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Fire Safety Q&A: Building Code Requirements

By Wayne D. Moore | Jan 29, 2025
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In “Circuit Connectivity and Control Panels” and a few other articles, I answered some questions often raised by those in the field trying to understand the requirements that affect their fire alarm system installations. Let’s look at some more of your questions.

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In “Circuit Connectivity and Control Panels” and a few other articles, I answered some questions often raised by those in the field trying to understand the requirements that affect their fire alarm system installations. Let’s look at some more of your questions.

To meet the building code, when must a fire alarm system be “listed”?

All of the building, life safety and fire prevention codes reference NFPA 72 when a fire alarm system is required in a specific occupancy. NFPA 72-2025, Section 10.3.1, Equipment, states in part: “Equipment constructed and installed in conformity with this Code shall be listed for the purpose for which it is used.”

Essentially all equipment used in a fire alarm system must be listed. That said, each component of a fire alarm system, for example fire alarm control units or smoke detectors, must be listed to the appropriate UL tests for that fire alarm component. So, for my example, fire alarm control units must comply with UL 864 and smoke detectors are listed in accordance with UL 268.

For the purpose of designing and bidding fire alarm systems from the building plans, what are “the place­ment of device” requirements?

When other codes require a fire alarm system, NFPA 72-2025 tells us how to install the component parts of the system. Chapter 17, for example, deals with the location of initiating devices, and Chapter 18 describes the location and orientation of notification appliances.

The requirements when bidding a fire alarm system from the design draw­ings is to bid it as designed. Otherwise, you will not be the successful bidder. Hav­ing said that, if you realize there are design errors in the drawings, you should include alternates in the bids to correct the design deficiency to protect yourself and to show the owner that you have a good knowledge of the codes and standards. The alternates should always reference the code requirement so that the owner does not feel you are trying to “gild the lily.”

Can the alarm verification feature be activated in a fire alarm control unit for duct smoke detectors?

There is nothing in the code that precludes using an alarm veri­fication feature in a duct smoke detector application. However, it might not be a good idea for the following reasons: alarm verification is a useful feature to prevent nuisance alarms in detectors that are subject to transient particles of combustion (smoke), such as someone deliberately blowing cigarette smoke at a detector, or dust being introduced during a periodic cleaning operation. Nuisance alarms in duct detectors are more likely to be caused by dust building up over time, and the only remedy is to clean the detector and possibly change associated duct filters regularly.

Recognizing the potential for accumulated dust in duct work to cause nuisance alarms, NFPA 90A-2024, Standard for the Installation of Air-Conditioning and Ventilating Systems, permits duct detectors to trans­mit supervisory, rather than alarm signals, to the fire alarm panel.

The requirement is stated in Section 11.4.4.2.1: “Smoke detectors used solely for closing dampers or for heating, ventilating, and air-conditioning system shutdown shall not be required to activate the building evacuation alarm.”

Additionally, NFPA 72-2025 states in 21.7.4 that smoke detectors mounted in HVAC system air ducts shall initiate a supervisory signal.

While activation might cause any associated fire safety function such as AHU shutdown to occur, evacuation of the building will not be needed and dis­ruption to occupants should be minimal. Therefore, it is unnecessary to add alarm verification when the detector is allowed to signal a supervisory signal.

However, if the AHJ or the owner’s fire protection goal warrants the duct smoke detector to signal an alarm con­dition, then alarm verification of the duct smoke detector is allowed under the conditions found in the following sections:

23.8.5.4.1: Systems equipped with alarm verification features shall be permitted where all the conditions of 23.8.5.4.1.1 through 23.8.5.4.1.5 are met.

23.8.5.4.1.1: The alarm verification feature shall not be initially enabled unless conditions or occupant activities that are expected to cause nuisance alarms are antici­pated in the area that is protected by the smoke detectors.

23.8.5.4.1.2: Enabling of the alarm verification feature shall be protected by password or limited access.

23.8.5.4.1.3: A smoke detector that is continuously subjected to a smoke concentra­tion above alarm threshold does not delay the system functions of Sections 10.7 through 10.17 or 21.2.1 by more than 1 minute.

23.8.5.4.1.4: Actuation of an alarm-initiating de­vice other than a smoke detector causes the system functions of Sections 10.7 through 10.17 or 21.2.1 without additional delay.

23.8.5.4.1.5: The current status of the alarm verification feature is shown on the record of completion.

This is further elaborated on in the annex material to the same section:

A.23.8.5.4.1: The alarm verification feature should not be used as a substitute for proper detector location/applications or regular system maintenance. Alarm verification features are intended to reduce the frequency of false alarms caused by transient conditions. They are not intended to compensate for design errors or lack of maintenance.

The annex simply confirms that the duct smoke detectors should be cleaned on a regular basis rather than wait for the alarm verification feature to “fail” (that is, the detector is too dirty for it to compensate for the dust).

Who has the final say on a fire alarm check out?

By “final say,” I assume you mean who has the authority to accept the system as operational and code-compliant and issue, or allow to be issued, the certificate of occupancy. NFPA 72-2025 describes these entities as the authority having jurisdiction:

“3.2.2 Authority Having Jurisdic­tion (AHJ). An organization, office or individual responsible for enforcing the requirements of a code or standard, or for approving equipment, materials, an installation, or a procedure.”

The annex material for the same section provides further guidance:

“A.3.2.2 Authority Having Jurisdic­tion (AHJ). The phrase ‘authority having jurisdiction,’ or its acronym AHJ, is used in NFPA standards in a broad manner, because jurisdictions and approval agencies vary, as do their responsibilities. Where public safety is primary, the authority having jurisdiction may be a federal, state, local, or other regional department or individual such as a fire chief; fire marshal; chief of a fire prevention bureau, labor department, or health department; building official; electrical inspector; or others having statu­tory authority. For insurance purposes, an insurance inspection department, rating bureau, or other insurance company rep­resentative may be the authority having jurisdiction. In many circumstances, the property owner or his or her designated agent assumes the role of the author­ity having jurisdiction; at government installations, the commanding officer or departmental official may be the authority having jurisdiction.”

Of course, the “final say” might not end with this entity. The owner might also have contractual requirements or insurance requirements that need to be met. These requirements might exceed the code minimum and the expectations of the AHJ, but would not necessarily impede the issuance of the certificate of occupancy.

About The Author

MOORE, a licensed fire protection engineer, was a principal member and chair of NFPA 72, Chapter 24, NFPA 909 and NFPA 914. He is president of the Fire Protection Alliance in Jamestown, R.I. Reach him at [email protected]

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