I TOOK A PHONE CALL LAST WEEK FROM A PERSON WHO IS RESPONSIBLE FOR THE MAINTENANCE AND
MANAGEMENT OF MULTIPLE PROPERTIES IN THE CAPITOL REGION. THIS PERSON REPRESENTS THE
INTERESTS OF A CORPORATION THAT HOLDS SIGNIFICANT REALESTATE HOLDINGS. THIS PERSON HAS
HELD THE POSITION FOR MANY YEARS. FOR THE PUPOSE OF THIS BLOG I WILL CALL THIS PERSON
“JOHN”. John is not this persons’ name.
JOHN WAS REACHING OUT TO DISCUSS SOME LIFE SAFETY ISSUES THAT WERE CONCERNING HIM
WITHIN SOME OF HIS PROPERTIES. THEY RANGED FROM INSPECTIONS, INVOLVING SPRINKLERS, FIRE
ALARMS ETC. I WILL NOTE THAT JOHN HAS BEEN HAVING HIS INSPECTIONS AND MAINTENANCE
SERVICED BY A COUPLE OF DIFFERENT COMPANIES OVER THE YEARS BUT HE WAS HAVING DIFFICULTY
IN HAVING HIS CONCERNS ADDRESSED AND WAS REACHING OUT FOR A FRESH PERSPECTIVE.
I WILL MAKE A QUICK SIDE BAR TO STATE THAT I BELIEVE THAT THERE ARE MANY QUALIFIED
PROFESSIONAL SERVICE COMPANIES THAT SPECIALIZE IN THIS TYPE OF WORK IN OUR REGION. THEY
PROVIDE AN EXCELLENT LEVEL OF SERVICE AND THEIR CLIENTS SHOULD KNOW THAT FOR WHATEVER
MY OPINION IS WORTH, I THINK THAT THEY ARE BEING WELL CARED FOR. THE INSPECTIONS ARE
THOROUGH AND THE DOCUMENTATION IS TIMELY AND COMPLETE.
JOHN SENT HIS LATEST REPORTS FOR REVIEW AND COMMENT.
THE DOCUMENTS WERE LIMITED AND INCOMPLETE, BARELY LEDGIBLE AND BASED UPON WHAT JOHN
TOLD ME DID NOT SATISFY THE REQUIREMENTS OF THE LOCAL AUTHORITY OR HIS INSURANCE
UNDERWRITER YET HIS SERVICE PROVIDER WAS UNWILLING OR INCAPABLE OF MAKING ANY
IMPROVEMENTS. IT TURNED OUT THAT THE PERSONNEL THAT HAD BEEN DOING THESE INSPECTIONS
MAINTAINED LITTLE OR NO QUALIFICATION TO BE ON THE SITE MUCH LESS SIGN OFF ON THE
CONDITION OR CAPABILITY OF THE NUMEROUS LIFE SAFETY SYSTEMS THAT THEY HAD.
JOHN TOLD ME THAT THIS EXAMPLE OF DOCUMENTS WAS CONSISTANT WITH SOME PREVIOUS YEARS
VERSIONS AND HE COMMENTED THAT THEY MUST HAVE FALLEN THROUGH THE CRACKS SOMEWHERE
OR THIS WOULD HAVE COME TO LIGHT YEARS BEFORE. IF THE DOCUMENTATION WAS BEING REJECTED
AS INCOMPLETE THERE WAS AN EXPECTATION THAT THE INSPECTIONS THEMSELVES MAY ALSO
REQUIRE SOME SCRUTINY.
SITE INVESTIGATIONS DETERMINED OBVIOUS OPPORTUNITIES FOR IMPROVEMENT.
No one is perfect and we would never claim to be. EVER.
Moral of the story. IF YOU ARE THE OWNER OF THE BUILDING, YOU ARE ULTIMATELY RESPONSIBLE FOR
EVERY LIFE SAFETY SYSTEM WITHIN IT. READ YOUR POLICY. YOU’VE BEEN GRANTED INSURANCE BASED
ON THE COMPLIANCE AND VERIFICATION OF THESE SYSTEMS. THAT MEANS THAT THE VALIDITY OF
YOUR POLICY IS BASED ON YOUR AGREEMENT TO DO SO. NOT WITHSTANDING THE FACT THAT
SOMEONE COULD BE INJURED OR MUCH WORSE IF THESE SYSTEMS FAIL, THERE ARE HUNDREDS OF INSURANCE CLAIMS ALTERED OR OUTRIGHT DENIED EVERY YEAR BECAUSE THE OWNER HAD FAILED TO
MEET THE BURDEN OF THEIR OWN INSURER.
AS WITH MOST KINDS OF POLICIES IT’S THE SMALLER CASED LETTERS THAT GET US INTO A BIND IF WE
EVER ACTUALLY NEED IT. IN THIS CASE THEY STATE THAT WE MUST BE FULLY COMPLIANT BUT NO TELLS
US WHAT THAT ACTUALLY INVOLVES. ASK THE QUESTIONS. WHOS DOING THE WORK, WHAT ARE THEIR
CREDENTIALS, ANY QUALIFIED PROFESSIONAL COMPANY WOULD BE MORE THAN HAPPY TO ANSWER
THESE QUESTIONS.
As I stated earlier, there are many excellent qualified companies in our region. I proudly consider our
company to be part of this group. I will tell you that we receive dozens of inquiries like Johns each
month and we would be grateful to offer our perspective on any issues you may have. Everyone has an
opinion. Any statement we make will be support by its’ corresponding code requirement.
As the bumper stickers state:
“FIRE SPRINKLERS AND LIFE SAFETY SYSEMS SAVE LIVES”
However
We at PROUDLINE believe that its’ not quite than simple
We believe that these systems do save lives when they are designed, installed and maintained by
professionals who hold the technical qualifications to provide the service.
You don’t have to ask us. But I encourage you to ASK!
K. Proud
President
PFPS LTD
