A fire marshal inspection checks three things, whether the building’s fire protection equipment works, whether people can get out, and whether the paperwork proves both, against the fire code the inspecting office enforces. In most Dallas-Fort Worth cities that inspection comes from the city’s own fire marshal, and the businesses that pass easily are the ones whose service tags are current and exits clear before the inspector arrives. For a commercial kitchen, that starts with a current fire suppression inspection on the hood system.
- Who inspects. In most Dallas-Fort Worth cities, the city’s own fire marshal’s office, not the State Fire Marshal
- What is checked. Extinguishers, the kitchen hood suppression system, alarms and sprinklers, exits, exit signs and emergency lighting
- What to have ready. A current service tag and report for every fire protection system, and the building’s permits
- If something fails. It is written up with what has to be corrected, and the inspector may come back to check
Who Carries Out a Fire Marshal Inspection in Dallas-Fort Worth?
In most Dallas-Fort Worth cities, the city’s own fire marshal’s office inspects businesses against the fire code that city has adopted. The Texas State Fire Marshal’s Office inspects buildings statewide but cancels requests in areas served by a local agency with certified inspectors, so your city’s fire department is usually the one to call.
Which office sends the inspector matters, because it decides which code your building is held to. The Texas Department of Insurance says the State Fire Marshal’s Office inspects to the 2021 editions of NFPA 101, the Life Safety Code, and NFPA 1, the Fire Code. A city fire marshal enforces the edition the city council adopted, with that city’s own amendments, so the details can differ from one city to the next. Some inspections are booked ahead and some are not, so the safest plan is to keep the building ready all year. When a date is set, ask the inspector’s office which code it enforces, and if your kitchen hood system is due for its semiannual service, have it done before that date.
2021 editions
The editions of the two national fire codes the Texas State Fire Marshal’s Office uses as its standard of inspection.
Sourced to Texas Department of Insurance, State Fire Marshal inspection notices
What Does the Fire Marshal Look At?
The fire marshal looks at the fire protection equipment, the way out of the building and the records behind both. That means extinguishers, the kitchen hood suppression system, alarms and sprinklers where the building has them, clear exits with working exit signs and emergency lighting, and the dated tags and reports that prove each was serviced.
| Area | What the inspector checks | What to do before the visit |
|---|---|---|
| Fire extinguishers | The right type in the right place, in plain view or marked by a sign, with a current tag | Walk every unit and confirm the monthly check is initialed and the annual tag is current |
| Kitchen hood suppression | A current service tag from a state-registered company, with the nozzles and pull station unobstructed | Book the semiannual inspection before the visit if it is due |
| Fire alarm and sprinklers | Current inspection and test records from the companies that service them | Ask those companies for their latest reports |
| Exits and pathways | Clear routes, doors that open freely, and lit exit signs | Move stock, pallets and furniture out of every exit path |
| Emergency lighting | Lights that come on when the power is lost | Press the test button on each unit and have failed ones repaired |
| Paperwork | Service reports, permits, and anything the last inspection asked for | Keep them in one folder the manager on shift can find |
Every extinguisher should be in plain view or marked by a sign, as fire extinguisher signs and what the code requires explains, and the right type for each area is set out in the guide to fire extinguisher uses, classes and types. Boss Fire Protection services the kitchen hood suppression system and the portable extinguishers. Fire alarms, sprinklers and emergency lighting are serviced by the companies that specialize in them, and the fire marshal will want their reports as well.
Getting Ready in the Week Before
Most failed items are things a manager could have found with a walk around the building. Walk it the way the inspector will, with the table above in hand. Stand at each exit and look back along the path to it. Open every exit door. Check that every extinguisher tag carries this month’s initials and that the hood system’s tag is inside its six-month date. Then gather the paperwork, the service reports for every system, the inspection reports from the last visits, and any permits, so the inspector is not kept waiting while someone searches an office. In a commercial kitchen, also make sure the staff on shift know where the pull station is and which extinguisher belongs by the fryer, because an inspector can ask, and fire safety tips for staff and customers covers what they should know.
During the Inspection
Have the person who knows the building best walk with the inspector, ideally the owner or the manager who keeps the service records. The fire marshal may ask questions about your fire safety measures. Answer honestly and provide what is asked for. If you are unsure about something, say so and follow up with the information afterward, which is far better than a guess that turns out to be wrong. Take notes on anything the inspector points out, even items that are not written up, because they are often what the next inspection looks at first.
What Happens If the Fire Marshal Finds a Violation?
If the fire marshal finds a violation, it goes into a written report with what has to be corrected, usually with a date to correct it by, and the inspector may come back to check. A serious hazard, such as a blocked exit or a kitchen system out of service, can need fixing before the business keeps operating.
After the inspection you may receive a report detailing the findings, and if the fire marshal found problems, what has to change. Address each item as soon as possible and keep the proof, the new service tag, the repair invoice, or a photo of the cleared exit, for the follow-up visit. A kitchen hood system that has been red tagged cannot be cooked under until it is repaired, re-tested and re-tagged. Our article on what happens if your business fails a fire inspection walks through that process step by step.
How Boss Fire Helps Before and After
Boss Fire Protection inspects and services commercial kitchen fire suppression systems and portable fire extinguishers across Dallas-Fort Worth. Before an inspection, that means a current tag on the hood system and every extinguisher, with a photo-documented report you can hand straight to the inspector. After one, it means correcting whatever was found on the suppression system or the extinguishers, with same-day red tag repair whenever the part is on the truck, so the follow-up visit finds the item fixed and documented.
Sources: Texas Department of Insurance, State Fire Marshal’s Office, inspection notices (the 2021 editions of NFPA 101 and NFPA 1, effective September 1, 2023) and fire safety inspections (requests cancelled where a local agency has certified inspectors). NFPA 96, Standard for Ventilation Control and Fire Protection of Commercial Cooking Operations, National Fire Protection Association.
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Inspections, service, red-tag repair, and new installs for commercial kitchens across Dallas-Fort Worth. Photo-documented work and a written report, every visit.
