The Union County Fire Marshal’s Office is responsible for all fire inspections done in the county, except the City of Monroe.   These types of fire inspections include certificate of compliance, maintenance, foster homes, day care, rest homes, acceptance test on new fire protection equipment, and other inspections where there is a possible life safety hazard. Depending on your occupancy type will depend on how often your commercial structure is due for an inspection. 

 

All buildings that are used for hazardous, institutional, and residential purposes are required to be inspected one time a year. 

 

Industrial buildings and schools that are not affiliated with the public school system require that they be inspected every two years. 

 

The most common inspection is a three year inspection. Buildings which are used as a business, mercantile, storage, church, or a synagogue are required to be inspected every three years. 

 

Maintenance inspections are inspections that occur after a building is built. These inspections are conducted on a time frame which is established by the occupancy type. Depending on when your building was permitted will depend on what edition of the North Carolina Fire Prevention Code will apply to you. Only when there is an imminent life safety hazard or a new condition that was not in place at the time of construction will the current code apply. 

 

Fire inspections are an important part of prevention. Through inspections unsafe conditions are able to be identified and mitigated to prevent the cause of fire. However, inspections are not the only form of prevention. Prevention is also covered in public education programs that are taught throughout the county. Last year the Fire Marshal’s Office conducted over 1,500 inspections in the county. With the growth of Union County being one of the fastest in the state, this number is only expected to rise. 

 

If you would like to schedule a fire inspection please contact our office at 704-283-3524 and an appointment can be made.