NFPA 101® Life Safety Code is an important document that provides the latest rules for fire-safe design and construction in new and existing structures.
New and revised requirements, some of which are outlined in this article, have been developed to minimize danger to life from the effects of fire and related hazards.
Below are some of the most critical changes in the new
NFPA 101® Life Safety Code, 2009 Edition:
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Photo: iStock Photo
According to NFPA 101®, 2009 Edition, all fire doors will need to be inspected and tested annually. |
MEANS OF EGRESS: ANNUAL INSPECTION OF DOORS
NFPA 101®, 2009 Edition, has added the new
Section 7.2.1.15 Inspection of Door Openings, which requires door assemblies for which the door leaf is required to swing in the direction of egress travel to be inspected and tested not less than annually, in accordance with sections
7.2.1.15.2 through
7.2.1.15.8.
The new requirement also refers to
NFPA 80, Standard for Fire Doors and Other Opening Protectives, 2007 Edition for the inspection and testing of fire-rated door assemblies.
MEANS OF EGRESS: ELECTRICALLY CONTROLLED EGRESS DOOR ASSEMBLIES
NFPA 101®, 2009 Edition has added
Section 7.2.1.5.5 Electrically Controlled Egress Door Assemblies to address the requirements of electrically locked door assemblies in the means of egress in order to ensure that there is no delay during escape.
The new section makes it clear that electrically controlled egress doors are not to be treated the same as special locking arrangements such as delayed-egress locks or access-controlled egress doors as addressed in
Section 7.2.1.6 Special Locking Arrangements.
In order to meet the conditions of
Section 7.2.1.5.5, electrically controlled egress doors are required to have a release hardware which is affixed to the door leaf; has an obvious method of operation with one hand in the direction of egress, interrupts the power supply directly to the electric lock and unlocks the door assembly in the direction of egress, and automatically unlocks the door assembly in the direction of egress when there is a loss of power to the hardware.
MEANS OF EGRESS: ELEVATOR LOBBY EXIT ACCESS DOOR ASSEMBLIES LOCKING
The previous edition of NFPA 101® did not allow the elevator lobby exit access door to be locked, as
Section 7.4.1.6 required exit access doors not to require the use of a key, tool, special knowledge or effort.
NFPA 101®, 2009 Edition has added an exception to this requirement, which was causing security concerns, in
Section 7.4.1.6.3. Now, elevator lobby exit access doors are permitted to be electronically locked in accordance with the new
Section 7.2.1.6.3, which lists 15 criteria that need to be met.
The requirement to have the building sprinklered, a two-way communication system for communication between the elevator lobby and a central control point that is constantly staffed, and the elevator lobby protected by an approved, supervised smoke detection system are only a few of these requirements
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Photo: Roman Milert
The new requirement in NFPA 101®, 2009 Edition for a two-way communication system in areas of refuge in sprinklered buildings will provide people with disabilities a better level of fire safety. |
MEANS OF EGRESS: TWO-WAY COMMUNICATION SYSTEMS IN AREAS OF REFUGE
The previous edition of NFPA 101® provided an exception in
Section 7.2.12.1.2 for the requirement of a two-way communication system in areas of refuge in buildings with automatic sprinkler system.
NFPA 101®, 2009 Edition has revised
Section 7.2.12.1.1 to require all areas of refuge used as part of a required accessible means of egress with a two-way communication system for communication between the elevator landing and the fire command center or a central control point approved by the authority having jurisdiction, even if the building is equipped with an automatic sprinkler system.
The two-way communication system, which shall include both audible and visible signals, is required to have directions for the use of the system, instructions for summoning assistance via the system, and written identification of the location posted adjacent to the system
EXISTING HEALTH CARE OCCUPANCIES: SPRINKLERS IN HIGH RISE BUILDINGS
NFPA 101®, 2009 Edition has added the new
Section 19.4.2 High-Rise Buildings, which requires all existing high-rise buildings containing health care occupancies to be protected throughout by an approved, supervised automatic sprinkler system within 12 years of the adoption of the Code.
Section 19.4.2 High-Rise Buildings in the previous edition had been “Reserved”.
NEW APARTMENT BUILDINGS: SMOKE ALARMS IN SLEEPING AREAS
NFPA 101®, 2009 Edition now requires smoke alarms to be installed in every sleeping area in
Section 30.3.4.5 Smoke Alarms.
The previous edition of NFPA 101® provided an exception in
Section 30.3.4.5.2 for the requirement to install single-station smoke alarms in sleeping rooms in buildings protected throughout by an approved, supervised automatic sprinkler system.
NEW APARTMENT BUILDINGS: SPRINKLER SYSTEM REQUIREMENT
The previous edition of NFPA 101® provided an exception for the requirement to have an approved, supervised automatic sprinkler system in new apartment buildings in
Section 30.3.5.1 and listed the exceptions in
Section 30.3.5.2.
According to
Section 30.3.5.2, sprinkler systems were not required in buildings where every dwelling unit provided an exit door opening directly to the street or yard at ground level, or direct access to an outside stair and served a maximum of two units, both located on the same floor, or direct access to an interior stair serving only that unit and separated from all other portions of the building by fire barriers having a 1-hour fire resistance rating with no openings therein.
NFPA 101®, 2009 Edition has revised
Section 30.3.5.1 and taken out the language providing exceptions to the sprinkler requirement. Now, all new apartment buildings shall be protected throughout by an approved, supervised automatic sprinkler system
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