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3/19/2020 Automatic Fire Alarm Association 2020 Webinar Series Today’s Topic: Setting Fire Alarm Design Criteria Presented by Deborah Shaner, P.E. THE WEBINAR WILL BEGIN AT 1PM EDT Automatic Fire Alarm Association 1 Welcome! • Your microphone is automatically muted. • Questions? • Please type these in the question box of the control panel. • You can enter questions at any time throughout the presentation. • We will break mid-way through for questions, as well as at the conclusion. Automatic Fire Alarm Association 2 Setting Fire Alarm Design Criteria Presented by Deborah Shaner, P.E., Fire Protection Engineer, Shaner Life Safety Automatic Fire Alarm Association 3 1

3/19/2020 Deborah Shaner, P.E. • Fire Protection Engineer • Masters from University of Maryland • Member of AFAA Board of Directors • Participation in NFPA Committees including NFPA 72, 101 Health Care & 1140 • Specializes in the design of fire alarm systems Automatic Fire Alarm Association 4 DISCLAIMER This seminar and its content is not a formal interpretation issued pursuant to NFPA regulations. Any opinion expressed is the personal opinion of the author and presenter and does not necessarily present the official position of the NFPA and its Technical Committees. Furthermore, this presentation is neither intended, nor should be relied upon, to provide professional consultation or services. Automatic Fire Alarm Association 5 Objectives • Outline the process for setting design criteria for fire alarm systems. • Assist a fire alarm designer in navigating the many available codes and standards and determining which apply. • Provide guidance in reviewing Construction Documents in order to determine necessary design criteria for the fire alarm system. • Determine the necessary coordination with MEP and other systems Automatic Fire Alarm Association 6 2

3/19/2020 Type of Design CONTRACT DOCUMENTS VS DESIGN BUILD • What is the difference? • How does it impact the shop drawing process? Automatic Fire Alarm Association 7 • Don’t complain about the code. • Be thankful that it is there and available to you! Available • Code provides a baseline, prescriptive requirement to codes and provide for life safety . standards • Difference between a CODE and a STANDARD • Code is what you HAVE to do • Standard is HOW to do it • NFPA 72 is not the place to start! Automatic Fire Alarm Association 8 Available codes and standards Many options including…. • ICC – IBC, IFC (CODES) • NFPA – 70, 72 (STANDARDS) • Other regulations… • ASME A17.1 Elevator • ADA Guidelines • Hotel brand standards • Federal regulations (DoD, DoE) • Local amendments Automatic Fire Alarm Association 9 3

3/19/2020 Before you can determine design criteria, you must establish what codes & standards apply. REMEMBER THE 3 As. What ➢ AHJ = AUTHORITY HAVING JURISDICTION applies? ➢ Who is the AHJ? ➢ ADOPTED DOCUMENTS ➢ What does the AHJ adopt? ➢ APPLICABLE SECTIONS Automatic Fire Alarm Association 10 NFPA definition: “an organization, office, or individual Who is responsible for enforcing the requirements of a code or standard, or the AHJ? for approving equipment, materials, an installation, or a procedure.” Includes: Fire marshal, Building inspector, or any other local, state, or federal inspector having jurisdiction over your facility. DOE, DOD, OSHA, JCAHO, Water Department, Elevator Inspector… Automatic Fire Alarm Association 11 AHJs are people too! • They want to be approached. How to • They want projects to be successful. • They want to help you. approach Check the town, city, special district’s the AHJ? website. Call, email, schedule a meeting, just please approach your AHJ (preferably before the building is almost done). GOAL = FIND OUT WHAT THE AHJ ADOPTS Automatic Fire Alarm Association 12 4

3/19/2020 Automatic Fire Alarm Association 13 Automatic Fire Alarm Association 14 DO NOT FORGET LOCAL AMENDMENTS Examples of their impact: • City of Las Vegas and Clark County has a minimum 80dB audibility requirement. Local • Denver Fire Department completely Amendments rewrites Section 909 for high rise smoke control • Several towns negate the exceptions for manual pull station omissions • Several cities require the FACP to be within 10’ of the main entrance if not in an FCC Automatic Fire Alarm Association 15 5

3/19/2020 At this point, we have Status 1) Established the AHJ 2) Determined what is Adopted check….. What is next…… 3) Determine what is Applicable Automatic Fire Alarm Association 16 Finding applicable code sections • Don’t just start reading code cover to cover • Start with the IBC & IFC, specifically Section 907 (2018 IFC) • Most design criteria will be based on the use of the building USE OCCUPANCY CLASSIFICATION ??Where do you find the occupancy classification?? Its in the contract documents! Automatic Fire Alarm Association 17 Contract documents consist of…. • Project manual/Specifications • Drawings – various disciplines • Contract Architectural • Mechanical Documents • Electrical • Plumbing • Civil Construction drawings vs. Shop Drawings Automatic Fire Alarm Association 18 6

3/19/2020 Specifications are important. Read to find details that could hurt….. Specifications • Class A wiring • Survivability • Test procedures • Warranty info Automatic Fire Alarm Association 19 Finding applicable code sections Is the building a high rise? ➢ Yes, design for high rise using IFC ➢ No, design for the occupancy classification found on the contract drawings using Section 907, IFC Automatic Fire Alarm Association 20 Finding the occupancy classification • Usually on the Code Plan or Life Safety Drawings, sometimes labeled General in project indexes Automatic Fire Alarm Association 21 7

3/19/2020 Life Safety Plan example.. Automatic Fire Alarm Association 22 Life Safety Plan example…. Automatic Fire Alarm Association 23 Occupancy Classifications • A = ASSEMBLY • A-1 = WITH FIXED SEATING; THEATERS, CONCERT HALLS • A-2 = FOOD/DRINK; BARS, RESTAURANTS • A-3 = GENERAL ASSEMBLY; CHURCH, LIBRARY, MUSEUMS • A-4 = INDOOR SPORTING EVENTS • A-5 = OUTDOOR EVENTS • B = BUSINESS • GENERAL OFFICES & SERVICE BASED BUSINESSES • LENGTHY LIST IN THE OCCUPANCY DESCRIPTIONS OF IBC • E = EDUCATIONAL • K-12 Automatic Fire Alarm Association 24 8

3/19/2020 Occupancy Classifications • F = FACTORY/INDUSTRIAL • F-1 = MODERATE HAZARD • F-2 = LOW HAZARD • H = HAZARDOUS • CLASSIFIED IN VARIOUS OTHER SECTIONS OF IBC & IBC • I = INSTITUTUTIONAL • I-1 = CUSTODIAL CARE; ASSISTED LIVING • I-2 = MEDICAL CARE; HOSPITALS • I-3 = SECURED FACILITIES; PRISONS • I-4 = DAY PROGRAMS; ADULT DAY CARE • M = MERCANTILE Automatic Fire Alarm Association 25 Occupancy Classifications • R = RESIDENTIAL • R-1 = TRANSIENT; HOTELS • R-2 = PERMANENT; APARTMENTS • R-3 = CONGREGATE LIVING <16 UNITS • R-4 = SUPERVISED; HALFWAY HOUSE; TREATMENT FACILITIES • S = STORAGE • S-1 = MODERATE HAZARD • S-2 = LOW HAZARD • NO BASE IFC REQUIREMENTS FOR A LOW-RISE S OCCUPANCY • U = UTILITY • NO BASE IFC REQUIREMENTS FOR A LOW-RISE U OCCUPANCY SECRET TIP: NO IBC, NO PROBLEM. OCCUPANCY CLASSIFICATIONS ARE REVIEWED IN THE DEFINITIONS (CHAPTER 2) OF THE IFC. Automatic Fire Alarm Association 26 Use Section 907…… 907 of the IFC outlines fire alarm system requirements based on occupancy. 907.2.1 907.2.2 907.2.3 Group A. Group B Group E. 907.2.4 907.2.5 907.2.6 Group F Group H Group I. 907.2.7 907.2.8 907.2.9 Group M. Group R-1. Group R-2. Automatic Fire Alarm Association 27 9

3/19/2020 Questions? Please send your question. There will be another question/answer session at the conclusion. Automatic Fire Alarm Association 28 SECTION 907 FIRE ALARM & DETECTION SYSTEMS 907.2 is the base requirement for fire alarm systems in new buildings. • It references all of its subsections (907.2.1 – 907.2.3) • Also references 907.5 for notification • Pay attention to code structure Automatic Fire Alarm Association 29 907.2.1 Group A • Manual fire alarm system = manual pull stations & notification • Need to check the occupant load • Return to the code study or life safety plan • Fire alarm designers do not assign occupant load. • Originates with architect under the building code Automatic Fire Alarm Association 30 10

3/19/2020 Finding the occupant load • Returning to the code plan…. Automatic Fire Alarm Association 31 Exception to 907.2.1 Group A • Is the building sprinklered? • Return to the code plan • Occupant notification on waterflow • Line on the sequence matrix • Pull stations can be eliminated based on meeting criteria of exception. Automatic Fire Alarm Association 32 Is the building sprinklered? • Returning to the code plan…. Automatic Fire Alarm Association 33 11