Impairment: A condition where a fire protection system or unit or portion thereof is out of order, and the condition can result in the fire protection system or unit not functioning in a fire event (NPFA 25 3.3.22). The impaired equipment shall be considered to be the water-based fire protection system, or part thereof that is removed from service (NFPA 25 15.4.1).

Impairment Coordinator: The property owner or designated representative shall assign an impairment coordinator to comply with the requirements of NFPA 25. All pre-planned impairments shall be authorized by impairment coordinator (NFPA 25 15.5.1).

Emergency Impairment: A condition where a water-based fire protection system or portion thereof is out of order due to an unplanned occurrence, or the impairment is found while performing inspection testing or maintenance activities (NFPA 25 3.3.22.1). Emergency impairments shall include, but are not limited to, interruption of water supply, frozen or ruptured piping, and equipment failure, and includes impairments found during inspection, testing, or maintenance activities (NFPA 25 15.6.1)

Preplanned Impairment: A condition where a water-based fire protection system or a portion thereof is out of service due to work planned in advance, such as revisions to the water supply or sprinkler system piping (NFPA 25 3.3.22.2). All preplanned impairments shall be authorized by the impairment coordinator (NFPA 25 15.5.1).

Tag Impairment System: At tag shall be used to indicate that a system, or part thereof, has been removed from service. The tag shall be posted at each fire department connection and the system control valve, and other locations required by the AHJ, indicating which system, or part thereof, has been removed from service (NFPA 25 15.3).

The impaired equipment shall include, but shall not be limited to, the following (NFPA 25 15.4.2):

1. Sprinkler systems
2. Standpipe systems
3. Fire hose systems
4. Underground fire service mains
5. Fire pumps
6. Water storage tanks
7. Water spray fixed systems
8. Foam-water sprinkler systems
9. Water mist systems
10. Fire service control valves
11. Water supply

Before authorization is given, the impairment coordinator shall be responsible for verifying that the following procedures have been implemented (NFPA 25 15.5.2):

1. The extent and expected duration of the impairment have been determined.
2. The areas or buildings involved have been inspected and the increased risks determine.
3. Recommendations to mitigate any increased risks have been submitted to management or the property owner or designated representative.
4. Where a fire protection system is out of service for more than 10 hours in a 24-hour period, the impairment coordinator shall arrange for one of the following:
   1. Evacuation of the building or portion of the building affected by the system out of service.
   2. An approved fire watch
   3. Establishment of a temporary water supply
   4. Establishment and implementation of an approved program to eliminate potential ignition sources and limit the amount of fuel available to the fire
5. The fire department has been notified
6. The insurance carrier, the alarm company, property owner or designated representative, and other authorities having jurisdiction have been notified.
7. The supervisors in the areas to be affected have been notified.
8. A tag impairment system has been implemented.
9. All necessary tools and materials have been assembled on the impairment site.

When all impaired equipment is restored to normal working order, the impairment coordinator shall verify that the following procedures have been implemented (NFPA 25 15.7):

1. Any necessary inspections and tests have been conducted to verify that affected systems are operational. The appropriate chapter of NFPA 25 shall be consulted for guidance on the type of inspection and test required.
2. Supervisors have been advised that protection is restored.
3. The fire department has been advised that protection is restored.
4. The property owner or designated representative, insurance carrier, alarm company, and other authorities having jurisdiction have been advised that protection is restored.
5. The impairment tag has been removed.

Impairment: An abnormal condition, during either a planned or emergency event, where a system, component, or function is inoperable (NFPA 72 3.3.138). ‘

The system owner or the owner’s designated representative shall be notified when a system or part thereof is impaired. Impairments to systems shall include out-of-service events (NFPA 72 10.21.1).

A record of the impairments shall be maintained by the system owner or the owner’s designated representative for a period of 1 year from the date the impairment is corrected (NFPA72 10.21.2).

The supervising station shall report to the AHJ any system for which required monitoring has been terminated (NFPA 72 10.21.3).

The service provider shall report to the AHJ any system that is out of service for more than 8 hours (NFPA 72 10.21.4).

Where required by the AHJ, mitigating measures shall be implemented for the period that the system is impaired (NFPA 72 10.21.5).

The system owner or the owner’s designated representative and the AHJ shall be notified when an impairment period ends (NFPA 72 10.21.6).

System deficiencies shall be corrected (NFPA 72 14.2.2.2.2).

If a deficiency is not corrected at the conclusion of the system inspection, testing, or maintenance, the system owner or the owner’s designated representative shall be informed of the deficiency in writing within 24 hours (NFPA 72 14.2.2.2.3).

The requirements of section 10.21 shall be applicable when a mass notification system is impaired (NFPA 72 24.5.5).

An impairment is a system component or function that is not working properly, which can result in the system or unit not functioning when required. This might be due to an intentional act, such as closing a valve or disabling an initiating device. The impairment also might be caused by a deficiency in a piece of equipment or subsystem. An example of emergency impairment is physical damage to a control unit or wiring. Examples of a planned impairment include the addition of new devices or appliances or the reprogramming of system software (NFPA 72 A.3.3.138).

The term impairments encompasses a broad range of circumstances wherin a system or portion thereof is taken out of service for a variety of reasons. Systems are routinely impaired to allow for hot work (e.g. open flame operations) to be performed in areas with automatic detection, construction, painting, and so forth, as well as to conduct normal system maintenance and testing. Impairments can be limited to specific initiating devices and/or functions, or they can involve taking entire systems or portions of systems out of service. Section 10.21 of NFPA 72 is intended to help building owners control impairments of the system(s) in their building(s) and to ensure that systems are restored to full operation and/or returned to service afterward (NFPA 72 A.10.21).

Additional requirements for impairments and out-of-service conditions are in 14.2.2.2.

It is important for the AHJ, typically the local fire official, to be informed when systems have been out of service for more than 8 hours so that appropriate measures can be taken. The term out of service is meant to refer to the entire system or a substantial portion thereof (NFPA 72 A.10.21.4).

The need for mitigating measures is typically determined on a case-by-case basis. This considers the building, occupancy type, nature and duration of impairment, building occupancy level during impairment period, active work being conducted on the fire alarm system during an impairment, condition of other fire protection systems and features (i.e. sprinklers, structure compartmentation, etc.), and hazards and assets at risk (NFPA 72 A.10.21.5).

Appropriate mitigating measures range from simple occupant notification to full-time fire watch. Determining factors vary from testing-related impairments and maintenance activities during normal business through extensive impairments to high-value, high-hazard situations.