Houston Commercial Fire Inspection Checklist: Pass the First Time

Most failed fire inspections come down to a handful of items that are cheap and quick to fix before the inspector arrives. Walk your building with this checklist a couple of weeks ahead, so anything that needs a licensed contractor still has time to get done.

1. Exits and exit paths

• Every exit, corridor, and stairway is clear. No boxes, carts, or furniture in the path.
• Exit doors open from the inside without a key, code, or special knowledge.
• No chains, padlocks, or deadbolts on exit doors during business hours.
• Exit signs are lit and visible from the path of travel.
• Emergency lights come on when you press the test button.

Exit signs and emergency lights need a quick 30-second test every month and a full 90-minute test every year, with a log showing it was done. Dead batteries are one of the most common write-ups we see. See emergency lighting service.

2. Fire extinguishers

• Each extinguisher has an annual service tag dated within the last 12 months.
• Monthly visual checks are initialed on the tag.
• The pressure gauge needle is in the green.
• Extinguishers are mounted, visible, and not blocked. For units 40 lb or lighter, the top sits no higher than 5 feet off the floor.
• For ordinary hazards, nobody should have to walk more than 75 feet to reach one.
• Commercial kitchens have a Class K extinguisher near the cooking line.

These standards come from NFPA 10. If your tags are expired, see extinguisher service.

3. Fire alarm system

• The panel shows normal. No trouble, supervisory, or alarm lights.
• You have a written annual inspection and test report under NFPA 72, and it's on site.
• Monitoring works, and the monitoring company has your current contact list.
• Pull stations, smoke detectors, and horn/strobes aren't blocked, covered, or painted over.

A panel in trouble is an automatic write-up and often means something is genuinely wrong. See fire alarm service.

4. Sprinkler system

• Storage stays at least 18 inches below sprinkler deflectors.
• Sprinkler heads aren't painted, corroded, damaged, or hung with anything.
• Control valves are open and locked or electronically supervised.
• Inspection reports under NFPA 25 are current.
• A spare head cabinet with the right wrench is near the riser.
• The fire department connection (FDC) outside is visible, accessible, and capped.

See fire sprinkler service.

5. Electrical hazards

• No extension cords used as permanent wiring.
• No power strips plugged into other power strips.
• Every outlet and switch has a cover plate.
• A clear space at least 30 inches wide and 3 feet deep in front of electrical panels.
• Panel breakers are labeled.

6. Fire doors, walls, and ceilings

• Fire doors close and latch on their own and aren't propped open.
• Holes in fire-rated walls and ceilings, such as from new cabling, are sealed.
• Ceiling tiles are all in place. Missing tiles change how heat and smoke reach detectors and sprinklers.

7. Outside the building

• Address numbers are visible from the street and contrast with their background. The fire code minimum is 4 inches tall.
• Fire lanes are marked, legible, and not blocked. See fire lane marking.
• Fire hydrants and the FDC have at least 3 feet of clear space around them.
• If you have a Knox Box, the keys inside still work.

8. Kitchens

• The hood fire suppression system has been inspected within the last six months.
• Hoods and ducts are cleaned on schedule. How often depends on how much you cook.
• There's a Class K extinguisher near the cooking line.

9. Paperwork to have ready

• Annual fire alarm inspection report
• Sprinkler inspection reports
• Fire extinguisher service records
• Kitchen hood suppression inspection report
• Emergency lighting test log
• Certificate of Occupancy, posted
• Occupant load sign, for assembly spaces like restaurants, churches, and event rooms

Keep these together in a binder or folder near the fire alarm panel. Inspectors notice when you can hand them everything in 30 seconds.

Found problems? Fix them before the inspector does

Everything on this list is cheaper to fix before an inspection than after a failure. We do pre-inspection walkthroughs across the Houston area and fix what we find. Request a quote, or read what to do if you already failed.