fire pumps to verify that they are open. 

• Exercise the fire pump controller’s circuit breaker and isolating switch. 

• Check the water level in the water storage tank by examining or overflowing it (where a 

water level alarm is not installed). 

Comments: Some insurers request weekly valve checks and some authorities overseeing health care 

institutions only request quarterly valve checks. The monthly frequency has been a long-standing 

requirement of NFPA 25. 

Quarterly 

• Test all waterflow alarms 1 and the low air pressure alarm on dry pipe/preaction systems. 

• Test other supervisory alarms (e.g., fire pump running, fire pump power failure, pump 

house temperature, etc.). 2 

• Physically operate all post indicator valves (PIVs), including those mounted on walls. To 

do this, the PIV should be opened fully until a spring tension is felt indicating that the 

connecting rod has not separated from the valve mechanism. The valve should then be 

physically turned about three turns shut and reopened fully. Finally, the valve should be 

backed one-quarter turn from the wide-open position to prevent jamming. 

• Test at least one main drain quarterly where the water supply passes through a backflow 

preventer or a pressure-reducing valve. Document the static and residual pressure readings. 

Immediately investigate nontypical reductions in pressure. 

• Check the fire department connection to verify that it is accessible and the caps 

are in place. 

• Test the water tank’s water level alarm (where a water level alarm is provided). 

Comments: Zurich Services Corporation Risk Engineering requests quarterly testing because 

waterflow alarms summon the fire department and are considered critical devices. NFPA 25 desires 

semiannual testing for waterflow switches. Healthcare authorities like The Joint Commission also 

require quarterly testing. 

Per NFPA 25, PIVs should be physically operated annually. We have found that infrequent exercising 

leads to costly overhauls of seized valve mechanisms. 

Semiannually 

Annually 

• Test all valve position supervisory (tamper) alarms by physically operating the valves at the 

risers and water supply piping. 

• Operate the manual starting mechanism at the fire pump controller. 

• Flow test each fire pump at 100% and 150% of rated capacity, including the use of 

emergency power when an automatic transfer switch is present. Inspect and clear pump 

suction screens for debris (e.g., pond suction source). 

• Trip test each dry pipe, preaction, and deluge valve. 3 

• Exercise all fire protection control valves by fully closing and reopening them. 

• Flow each private fire hydrant for at least 1 minute. 

• Test all manual fire alarm pull stations, smoke and heat detectors, and other fire alarm 

system components (i.e., the alarm panel’s battery or generator backup power supply, 

facility’s evacuation speakers, firemen’s telephones, etc.). 

• Fully flow each 2 inch main drain and document the static and residual pressure readings; 

immediately investigate nontypical reductions in pressure. 

• For refrigerated systems, inspect sprinkler system piping internally for ice obstructions at 

the point where the piping enters the cooled area. Systems with approved air dryers are 

still required to have their desiccants checked annually. 

• Check the antifreeze solution in antifreeze-based systems. 

chart continues onto next page 


Every 5 years 

Every 10 years 



• Flow test pressure-reducing valves (PRVs), and check the interior of all check/alarm/ 

preaction/deluge valves. Perform a flushing investigation on older dry pipe systems. 4 

• Flow test water supply system (every 2 years for private looped systems). 

Comments: The 5-year rule is per NFPA 25, but the standard is silent on private looped systems. 

Looped systems tend to be found at large, high-value facilities, so a 2-year frequency is desired by 

Zurich Services Corporation. 

• Dry-type sprinklers (i.e., dry-pendent sprinklers) shall be replaced or a sample shall be 

subjected to testing at 10-year intervals. 5 

• Fast-response sprinklers (e.g., ESFR and quick-response models) shall be replaced or a 

sample shall be subjected to testing at 10-year intervals. 5 

• Sprinklers more than 50 years old shall be replaced or a sample shall be subjected to 

testing at 10-year intervals. 5 

Footnotes: 

1 A waterflow alarm should operate within 90 seconds of opening the inspector’s test drain per NFPA 72, National Fire Alarm and Signaling 

Code, 2010 edition, Section 17.12.2. 

2 Testing of supervisory devices is discussed in NFPA 72, Chapter 14. 

3 For dry pipe valves, every third year, flood the dry pipe system overhead piping. Open the inspector’s test drain (make sure it is fitted with 

a sprinkler orifice) and record the time taken for water to discharge from the drain. Begin timing once the low-point drain is fully open. 

During other years, the water supply valve below the dry pipe valve may be left partially open (a couple of turns). Once the dry pipe valve 

trips, shut the valve to limit flooding of the overhead sprinkler piping to facilitate quicker restoration and to reduce the potential for internal 

corrosion and scale build-up. 

4 Section D.4 in the appendix of NFPA 25 gives guidance on when and how to have the piping on a dry system checked internally for 

obstructions. To summarize, dry pipe automatic sprinkler systems that use non-galvanized pipes are more prone to corrosion and 

scaling than wet pipe systems. A flushing investigation is needed for such systems when they become 15 years old. Repeat the flushing 

investigation when they become 25 years old and then again at 5-year intervals. If you encounter piping that shows signs of rusting or 

damage, it is prudent to request a hydrostatic test to verify its integrity. 

5 See the UL website (http://www.ul.com) for submitting samples for testing, and do a search (e.g.,“field sample testing sprinklers”). NFPA 25 

also discusses how many samples need to be submitted. 

You probably saw a few items that were not 

brought up before by anyone, such as testing 

and replacing dry-type and fast-response 

sprinklers, flow-testing pressure-reducing valves, 

or internally checking check valves. Some 

contractors use forms that note these items 

while some do not. 

Keeping records and evidence 

When relying on contractors to do the work, 

always review their reports and take note of 

deficiencies, and whether they were resolved. 

If not, promptly arrange for repairs. It is good 

practice to verify that the noted deficiencies 

were fixed and now work properly. 

Keep photographs of significant work projects, 

such as underground mains that needed to be 

relocated, patched, or fitted with new thrust 

blocks. Keep samples of material collected from 

flushing investigations. 

Summary 

There is plenty to understand with a proper Fire 

Protection Inspection and Testing Program. Make 

sure that local sprinkler contractors provide 

the level of inspection service that you request. 

Keep in mind that NFPA 25 requirements may 

not be enforced by the local municipality or used 

by some local sprinkler contractors. 

So, getting back to the question about “Why 

should I have my fire system alarms tested more 

often than what the fire department requires” 

Naturally, wouldn’t you expect the electricians 

you hire to wire your residence or business to 

follow NFPA 70, National Electrical Code ® So, 

why not expect your fire protection system to 

receive a recognized level of inspection and 

testing Any less can compromise the reliability 

of your fire protection systems. 


Sprinkler System Impairment 

Notification/Restoration Permits 

Impairments to fire 

protection systems can 

prove to be disastrous. 

According to a recent study 

completed by the National 

Fire Protection Association 

(NFPA), approximately 63% 

of all sprinkler system failures 

were the result of the system being 

shut off. Impairments occur when a fire 

protection system is taken out of service for 

routine maintenance or due to an emergency, 

such as a broken head or cracked pipe. During 

these impairments the fire protection system is 

no longer capable of providing fire protection 

to the area it was designed to protect. In these 

instances, precautions must be taken to minimize 

the duration, ensure prompt restoration, provide 

temporary protection and reduce hazards in the 

effective area. Having an impairment program 

in place can help companies to prepare for such 

sprinkler system impairment situations. 

The Zurich impairment program “Guidelines or 

Impairments to Fire Protection Systems” offer 

best practices for managing fire protection 

outages. This tool provides information, 

instructions and utilities facilitating impairment 

notifi cation and restoration of fire protection 

systems via e-mail, online, or fax. 

Guidelines for impairments to fire protection 

systems have also been included in this 

newsletter for your review. 

Zurich can be notified of sprinkler system impairments and restorations by any of the 

following methods: 

1. Online notification: www.zurichna.com. Click on “Online services” then click “Customers” 

and find “Impairment Notifications” in the listed online services. 

2. Fax: Fax the Fire System Work Permit to the following risk engineering office: 866-622-5154 

3. E-mail: E-mail the Fire System Work Permit to: uszfax_impairment_notification@zurichna.com 

Please attach the permit to the e-mail. For telephone assistance, please call 800-695-6036. 


Fire system work permit 

• Complete this permit before any impairment. 

• Hang tag on valve or impaired device. 

• Display the permit in a very visible location. 

Impairment 

• Please fill out Part A of this permit and e-mail it to uszfax_impairment_notification@zurichna.com. 

• Notify the office at least 24 hours prior to a planned impairment. For emergency impairments, notify 

Zurich Risk Engineering at the first opportunity. 

Restoration 

• Please fill out Part B and send it once again to the same e-mail address. Please keep the permit on file. 

Call 1-800-695-6036 for questions or additional supplies. 

Part A 

Your name 

Phone number 

e-mail 

Company name 

City / state & country 

If a division of another company, please indicate 

Type of impairment 

Maintenance Testing Repair Freeze up Renovation / construction 

System shut off 

Sprinkler Fire pump Public water main Yard main Reservoir / tank Fire hydrant 

Alarm / detection system Special extinguishing system Other 

Specific system shut off or out of service 

Reason for and description of impairment 

Type of operations in affected area 

Time shut off 

Expected duration of impairment 

Date 

(yes or no) 

Will work conitnue until system(s) are fully restored 

Precautions being taken 

Hot work prohibited Fire extinguishers or small hose available Work during idle period 

Central station notified Hazardous operations shut down Fire department notified 

Smoking controlled Fire watch or watchmen provided 

Emergency procedures reviewed and in place Other 

Comments 

Part B 

Time restored Date Your name 



1400 American Lane, Schaumburg, Illinois 60196-1056 

800 982 5964 www.zurichna.com 


Risk Engineering 

ISO 9001:2008 

Quality-Assured Solutions Provider 

The information in this publication was compiled by Zurich Services Corporation from sources believed to be reliable. 

We do not guarantee the accuracy of this information or any results and further assume no liability in connection with 

this publication, including any information, methods or safety suggestions contained herein. Moreover, Zurich Services 

Corporation reminds you that this publication cannot be assumed to contain every acceptable safety and compliance 

procedure or that additional procedures might not be appropriate under the circumstances. The subject matter of this 

publication is not tied to any specific insurance product nor will adopting these procedures insure coverage under any 

insurance policy. 

©2010 Zurich Services Corporation 

10-3731 (12/10)

Property risk solutions - Risk Engineering

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