Current through Register Vol. 56, No. 18, September 16, 2024
(a) Automatic
Sprinkler System: In buildings three stories or more in height, with greater
than 12,000 square feet per floor, when the work area exceeds 50 percent of the
gross enclosed floor area of a floor, an automatic sprinkler system shall be
installed throughout that floor. (Fire)
(b) Automatic Alarm System: When the work
area exceeds 50 percent of the gross enclosed floor area of a building, an
automatic fire alarm system shall be installed throughout the building as
follows:
1. An approved system of automatic
smoke detectors; or
2. An approved
automatic sprinkler system equipped with automatic fire alarm devices;
or
3. An approved system which
combines the following elements shall be acceptable when devices are located as
indicated below:
i. Combination fixed
temperature/rate-of-rise detectors in classrooms and ancillary
spaces;
ii. Photoelectric or
projected-beam smoke detectors in exit access corridors and at the top of the
exit stair enclosures; and
iii.
Fixed temperature detectors in such a system shall be accepted in locations
such as boiler rooms, garage areas and other spaces in which conditions render
other detectors inappropriate.
4. Existing fire detection systems, installed
and maintained in accordance with the manufacturer's recommendations, and
meeting the intent of current standards for automatic fire alarms, shall be
acceptable, provided:
i. The existing system
is certified as functional by an approved service agency competent in the
manufactured system.
ii. Where a
portion of an existing system is not serviceable and cannot be repaired, the
existing system shall be replaced in accordance with the above and the
provisions of the building subcode. (Fire)
(c) Manual Alarm System: When the work area
exceeds 50 percent of the gross enclosed floor area of the building, manual
fire alarm boxes shall be provided throughout the building in compliance with
Section 907.4.2 of the building subcode and in accordance with the following:
1. Manual fire alarm boxes shall be provided
in the natural path of escape from fire, near each exterior door from the
corridor, kitchen, heater room and other exterior exits that are required to
serve 50 or more persons. Additional fire alarm boxes shall be located in the
main office, stage, at each stairway entrance from a corridor or place of
assembly and near one exterior exit in each section of a place of assembly. It
shall not be necessary to traverse more than 200 feet of unobstructed
horizontal distance on the same floor in order to reach a fire alarm box.
(Fire)
(d) 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
one-hour UFC fire barrier shall be required for interior stairways and other
vertical openings not exceeding three stories.
i. No vertical opening protection shall be
required for buildings with an automatic sprinkler system throughout. (Plan
review--Building, Fire. Inspection--Building)
(e) 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;
(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; and
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 the 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 at 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
standpipe.)
ii. Hose and hose
cabinets shall not be required. (Fire)
(f) 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)
