Annual Fire Inspections

Through annual fire inspections to each business and apartment complex in Lenexa, our Fire Prevention Division tries to reduce the loss of life and property and promote safety through public education and code enforcement.  

During these inspections, we are ensuring your business meets current International Fire Code and local adopted codes.  

It is the responsibility and requirement of the inspection company testing your fire and life safety systems to submit all test reports via The Compliance Engine.


Inspection Schedule

We complete an annual inspection of all businesses within Lenexa. We make unannounced inspections rather than scheduling them in advance. These inspections are scheduled each year approximately one year from the date of your last annual inspection. Depending on how the inspection program is progressing in a given year, inspections could be conducted as early as two months before or as late as two months after the regularly scheduled date.  


Commonly seen violations

During these inspections, we commonly see violations that do not meet the following criteria:  

Exits

  • Double-keyed locks, deadbolts, hasps, padlocks, bars and chains cannot be installed on marked exits.

  • Emergency lighting must illuminate the exit path and operate on battery power.

  • The exit corridor and path must maintain a minimum of 44 inches of clear path at all times for businesses with more than 50 people, and 36 inches for businesses with less than 50 people.

  • Exit signs must be posted to show exit path. All exit bulbs must operate on normal (AC) power and battery power.

  • The exit path must remain unobstructed, and there must be continuous access to the building’s exit and the outside.

Electrical

  • Electrical outlet and switch covers must be in place on all electrical devices. 

  • Electrical panels must have all open slots properly covered and 36 inches of clearance in front. 

  • Electrical power strips can be used as an extension cord if they are circuit-breaker protected. They must be plugged directly into a wall outlet. 

  • Electrical rooms and sprinkler rooms must be identified on the exterior of the door and cannot be used as storage areas. 

  • Extension cords cannot be used for permanent wiring (more than 90 days) and cannot run through walls, ceilings, doorways, floors or windows. 

Sprinklers & Fire Extinguishers

  • There must be one fire extinguisher for every 3,000 square feet of building space and every 75 feet of travel on each floor. The minimum size is 2A10BC, and the extinguisher must be secured visibly three to five feet off the floor. All fire extinguishers must have a current inspection tag showing an inspection within the last year. 

  • If your business has fire sprinklers, all ceiling tiles must be in place. 

  • Storage must remain at least 18 inches away from sprinkler heads and 36 inches away from early suppression fast response (ESFR) sprinkler heads. 

  • Sprinkler heads must be replaced when damaged, dirty or painted. You must have a minimum of three replacement heads for each type and one sprinkler wrench. All escutcheon collars must be in place. 

  • Sprinkler system must have a current inspection tag showing an inspection within the last year. 

 

Miscellaneous

  • Address must be located on the front and back of the building and visible from the street. Numbers must be a minimum of 5 inches tall and in contrasting colors to the background. 

  • All occupants are required to have a Certificate of Occupancy, which must be posted in a visible location. 

  • All pressurized cylinders must be properly secured, either in a cylinder cart or chained to the wall. 

  • Heating equipment must have proper clearance: 30 inches to access and 18 inches around the perimeter. 

  • When storing idle pallets indoors, they should be in groups of four stacks, six feet tall, eight feet apart from other groups, and 25 feet from combustibles. 

  • Must have a valid annual safety inspection performed by a Kansas licensed elevator inspector. The certificate shall be on site per the Kansas Elevator Safety Act.


Questions?

If you have questions about annual fire inspections, please call our Fire Prevention Division at 913.477.7990, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday.