Life safety dampers are an important part of fire and smoke protection in commercial buildings. Much like smoke detectors and fire sprinklers, they need to be periodically tested, per the International Fire Code, to ensure they will perform as designed, if needed. Unfortunately, for reasons including poor accessibility, owner unwillingness to disrupt business operations, misconceptions of damper importance, and lack of a local mandate, dampers are often not tested as required by the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA).
This article provides an overview of life safety dampers and the practical considerations concerning various types of testing.