No. 28579 (Amendment): R710-4. Buildings Under the Jurisdiction of the State Fire Prevention Board

DAR File No.: 28579
Filed: 03/29/2006, 01:27
Received by: NL

 

RULE ANALYSIS

Purpose of the rule or reason for the change:

The Utah Fire Prevention Board met on March 14, 2006, in a regularly scheduled Board meeting and voted by motion to amend Rule R710-4 by updating an incorporated reference, making a grammatical correction, and amending the requirements of Time Out and Seclusion rooms.

 

Summary of the rule or change:

The proposed amendments to Rule R710-4 are as follows: 1) in Subsection R710-4-1(1.1), the Board proposes to update an incorporated reference by adopting the 2006 edition of NFPA 101, Life Safety Code, and no longer use the 2003 edition; 2) in Subsection R710-4-3(3.3.1), the Board proposes to correct the language used to designate the time period of fire alarms in schools to be consistent with the adopted state fire code; and 3) in Subsection R710-4-3(3.12), the Board proposes to amend the requirements for Time Out and Seclusion Rooms to be consistent with the adopted standards of the Utah Department of Education, State Risk Management, and the Department of Human Services.

 

State statutory or constitutional authorization for this rule:

Section 53-7-204

 

This rule or change incorporates by reference the following material:

National Fire Protection Association (NFPA), Standard 101, Life Safety Code, 2006 edition

 

Anticipated cost or savings to:

the state budget:

The aggregate anticipated cost to the state budget would be approximately $650 to purchase the 2006 edition of NFPA 101, Life Safety Code.

 

local governments:

There is no aggregate anticipated cost to local government because the proposed amendments to Rule R710-3 would only reference local government if they were enforcing this set of rules. There would be no cost or savings for the regulatory enforcement of the code.

 

other persons:

There could be an aggregate anticipated cost to other persons who would wish to purchase NFPA 101 at approximately $66 each and there could be a cost at approximately $500 for schools that would need to change the locking system on Time Out and Seclusion rooms already in existence. The amount of NFPA 101 codes purchased is totally unknown and the number of lock systems that need to be changed is also unknown. It therefore, is impossible to set an aggregate cost to these due to the unknown number of books purchased or the unknown number of locks changed.

 

Compliance costs for affected persons:

There would be an approximate charge of $66 per volume to purchase the 2006 edition of NFPA 101, Life Safety Code. There would be an approximate cost of $500 to any school district that would need to update their locking systems on existing Time Out and Seclusion rooms.

 

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

There would be a cost of approximately $66 each to receive a copy of NFPA 101, Life Safety Code. There would be an approximate cost of $500 to update any locking systems on the Time Out and Seclusion rooms already in existence. These fiscal impacts are for increased fire and life safety and are reasonable additions to be expected. Robert L. Flowers, 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:

05/15/2006

 

This rule may become effective on:

05/16/2006

 

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.

R710-4-1. Adoption of Fire Codes.

Pursuant to Title 53, Chapter 7, Section 204, of the Utah Code Annotated 1953, the Utah Fire Prevention Board adopts minimum rules for the prevention of fire and for the protection of life and property against fire and panic in any publicly owned building, including all public and private schools, colleges, and university buildings, and in any building or structure used or intended for use, as an asylum, hospital, mental hospital, sanitarium, home for the aged, assisted living facility, children's home or day care center, or any similar institutional type occupancy of any capacity; and in any place of assemblage where fifty (50) or more persons may gather together in a building, structure, tent, or room, for the purpose of amusement, entertainment, instruction, or education.

There is further adopted as part of these rules the following codes which are incorporated by reference:

1.1 National Fire Protection Association (NFPA), Standard 101, Life Safety Code (LSC), [2003]2006 edition, except as amended by provisions listed in R710-4-3, et seq. The following chapters from NFPA, Standard 101 are the only chapters adopted: Chapter 18 - New Health Care Occupancies; Chapter 19 - Existing Health Care Occupancies; Chapter 20 - New Ambulatory Health Care Occupancies; Chapter 21 - Existing Ambulatory Health Care Occupancies; Chapter 22 - New Detention and Correctional Occupancies; Chapter 23 - Existing Detention and Correctional Occupancies; and other sections referenced within and pertaining to these chapters only. Wherever there is a section, figure or table in NFPA 101 that references "NFPA 5000 - Building Construction and Safety Code", that reference shall be replaced with the "International Building Code".

1.2 National Fire Protection Association (NFPA), Standard 13, Installation of Sprinkler Systems, 2002 edition, except as amended by provisions listed in R710-4-3, et seq.

1.3 National Fire Protection Association (NFPA), Standard 13R, Installation of Sprinkler Systems - Residential Occupancies up to and Including Four Stories in Height, 2002 edition, except as amended by provisions listed in R710-4-3, et seq.

1.4 National Fire Protection Association (NFPA), Standard 72, National Fire Alarm Code, 2002 edition, except as amended by provisions listed in R710-4-3, et seq.

1.5 National Fire Protection Association (NFPA), Standard 70, National Electric Code (NEC), 2002 edition, as adopted by the Uniform Building Standards Act, Title 58, Chapter 56, Section 4, Utah Code Annotated 1953. Wherever there are sections or tables in the International Fire Code (IFC) that reference "ICC Electrical Standard", the reference to "ICC Electrical Standard" shall be replaced with "National Electric Code".

1.6 International Building Code (IBC), 2003 edition, as published by the International Code Council, Inc. (ICC), and as adopted under the authority of the Uniform Building Standards Act, Title 58, Chapter 56, Section 4, Utah Code Annotated 1953 and the Utah Administrative Code, R156-56-701.

1.7 International Fire Code (IFC), 2003 edition, as published by the International Code Council, Inc. (ICC), except as amended by provisions listed in R710-4-3, et seq.

1.8 International Mechanical Code (IMC), 2003 edition, as published by the International Code Council, Inc., and as adopted under the authority of the Uniform Building Standards Act, Title 58, Chapter 56, Section 4, Utah Code Annotated 1953 and the Utah Administrative Code, R156-56-701.

1.9 International Fuel Gas Code (IFGC), 2003 edition, as published by the International Code Council, and as adopted under the authority of the Uniform Building Standards Act, Title 58, Chapter 56, Section 4, Utah Code Annotated 1953 and the Utah Administrative Code, R156-56-701.

1.10 International Plumbing Code (IPC), 2003 edition, as published by the International Code Council, Inc., and as adopted under the authority of the Uniform Building Standards Act, Title 58, Chapter 56, Section 4, Utah Code Annotated 1953 and the Utah Administrative Code, R156-56-701.

1.11 Copies of the above codes are on file in the Office of Administrative Rules and the State Fire Marshal.

 

R710-4-3. Amendments and Additions.

3.1 Administration

3.1.1 IFC, Chapter 1, Section 102.3 is deleted and rewritten and follows: No change shall be made in the use or occupancy of any structure that would place the structure in a different division of the same group or occupancy or in a different group of occupancies, unless such structure maintains a reasonable level of fire and life safety and the change to use or occupancy does not create a distinct hazard to life or property as determined by the AHJ.

3.1.2 IFC, Chapter 1, Section 102.4 is deleted and rewritten as follows: The design and construction of new structures shall comply with the International Building Code. Repairs, alterations and additions to existing structures are allowed when such structure maintains a reasonable level of fire and life safety and the change does not create a distinct hazard to life or property as determined by the AHJ.

3.1.3 IFC, Chapter 1, Section 102.5 is deleted and rewritten as follows: The construction, alteration, repair, enlargement, restoration, relocation or movement of existing buildings or structures that are designated as historic buildings are allowed when such historic structures maintains a reasonable level of fire and life safety and the change does not create a distinct hazard to life or property as determined by the AHJ.

3.2 Definitions

3.2.1 IFC, Chapter 2, Section 202, Educational Group E, Day care is amended as follows: On line three delete the word "five" and replace it with the word "four".

3.2.2 IFC, Chapter 2, Section 202, Institutional Group I-1 is amended to add the following:

On line nine add "type 1" in front of the words "assisted living facilities".

3.2.3 IFC, Chapter 2, Section 202, Institutional Group I-2 is amended as follows: On line three delete the word "five" and replace it with the word "three". On line eight after the words "detoxification facilities" delete the rest of the paragraph, and add the following: "ambulatory surgical centers with two or more operating rooms where care is less than 24 hours and type 2 assisted living facilities. Type 2 assisted living facilities with five or fewer persons shall be classified as a Group R-4. Type 2 assisted living facilities with at least six and not more than 16 residents shall be classified as a Group I-1 facility.

3.2.4 IFC, Chapter 2, Section 202, Institutional Group I-2, Child care facility is amended as follows: On line two delete the word "five" and replace it with the word "four".

3.2.5 IFC, Chapter 2, Section 202, Institutional Group I-4 day care facilities, Child care facility is amended as follows: On line three delete the word "five" and replace it with the word "four". Also on line two of the Exception delete the word "five" and replace it with the word "four".

3.3 Fire Drills

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

c. 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 [the first two weeks of the school year]10 days of the beginning of classes.

d. 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.

3.4 Door Closures

3.4.1 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.

3.5 Automatic Fire Sprinkler Systems and Commercial Cooking Operations

3.5.1 Inspection and Testing of Automatic Fire Sprinkler Systems

The owner or administrator of each building shall insure the inspection and testing of water based fire protection systems as required in IFC, Chapter 9, Section 901.6.

3.5.2 IFC, Chapter 9, Section 903.2.9 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.

3.5.3 IFC, Chapter 9, Section 903.6 is amended to add the following subsection: 903.6.2 Commercial cooking operation suppression. Automatic fire sprinkler systems protecting commercial kitchen exhaust hood and duct systems with appliances that generate appreciable depth of cooking oils shall be replaced with a UL300 listed system by May 1, 2004.

3.5.4 Water Supply Analysis

3.5.4.1 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.

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

3.5.4.3 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, Appendix A-9-2.1.

3.6 Alternative Automatic Fire-Extinguishing Systems

3.6.1 IFC, Chapter 9, Section 903.6 is amended to add the following subsection: 903.6.3 Dry chemical hood system suppression. Existing automatic fire-extinguishing systems using dry chemical that protect commercial kitchen exhaust hood and duct systems shall be removed and replaced with a UL300 listed system by January 1, 2006 or before that date when any of the following occurs: 1) Six year internal maintenance service; 2) Recharge; 3) Hydrostatic test date as indicated on the manufacturers date of the cylinders; or 4) Reconfiguring of the system piping.

3.6.2 IFC, Chapter 9, Section 903.6 is amended to add the following subsection: 903.6.4 Wet chemical hood system suppression. Existing wet chemical fire-extinguishing systems not UL300 listed and protecting commercial kitchen exhaust hood and duct systems shall be removed, replaced or upgraded to a UL300 listed system by January 1, 2006 or before that date when any of the following occurs: 1) Six year internal maintenance service; 2) Recharge; 3) Hydrostatic test date as indicated on the manufacturers date of the cylinder; or 4) Reconfiguration of the system piping.

3.7 Fire Alarm Systems

3.7.1 Required Installations

3.7.1.1 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:

3.7.1.1.1 Smoke detectors 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.

3.7.1.1.2 In non or partially fire sprinklered buildings, automatic detectors shall be installed in each enclosed space, other than corridors, at maximum prescribed spacing as specified in Section 3.7.1.1.2 for smoke detectors or by the manufacturer's listing for heat detectors.

3.7.1.1.3 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.

3.7.2 Main Panel

3.7.2.1 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.

3.7.2.2 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.

3.7.3 System Wiring, Class and Style

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

3.7.3.1.1 The initiating device circuits shall be designated and installed Style D as defined in NFPA, Standard 72.

3.7.3.1.2 The notification appliance circuits shall be designated and installed Style Z as defined in NFPA, Standard 72.

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

3.7.4 Fan Shut Down

3.7.4.1 The 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.

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

3.7.5 Nuisance Alarms

3.7.5.1 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.

3.8 Retroactive Installation of Automatic Fire Alarm Systems

3.8.1 IFC, Chapter 9, Sections 907.3.1.1, 907.3.1.2, 907.3.1.3, 907.3.1.4 and 907.3.1.9 are deleted.

3.9 Fireworks

3.9.1 IFC, Chapter 33, Section 3301.1.3, Exception 4 is amended to add the following sentence: Fireworks are permitted as allowed in UCA 53-7-220 and UCA 11-3-1.

3.10 Flammable and Combustible Liquids

3.10.1 IFC, Chapter 34, Section 3406.1 is amended to add the following special operation: 8. Sites approved by the AHJ.

3.10.2 IFC, Chapter 34, Section 3406.2 is amended to add the following: On line two after the word "sites" add the words "and sites approved by the AHJ". On line five after the words "borrow pits" add the words "and sites approved by the AHJ".

3.11 Health Care Facilities

3.11.1 LSC Chapters 18, 19, 20 and 21, Sections 18.1.2.4, 19.1.2.4, 20.1.2.2 and 21.1.2.2 (Exiting Through Adjoining Occupancies) exception is deleted.

3.11.2 LSC Chapter 19, Section 19.3.6.1, (Rooms Allowed open to Corridor) exceptions No. 1, No. 5, No. 6, and No. 8 are deleted.

3.11.3 IFC, Chapter 10, Section 1008.1.8.3 is amended to add the following: 5. Doors in Group I-1 and I-2 occupancies, where the clinical needs of the patients require specialized security measures for their safety, approved access controlled egress may be installed when all the following are met: 5.1 The controlled egress doors shall unlock upon activation of the automatic fire sprinkler system or the automatic fire detection system. 5.2 The facility staff can unlock the controlled egress doors by either sensor or keypad. 5.3 The controlled egress doors shall unlock upon loss of power. 6. Doors in Group I-1 and I-2 occupancies, where the clinical needs of the patients require approved, listed delayed egress locks, they shall be installed on doors as allowed in IFC, Section 1008.1.8.6.

3.12 Time Out and Seclusion Rooms

3.12.1 Time Out and Seclusion Rooms are allowed in occupancies [fully ]protected by an automatic [fire sprinkler system and ]fire alarm system.

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

3.12.3 Time Out and Seclusion Room doors may not be fitted with a lock [which is not releasable from the inside provided the lock automatically releases by the operation of the fire alarm system or power outage]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.

3.12.4 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: [July 19, 2005]May 16, 2006

Notice of Continuation June 12, 2002

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