Even more than most systems, fire safety systems must be continuously available and operational, as it's impossible to predict when a fire will break out.
Indeed, a failure of these systems can lead to dramatic consequences, whether material (lost goods and/or buildings), economic (loss of operation due to unavailability of premises or production tools), environmental (toxic fumes), or even human.
Furthermore, since these systems are only used in the event of a fire, operational defects are not visible, unlike a system in constant use (a phone is "tested" every time it's used).
Thus, applicable standards and guidelines for fire safety systems specify the frequency of checks (to detect defects) and
preventive maintenance (to limit the occurrence of defects), in order to guarantee the systems' operation at all times.
It is essential to correct detected defects as quickly as possible to
limit the downtime of fire safety systems.
In some cases, it may be mandatory to implement compensatory measures while defects are being corrected (for example: increasing other fire safety measures; implementing surveillance rounds, etc.)
