Tuesday, April 22, 2014

Fire Alarm Requirements for Group I-2.1 Occupancy

Group I-2.1 (Institutional) - This occupancy is no longer referenced in the 2021 IFC or 2021 IBC


Systems required to be monitored per the 2021 IFC section 907.6.6.

A manual fire alarm system (Manual fire alarm boxes) along with an automatic smoke detection system that activates the occupant notification system (horns, strobes, sounders, speakers, chimes, mass notification, etc.)

Automatic smoke detection system shall be installed in corridors of nursing homes, long term care facilities and spaces permitted to be open to the corridors.  Hospitals shall have smoke detection.

Exceptions:

Manual fire alarm boxes at exits in sleeping units shall not be required if manual pull boxes are located at all care providers’ stations or other approved staff locations.  Note: the pull stations must be visible/accessible and the travel distance to any pull box shall not exceed 200 feet.

Corridor smoke detection is not required in smoke compartments containing sleeping units pending the sleeping units having smoke detectors that comply with UL 268.  These detectors shall also have a visual display (LED Indicator plate) on the corridor side of each sleeping unit as well as activation of a visual/audible signal at the nurse's station.

If the sleeping unit doors are equipped with automatic door-closing devices with integral smoke detectors than corridor smoke detection shall not be required.  This is predicated on the integral smoke detectors within the door closing hardware being able to send the required visual/audible indication to the nurse's station.

UL 268 Automatic Smoke Detection Requirements:


System smoke detectors shall be provided for all of the following applications:

Above control panels and power supplies
For the purpose of elevator capture
On all HVAC units over 2,000 CFM (Duct Detector)
For releasing service
Fire Smoke Dampers
Delayed egress locks

Smoke detectors shall be installed throughout resident housing areas, including sleeping units, contiguous day rooms, group activity spaces as well as other spaces normally accessible to residents.

“Exceptions”

If approved and if it provides equivalent protection, you can use other methods to obtain detection to avoid tampering or damage to the detectors.  This includes but is not limited to placing detectors behind protective guards or in the exhaust duct from inmate cells.

Sleeping units in Use Conditions 2 and 3 as described in Section 308 of the IBC International Building Code

When equipped with an automatic sprinkler system, smoke detectors are not required in sleeping units that have four or fewer occupants in smoke compartments.

Fire Alarm Notification Requirements:


Audible (horns, sounders, speakers, etc.) shall be located in non-patient areas.  Visible appliances (strobes) are allowed to be used in place of audible appliances in patient occupied areas.  Keep in mind that if you choose to use audible appliances in patient occupied areas they must be chimes or similar sounding appliances to alert the staff. 

Public Mode Audibility: You must have 15 dB above average ambient sound level or 5 dB above the maximum sound level for at least 60 seconds whichever is greater.

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