Current through Register Vol. 56, No. 18, September 16, 2024
(a)
Automatic fire sprinkler system: An automatic fire sprinkler system shall be
installed in all Group A-5 work areas when the work area contains concession
stands, retail areas, press boxes or other accessory use areas in excess of
1,000 square feet.
(b) Manual Alarm
Systems: For buildings greater than three stories in height with occupant loads
over 25, when the work area exceeds 50 percent of the gross enclosed floor area
of the building, manual fire alarms shall be required throughout the building.
(Fire)
(c) Vertical Opening
Protection: When the work area exceeds 50 percent of the gross enclosed floor
area of the building, vertical opening protection shall be provided throughout
the building as follows:
1. A minimum two
hour fire rated assembly with approved opening protectives shall be required
for interior stairways and other vertical openings connecting more than six
floor levels.
2. A minimum one hour
fire rated assembly with approved opening protectives shall be required for
interior stairways and other vertical openings connecting four to six floor
levels.
3. A minimum 30-minute UFC
fire barrier shall be required for interior stairways and other vertical
openings not exceeding three stories. Exceptions shall be permitted as follows:
i. When connecting the main floor and
mezzanines; or
ii. When all of the
following conditions are met:
(1) The
communicating area has a low hazard occupancy or has a moderate hazard
occupancy which is protected throughout by an automatic sprinkler
system;
(2) The lowest or next to
the lowest level is a street floor;
(3) The entire area is open and unobstructed
in a manner such that it may be assumed that a fire in any part of the
interconnected spaces will be readily obvious to all of the
occupants;
(4) Exit capacity is
sufficient to provide egress simultaneously for all the occupants of all levels
by considering all areas to be a single floor area for the determination of
required exit capacity; and
(5)
Each floor level, considered separately, has at least one-half of its
individual required exit capacity provided by an exit or exits leading directly
out of that level without having to traverse another communicating floor level
or be exposed to the smoke or fire spreading from another communicating floor
level.
4.
Exception: Stairways are not required to be enclosed where all portions of the
means of egress are essentially open to the outside. (Plan review--Building,
Fire. Inspection--Building)
(d) Requirements for high-rise buildings: Any
building or structure having one or more floors used for human occupancy
located either more than six stories or more than 75 feet above the lowest
level accessible to a fire department vehicle shall comply with the following:
1. When the work area is one entire floor or
more or when the work area is 20 percent or more of the occupied floor area
served by a recirculating air system, the recirculating air system which serves
the work area shall be equipped with approved smoke and heat detection devices
installed in accordance with the UCC. The devices shall stop the fan(s)
automatically and shall be of the manual reset type. Automatic fan shutdown is
not required when the system is part of an approved smoke removal or smoke
control system. (Building)
2. When
the work area is one entire floor or more or when the work area is 20 percent
or more of the occupied floor area of the building, all elevators in the
building shall be equipped with the following emergency control devices:
i. All automatic (nondesignated attendant)
elevators having a travel distance of 25 feet or more above or below the
designated level shall be equipped with Phase 1 Emergency Recall Operation as
required by ASME A17.1-1987, Rules 211.3a and 211.3b listed in N.J.A.C.
5:70-3;
ii. At least one elevator
shall be equipped with Phase II Emergency In-Car Operation, as required by ASME
A17.1-1987, Rule 211.3c; and
(1) In buildings
with multiple elevators, at least one elevator to each floor served by an
elevator shall be equipped with Phase II Emergency In-Car Operation.
iii. All designated attendant
elevators having a travel distance of 25 feet or more above or below the
designated level shall be equipped with emergency controls, as required by ASME
A17.1-1987, Rule 211.4. (Elevator)
3. When the work area is one entire floor or
more or when the work area is 20 percent or more of the occupied floor area of
the building, standpipes shall be provided up to and including the highest
floor that is part of the work area. The standpipes shall be located and
installed in accordance with the building subcode, except as follows:
i. No pump shall be required provided that
the standpipes are capable of accepting delivery by fire department apparatus
of a minimum of 250 gpm at 65 psi to the topmost floor in buildings equipped
throughout with an automatic sprinkler system or a minimum of 500 gpm at 65 psi
to the topmost floor in all other buildings. (Where the standpipe terminates
below the topmost floor, the standpipe shall be designed to meet these
requirements (gpm/psi) for possible future extension of the
standpipe.)
ii. Hose and hose
cabinets shall not be required. (Fire)
(e) Elevator Devices: When the work area
exceeds 50 percent of the gross enclosed floor area of the building, all
elevator devices serving any part of the work area shall comply with the
requirements of
5:23-6.30(g).
(Elevator)
