Facilities & Property checklist
Fire and Life Safety Audit Checklist
Audit fire and life-safety controls across exit routes, fire doors, alarm and detection systems, extinguishers, sprinklers and standpipes, emergency lighting and exit signs, evacuation plans, responder access, ignition controls, system impairments, corrective actions, and final verification.
Are exit routes, fire doors, alarms, extinguishers, emergency lighting, and fire-protection systems ready for an emergency without uncontrolled impairment?
Fire Safety Lead | Apply interim control | Restore protection and verify before closure
Select an answer to preview the workflow.
About this checklist
What a fire and life safety audit checklist should help you verify
Verify that occupants can evacuate, emergency safeguards are accessible and serviceable, fire-protection impairments are controlled, and every critical deficiency is assigned, corrected, and objectively verified.
When
Periodic fire and life-safety audits, post-impairment reviews, pre-occupancy checks, and high-risk change reviews
Use it for monthly or quarterly internal reviews, pre-occupancy readiness, after system impairment, after construction or layout change, before major events, following fire-system service, or when recurring life-safety defects need structured escalation.
Who
Facilities, fire safety, EHS, property management, security, engineering, and specialist contractors
Facilities teams, fire or life-safety leads, EHS, property managers, security, maintenance, engineering, tenants, fire-system service contractors, and management can contribute evidence and action ownership.
Outcome
Clear visibility of egress readiness, system impairments, critical actions, and verified closure
Create one evidence trail for exit routes, fire doors, alarms, extinguishers, water-based systems, emergency lighting, evacuation readiness, fire-service access, impairments, corrective actions, verification, and sign-off.
Complete fire & life safety audit
60 checks across exit routes, fire doors, alarm and detection, extinguishers, sprinklers and standpipes, emergency lighting and signs, evacuation planning, responder access, ignition control, fire-system impairments, corrective actions, verification, and sign-off
Ten sections, sixty checks. Adapt the checklist to your occupancy, building type, installed fire-protection systems, emergency plan, insurer requirements, applicable building and fire codes, authority having jurisdiction, and other local legal requirements.
Section 1Audit scope, occupancy, fire-risk profile, responsibilities, plans, and previous findings
- Confirm the property, building, floor or zone, audit date, occupancy or operating status, and fire and life-safety audit scope are clearly identified.
- Identify occupied areas, assembly or public areas, sleeping areas where applicable, storage and high-hazard rooms, plant spaces, kitchens, loading zones, and other higher-risk locations included in the audit.
- Verify current emergency plans, evacuation drawings, fire-system records, impairment logs, inspection or service reports, permits, previous audit findings, and open corrective actions are available where applicable.
- Review recent fire alarms, unwanted alarms, incidents, evacuations, extinguisher use, blocked-exit reports, system impairments, fire-door defects, and overdue life-safety work before the walkthrough.
- Confirm responsibility is defined across property management, facilities, EHS, security, fire wardens, maintenance, contractors, tenants, and emergency-response coordinators.
- Record property, audit date, audit scope, auditor, facilities owner, fire or life-safety owner, management representative, and next planned review date.
Section 3Fire doors, smoke-control doors, exit enclosures, compartmentation clues, and penetration condition
- Inspect fire doors and smoke-control doors for visible damage, missing components, holes, broken glazing, damaged seals, or other conditions that may affect intended performance.
- Confirm applicable self-closing or automatic-closing fire doors are not wedged, tied, blocked, or otherwise prevented from closing as intended.
- Check door closers, hinges, latches, coordinators, hold-open devices, frames, thresholds, and visible hardware for secure and serviceable condition.
- Inspect exit enclosures, fire-resistance separations, riser rooms, electrical rooms, service shafts, and visible wall or ceiling penetrations for obvious unsealed openings or unauthorized alterations.
- Confirm storage and equipment do not obstruct fire doors, exit-enclosure doors, smoke barriers, fire shutters, or other visible compartmentation features.
- Escalate seriously damaged fire doors, doors that will not close, large unprotected openings, or other conditions that may compromise required fire or smoke separation.
Section 5Portable extinguishers, hose equipment, cabinets, locations, access, and maintenance evidence
- Confirm portable fire extinguishers are in their designated locations, visible or clearly identified, accessible, and not blocked by furniture, storage, displays, or equipment.
- Inspect extinguisher body, hose or nozzle, handle, pin or tamper seal, pressure indicator where provided, mounting bracket, cabinet, and signage for obvious damage or abnormal condition.
- Check that the extinguisher type and location match the site's approved fire-protection plan or current fire-risk assessment and applicable requirements.
- Verify monthly visual inspection records are current where OSHA 1910.157 or the site's governing requirement applies.
- Verify annual maintenance evidence is current where OSHA 1910.157 or the site's governing requirement applies and overdue units are escalated.
- Escalate missing, discharged, damaged, inaccessible, improperly mounted, or overdue extinguishers according to the property's approved fire-protection process.
Section 7Exit signs, emergency lighting, backup power, emergency communication, and evacuation information
- Confirm required exit signs are visible, illuminated or otherwise serviceable as applicable, correctly positioned, and not obscured by decorations, temporary signs, displays, or construction.
- Check directional exit signage along routes where the direction of travel is not obvious and report missing, misleading, damaged, or obscured signs.
- Inspect emergency-lighting units, illuminated route markers, stair lighting, and visible backup-lighting fixtures for damage, failed indicators, or reported service issues.
- Verify emergency-lighting or backup-power functional test records are current where required by the site's maintenance programme or applicable authority.
- Confirm evacuation maps, emergency instructions, assembly-point information, emergency contacts, and floor or zone identifiers are current, visible, and aligned with the approved emergency plan.
- Escalate dark exit routes, failed required exit signs, unavailable emergency lighting, or inaccurate evacuation information that could hinder safe evacuation.
Section 9Ignition sources, high-risk rooms, combustible storage, hot work, kitchens, contractors, and impairments
- Inspect electrical rooms, plant rooms, generator areas, battery or charging areas, kitchens, workshops, storage rooms, waste areas, and other higher-risk spaces for obvious fire hazards.
- Confirm combustible materials are not accumulating against heat sources, electrical equipment, fire doors, exit routes, sprinkler controls, or other critical fire-protection features.
- Check portable heaters, cooking appliances, charging equipment, extension leads, temporary power, heat-producing equipment, and similar ignition sources for unauthorized or visibly unsafe use.
- Verify hot-work activities are controlled under the site's permit or authorization process where applicable, with required isolation, fire watch, housekeeping, and post-work checks.
- Confirm contractors and temporary works do not block exits, disable fire systems without authorization, compromise fire doors, obstruct sprinklers, create uncontrolled combustible loading, or restrict fire-service access.
- Review active fire-system impairments, temporary shutdowns, isolated zones, disabled detectors, sprinkler outages, or inaccessible fire equipment and confirm approved compensatory measures and restoration ownership are in place.
Section 2Exit routes, exit access, stairs, doors, discharge paths, obstructions, and travel readiness
- Confirm required exit access, corridors, aisles, stairs, ramps, exit enclosures, exit doors, and final discharge paths are free and unobstructed.
- Check that storage, furniture, waste, carts, equipment, deliveries, decorations, temporary work, construction materials, or tenant items do not reduce or block an exit route.
- Verify exit doors on the audited route can be opened from the egress side as required by the applicable standard and are not locked, chained, obstructed, or disabled in a way that prevents required egress.
- Inspect stairs, landings, handrails, guardrails, floor surfaces, ramps, and route lighting for visible defects that could hinder emergency evacuation.
- Confirm the exit discharge leads to a safe exterior area, public way, refuge area, or other approved location and is not blocked by vehicles, gates, construction, storage, or landscaping.
- Escalate any blocked, locked, damaged, or unusable required exit route immediately and apply approved interim controls until the route is restored.
Section 4Fire alarm, detection, notification, control panels, manual stations, and system status
- Check the fire-alarm control panel or approved status interface for normal condition and record visible alarm, supervisory, trouble, disabled, or impairment indications.
- Confirm manual fire-alarm stations, call points, pull stations, or equivalent devices are visible, accessible, unobstructed, and not obviously damaged.
- Inspect visible smoke detectors, heat detectors, beam detectors, notification appliances, speakers, strobes, bells, and related devices for obstruction, damage, paint contamination, or missing components.
- Verify audible and visible notification coverage concerns, damaged devices, reported inaudible areas, or communication failures are logged for qualified assessment.
- Confirm current fire-alarm inspection, testing, service, fault, isolation, and impairment records are available where required by the property's maintenance programme or authority requirements.
- Escalate active alarm-system impairment, disabled critical zones, unresolved trouble conditions, or unavailable notification functions according to the site's approved impairment and emergency process.
Section 6Sprinklers, standpipes, hose systems, valves, pumps, fire-service connections, and water-based protection
- Inspect visible sprinkler heads and nearby areas for obstruction, paint contamination, physical damage, missing escutcheons, storage conflicts, or other obvious issues.
- Check sprinkler control valves, riser assemblies, alarm valves, supervisory devices, and associated identification for accessibility, obvious leakage, damage, or abnormal status where safely visible.
- Inspect standpipe or hose cabinets, hose valves, fire department connections, hydrants, and related access points for obstruction, damage, missing caps, poor identification, or unavailable access.
- Confirm fire pumps, fire-water tanks, pressure systems, or related fire-protection plant have current service status and no visible alarm, leak, access, or housekeeping issue where applicable.
- Verify current inspection, testing, maintenance, impairment, and restoration records for water-based fire-protection systems are available where required by the site's programme or authority.
- Escalate closed or impaired valves, unavailable fire-water supply, obstructed fire-service connections, active leakage, or other critical system impairment immediately under the site's impairment process.
Section 8Emergency action plan, evacuation roles, drills, assembly areas, accountability, and responder access
- Verify the current emergency action or evacuation plan is available to affected personnel and reflects the present building layout, occupancy, routes, and emergency arrangements.
- Confirm procedures exist for reporting a fire or other emergency and that emergency contact methods are known and accessible.
- Verify evacuation roles such as wardens, floor marshals, sweepers, first-aid responders, security, or incident coordinators are assigned and current where used.
- Check assembly areas, refuge areas where applicable, accountability processes, visitor or contractor evacuation arrangements, and assistance procedures for people requiring support.
- Review recent drill or evacuation records, observed deficiencies, delayed movement, alarm-recognition issues, accountability gaps, and corrective actions.
- Confirm fire-service access routes, emergency gates, key or access arrangements, fire-control rooms, hydrants, fire department connections, and responder entry points are not obstructed.
Section 10Audit findings, critical controls, corrective actions, verification, trends, and management sign-off
- Classify each finding by egress, fire door or compartmentation, alarm or detection, extinguisher, sprinkler or water system, emergency lighting or signage, evacuation planning, ignition control, impairment, or other approved category.
- Prioritize findings using life-safety impact, number of occupants exposed, loss of required protection, fire-growth potential, evacuation impact, system impairment, recurrence, and urgency.
- Apply immediate controls such as removing obstructions, restricting access, establishing a fire watch, restoring an exit, isolating an ignition source, or implementing another approved compensatory measure where required.
- Create or link facilities work orders, fire-alarm or sprinkler service calls, extinguisher service, fire-door repairs, electrical actions, contractor corrections, specialist reviews, or authority follow-up with named owners and due dates.
- Verify significant corrective actions through reinspection, live photos, functional testing, service reports, maintenance certificates, impairment-restoration records, or specialist sign-off before closure.
- Record final fire and life-safety status, critical open impairments, restricted areas, overdue actions, repeat findings, next audit date, auditor, fire or life-safety owner, facilities owner, and management approval.
Take it with you
Download the printable PDF to verify life-safety controls consistently, capture evidence of critical impairments, and connect fire-system service, facilities work, contractor action, interim controls, and final verification to accountable owners.
Use the complete checklist during your next fire and life-safety audit
This internal Facilities & Property template does not replace statutory fire inspections, specialist testing, the applicable fire or building code, insurer requirements, manufacturer instructions, or the authority having jurisdiction. Where U.S. OSHA general-industry rules apply, relevant 29 CFR 1910 requirements should be included.How to use it
Turn fire and life-safety audits into a controlled impairment-to-verification workflow
Confirm the occupancy and installed protection, inspect evacuation and fire-protection safeguards, control critical impairments immediately, then assign qualified corrective work and verify protection is fully restored.
Define occupancy and protection scope
Confirm building use, occupied areas, exit routes, fire doors, alarms, extinguishers, sprinklers, emergency lighting, fire-service access, previous findings, and active impairments.
Inspect life-safety readiness
Walk egress routes, fire doors, alarm and detection devices, extinguishers, water-based systems, emergency signs and lights, responder access, and higher-risk rooms.
Control critical impairments
Remove obstructions, restore required exits, implement approved interim measures, raise qualified fire-system or facilities work, and give every critical action a clear owner.
Verify restoration and prevent recurrence
Reinspect significant work, review service evidence and impairment restoration, trend repeat failures, and close findings only when the required protection is demonstrably restored.
Live interactive demo
See how fire and life-safety audits work when they are run in Taqtics
Use the digital workflow to capture live evidence, flag blocked egress or protection impairments, assign qualified corrective action, track interim controls, verify restoration, and compare repeat life-safety findings across properties.
Capture property, floor, system or route, finding, live photo, severity, impairment status, owner, service action, due date, and verification history together.
Turn blocked exits, failed fire doors, alarm faults, extinguisher issues, sprinkler impairments, dark egress routes, and contractor conflicts into accountable action.
Track repeat egress failures, alarm troubles, fire-door defects, extinguisher overdue items, sprinkler impairments, drill actions, and verified closure across properties.
Illustrative website demo. Responses are not stored or submitted.
Why digitize it
A clearer way to manage fire and life-safety audits across every property
Taqtics connects scheduled life-safety audits, live evidence, protection impairments, interim controls, fire-system service, facilities actions, verification, recurring trends, and reporting across properties.
Audit every protection layer consistently
Capture property, floor, exit route, fire door, protection system, condition, photo, severity, owner, due date, and audit history together.
Standardize critical life-safety findings
Use consistent status options, critical-impairment rules, photo evidence, escalation criteria, interim-control requirements, and verification expectations.
Route specialist work without losing context
Assign fire-alarm, sprinkler, extinguisher, fire-door, electrical, facilities, contractor, or emergency-planning action while keeping the original finding visible.
Compare life-safety risk across properties
Track repeat egress issues, fire-door failures, alarm troubles, extinguisher and sprinkler deficiencies, active impairments, overdue actions, and closure performance across sites.
Frequently asked questions
Fire and life safety audit checklist FAQs
What should a fire and life safety audit checklist cover?
It should cover exit routes and discharge, fire doors and visible compartmentation, alarm and detection systems, portable extinguishers, sprinklers and standpipes, emergency lighting and exit signs, evacuation planning, assembly and responder access, higher-risk rooms, ignition sources, system impairments, corrective actions, verification, and final sign-off.
What does OSHA require for exit routes in covered general-industry workplaces?
OSHA 29 CFR 1910.37 requires exit routes to be free and unobstructed and requires emergency safeguards such as sprinkler systems, alarm systems, fire doors, and exit lighting to be in proper working order. Applicable building and fire codes may impose additional requirements.
How often should portable fire extinguishers be inspected under OSHA?
Where OSHA 29 CFR 1910.157 applies, portable extinguishers must be visually inspected monthly and receive an annual maintenance check. Additional inspection, service, tagging, testing, or placement requirements may apply under the site's fire code and authority requirements.
What should be included in emergency action planning?
Where OSHA 29 CFR 1910.38 requires an emergency action plan, it must include procedures for reporting fires or other emergencies and procedures for emergency evacuation, including the type of evacuation and exit-route assignments, along with the other required plan elements.
What should happen when a fire-protection system is impaired?
Follow the property's approved impairment process immediately. Identify the affected protection, notify required stakeholders, establish approved compensatory measures where necessary, assign qualified repair, control occupancy or risk if required, and verify the system is fully restored before closure.
Does this checklist replace a statutory fire inspection or specialist system test?
No. It is an internal operational audit template. It does not replace inspections, testing, maintenance, certification, design review, or enforcement required by the applicable fire or building code, insurer, manufacturer, specialist standard, or authority having jurisdiction.
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