6 Fire Safety Mistakes That Stall Your Project—And How to Fix Them Fast

If you’ve ever had to call the fire marshal to reschedule an inspection—after crews are off-site, the client’s asking for keys, and the building’s still not cleared—you already know: fire safety delays aren’t theoretical. They’re expensive. They’re embarrassing. And they usually come from stuff that didn’t look like a problem until it was too late to fix without blowing your schedule.

TL;DR

Fire safety delays aren’t usually about big mistakes—they’re about small things no one owned.

If you’re short on time, here’s what to watch for and what to fix:

• Fire protection wasn’t part of precon. Get them in the room early or expect rework later.
• The team used old code. Double-check what version your Authority Having Jurisdiction (AHJ) is enforcing—don’t guess.
• No one owns the details. Assign fire safety tasks like you assign permits, or they’ll get missed.
• Final inspection got scheduled too late. Book early or risk sitting idle for three weeks.
• Vendors weren’t kept in the loop. Updates only help if they actually reach the field team.
• No one walked the site before inspection. Treat it like a final exam—not a formality.

Want to avoid the next schedule slip? Start here. Keep reading for what to do, who should do it, and when to make it happen.

1. Fire Safety Isn’t in the Precon

What usually happens:

Fire safety makes the project plan, but not the early conversations. By the time the fire alarm techs show up, ductwork is in the way, riser space is already spoken for, and no one coordinated pull station placement with Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) guidelines. It’s not malicious—it’s just overlooked. Until it costs time.

What this delays:

Uncoordinated installs can lead to major rework, last-minute design changes, and extended punch lists. The general contractor (GC) gets stuck juggling conflicting priorities, field crews get frustrated, and clients start asking why basic life safety tasks are now the bottleneck.

What to do instead:

• Bring fire protection into preconstruction meetings
• Share architectural and Mechanical, Electrical, and Plumbing (MEP) drawings early
• Confirm who’s responsible for alarm control panels, risers, and monitoring connections
• Add fire protection tasks to your master project schedule
• Kick off with a fire/life safety coordination meeting—just like you would for MEP

Helpful tools:

Riser diagrams, coordination drawings, equipment cut sheets with lead times, and inspection timelines from the AHJ

2. The Team Assumes Code Is the Same as Last Time

What usually happens:

Everyone assumes if it passed last time, it’ll pass again. But code evolves. Some changes are minor—spacing or signage updates—but others aren’t. It’s not always about a change in National Fire Protection Association (NFPA), either. Different fire marshals, different districts, different interpretations.

What this delays:

Outdated plans or specs can lead to denied permits, failed inspections, or late-stage change orders that weren’t budgeted. It’s especially risky for repeat projects or rollouts—when you assume standardization will carry you across the finish line.

What to do instead:

• Call the local AHJ to confirm current code enforcement
• Ask about local amendments or AHJ preferences
• Share code version info with your fire safety team and design subs
• Don’t rely on what passed last year—verify it
• If you’re in multiple jurisdictions, document the differences and brief your teams

What helps:

A short call with the marshal’s office, local amendment PDFs, and a one-page code alignment brief for the team

Fire safety tasks falling through the cracks? Let’s talk through your open items before they delay anything else.

3. No One Owns the Fire Protection Deliverables

What usually happens:

The alarm vendor thinks the GC is handling inspection scheduling. The GC thinks it’s on the electrical sub. The monitoring company doesn’t even know there’s a new panel on-site. You find out when the system’s installed—but not signed off.

What this delays:

Missing paperwork. Missed inspections. Work that’s physically complete, but can’t be tested or turned over because the approvals aren’t there. Worst case: final occupancy gets held up over something that could’ve been caught with a checklist and a five-minute conversation.

What to do instead:

• List out every fire safety task—design, install, permits, monitoring, testing, inspection
• Assign a person to each item and confirm who’s responsible, not just “the vendor”
• Bring that list to weekly site meetings to review status
• Confirm ahead of time who handles plan submittals and permit closeout
• Don’t assume the contract spells it out clearly—confirm it verbally and document it

Key tools:

Simple task tracker, contact list with roles, permit and inspection timeline sheet

4. Final Inspection Gets Scheduled Too Late

What usually happens:

Everyone’s heads-down pushing toward substantial completion. Fire protection gets installed, tested, and checked off internally. Then someone calls the fire marshal for inspection—and finds out they’re booked for the next three weeks.

What this delays:

Everything. Final approvals, punch list closeout, turnover to the client. And if there’s a failed inspection? Add more time to that clock.

What to do instead:

• Ask the AHJ about inspection lead times when pulling the permit
• Book a tentative inspection date early—even if it’s two months out
• Include inspections in the main schedule and update as needed
• Confirm which vendor or sub needs to be on-site and who’s walking with the inspector
• Don’t wait until the job is “100% ready”—book time before you’re done to hold your spot

Supporting details:

AHJ lead time chart, team inspection calendar, internal inspection readiness checklist

5. Fire Safety Vendors Don’t Get Updates

What usually happens:

Floor plans shift. Room counts change. Ceilings go from drywall to Acoustical Ceiling Tile (ACT). None of that makes it back to the fire protection team until they’re on site wondering why their layout doesn’t match reality.

What this delays:

Field install gets paused while someone makes calls. Rough-in can’t proceed. Panels can’t be energized because the final device list is now wrong. If the miscommunication goes far enough, it may require full redesigns or re-submittals.

What to do instead:

• Share layout changes with your fire protection subs as soon as they happen
• Include fire protection vendors in key update meetings
• Flag any changes that affect wall types, ceiling elevations, or device locations
• Send revised PDFs or even hand markups—don’t just describe them
• Make sure the field crew gets what the office team agreed on

Helpful additions:

Change log with fire protection notes, updated ceiling plans, a central folder for field-ready drawings

6. No One Walks the Site Before Inspection

What usually happens:

The team thinks they’re ready. But during the inspection, the marshal flags missing pull stations, blocked access panels, a disconnected strobe, or that one stairwell where the signage got skipped. Now it’s a failed inspection and a second visit needs to be booked.

What this delays:

Closeout. Occupancy. Substantial completion payments. Not to mention your team’s credibility.

What to do instead:

• Treat the inspection like a final walk and do a site pass-through the day before
• Use a real checklist—not just “looks good”
• Confirm device locations, labels, test results, clearances, signage, and access
• Assign someone to walk with the marshal—not just hand over a key
• Take photos or videos of borderline items if needed for documentation

Tools that make a difference:

Fire inspection prep checklist, labeled device map, final testing logs, and on-site contact sheet

Fire safety delays aren’t usually loud. They show up in small gaps: the inspection that wasn’t booked, the drawing that didn’t get shared, the checklist no one pulled out. And every one of those gaps slows your project down.
None of this is complicated—but it does take attention early. You don’t need a new system. You just need someone making sure fire safety isn’t the blind spot.

If even one of these mistakes sounds familiar, let’s talk through what to fix before it’s urgent.

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