Fire protection software for South African fire safety companies
Mandatory annual inspections, monthly extinguisher checks, sprinkler and hydrant tests, COA documentation, and recurring maintenance contracts — all in one app. Built for SA fire safety companies managing OHS Act compliance obligations.
The compliance and operational challenges SA fire protection companies face
Fire protection is one of the most compliance-intensive field service businesses in South Africa. The OHS Act Section 8 places a legal duty on every employer to maintain fire safety equipment in working order. SANS 10400 governs fire protection requirements for buildings. SANS 1475 specifies extinguisher service intervals. A Certificate of Adequacy must be issued per inspection. The documentation burden is real — and it compounds with every client added to your contract base. Managing annual inspections, monthly checks, and the associated paperwork on spreadsheets and WhatsApp is a liability in a business where missing a compliance deadline has legal consequences.
Problem: Annual inspection schedules missed or not tracked per client
Each client is set up on the correct inspection schedule in a maintenance contract — annual, six-monthly, or quarterly. Job cards generate automatically on the due date. The annual OHS inspection for a client's factory appears on the dispatch board without anyone creating it. Missed inspections are visible as outstanding job cards, not as compliance failures discovered during a Department of Labour audit.
Problem: Monthly extinguisher checks not completed or not documented
A separate monthly maintenance contract handles extinguisher checks independently from the annual full inspection. The job card for the monthly check generates automatically on the 1st of each month. Technicians work through each extinguisher location on the job card, photograph the condition and gauge reading, and record the check in the Readings/Compliance stage. Every monthly check is documented, dated, and linked to the client.
Problem: Sprinkler and hydrant test results not formally recorded
Sprinkler system tests, hydrant flow tests, and hose reel checks are service items on the job card. Test readings — pressure values, flow rates, system activation times — are recorded in the Readings/Compliance photo stage alongside photographs of each test point. The readings are linked permanently to the job card and form part of the COA documentation record.
Problem: COA generation requires assembling documentation from scattered sources
All compliance documentation for a site — extinguisher serial numbers, service dates, test readings, photos of each tested system component — is captured in the job card during the inspection visit. When the COA is generated, the documentation is already organised and linked to the inspection job. There is nothing to assemble from scattered photos and handwritten notes.
Problem: Extinguisher serial numbers and service histories not tracked per asset
Equipment registry — coming in the fast-follow release on Professional and Enterprise plans — will register each extinguisher with type, serial number, installation location, service date, last recharge date, and next service due. Service history builds automatically with every visit. When a client installs new extinguishers or relocates existing ones, the asset register is updated. Until launch, serial numbers are recorded in job card notes.
Problem: SLA commitments for commercial clients not monitored
SLA tracking — coming in the fast-follow release on Professional and Enterprise plans — will monitor response times and inspection completion against client SLA targets. Until then, priority levels on job cards flag high-priority inspection jobs and emergency callouts. The dispatch board shows outstanding urgent jobs so large commercial clients are not kept waiting past their contracted response time.
How a fire protection inspection job flows in WorkOrderPro
Fire protection companies use recurring maintenance contracts for both monthly checks and annual inspections. Both generate job cards automatically. Emergency callouts — suppression system activation, suspected fault — are handled as high-priority job cards on the dispatch board.
Maintenance contracts are live at launch. The customer-initiated callout flow — where clients submit service requests via the customer portal — is coming in a fast-follow release.
The maintenance contract generates the job card automatically. For a commercial building's annual OHS inspection, this is a comprehensive job card with multiple service items: extinguishers, sprinkler system, hydrants, hose reels, fire doors, and emergency lighting. For a monthly extinguisher check, it is a shorter job card focused on the extinguisher register.
The technician is assigned and receives the full job brief: client address, access instructions, the list of equipment and systems to be inspected, and any previous inspection notes. For large industrial clients with multiple buildings, the job brief includes the site layout and room-by-room extinguisher register.
Arrival photos document the facility before inspection begins — fire exits, extinguisher positions, hydrant cabinet condition. For any system that is found non-operational on arrival — a tripped suppression system, a broken extinguisher seal — this is captured in the arrival stage before any remediation.
The technician works systematically through each inspection item. Each extinguisher is photographed and its gauge reading, seal condition, and last service date recorded. Sprinkler zones are tested and flow values recorded. Hydrant pressure readings are captured. All readings go into the Readings/Compliance stage. If non-compliant items are found, the remediation quote is built on-site and the client approves on the phone.
Completion photos document the state of the fire protection systems after the inspection — serviced extinguishers, tested systems, any replaced components. The client representative signs off. The auto-generated invoice includes the inspection fee, any service items, and replacement parts.
The invoice is delivered. The full compliance documentation from the inspection — readings, photos, extinguisher records — is permanently linked to the job card. The COA reference is noted in the job card. The next inspection date is set by the maintenance contract and will generate automatically.
OHS Act, SANS 10400, and SANS 1475 compliance documentation
South African fire protection law places clear obligations on both employers and the companies that service their fire safety equipment. Section 8 of the OHS Act requires employers to provide and maintain fire-fighting equipment in working order. SANS 10400 Part T specifies fire protection requirements for buildings by occupancy type. SANS 1475 governs the service intervals and procedures for portable fire extinguishers — annual full service, and more frequent checks depending on the environment.
A Certificate of Adequacy (COA) is issued by the accredited fire protection company after each inspection, confirming the fire safety systems meet the applicable standards. The COA is a legal document — it is evidence that the employer has met their OHS Act duty of care. The documentation supporting the COA — inspection records, test readings, extinguisher service records, photographs — must be organised, per-site, and retrievable on demand.
The Readings/Compliance photo stage in WorkOrderPro is the correct place to capture all inspection documentation. Extinguisher gauge photos, pressure test readings, sprinkler flow test values, and COA reference numbers are captured here and linked permanently to the inspection job, the client, and the specific job site. When a client is audited by the Department of Labour, or when a building changes ownership and the new owner requests fire safety records, the documentation is in the system — searchable by client, address, or job number.
Because photos are GPS-tagged and timestamped at capture, and become immutable once the job moves past in-progress status, the record is tamper-proof. The coordinates confirm the technician was at the correct site. The timestamp confirms when each inspection was conducted.
SANS 1475 extinguisher records
Each extinguisher service — annual, five-year recharge, or monthly check — is recorded per unit with photographs, gauge readings, and service notes. Linked to the specific extinguisher serial number via the equipment registry (coming soon, Professional and Enterprise). Available to document in job card notes on all plans.
Sprinkler and hydrant test records
Test readings, flow values, pressure measurements, and system activation times captured in the Readings/Compliance stage. Photographs of test points, flow meters, and system panels. Permanently linked to the job card and job site.
COA documentation per inspection
COA reference numbers, inspection findings, and compliance notes recorded in the job card. The full compliance photo record supports the COA. Every inspection creates a retrievable documentation package linked to the client and site.
Features built for fire protection companies
Fire safety is compliance-driven and recurring by nature. The features below address the specific operational demands of SA fire protection businesses — from automated inspection scheduling to tamper-proof compliance documentation.
Maintenance contracts for OHS inspection schedules
Set up each client on the correct inspection schedule — annual, six-monthly, or monthly. Job cards generate automatically on the due date. No inspection is missed because it was not manually created. As your client base grows, the scheduling scales with it. Available on all plans.
Compliance photo documentation per inspection
The Readings/Compliance photo stage captures extinguisher gauges, test readings, system condition photographs, and COA evidence — all linked to the inspection job, client, and site. GPS-tagged, timestamped, and tamper-proof from upload. Provides a verifiable record to support every COA issued. Available on all plans.
Dispatch board for inspections and emergency callouts
Scheduled inspections and emergency callouts — suppression system activation, reported fault — are managed from the same dispatch board. Emergency priority flags urgent callouts. The nearest available technician is assigned immediately. Professional and Enterprise plans include the full calendar with drag-and-drop scheduling.
Equipment registry for extinguishers and suppression systemsComing soon
Register each extinguisher with type, serial number, location, service date, recharge date, and next service due. Track suppression system components and hydrant infrastructure per site. Service history builds automatically with every visit. Professional and Enterprise plans — coming in the fast-follow release.
On-site quote builder for non-compliant items
When an inspection reveals non-compliant equipment — overdue recharge, damaged unit, missing signage, faulty sprinkler head — the technician builds the remediation quote on-site. Replacement items and labour are itemised from the service catalogue. The client approves by signing on the phone. Remediation starts on the same visit when the client agrees. Available on all plans.
SLA tracking for commercial and industrial contractsComing soon
Monitor response times and inspection completion against client SLA commitments. Breach alerts before you miss an SLA. Breach reports for monthly client reviews. Particularly relevant for hospitals, data centres, and large commercial clients with contractual inspection response time requirements. Professional and Enterprise plans — coming in the fast-follow release.
Fire safety asset management across your client base
A mid-sized fire protection company in South Africa typically manages thousands of individual extinguishers and hundreds of suppression system components across its client base. Each asset has its own service history, recharge schedule, and compliance obligations. Managing this without a proper asset register is a compliance risk — and a lost revenue risk when service intervals are missed.
Per-site equipment records
Each client site is a separate job site with its own equipment list, inspection history, and compliance record. When a factory expands and adds new extinguishers, the equipment list is updated. Every service visit builds the history for that site automatically.
Equipment registry (coming soon)
Equipment registry — on Professional and Enterprise plans, coming in the fast-follow release — will provide a proper asset register per site, per extinguisher, and per system component. Serial numbers, service dates, and next-due dates tracked per asset. Available on all plans to document in job card notes in the interim.
Searchable compliance history
Every inspection, every test record, every COA reference is searchable by client name, site address, or job number. When a client faces a Department of Labour audit or an insurance renewal requiring proof of compliance, the documentation is findable within seconds.
ZAR pricing for South African fire protection companies
From R999/mo base + R349/technician (up to 5 technicians). No USD exposure, no setup fees. PayFast billing.
Professional from R1 999/mo base + R499/technician adds equipment registry (coming soon), SLA tracking (coming soon), service area management, and team performance insights for companies managing large fire safety client portfolios. Enterprise from R4 999/mo base + R699/technician for large fire protection operations with 25+ technicians.
Fire protection company questions
How does the system handle mandatory OHS Act inspection schedules?
Maintenance contracts automate the scheduling. Each client is set up on the correct inspection interval — annual full inspections, monthly extinguisher checks, or quarterly hydrant tests. Job cards generate automatically on the due date. When the annual OHS inspection for a factory is due, the job card appears on the dispatch board without anyone creating it manually. No inspection is missed because it was not manually scheduled.
Can I track each extinguisher by serial number?
Equipment registry — on Professional and Enterprise plans — is coming in the fast-follow release after launch. It will allow you to register each extinguisher with make, model, type, serial number, service date, and next service due date. Every service job links to the specific extinguisher record. Service history builds automatically. Until the equipment registry launches, extinguisher serial numbers and service records are captured in job card notes and the Readings/Compliance photo stage.
How do I document a Certificate of Adequacy (COA) for a client?
The full compliance photo record from the inspection job — extinguisher condition, sprinkler system test results, hydrant pressure readings, hose reel checks, emergency signage — is permanently linked to the job card. Certificate reference numbers and COA details are recorded in the job card notes and the Readings/Compliance stage. Because photos are GPS-tagged and timestamped at capture, and become tamper-proof once the job closes, the documentation is a verifiable compliance record. The COA reference links directly to the inspection job.
How does the system handle both the monthly extinguisher check visit and the annual full inspection for the same client?
Each inspection type is set up as a separate maintenance contract. The monthly extinguisher check contract generates a short-form job card every month. The annual full inspection contract generates a comprehensive job card once a year. Both link to the same client and the same job sites. The monthly visits show in the client's history alongside the annual inspections. Different job cards, different service items, different invoices — all under the same customer record.
Can I manage sprinkler system tests and hydrant pressure tests on the same job card as extinguisher checks?
Yes. A single job card can contain multiple service line items — extinguisher inspection, sprinkler test, hydrant pressure check, hose reel test, emergency light function check. The technician works through each item, records readings in the Readings/Compliance stage, and photos are taken for each test. The completed job card is the COA evidence record, covering all the system components tested in a single visit.
How do I handle SLA requirements for large commercial and industrial clients?
SLA tracking — on Professional and Enterprise plans — is coming in the fast-follow release. It will monitor response times and service completion against agreed SLA targets, alert you before an SLA breach, and generate breach reports. Until then, priority levels on job cards flag urgent inspections and emergency callouts. The dispatch board shows outstanding jobs by priority so critical clients are not left waiting.
Does the mobile app work in buildings with no signal — warehouses, basements, large factories?
Yes. The mobile app is offline-first. Technicians conducting inspections in large industrial facilities, basement parking, multi-storey warehouses, and other areas with poor signal can complete the full job card — photos, readings, compliance notes, and customer sign-off — with no internet connection. Data syncs when the technician returns to signal. No inspection record is lost due to connectivity.
Built for South African fire protection companies
14-day free trial. No credit card required. ZAR pricing from R999/mo base + R349/technician. OHS Act compliance documentation on all plans.
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