Most people assume it's a technical fault. The law says it's the building owner's fault.
As a building owner, you are legally responsible for ensuring your sprinkler system is inspected and operational at all times. Installing the system is not enough. Having it inspected two years ago is not enough. The responsibility is ongoing — and it rests with you, regardless of who you have contracted to do the work.
This is not a question of insurance. It is a question of law.
Sprinkler systems in Norway are governed by a hierarchy of legislation that makes one thing clear: the owner is responsible.
The Fire and Explosion Prevention Act, Section 6 requires owners to "keep safety devices in proper condition and ensure that they function as intended at all times."
The Fire Prevention Regulation, Section 5 specifies that building owners must ensure that installations designed to detect or limit fire "are inspected and maintained so that they function as intended."
Section 9 adds that owners must have routines for detecting, correcting, and preventing deficiencies — not merely reacting to them.
Owners may delegate the practical work to a tenant, property manager or external contractor. But the responsibility cannot be delegated. If something fails, your name is still on the paperwork.
These three terms are often used interchangeably, but regulations draw a clear distinction:
| Term | Who Performs It? | What Does It Involve? |
|---|---|---|
| Inspection | Owner or manager | Simple self-check — look and verify everything appears correct |
| Control | Qualified personnel | Systematic review against requirement documents and standards |
| Maintenance | Certified technician | Servicing, repairs and remediation of documented deficiencies |
NS-EN 12845:2015 is the standard all Norwegian sprinkler systems must comply with. It does not just set goals — it sets minimum intervals.
The rules are clear. The practice is something else.
A report from the Information Office for Automatic Extinguishing Systems (OFAS) reviewed 150 randomly selected Norwegian sprinkler systems and found that 33% had not carried out any inspection at all — not just missing some checks, but no inspection whatsoever.
The reason? "Neither insurers nor supervisory authorities are able to enforce the correction of faults in the systems." (OFAS, 2003)
In Denmark, systems lose their approval if serious faults are not corrected within a set deadline. In Norway, no equivalent mechanism exists. The consequences of non-compliance are effectively absent — until there is a fire.
NS-EN 12845 requires that a log of all inspections be maintained and kept on the premises. The user must appoint a responsible person — with a designated deputy — who, after training, ensures the system is in working order.
A log that does not exist is not just a breach of the standard. It is a legal exposure. If a fire occurs and it cannot be documented that inspections were carried out, the insurer has grounds to reduce or deny a claim.
Firemesh was developed to fill exactly this gap — between what regulations require and what actually happens in practice.
The system continuously and automatically monitors the critical checkpoints in NS-EN 12845:
Regulations set the requirements. Firemesh ensures they are actually met.
→ See how Firemesh works in your buildingWho is responsible if the sprinkler system fails during a fire?
The building owner is legally responsible. Responsibility cannot be transferred to a property manager, tenant or contractor, even if those parties carry out the practical inspections.
What is the difference between an inspection and a control?
An inspection is a simple self-check carried out by the owner or manager. A control is a more systematic review performed by qualified personnel. Both are required — neither can substitute for the other.
How often must sprinkler systems be inspected?
Weekly inspection is the minimum requirement under NS-EN 12845. Monthly control, three-yearly servicing of backflow preventers and annual third-party inspection are also required.
What happens if no inspection log has been kept?
Absent documentation undermines the ability to prove that maintenance was carried out. This can provide grounds for insurance reduction and is itself a breach of NS-EN 12845.
Can an automated system count as inspection under NS-EN 12845?
It depends on which checkpoints the system covers and whether the documentation meets the standard's requirements. Firemesh is built specifically around these functional requirements.
Are the requirements in Norway the same as elsewhere in Europe?
NS-EN 12845 is a European standard that applies across the EEA. The requirements are the same — but the sanctions regime for non-compliance varies significantly between countries.
Source: RISE Fire Research, report A19 20412:1 "Requirements for inspection and reliability of sprinkler systems", 2019. Commissioned by Firemesh AS.