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Tuesday, April 22, 2014

Fire Alarm Requirements for Group I-4 Occupancy

Group I-4 (Institutional)

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

A manual fire alarm system (Manual fire alarm boxes) that activates the occupant notification system (horns, strobes, sounders, speakers, chimes, mass notification, etc.)

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

UL 216 Smoke Alarm Requirements:

Single or multiple station smoke alarms shall be installed in all I-4 occupancies used for Large Family Day Care.

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.

Using a sound pressure meter or dB Meter, verify you comply with the following:

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.

Fire Alarm Requirements for Group I-3 Occupancy

Group I-3 (Institutional)

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 alerts the staff.

Activation of an automatic fire extinguishing system (ANSUL, FM-200, etc.), automatic sprinkler system, manual pull station or detector shall initiate an approved signal to notify the staff.

Manual Fire Alarm Box Requirements:

Manual fire alarm boxes can be eliminated in areas where staff is present and have direct supervision over said areas.

Manual fire alarm boxes can be locked in areas that contain detainees. This is predicated on the staff with keys being present in these areas.

UL 268 Automatic Smoke Detection Requirements:

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 2021 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:

Using a sound pressure meter or dB Meter, verify you comply with the following:

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.

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:

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:

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.

Fire Alarm Requirements for Group B Occupancy

Group B: (Business)

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

A manual fire alarm system (Manual fire alarm boxes) shall be installed where ONE of the following conditions exist:

The combined occupant load of the entire Group B facility is 500 or more persons.
The occupant load is more than 100 persons above or below the lowest level of exit discharge.
An ambulatory care facility is located within the fire area.

Ambulatory care facilities within a Group B:

Group B Occupancy Fire Alarm Requirements

When an ambulatory care facility is located within the fire area of a Group B occupancy, you shall install an electronically supervised smoke detection system throughout the ambulatory care area as well as public use areas outside of the tenant space such as public corridors and elevator lobbies.

Exception:

· Electronically supervised smoke detectors do not need to be installed if the facility is equipped with an automatic sprinkler system in which the Waterflow activates the occupant notification system.

2021 IFC section 907.2 - If the facility is provided with an approved automatic sprinkler system in which the Waterflow activates the occupant notification system a minimum of one (1) manual Fire alarm box is required to be provided in an area approved by the local AHJ (Authority Having Jurisdiction).

Exceptions:

#1: The manual fire alarm box is not required for fire alarm systems dedicated to elevator recall control and supervisory service.

#2: The manual fire alarm box is not required for group R2 occupies unless required by the fire code official to provide a means for fire watch personnel to initiate an alarm during a sprinkler system impairment event. Where provided, the manual fire alarm box shall not be located in an area that is open to the public.

Note: Emergency voice/alarm communications systems shall be provided for high rise applications. High rise buildings are classified by the International Building Code as a structure that has occupied floors located more than 75 feet above the lowest level of fire department vehicle access.

UL 268 Automatic Smoke Detection Requirements:

System smoke detectors shall be provided for all of the following applications: (Group B with a total occupant load of 500 + person or more than 100 persons above or below the lowest level of exit discharge.)

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

Fire Alarm Notification Requirements:

Using a sound pressure meter or dB Meter, verify you comply with the following:

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.