In facilities where power loss is not just inconvenient but potentially life-threatening, emergency power systems must operate without fail. Ensuring these power systems comply with NFPA 110 is another essential whether you are overseeing a hospital, a critical data facility, or a mission-critical industrial site.
Through this blog, we will cover the basics of NFPA 110 and the seven key requirements for emergency power supply systems (EPSS). These requirements are integral to keeping these systems audit-ready and operational when it matters the most.
The National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) has laid out a standard, NFPA 110 for emergency power systems. It covers the requirements of how an emergency and standby power system should perform to ensure a constant power supply.
The standard consists of eight chapters, with the first three being introductory. Chapters four to eight classify these emergency systems, outline their installation, maintenance, environmental considerations, and operational testing.
Getting a consistent power supply is integral to the operations of any business and is especially crucial for sectors where it could save somebody’s life or critically important data.
The NFPA 110 compliance is thus necessary for facilities like hospitals, data centers, and emergency services. Apart from ensuring your institution or organisation complies with NFPA 110, you can also seek help for the same from your generator operator or salesperson.
At Curtis Power Solutions, we offer our expertise in ensuring your EPSS is NFPA 110 compliant and is ready to power when needed.
Let’s take a look at why this compliance matters so much:
The NFPA 110 has outlined all the essentials pertaining to an emergency power supply system. These serve as the basic and necessary guidelines to ensuring that these emergency systems work efficiently when needed, and lead to no loss of life or important data.
Let’s take a look at the seven key NPFA 110 generator requirements:
Each emergency power supply system should be classified to describe how critical they are to life safety (level), how quickly it must provide power (type), and its minimum running time without refueling (class).
After the generator is installed or after the addition of any new component, it should be tested in the presence of the AHJ for NFPA 110 compliance. This on-site test includes full load testing, cycle crank test, safety induction and shutdown task, and factory acceptance testing.
Routinely maintaining and testing the operations of the EPSS is integral to NFPA 110 compliance. Make sure these are consistent with the generator manufacturer’s recommendations, the instruction manuals for each system component, minimum requirements defined by the NFPA standard, and any other special directions from the authority having jurisdiction (i.e., the AHJ).
Effective fuel management is another key requirement of the NFPA 110. The NFPA has given guidelines for storing fuel, the size and location of the fuel tank, and the quantity of fuel to be stored. Annual fuel quality tests should be performed to ensure the fuel is microbe-free for effective generator functioning.
Maintaining the storage batteries and ensuring their effective functioning in case of emergency is crucial for NFPA 110 compliance. It includes performing weekly inspections, monthly tests which include conductance test or the electrolyte’s specific gravity test (whichever is applicable).
As per the NFPA 110 guidelines, the emergency power supply system needs to be inspected weekly, exercised each month, and load bank testing should be performed once in 3 years for level 1 generators.
A complete recordkeeping of all the documents for the EPSS installation, inspection, testing, or any recommended repairs, is necessary as per NFPA 110. These records can be standardized and digitized to be readily available to the AHJ.
These requirements of the emergency power supply systems are essential for NFPA 110 compliance and avoiding any life-threatening or legal issues.
NFPA 110 standard compliance is not just a legal formality but a necessary requirement to ensure there are no losses, be it of any important data, business revenue, or something much worse (the loss of a life).
Getting the experts at Curtis Power Solutions on board can be the difference between seamless compliance and recurring adherence issues. Contact us for NFPA 110 compliance.
The difference between Level 1 and Level 2 in NFPA 110 lies in how critically important the emergency power system is to ensure there is no loss of life or any serious issues.
The level 1 status is given to systems that directly risk human life (like hospitals, fire alarms, etc.) while the level 2 system is for those that do not risk human life (like any industrial equipment).
The NFPA 110-10-second rule refers to a particular EPSS type, the Type 10 in the NFPA 110 standard. It requires that the EPSS deliver acceptable power to life safety loads within 10 seconds of the normal power supply failing. This time is crucial for facilities where a power outage has a direct risk to human life, such as hospitals and Level 1 loads.
The key elements of an NFPA 110 emergency plan cover the essentials for having an uninterruptible power backup in case of power failure. These include the classification, operation, testing, and maintenance of the emergency power supply systems.
Yes, the NFPA 110 requires that the essential electrical systems be tested to ensure seamless transfer of load to the emergency system in case of power loss. This testing regime includes weekly, monthly, annual, and triennial tests to ascertain the status of maintenance, operation, and repairs of these emergency systems.