Sprinkler Ordinance

Sprinkler Ordinance

Article II. Automatic Sprinkler Systems


Cross references: Businesses, ch 18
State Law References: Duties of fire chief regarding fire prevention generally, W.S.A. § 101.14(2); enforcement of business codes generally, W.S.A., §, 62.17.

Sec. 30-31 Purpose and intent of article.
The intent of this article is designed to require the installation of automatic fire suppression systems for the better protection of life and property within the city.
(Ord. No. 95-9, § I, 7-10-95)

Sec. 30-32. Buildings requiring installation.
(a)  This article requires the installation of an automatic fire sprinkler system in the following buildings:
      (1) Multifamily;
      (2) Industrial;
      (3) Government Buildings;
      (4) Hotels;
      (5) Dormitories;
      (6) Nursing;
      (7) Old age and other institutional buildings;
      (8) Commercial;
      (9) Intuitional;
      (10) Public Buildings;
      (11) Motels;
      (12) Rooming houses and;
      (13) Convalescent
(b)  A complete approved automatic fire sprinkler protection system shall be provided in all the buildings listed in subsection (a) of this section, except multifamily, as follows:
      (1)  Fire-resistive buildings.  Throughout every building which is either:
            (a) Ten thousand feet or more in total area;
            (b) Is over one story in height and exceeds 6000 square feet in total area; or
            (c) Is over two stories in height.
      (2)  Non-fire resistive buildings. Throughout every building which is either:
            (a) Five thousand square feet or more in total area; or
            (b) Is over two stories in height.
(Ord. No. 95-9, § I, 7-10-95)

 

Sec. 30-33. Accessory buildings and special principal building areas.

Approved automatic sprinkler equipment shall be installed and maintained in the following accessory buildings and special principal building areas as follows:

(1) Garages. Automatic sprinkler equipment shall be installed in garages as follows:

a. Garages within, attached to above or below other occupancies.

b. Garages used as passenger terminals.

(2) Basements and subbasements. In the basements and subbasements of principal and accessory buildings approved automatic sprinkler equipment shall be installed as follows:

a. All basements having a total floor area of 2,500 square feet or more.

b. All subbasements regardless of size.

(3) Multifamily buildings. All multifamily buildings which exceed the thresholds established in chapter ILHR 66 Uniform Multifamily dwellings, Table 66.33-B, shall have automatic fire sprinklers installed unless the building is provided with two-hour fire separations as required by chapter ILHR 66.

(4) Daycare centers, including adult day care centers. All buildings in day care centers and adult day care centers, regardless of size, shall have complete sprinkler protection throughout.

(5) Community based residential facilities (CBRF). All buildings in community based residential facilities (CBRF), regardless of size, shall have sprinkler protection throughout.

(6) Theaters and assembly buildings. All buildings in theaters and assembly buildings, regardless of size, shall have sprinkler protection throughout.

(7) Hospitals, nursing, convalescent, old age and other similar institutional buildings. All buildings of nonfire-resistive construction in hospitals, nursing, convalescent, old age and other similar institutional buildings, regardless of size, shall have sprinkler protection throughout.

(8) Schools, colleges and universities. All buildings of nonfire-resistive construction in schools, colleges and universities, regardless of size, shall have sprinkler protection throughout.

(9) Dormitories, fraternities and sorority houses. All buildings in dormitories, fraternities and sorority houses, regardless of size, shall have sprinkler protection throughout.

(10) Hotels, motels and roominghouses. All buildings of nonfire-resistive construction in hotels, motels and roominghouses, regardless of size, shall have sprinkler protection throughout.

(11) Commercial, industrial and institutional garages and service centers. Any building with a total area of 3,000 square feet in area or greater in commercial, industrial and institutional garages and service centers, regardless of size, shall have sprinkler protection throughout.

[Ord. No. 95-9, $ I, 7-10-1995]

 

Sec. 30-34. High-hazard occupancies.
 

(a) Approved automatic fire suppression equipment shall be installed and maintained in the following buildings, regardless of size, in which it is expected there will be high-hazard occupancy, including, but not limited to:

(1) Aircraft hangars.

(2) Dry cleaning establishments using or storing gasoline or other volatile flammable liquids.

(3) Enameling or Japanning operations.

(4) Mills: Sugar, starch, cereal, feed, hay flour and grist mills.

(5) Paint and varnish: Manufacturing, storing, handling, spraying and other related operations.

(6) Paint stripping establishments.

(7) Manufacture and storage of Pyroxylin products.

(8) Smoke houses.

(9) Storage of explosive gages under pressure (15 psi and over 5,400 cubic feet) such as acetylene, hydrogen and natural gas.

(10) Storage of materials with a flashpoint under 200° F., such as celluloid products, kerosene, etc.

(11) Woodworking and other such establishments with combustible dust.

(12) Chemical works and/or storage facilities.

(13) Explosive and pyrotechnics manufacturing.

(14) Oil refineries.

(b) This article applies to all new construction after the effective date of the ordinance from which this section is derived
[Ord. No. 95-9, § I, 7-10-1995]

Sec. 30-35. Approval of plans.

[Ord. No. 95-9, § I, 7-10-1995]

(a) Submission for review by fire chief. Prior to the installation of any portion of a fire suppression system, or the alteration to an existing fire suppression system, plans shall be submitted to the fire chief for review. All fire suppression systems must comply with all applicable NFPA standards.

(b) Stamping, signing and sealing of plans. Four copies of the plans, specifications and calculations shall be submitted for review; reviewed plans shall be stamped "conditionally approved by the fire prevention bureau." Two copies will be returned to the submitter. One copy with the "conditionally approved by the fire prevention bureau" stamp must remain on the job site at all times. All copies of the plans, specifications and calculations submitted shall be signed and sealed by a state registered architect, fire protection engineer, fire protection designer or the qualifier before the fire suppression contractor installs the work. Plans and/or calculations which are not signed and sealed will not be reviewed.

(c) Conditional approval; effect. The city fire department's conditional approval of fire suppression plans does not affirm the accuracy of any calculations performed by the contractor. Full responsibility for the accuracy of the system design and calculations is the responsibility of the fire protection contractor.

(d) Work not to commence prior to plan review and permit issuance. No work may begin on the installation of any fire suppression system or the alteration of an existing system until the plans, specifications and calculations have been reviewed by the city fire department and a permit for installation is obtained.

Sec. 30-36. Installation methods and standards.

[Ord. No. 95-9, § I, 7-10-1995]

(a) Approved fire suppression systems shall be installed in accordance with current National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) standards and/or recommended practices which are applicable.

(b) All fire sprinkler systems shall use hydrant water flow test data which is dated no greater than six months prior to the submission of the sprinkler plans for review. The data shall be obtained during peak water demand conditions, and conducted in such a manner that it represents true orientation (direction of flow) of the supply to the system being designed.

(c) All sprinkler system designs shall be based on no more than 90% of the available water supply. A minimum safety factor of 10% shall be maintained.

(d) All fire suppression systems shall be installed in accordance with all applicable state codes.

(e) Fire department connections. The location of all fire department connections shall be approved by the fire chief.

(f) Audible alarm bells are required on the inside and outside of all buildings.

Sec. 30-37. Maintenance of equipment.

[Ord. No. 95-9, § I, 7-10-1995]

(a) All fire suppression equipment shall be maintained in proper working order in accordance with the state code.

(b) The fire department shall be notified prior to shutting down any system for any reason and again when the system has been restored to service

Sec. 30-38. Inspections.

[Ord. No. 95-9, § I, 7-10-1995]

(a) All fire sprinkler systems shall be inspected, tested and maintained in accordance with NFPA 25, 1991 edition. A copy of all inspection and testing reports shall be sent to the fire department on a yearly basis and/or if requested by the fire chief or fire inspector.

(b) Inspections of fire suppression systems during construction will be made by the fire department or their designated representative.

(c) The fire protection contractor must request an inspection prior to any fire protection system component being concealed.

(d) The fire protection contractor must request an inspection upon completion of the system installation.

(e) The fire protection contractor must request an inspection 24 hours in advance.

Sec. 30-39. Testing of systems.

[Ord. No. 95-9, § I, 7-10-1995]

The following tests shall be witnessed by the fire department or its representative:

(1) Fire protection water supply hydrostatic test.

(2) Fire protection water supply flushing.

(3) Sprinkler system hydrostatic test.

(4) Standpipe system hydrostatic test.

(5) Dry sprinkler system air/hydrostatic test.

(6) Dry pipe valve trip test.

(7) Deluge system trip test.

(8) Fire pump acceptance test.

(9) Carbon dioxide system acceptance tests.

(10) Dry chemical system acceptance tests.

(11) Foam system acceptance tests.

(12) Special agent system acceptance tests.

(13) Standpipe system acceptance tests.

(14) Full flow backflow preventer tests.

(15) Sprinkler system acceptance tests.

(16) Foam system acceptance tests.

(17) Fire hydrant flow tests.

(18) The fire protection contractor must request the fire department to witness all testing at least 24 hours in advance.

 

Sec. 30-40. Fees.

[Ord. No. 95-9, § I, 7-10-1995; Ord. No. 06-04, § I, 2-27-2006]

Fees for the following items shall be charged;

(1) Basic fire sprinkler plan review.

(2) Each additional review of the same system.

(3) Fire pumps per review.

(4) Modifications to existing sprinkler systems.

(5) Review of additional hydraulic calculations only.

(6) Fire protection underground piping.

(7) Fire hydrants.

(8) Fire hose connections.

(9) Standpipe systems.

(10) All other suppression systems.

(11) Inspections.

(12) Witness tests.

Sec. 30-41. Permits.

[Ord. No. 95-9, § I, 7-10-1995]

Permits are required for all installations prior to installation of any equipment. Permits will not be issued until the plans and calculations have been reviewed.

 

Sec 30-42 Additions or change of use. 

[Ord. No. 95-19, § I, 9-22-1995]

All existing public, commercial and industrial buildings 6,000 square feet or more in size, exterior wall dimensions, shall conform to this article. If life occupancy is present in any such structure, this article will apply regardless of size as follows:

(1) Application of article. This article applies to, but is not limited to, places of employment, schools and municipal, state and federal government structures.

 

(2) Additions of 50% or more of gross area of structure. This article refers to and is intended to apply to additions to the structures referred to in section 30-42 wherein the addition is 50% or more of gross area or more than the original structure. In such case the entire building shall be provided with the requirements of this article.

 

(3) Additions of between 25 to 50% of gross area of structure. Where the addition to any applicable structure under this article is between 25% and 50% of the gross area that part of the building which is added must meet the requirements of this article. The areas of the structure or building which have not changed do not need to meet the requirements of this article, unless the remodeling includes dwelling units.

 

(4) Incremental additions. In the event of incremental periodic additions to an existing structure any such additions from the effective date of the ordinance from which this article is derived shall be added together (gross area) and when any such additions total at least 25% of the gross area of the original structure this article and its requirements shall apply to all additions added from the effective date of this ordinance from which this article is derived.

 

(5) Change of use. If the use of an existing public, commercial or industrial building is changed to any new use the building shall be made to comply with this article. Hotels, motels and other similar buildings, if converted to condominiums or other private ownership, shall be made to comply with the requirements of this article.