Form 22: Certificate of Design and Installation of a Sprinkler System of Up to 10 Heads Under SI 159

What Is Form 22 and Why Does It Exist?

Form 22 is an official certificate in the business licensing process before the National Fire and Rescue Authority, and it concerns the design and installation of a small sprinkler system — up to 10 sprinkler heads — in accordance with the requirements of Israeli Standard (SI) 159. The form is a signed declaration by the party who designed and installed the system, stating that it suits the place, the type of risk and the actual use.

In plain language: when a small business — a hair salon, a store, a small warehouse, an office or a restaurant — has a sprinkler system installed on a limited scale, the fire authority wants to see written proof that the system was designed and installed properly. Form 22 is that proof, and it is the shortened route intended specifically for small systems, as distinct from the heavy engineering approvals required for large systems.

The reason for its existence is clear: a sprinkler system designed or installed improperly may fail to operate during a fire — and then what is supposed to save lives and prevent property loss simply does not work. The certificate is a layer of oversight that ensures the system will do its job at the moment of truth.

Which System the Form Certifies and How Sprinklers Save Lives?

A sprinkler system is a network of water pipes usually installed in the ceiling. Each sprinkler head is sealed with a glass ampoule filled with liquid. When the air temperature rises due to a fire, the ampoule bursts — and only the head above the seat of the fire opens and sprays water onto the burning area, before the fire spreads.

An important point to understand: in most fires only a few heads — and sometimes only one head — actually open and are enough to stop the fire. A properly designed system reduces damage, protects human life and eases the work of the firefighting forces. In a small business with up to 10 heads the system is modest in size — but critical in its role, since usually the business has no other fixed firefighting means.

SI 159 — What the Standard Requires, in Plain Language?

Israeli Standard SI 159 is the technical-requirements document for installing automatic water-based firefighting systems (sprinklers). It sets, among other things:

• The type of sprinkler heads suited to the risk level and the nature of the use (residential, commercial, storage, etc.)
• Spacings and placement — distances between head and head and between the heads and the ceiling, so that every area is covered
• Pressure and flow — the water pressure and the amount of water per minute required for proper operation of the heads
• The supply source — what feeds the system and how it is connected to the water supply
• Inspection means — drainage and test points that allow soundness to be verified over time
• Protection and marking — protection against freezing where necessary, and marking of the system components

In practice, compliance with SI 159 means the system will open in time, cover the entire intended area, and work at sufficient water pressure and quantity. It is important to know that standards are updated from time to time — and therefore the exact requirement must be obtained from whoever designs the system according to the version in force.

Who Must Submit Form 22 and When?

Any business owner whose premises have a sprinkler system of up to 10 heads installed, and who requires fire authority approval within business licensing, is required to present Form 22. The requirement usually arises in one of the following situations:

• Opening a new business — an initial application for a business license
• Renewing a business license — when the authority wants to verify that the system is still sound and documented
• A change to the business — expanding the area, renovating or changing the designation in a way that affects the risk
• An initiated demand by a fire inspector — following an on-site inspection

It is important to clarify: not every business is required to have a sprinkler system. The obligation derives from the "uniform specification" of the relevant licensing item, the size of the area, the nature of the risk and the fire authority's requirements. But if such a system exists — the certificate for it must be in order and up to date.

Who Is Qualified to Complete and Sign Form 22?

Here lies the most important detail that business owners miss: not every plumber and not every renovation contractor is allowed to sign Form 22. The signature is reserved for whoever is qualified to design and install water-based firefighting systems.

In practice this is a party with suitable training and certification in the field of firefighting systems — for example, an installer/technician licensed for firefighting, or an engineer with a background in firefighting systems. For small systems on the Form 22 track the process is shortened relative to large systems, but it still requires the signature of a qualified party — not of a general professional.

Because the identity of the qualified party and the procedures may vary between authorities and between guideline versions, always verify with the local fire authority or with a fire-safety planner who is allowed to sign in your specific case — and ask to see the certification before paying.

Validity of the Certificate and Ongoing Maintenance

Form 22 certifies the design and installation at the time they were performed. Afterward the system is not "forgotten" — it requires periodic maintenance inspections and orderly documentation, in accordance with the standard's requirements and the authority's guidelines.

In practice, the following is usually expected:

• Periodic soundness inspections by a qualified party, and their documentation
• Maintaining an up-to-date maintenance log that records every inspection and repair
• Issuing a new certificate when a change is made to the system

Note the important practical rule: if a change affecting the system was made — even adding a single sprinkler head — the original certificate no longer reflects the situation on site, and an updated certificate must be issued.

What the Fire Inspector Actually Checks?

A fire inspector does not settle for viewing the form. During an inspection they examine, among other things:

• Conformity between the certified and the existing — the number of heads, their placement and installation height relative to the design
• Physical condition of the heads — rust, paint smeared on them, or blockage by high shelves
• Freedom of water dispersal — that no objects block the spray of water from the head
• Soundness of the inspection means — the drainage and test points in the system
• Maintenance log and inspection records — up-to-date, continuous documentation
• Identity of the signatory and the certification — that whoever signed the form is indeed qualified to do so

Common Mistakes and Oversights — the Nuances Worth Knowing

These are the failures that recur in fire authority inspections, and all are preventable:

• Painted sprinkler heads: a renovation contractor painted the ceiling and with it the sprinkler heads. The paint may delay the bursting of the ampoule — the head is disqualified and must be replaced.
• High shelves that block: a store added high display shelves, and now the shelf comes between the head and the area below it. This is a defect that requires re-examination and re-approval.
• Change of designation without updating: a small warehouse that became a restaurant — the fire load increased, and a system designed for low risk may not be enough.
• Signature by an unqualified party: a general plumber who signed the form "because he installed everything." The authority will reject such a certificate.
• An old certificate without documented maintenance: the business owner holds a form from years ago, but there is no up-to-date maintenance log — the certificate may be considered insufficient.
• A drop in water pressure: following changes to the building's general piping the water pressure dropped. The system is "sound on paper," but may not operate properly.
• Adding heads without updating the form: heads were added to a new room but an updated Form 22 was not issued. Even a small addition requires a fresh certificate.

Practical Tips for the Business Owner and Building Manager

• Keep a copy of Form 22 in the business's safety file — and not only with the contractor who installed it.
• Obtain a maintenance log on installation day, and make sure all inspections are recorded in it.
• Before a renovation clarify whether the work affects the system — and if so, involve the qualified party before and after.
• State in writing in the work specification: do not paint the sprinkler heads.
• Verify the certification of whoever signs the form for you — ask to see it.
• Set a periodic reminder for a maintenance inspection — do not wait for an inspector to discover that the last inspection was done years ago.

How Domera Helps You Track the Certificate?

Building managers and business owners who use Domera can store Form 22 in the property's digital file, set an automatic reminder for the maintenance inspection, and locate qualified suppliers in the supplier directory to perform the inspection and renew the certificate — so that nothing is forgotten, and there is no frantic searching moments before an inspection.