No. 29683 (Amendment): R710-4-3. Amendments and Additions

DAR File No.: 29683
Filed: 03/15/2007, 01:40
Received by: NL

RULE ANALYSIS

Purpose of the rule or reason for the change:

The Utah Fire Prevention Board met on 03/13/2007 in a regularly scheduled Board meeting and voted unanimously to make some rule amendments to the currently adopted rule.

Summary of the rule or change:

The proposed rule amendments are as follows: 1) in Subsection R710-4-3(3.3.3.3), the Board proposes to amend the currently adopted fire alarm wiring standards to be consistent with the newly adopted NFPA 72, Fire Alarm Code; and 2) in Subsection R710-4-3(3.3.3.4), the Board proposes to amend the fan shut down requirement and require what is required in the International Mechanical Code.

State statutory or constitutional authorization for this rule:

Section 53-7-204

Anticipated cost or savings to:

the state budget:

There is no aggregate anticipated cost or savings to the state budget because these proposed amendments will not produce a monetary cost or savings to state government.

local governments:

There is no aggregate anticipated cost or savings to local government because these proposed amendments are not regulated by local government.

other persons:

There is no aggregate anticipated cost or savings to other persons because these proposed amendments will not produce a monetary cost or savings to other persons and provide needed clarification.

Compliance costs for affected persons:

There is no compliance costs for affected persons for the enactment of these proposed rule changes and are clarifying in nature.

Comments by the department head on the fiscal impact the rule may have on businesses:

There is no fiscal impact on businesses for the enactment of these proposed rule amendments. Scott T. Duncan, Commissioner

The full text of this rule may be inspected, during regular business hours, at the Division of Administrative Rules, or at:

Public Safety
Fire Marshal
5272 S COLLEGE DR
MURRAY UT 84123-2611

Direct questions regarding this rule to:

Brent Halladay at the above address, by phone at 801-284-6352, by FAX at 801-284-6351, or by Internet E-mail at [e-mail]

Interested persons may present their views on this rule by submitting written comments to the address above no later than 5:00 p.m. on:

05/01/2007

This rule may become effective on:

05/08/2007

Authorized by:

Ron L. Morris, Utah State Fire Marshal

RULE TEXT

R710. Public Safety, Fire Marshal.

R710-4. Buildings Under the Jurisdiction of the State Fire Prevention Board.

R710-4-3. Amendments and Additions.

3.1 Fire Drills

3.1.1 IFC, Chapter 4, Section 405.2, Table 405.2, is amended to add the following footnotes:

e. Secondary schools in Group E occupancies shall have a fire drill conducted at least every two months, to a total of four fire drills during the nine-month school year. The first fire drill shall be conducted within 10 days of the beginning of classes.

f. A-3 occupancies in academic buildings of institutions of higher learning are required to have one fire drill per year, provided the following conditions are met:

1. The building has a fire alarm system in accordance with Section 907.2.

2. The rooms classified as assembly, shall have fire safety floor plans as required in Section 404.3.2(4) posted.

3. The building is not classified a high-rise building.

4. The building does not contain hazardous materials over the allowable quantities by code.

3.2 Door Closures

3.2.1 IFC, Chapter 7, Section 703.2. Add the following: Exception: In Group E Occupancies, where the corridor serves an occupant load greater than 30 and the building does not have an automatic fire sprinkler system installed, the door closures may be of the friction hold-open type on classrooms doors with a rating of 20 minutes or less only.

3.3 Fire Protection Systems

3.3.1 IFC, Chapter 9, Section 903.2.7 is amended to add the following: Exception: Group R-4 fire areas not more than 4500 gross square feet and not containing more than 16 residents, provided the building is equipped throughout with an approved fire alarm system that is interconnected and receives its primary power from the building wiring and a commercial power system.

3.3.2 Water Supply Analysis

3.3.2.1 For proposed construction in both sprinklered and unsprinklered occupancies, the owner or architect shall provide an engineer's water supply analysis evaluating the available water supply.

3.3.2.2 The owner or architect shall provide the water supply analysis during the preliminary design phase of the proposed construction.

3.3.2.3 The water analysis shall be representative of the supply that may be available at the time of a fire as required in NFPA, Standard 13, Annex A.15.2.1.

3.3.3 Fire Alarm Systems

3.3.3.1 Required Installations

3.3.3.1.1 All state-owned buildings, college and university buildings, other than institutional, with an occupant load of 300 or more, all schools with an occupant load of 50 or more, shall have an approved fire alarm system with the following features:

3.3.3.1.1.1 Automatic detection devices that detect smoke shall be installed throughout all corridors and spaces open to the corridor at the maximum prescribed spacing of thirty feet on center and no more than fifteen feet from the walls or smoke detectors shall be installed as required in NFPA, Standard 72, Section 5.3.

3.3.3.1.1.2 Where structures are not protected or partially protected with an automatic fire sprinkler system, approved automatic detectors shall be installed in accordance with the complete coverage requirements of NFPA, Standard 72.

3.3.3.1.1.3 Manual fire alarm boxes shall be provided as required. In public and private elementary and secondary schools, manual fire alarm boxes shall be provided in the boiler room, kitchen, and main administrative office of each building, and any other areas as determined by the AHJ.

3.3.3.2 Main Panel

3.3.3.2.1 An approved key plan drawing and operating instructions shall be posted at the main fire alarm panel which displays the location of all alarm zones and if applicable, device addresses.

3.3.3.2.2 The main panel shall be located in a normally attended area such as the main office or lobby. Location of the Main Panel other than as stated above, shall require the review and authorization of the SFM. Where location as required above is not possible, an electronically supervised remote annunciator from the main panel shall be located in a supervised area of the building. The remote annunciator shall visually indicate system power status, alarms for each zone, and give both a visual and audible indication of trouble conditions in the system. All indicators on both the main panel and remote annunciator shall be adequately labeled.

3.3.3.3 System Wiring, Class and Style

3.3.3.3.1 Fire alarm system wiring shall be designated and installed as [a Class A circuit in accordance with the following style classifications]follows:

3.3.3.3.1.1 The initiating device circuits shall be designated and installed [Style D]Class A as defined in NFPA, Standard 72.

3.3.3.3.1.2 The notification appliance circuits shall be designated and installed [Style Z]Class A as defined in NFPA, Standard 72.

3.3.3.3.1.3 Signaling line circuits shall be designated and installed Style 6 or 7 as defined in NFPA, Standard 72.

3.3.3.4 Fan Shut Down

3.3.3.4.1 [The f]Fan shut down [relay(s) in the air handling equipment shall be normally energized, and connected through and controlled by a normally closed contact in the fire alarm panel, or a normally closed contact of a remote relay under supervision by the main panel. The relays will transfer on alarm, and shall not restore until the panel is reset]shall be as required in IMC, Chapter 6, Section 606.

3.3.3.4.2 Duct detectors required by the IMC, shall be interconnected, and compatible with the fire alarm system.

3.3.3.5 Nuisance Alarms

3.3.3.5.1 IFC, Chapter 9, Section 907.20.5 is amended to add the following sentences: Increases in nuisance alarms shall require the fire alarm system to be tested for sensitivity. Fire alarm systems that continue after sensitivity testing with unwarranted nuisance alarms shall be replaced as directed by the AHJ.

3.4 Time Out and Seclusion Rooms

3.4.1 Time Out and Seclusion Rooms are allowed in occupancies protected by an automatic fire alarm system.

3.4.2 A vision panel shall be provided in the room door for observation purposes.

3.4.3 Time Out and Seclusion Room doors may not be fitted with a lock unless it is a self-releasing latch that releases automatically if not physically held in the locked position by an individual on the outside of the door.

3.4.4 Time Out and Seclusion Rooms shall be located where a responsible adult can maintain visual monitoring of the person and room.

 

KEY: fire prevention, public buildings

Date of Enactment or Last Substantive Amendment: [January 9, 2007]May 8, 2007

Notice of Continuation: June 12, 2002

Authorizing, and Implemented or Interpreted Law: 53-7-204