Failure to Maintain and Test Emergency Generator per NFPA Standards
Penalty
Summary
The facility failed to provide evidence of proper maintenance and testing of its 135 KW diesel-powered generator in accordance with National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) standards. During a record review with the Maintenance Director, surveyors found that the facility did not have documentation for monthly specific gravity or conductance testing of the generator's maintenance-free battery, weekly voltage testing of the battery, monthly load testing of the life safety generator, or weekly visual inspections of the generator. The last documented monthly load test was dated several months prior to the review. These deficiencies were confirmed during an interview with the Maintenance Director, who acknowledged the lack of required records. The absence of these maintenance and testing records indicates that the facility did not adhere to the required schedules and procedures outlined in NFPA 99, NFPA 110, and NFPA 101 for ensuring the reliability of the essential electrical system, specifically the emergency generator and its components.