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Fire alarm

Fire alarm punch checklist

Fire alarm punch is where small misses become callbacks after the crew has demobilized. This checklist walks the finished work the way the owner and the next trade will see it, with the photo that closes each item instead of a note that reopens it. Work is commonly verified against NFPA 72, the applicable building code. Confirm the edition your authority having jurisdiction has adopted.

Items
4
Photos required
6

Who runs it

The fire alarm technician on a callback, or the GC's superintendent closing life-safety punch items.

When in the schedule

During closeout, after the acceptance walk turns up wrong labels, thin coverage and standing trouble conditions on the panel.

The checklist

Every item, and the photo that proves it

The photo count on each row is what RTI would require before the item can be submitted. Copy the list as is, or load it into RTI and let the gate enforce it.

01

Labeling and coverage

  • Mislabeled devices corrected and re-annunciated

    Each corrected point actuated again and confirmed annunciating with the right room and address at the panel.

    2 photos
  • Coverage gaps identified and closed

    Spaces short of audible or visual coverage documented and the added appliance observed operating before the item is closed.

    2 photos
02

Trouble signals and signoff

  • Every trouble signal traced and cleared, not silenced

    Panel returned to a normal state with no standing trouble, each fault traced to its cause and the clearance photographed.

    1 photo
  • No remaining fire alarm items before life-safety signoff

    All punch items closed with photos and the panel confirmed normal before the system is released to turnover.

    1 photo

What usually sends this back

The failures are almost always the evidence, not the work

  • A device labeled to the wrong room at the panel, so responders are sent to the wrong location when it eventually alarms.
  • A standing trouble signal silenced instead of cleared, leaving a fault on the circuit that no longer annunciates.

Run it with the Photo Gate

A checklist nobody can submit half-finished

Load this list into RTI, stick a QR tag on the area it covers, and the submit button stays locked until every mandatory item is answered and the 6 required photos exist. Approved walks roll into a branded turnover package with a tamper-evident record behind every line.

Submission state

Mandatory items answered4 of 4
Photos attached3 of 6
Submit locked, 3 photos missing

The gate is enforced on the server, so it holds even if the phone is offline when the walk happens.

Verified against

Common questions

What does this fire alarm punch checklist cover?
4 items across 2 sections, covering labeling and coverage, trouble signals and signoff. Each item spells out what the person walking the job is actually looking for, not just a box to tick.
Who should run this inspection?
The fire alarm technician on a callback, or the GC's superintendent closing life-safety punch items.
When in the schedule should this walk happen?
During closeout, after the acceptance walk turns up wrong labels, thin coverage and standing trouble conditions on the panel.
Why does every item ask for a photo?
6 of the 4 items call for photo evidence. A checklist answer without the photo is a claim; the photo is what makes the record worth something in a dispute and lets a reviewer approve work without re-walking the job.
What most often fails a fire alarm punch inspection?
A device labeled to the wrong room at the panel, so responders are sent to the wrong location when it eventually alarms. A standing trouble signal silenced instead of cleared, leaving a fault on the circuit that no longer annunciates.
Can I use this checklist in RTI?
Yes. Start a free RTI workspace, build this list as a checklist, and the Photo Gate holds the submit button until every mandatory item is answered and its photos are attached. Approved inspections roll into a branded turnover package with a tamper-evident audit trail.