Fire Alarm Conduit Installation: Licensed Electrician vs. Fire Alarm Company

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jtinge

jtinge

Senior Member
Location
Hampton, VA
Occupation
Sr. Elec. Engr
Should conduit for a fire alarm system be installed by a licensed electrician or by the fire alarm company using workers that are not licensed electricians? Would NICET certification be evidence of qualifications to install conduit correctly? What evidence would be acceptable to indicate that the Fire Alarm company could install conduit correctly in lieu of using a licensed electrician?

Having specific knowledge of NFPA 72 and NEC 760 requirements probably makes the Fire Alarm worker with a NICET certification more qualified in the installation of the actual fire alarm wiring than a general electrician; however, verifying worker qualifications for installing raceways seem to be very problematic. We've had good results when the fire alarm company uses an electrical contractor to install the conduit or has their own licensed electrician to do so, not so good when they use fire alarm technicians that don't have any documented evidence of qualifications to install conduit.
 
Licensing requirements vary from jurisdiction to jurisdiction and state to state. Licensing is not required by any part of the NEC.

Chris
 
jtinge said:
What evidence would be acceptable to indicate that the Fire Alarm company could install conduit correctly in lieu of using a licensed electrician?
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A fire alarm system should get an inspection the same as any other electrical system. Here the alarm people are required to hold a low voltage electrical license. They are electricians.

The only way to get neat work is to cover any concerns in the contract. You don't pay them until it's installed correctly.
 
In VA, we only have Journeyman or Master Electrician Licenses. Many if not most Fire Alarm (and other low voltage) contractors that we have dealt with use technicians that are neither. They may have a NICET certification and that's all.
 
Inspectorfabs

Inspectorfabs

In N.J. we have a license for the fire alarm contractors .They have to meet the current adopted code which is 2008 NEC just like the electricians do.
 
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