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To amend City Code § 13-221, concerning inspection reports, for the purpose of requiring that such reports be submitted to the Fire Marshal through a web-based reporting system provided by a contractor of the Fire Code Official.
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THE CITY OF RICHMOND HEREBY ORDAINS:
§ 1. That section 13-221 of the Code of the City of Richmond (2020) be and is hereby amended and reordained as follows:
Sec. 13-221. Inspection reports.
(a) Reporting. It shall be the responsibility of any person or firm providing or conducting tests or inspections of fire protection systems within the City to submit a copy of the results of the aforementioned tests or inspections within 30 days to the Fire Code [Official] Official’s online reporting contractor.
(b) Web-based reporting requirement. The Fire Marshal shall use a web-based inspection reporting program accessible to the Fire Marshal, providers of fire safety inspections, and property owners. All third-party inspectors shall upload all third-party inspection reports to a web-based inspection reporting system designated by the Fire Marshal. The Fire Code Official’s online reporting contractor shall transmit inspection reports to the Fire Marshal.
(c) Itemized records. Itemized records for inspections, testing maintenance, repair, or replacement of any and all life safety or fire protection systems, including, but not limited to, fire sprinkler systems, stand-pipe systems, fire alarms, smoke detection, monitoring systems, fire extinguishing hood systems, private hydrants, private water main systems fire extinguishers, and other extinguishing systems, must document (i) the individual and company performing the inspection, testing, maintenance, repair, or replacement, (ii) a description of the inspection, testing, maintenance, repair, or replacement, (iii) when and where the inspection, testing, maintenance, repair, or replacement took place, and (iv) the results of the inspection, testing, maintenance, repair, or replacement. All individuals and companies performing inspection, testing, maintenance, repair, or replacement shall submit all itemized records of inspection, testing, maintenance, repair, or replacement to the Fire Code Official’s online reporting contractor.
(d) Certification and licensure of inspectors. Only technicians properly certified to do so by the Commonwealth of Virginia may perform fire protection system inspections. The Fire Code Official shall maintain documentation of the state certification of such technicians. Each technician shall submit updated documentation of the technician’s state certification every two years.
(e) Rejection of reports. The Fire Code Official may reject any reports provided pursuant to subsection (a) of this section unless the person or firm providing the reports also has provided the Fire Code Official with documentation of current certification and qualifications to conduct such tests or inspections in accordance with the appropriate National Fire Protection Association standard.
§ 2. This ordinance shall be in force and effect upon adoption.