As mentioned in our last post, per NFPA 72 Chap. 18.4.6, the sound level of in-unit alarm notification in sleeping areas has to be either 15 dB over ambient, 5 dB over the highest measured sound level having a duration of at least 60 seconds or 75 dB at the pillow, whichever is greater. 75 [Read More]
Are Fire Alarm Strobes Required in the City of Chicago?
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Update 8/1/20: With the adoption of the new Chicago Building Code effective August 1, 2020, as well as an update of the Illinois Accessibility Code (IAC) in October 2018, strobes are now required in fire alarm installations in Chicago. There are no longer Class I or Class II type fire alarm systems in Chicago. The [Read More]
When Do Locked Doors in High Rises Have to Unlock?
High rise suites can take up a large portion of a floor & many times take up the entire floor. These large suites are usually divided in sections that may have electronically secured doors that partition them. Examples would be data server rooms and file rooms, as well as stairwells and suite entrances from the [Read More]
Do fire alarm strobes always have to be synchronized?
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I was recently asked a question about whether two strobes had to be synchronized if they were the only two in a field of view . The facility’s fire alarm vendor told him that if a field of vision had just two strobes in it, they did not need to be synchronized. When he tried [Read More]
Does a sprinkler in a LULA elevator pit mandate elevator recall?
I get this question on occasion when there is confusion over the relationship between elevators and sprinklers. The short answer is probably not. The base requirement of ASME 17.1 (2007) Sec. 2.27.3.2.1(c), which calls for fireman’s service if a sprinkler head is in the hoistway, is exempted for electric Limited Use/Limited Access (LULA) elevators by [Read More]
What Version of NFPA 72 Record of Completion is IDPH Using?
Since we service many hospitals and long term care facilities, we run into a number of different opinions on which version of the NFPA 72 Record of Completion (ROC) the Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) is requiring as part of its closeout documentation. You’ll get different answers, depending on the general contractor. Since the [Read More]
Elevator Recall Integration with Fire Alarm Systems
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What is elevator recall? When is it required? When should it be integrated with a fire alarm system? How is that accomplished? These are a few of the many questions both elevator and electrical contractors have when elevator work is performed. With the constantly changing technologies and capabilities of elevator control and fire alarm systems, [Read More]
Does a Renovation Project Change Elevator Recall Requirements?
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We frequently get questions about whether an office buildout/renovation changes the existing elevator recall sequence or mandates it if there is no recall. The simple answer is that if the elevator equipment is not substantially altered after its installation, the requirements applicable at the time of installation remain in force. Whether or not the space [Read More]
Defining Generator Testing Frequency Requirements
I recently received a question regarding emergency generator testing in a medical facility that touched on testing frequency and what defines a method of off site monitoring. Here’s the question: My local AHJ expects my Ambulatory Surgical Center (ASC) to run the generator weekly. They utilize NFPA 1 (2012) and NFPA 72 (2010). Both NFPA 1 in [Read More]
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