Why Restaurants Fire Protection Need To Upgrade

Why Restaurants Fire Protection Need To Upgrade 

On Oct 16, 2021 a fire broke out at a popular restaurant in the southern part of Kolkata during the busy hours on Saturday afternoon, police said. No casualty was reported. Three fire tenders were pressed into service to douse the blaze, which probably started from the kitchen of the Mughlai restaurant at, a police officer said.

Restaurant or kitchen fires have always been some of the most dangerous because a fire can begin on a cooking appliance, or in a hood, or ductwork and quickly spread to involve the entire building. Statistics show that many restaurants never re-open after a fire. A kitchen fire suppression system is a fire safety system that prevents fires from travelling from your kitchen area to other areas in the building.

In 1994, Underwriters Laboratories released "Fire Testing of Fire Extinguishing Systems for Protection of Restaurant Cooking Areas," also known as UL 300. The standard outlines specific guidelines that fire protection equipment manufacturers must meet for systems to receive a UL 300 label.

Each manufacturer must submit their system to Underwriters Laboratories for testing, which includes real-world fire testing on commercial cooking equipment used in today’s restaurants. Fire suppression systems that meet the UL 300 standard are significantly more effective at controlling kitchen fires than systems designed to meet previous standards.

Most states have adopted NFPA 17A and NFPA 96 as a part of their fire code, requiring all commercial kitchen fire suppression systems to be UL 300 compliant. Additionally, most insurance companies require compliance with this standard as a prerequisite to coverage.

General Requirements

Egress

For restaurants with an occupant load of 50 or more, which would classify them as an assembly occupancy, the main entrance must be sized to be able to accommodate at least one half of the total occupant load. Other exits must be provided to handle the additional capacity with the total number being based on layout and maintaining acceptable travel distances.

Sprinkler Protection

Sprinklers have not traditionally been required for all restaurants. Beginning with the 2021 edition of NFPA 101 Life Safety Code, restaurants that are assembly occupancies of new construction will require sprinkler protection. Like fire alarms, a lot of variables can play into the need for sprinkler protection, including construction type, height, other uses of the building, and more. Where considering a standalone building used only as a restaurant its classification as an assembly occupancy does not require sprinkler protection for any existing construction unless it can also be considered a nightclub, dance hall, or discotheque in which case they are required for occupant loads over 100.

Fire Alarm

Whether or not a fire alarm system is required can come down to many variables but if it is a standalone building it is only required to be provided with a fire alarm system where the occupant load is greater than 300. Where required, the system will need to be initiated by one of or a combination of manual operation (pull stations), automatic detection, or sprinkler system waterflow.  Notification of the occupants is required to be a voice announcement and include visible signals.

Wet-chemical extinguishing system

As referenced earlier, the majority of fires in restaurants are caused by cooking equipment. For this reason, any cooking equipment used in processes that produce grease-laden vapors must be provided with ventilation and a fire extinguishing system. The fire extinguishing systems must be listed to UL 300 or equivalent standards which is currently only achieved by wet chemical extinguishing systems. The wet chemical is able to separate the oil and air for a sufficient amount of time to allow complete cooling. These systems are most commonly activated automatically through the use of fusible links that are in the exhaust airflow and have a manual release that can also be used by staff in the area. The manual release should be located in the path of egress from the space to allow for safe use.

Some common issues with the fixed extinguishing systems include the caps on discharge nozzles being taken off for day-to-day use. These caps prevent grease from getting into and clogging the nozzles and are designed to blow off when the system activates. The rearrangement or replacement of cooking equipment can also be problematic as the systems are specifically designed for the original equipment, changing these out without analyzing the system could result in a failure to extinguish a fire.

Class-K Fire Extinguisher

While the fixed extinguishing system is intended to be the primary means of extinguishment, at least one portable fire extinguisher is also required to be provided in the kitchen area. Extinguishers in kitchens need to be Class K to be appropriate for use on the cooking medium. Signage is required at the extinguisher in the form of a placard that is conspicuously placed near each Class K extinguisher that states that the fire protection system must be activated prior to using the fire extinguisher.

Requirements for a UL 300

Fire suppression systems that are UL 300-compliant must use a wet chemical agent. Wet chemicals suppress flammable vapors but also cool the source so it can’t reignite. Remember that although a system may be labeled as a “wet chemical,” that doesn’t necessarily mean it is UL 300-compliant.

In addition to using a wet chemical agent, UL 300 systems must also include:

·        A manual pull station

·        An automatic fire detection system

·        Automatic fuel shut-offs for gas and electric

·        Nozzles located in the hood and duct

·        Nozzles located over each grease-generating cooking appliance

·        Wet chemical system serviced semi-annually by an authorized licensed service company

·        Hood and duct maintenance and cleaning semi-annually by an authorized licensed service company

Inspection and Maintenance

Routine inspection and maintenance of cooking equipment, the hood and exhaust systems, and fire extinguishing equipment (including fire extinguishers) are vital to ensuring that protection is maintained consistently for the restaurant. In addition, instructions need to be provided to new employees on hiring and to all employees annually on the use of portable fire extinguishers and the manual actuation of the fire-extinguishing system. Hoods need to be inspected for grease build-up at a frequency that is typically semi-annually for most restaurants but can be more or less frequent, depending on the type and volume of cooking. When that inspection finds grease build-up the hood and exhaust system must be cleaned.

NFPA 96 Standard for Ventilation Control and Fire Protection of Commercial Cooking Operations, 2021

The fire extinguishing systems must be maintained at least every 6 months and all actuation and control components, including remote manual pull stations, mechanical and electrical devices, detectors, and actuators, must be tested for proper operation. Fusible links of the metal alloy type and automatic sprinklers of the metal alloy type must also be replaced at this interval.

Installing a UL 300-compliant fire suppression system is more than a requirement for your restaurant. It’s a critical step in protecting your employees, customers, and livelihood. Restaurant owners should partner with a qualified fire and security company to design and install a reliable and code-compliant fire suppression system that best meets their needs. For any code compliance questions, our fire and life safety specialists are available 24/7/365.

Pull Stations is a First Line of Defence

 Pull Stations is a First Line of Defence

Today, at least one fire alarm pull station is required for all public buildings, including, schools, hospitals, prison, daycares, hotels, businesses, and apartments regardless of the automated fire alarm systems and detection devices used. At JMAC, you can find all sorts of single and dual pull stations, including addressable pull stations. Quality pull switches usually have some sort of approval or listing, and feature a corrosion-resistant material along with a handle that can only be reset by an authorized person. A fire alarm pull station is normally the first line of defense to an alarm security system and will do a fantastic job of alerting authorities and bystanders regarding danger within your premises.

A working fire alarm pull station supports prompt evacuation and swift action from first responders

When somebody “pulls the fire alarm,” they’re usually talking about fire alarm pull stations. For more than 50 years, some form of these typically red boxes have been found on the walls of most large buildings in the United States.

In this article, we’ll cover how pull stations work, why they’re important, and what to look for when purchasing one.

How does a fire alarm pull station work?

Sometimes referred to as “pull switches,” fire alarm pull stations—often featuring a T-bar handle, as shown below—activate fire alarm systems.

Pull stations with a T-bar handle are easily recognized and activate with a single downward motion.

These systems can also be activated by other initiating devices, such as automatic heat and smoke detectors, but what follows is the same: indicating appliances, such as horns or strobe lights, direct occupants to leave the area. Pull stations send a signal to the control panel, and if the fire alarm is monitored, the control panel then usually sends a message to a company’s monitoring service, which transmits that message to first responders. In some cases, a signal is transmitted directly to a fire department.

The status of pull switches and other essential components are displayed on fire alarm control panels like this one.

It’s a less commonly-known fact that most pull stations don’t cause fire sprinklers to spray water. Many fire alarm systems may monitor fire sprinkler systems – and sound the alarm when sprinklers discharge – but their purpose is to alert bystanders and authorities to danger.

Pull stations are redundant—and that’s (part of) the point

The National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) authors guidelines used by state and local governments to write fire code. At the core of NFPA’s philosophy is redundancy – the effort to guarantee that when one life safety system fails, another takes its place.

From the 2018 edition of NFPA 101

4.5.1 Multiple Safeguards. The design of every building or structure intended for human occupancy shall be such that reliance for safety to life does not depend solely on any single safeguard. An additional safeguard(s) shall be provided for life safety in case any single safeguard is rendered ineffective.

Attacking the problem of fire safety from multiple angles makes buildings much safer. Safety features – from fire extinguishers to fire escapes – are redundant in the best possible sense of the word.

Working, fail-safe fire prevention systems have become more widespread as the frequency of fires has declined. But today’s fires, while drastically fewer in number, remain just as deadly and devastating when they occur, making these fail-safes as critical as ever.

Thomas Peele, a journalist with The Mercury News, reported on a 2018 fire in San Jose, California that injured 15 people and displaced more than 100. Peele learned that an untested and uncertified fire alarm system failed to activate when fire broke out in a second-story unit at Summerwind Apartments. Fire inspector Andrew Whyte uncovered several additional fire safety violations, including problems with exit signs, emergency lights, and other fire prevention equipment. An inspection in 2011 had found “that the alarm at Summerwind was not certified as working,” but the issue was never remedied.

Pull stations, required in nearly every building, must be nearby

Every fire alarm system can be activated in one of several ways, but according to NFPA guidelines, manual fire alarm initiation is a requirement common to almost every building requiring a fire alarm system. Automatic detection can be used in place of manual activation only when explicitly allowed.

As a general rule, all kinds of public buildings – theaters, schools, daycares, hospitals, prisons, apartments, hotels, and businesses – need at least one alarm pull switch, even when automatic detection devices are connected to the alarm system. NFPA 101: Life Safety Code, available for free at NFPA.org, spells out these requirements.

From the 2018 edition of NFPA 101

9.6.2.6* For fire alarm systems using automatic fire detection or waterflow detection devices to initiate the fire alarm system in accordance with Chapters 11 through 43, not less than one manual fire alarm box, located as required by the authority having jurisdiction, shall be provided to initiate a fire alarm signal.

When boxes are required, they must be placed near exits and along walls at a prescribed distance.

From the 2018 edition of NFPA 101

9.6.2.3 A manual fire alarm box shall be provided as follows, unless modified by another section of this Code:

(1) For new alarm system installations, the manual fire alarm box shall be located within 60 in. (1525 mm) of exit doorways.

(2) For existing alarm system installations, the manual fire alarm box either shall be provided in the natural exit access path near each required exit or within 60 in. (1525 mm) of exit doorways.

9.6.2.5* Additional manual fire alarm boxes shall be located so that, on any given floor in any part of the building, no horizontal distance on that floor exceeding 200 ft (61 m) shall need to be traversed to reach a manual fire alarm box.

9.6.2.7* Manual fire alarm boxes shall be accessible, unobstructed, and visible.

Where multiple doors are clustered together, an alarm box is required on each side.

From the 2018 edition of NFPA 101

9.6.2.4 Manual fire alarm boxes shall be mounted on both sides of grouped openings over 40 ft (12.2 m) in width, and within 60 in. (1525 mm) of each side of the opening.

NFPA provides straightforward installation guidelines

NFPA 72: National Fire Alarm and Signalling Code establishes installation criteria for “initiating devices,” a term that covers everything from waterflow detectors to manual fire alarm boxes. First and foremost, only qualified installers should make changes to fire alarm systems.

From the 2016 edition of NFPA 72

10.5.2.1 Fire alarm systems and emergency communications systems installation personnel shall be qualified or shall be supervised by persons who are qualified in the installation, inspection, and testing of the systems.

10.5.2.2 State or local licensure regulations shall be followed to determine qualified personnel.

10.5.2.3 Personnel shall provide documentation of their qualification by one or more of the following:

(1) Registration, licensing, or certification by a state or local authority

(2) Certification by an organization acceptable to the authority having jurisdiction

(3) Manufacturer’s certification for the specific type and brand of system provided

Further guidelines ensure the visibility, accessibility, and proper function of alarm activation devices.

From the 2016 edition of NFPA 72

17.14 Manually Actuated Alarm-Initiating Devices.

17.14.1 Manually actuated alarm-initiating devices for initiating signals other than for fire alarm shall be permitted if the devices are differentiated from manual fire alarm boxes by a color other than red and labeling.

17.14.2 Combination manual fire alarm boxes and guard’s signaling stations shall be permitted.

17.14.3 Manually actuated alarm-initiating devices shall be securely mounted. 17.14.4 Manually actuated alarm-initiating devices shall be mounted on a background of contrasting color.

17.14.5 The operable part of a manually actuated alarm initiating device shall be not less than 42 in. (1.07 m) and not more than 48 in. (1.22 m) from the finished floor.

Two terms are introduced later in this section:

• Single-action boxes require only one action to operate (i.e., a single pull on a lever)
• Double or dual-action boxes require two actions – lift and pull.

The 2016 edition of NFPA 72 continues…………………

17.14.6 Manually actuated alarm-initiating devices shall be permitted to be single action or double action.

17.14.7* Listed protective covers shall be permitted to be installed over single- or double-action manually actuated alarm initiating devices.

17.14.8 Manual fire alarm boxes shall comply with 17.14.8.1 through 17.14.8.6.

17.14.8.1 Manual fire alarm boxes shall be used only for fire alarm initiating purposes.

17.14.8.2 Manual fire alarm boxes shall be installed so that they are conspicuous, unobstructed, and accessible.

17.14.8.3* Unless installed in an environment that precludes the use of red paint or red plastic, manual fire alarm boxes shall be red in color.

What features should I look for?

Listings are an indicator of a fire alarm pull station’s quality. A listing or approval from experts in product testing, such as UL, ensures that manufacturers have taken certain precautions against damage. A pull station meeting UL 38, the company’s Standard for Manual Signaling Boxes for Fire Alarm Systems, has been examined, tested, and confirmed to resist problems caused by impact, use, corrosion, weather, and other factors.

If the box features a metal body, it should be treated or coated with corrosion-resistant material. In most cases, a single-action pull station works, but a dual-action pull model – those that require two gestures to activate – may be best in areas where the alarm may be unintentionally activated by impact (or by a prankster). All boxes should feature a handle that cannot be reset, except by authorized personnel, when pulled.

Single-action pull stations basically made with corrosion-resistant cast-iron bodies that mount to a standard single gangbox – boxes sized for a single light switch or a pair of electrical sockets. These stations include a terminal block, allowing for wires to connect to alarms with no splicing required.

Fire is one hazard that can happen anywhere, anytime. Whether it is your home or office, effective safety equipment , is therefore, a must in all buildings, which is backed up by legislation. An attack from fire can create irreplaceable damage and loss of life. It is therefore crucial that you have systems in place to protect your assets from fire. So preparing yourself with quality safety equipment is a must. For consulting you can contact us.

Understanding Initiation, Notification, and Monitoring

Understanding Initiation, Occupant Notification, and Monitoring

Buildings have different kinds of hazards, people with varying levels of mobility, and structures that affect occupants’ ability to evacuate in the event of a fire. That’s why the National Fire Protection Association’s NFPA: 101 Life Safety Code dictates different requirements for three key components of a fire alarm system, among others: what sets it off, how it alerts people in the building, and whether and how it must be monitored for the purpose of immediate response by emergency forces.

NFPA 101 calls these three components “initiation,” “occupant notification,” and “emergency forces notification.” In this article, we explore the various ways that a fire alarm system might accomplish these tasks according to code.

Check out later installments of this series to learn NFPA’s requirements for how each different occupancy type – the essential method by which buildings are classified – must uniquely fulfill these requirements.

What will initiate the fire alarm system?

Initiation, aka how the alarm goes off in the first place, can happen one of three ways: someone sets it off manually, a smoke detector or other automatic detection system triggers it, or an extinguishing system (e.g., overhead sprinklers) sets it off. NFPA 101, 9.6.2.1 lays those options out very clearly.

However, the particulars of those methods are less straightforward and depend largely on the occupancy type in which they are used. Read through all of Section 9.6.2 to learn what the essential (and rather detailed) initiation requirements are. As for understanding the basics of NFPA-compliant fire alarm initiation, the guidelines below should get you off to a good start.

Manual initiation

Let’s begin with manual initiation, which is generally achieved by a manual fire alarm box, also known as a pull station. Section 9.6.2.3 details exactly where these manual fire alarm boxes should be located.

From the 2018 edition of NFPA 101

9.6.2.3 A manual fire alarm box shall be provided as follows, unless modified by another section of this Code:

(1) For new alarm system installations, the manual fire alarm box shall be located within 60 in. (1525 mm) of exit doorways.

(2) For existing alarm system installations, the manual fire alarm box either shall be provided in the natural exit access path near each required exit or within 60 in. (1525 mm) of exit doorways.

Be sure to also see Sections 9.6.2.4-5 for guidelines on how far apart manual fire alarm boxes may be placed from one another and from building exits. Also keep in mind that the specific code for your occupancy type most likely has additional requirements for where manual alarm boxes must go. In any case, all manual fire alarm boxes should be easily visible and accessible in accordance with section 9.6.2.7. And even if a building has an automatic detection or extinguishing system, this section still requires there to be at least one manual fire alarm box in the building.

Automatic detection

The second type of fire alarm initiation, automatic detection, can come in many forms. For example, some systems detect smoke, while others detect elevated heat or rate of rise, a measurement of how quickly the room temperature is increasing. The code for your specific occupancy will tell you which type of automatic detection system you need (if any). The most common type is the smoke detector, which must be automatic in cases where its coverage is considered “total” or “complete.”

From the 2018 edition of NFPA 101

Δ 9.6.2.9 Where a total (complete) coverage smoke detection system is required by another section of this Code, automatic detection of smoke in accordance with NFPA 72 shall be provided in all occupiable areas in environments that are suitable for proper smoke detector operation.

What, then, is total or complete smoke detector coverage?

NFPA 72: National Fire Alarm and Signaling Code defines it as coverage that includes “all rooms, halls, storage areas, basements, attics, lofts, spaces above suspended ceilings, and other subdivisions and accessible spaces.”(17.5.3.1) In short, if you have total coverage smoke detection, it should initiate the alarm system automatically.

Note: Most occupancies with sleeping units such as hotels, apartments, residential board and care, and others generally have smoke alarms rather than smoke detectors. And smoke alarms, much like in a one- or two-family dwelling, are required to be interconnected to each other within that dwelling unit – but aren’t always connected to the fire alarm system.

Extinguishing system operation

The third type of fire alarm initiation, extinguishing system operation, is often equipped with automatic detection. In those cases, section 9.6.2.8 dictates that the extinguishing system is configured so that its water flow initiates the alarm.

From the 2018 edition of NFPA 101

9.6.2.8 Where a sprinkler system provides automatic detection and alarm system initiation, it shall be provided with an approved alarm initiation device that operates when the flow of water is equal to or greater than that from a single automatic sprinkler.

Section 9.7 gives additional guidance for a sprinkler system’s piping, usage in lieu of heat detection devices, and supervision for cases when those elements are required by other parts of the code.

Of course, not all fires can be put out or controlled by a typical sprinkler system, so section 9.8 makes provisions for alternative extinguishment systems to be used when a building’s contents would fuel one of these types of fires. When these alternative-type systems are used, the code requires actuation of the system to be indicated at a fire alarm panel (9.8.2.1 and 9.8.2.2).

Occupant notification: NFPA’s requirements may not be what you’d expect

Occupant notification is exactly what it sounds like: letting people in the building know that they need to get out immediately. There are a few different ways you can do this – and some will work better than others depending on who the building occupants are – but the NFPA provides one basic rule:

From the 2018 edition of NFPA 101

9.6.3.5 Unless otherwise provided in 9.6.3.5.1 through 9.6.3.5.8, notification signals for occupants to evacuate shall be by audible and visible signals in accordance with NFPA 72 and ICC/ANSI A117.1, Accessible and Usable Buildings and Facilities, or other means of notification acceptable to the authority having jurisdiction.

You can look into NFPA 72 and ICC/ANSI A117.1 for more details on installation, but the key takeaways here are “audible and visible signals.” And while that sounds simple, NFPA has a few things to say about just what these signals should entail.

From the 2018 edition of NFPA 101

9.6.3.7 Audible alarm notification appliances shall be of such character and so distributed as to be effectively heard above the average ambient sound level that exists under normal conditions of occupancy.

9.6.3.8 Audible alarm notification appliances shall produce signals that are distinctive from audible signals used for other purposes in a given building.

Basically, the nature of audible alarms should be such that you will certainly hear them – whether you are sleeping, whether there is the noise from a crowd, or whatever ambient conditions exist. As for visible alarms, look at NFPA 72, 18.5.3 for details like the required pulse duration and flash rate of strobe lights, and read NFPA 101, 9.6.3.5.1-7 for all the cases in which you don’t actually need them.

There’s one other method of occupant notification, and that’s voice announcements. According to section 9.6.3.9, these should give instructions for how to evacuate the building or relocate to a safer part of it, and they can be either recorded or announced live. See sections 9.6.3.9.1-2 for more details on how a voice announcement should sound and be carried over an existing PA system.

It would be natural to assume that NFPA wants us to notify all occupants every time a fire alarm is triggered, but that’s not actually so. NFPA 101 actually allows some fire alarm notifications to occur on a “need-to-know” basis only.

From the 2018 edition of NFPA 101

9.6.3.6.2* Where total evacuation of occupants is impractical due to building configuration, only the occupants in the affected zones shall be initially notified, and provisions shall be made to selectively notify occupants in other zones to afford orderly evacuation of the entire building, provided that such arrangement is approved by the authority having jurisdiction.

Δ 9.6.3.6.3 Where occupants are incapable of evacuating themselves because of age, physical or mental disabilities, or physical restraint, all of the following shall apply:

(1) The private operating mode, as described in NFPA 72 shall be permitted to be used.

(2) Only the attendants and other personnel required to evacuate occupants from a zone, area, floor, or building shall be required to be notified.

(3) Notification of personnel as specified in 9.6.3.6.3(2) shall include means to readily identify the zone, area, floor, or building in need of evacuation.

The implication is that sometimes you don’t want alarms to cause panic for occupants who aren’t able to get themselves to safety, whether that’s because of the building’s limitations or their own. That’s what private operating mode in section 9.6.3.6.3(1) is all about. Check the code for your specific occupancy type to see if private operating mode is permitted in your building.

From the 2019 edition of NFPA 72

3.3.193.1 Private Operating Mode. Audible or visual signaling only to those persons directly concerned with the implementation and direction of emergency action initiation and procedure in the area protected by the fire alarm system.

If you backtrack through the code a bit, you’ll see that NFPA 101, 9.6.3.2.1-4 also present many cases where detectors don’t have to set off occupant notification, like smoke detectors for elevator hoist ways, closing dampers, and automatic door releases, to name a few. Note that in these exceptional cases, you may only forgo occupant notification if the detector’s power supply is monitored by the building’s fire alarm system and its activation signals a constantly-attended location.

Some occupancies will also allow alarms to run what’s called a “positive alarm sequence” in accordance with section 9.6.3.4.

NFPA 72 defines this as “an automatic sequence which results in an alarm signal, even when manually delayed for investigation, unless the system is reset.” (3.3.205) It allows 15 seconds for someone to acknowledge the signal at the fire alarm control unit before it automatically initiates notification signals and evacuation or relocation announcements (23.8.1.2.1.1(2)). If someone acknowledges the signal within that time, they then have 180 seconds to investigate the premises and either reset the system or confirm the alarm (23.8.1.2.1.1(3)).

Essentially, the alarm can be delayed from notifying occupants for a period of time while someone investigates the cause of its triggering – an especially handy feature in buildings where occupants may be tempted to set off an alarm when there isn’t really a fire.

If you need fire alarm monitoring, you have a few options

Fire alarm monitoring ensures that even if no one is in the building when a fire occurs, emergency forces will still be contacted. Typically, monitored alarm systems will have a fire alarm control panel (FACP) installed which transmits any alarm signals to a supervising station. Not all occupancies require monitoring for their fire alarm systems, but those that do are held to section 9.4.6 of NFPA 101, which gives a few options for how to monitor alarms and notify emergency forces.

From the 2018 edition of NFPA 101

9.4.6.2 Where emergency forces notification is required by another section of this Code, the fire alarm system shall be arranged to transmit the alarm automatically via any of the following means acceptable to the authority having jurisdiction and shall be in accordance with NFPA 72:

(1) Auxiliary fire alarm system
(2) Central station fire alarm system
(3) Proprietary supervising station fire alarm system
(4) Remote supervising station fire alarm system

The most common of these methods, central station monitoring, connects the fire alarm system to a monitoring station via phone line, mobile line, Internet (IP), or another communication medium. Trained staff members then alert emergency services to the facility’s alarm signal. Auxiliary fire alarm monitoring works in the same way, except that instead of signaling a monitoring station, the alarm transmits directly to the municipal emergency force’s communication center.

Proprietary supervising stations are located within one of the several properties they monitor. This method is for owners of many different properties who want to take care of alarm monitoring themselves. Conversely, facilities with remote supervising station monitoring have alarms transmitted to any location that receives signals from properties under multiple different ownership. These types of monitoring stations aren’t subject to the recording and reporting requirements that govern how central station monitoring services must receive alarm signals. Section 26.3.9 of NFPA 72 details those requirements in full.

However the monitoring is to take place, visible and audible alarms should activate in that station when the system is triggered. If none of the monitoring options above are feasible, the facility may use a different, approved plan for notifying emergency forces. Refer to NFPA 72 for guidance on creating a compliant plan.

Another determining factor in how to configure an alarm system is whether your state or city has adopted an edition of the International Building Code (IBC), and which year they have approved. IBC requires all sprinkler systems (except for those in commercial kitchens and one- and two-family dwellings) to be monitored by a supervising station.

From the 2018 edition of IBC

901.6 Supervisory service.

Where required, fire protection systems shall be monitored by an approved supervising station in accordance with NFPA 72.

901.6.1 Automatic sprinkler systems.

Automatic sprinkler systems shall be monitored by an approved supervising station.

Exceptions:

1. A supervising station is not required for automatic sprinkler systems protecting one-and two-family dwellings.
2. Limited area systems in accordance with Section 903.3.8.

Of course, whether or not your region has adopted the 2018 edition of IBC is far from the only thing that might require you to have your fire alarms monitored. Your occupancy type is the most important consideration in knowing exactly what’s required in terms of monitoring, and it determines a good deal of your initiation and occupant notification requirements as well.

What are the next steps in keeping your building’s fire alarm compliant?

Now that you’re up to speed on exactly what these components of a fire alarm system are, keep an eye out for the next two installments in this series. We’ll discuss exactly what each occupancy type needs for an NFPA-compliant fire alarm system and how building owners execute these model codes. We are ready to support you.

 

Emergency Power for Fire Safety Systems

 Emergency power for Fire Safety Systems

For many years there were no accepted standards for the design of emergency and standby power systems, even though these systems have been in use since World War II. Recognizing this need, NFPA formed the Technical Committee on Emergency Power Supplies in 1976. Although the committee developed a report proposing adoption of NFPA 110: Standard for Emergency and Standby Power Systems, it wasn’t until the 1984 NFPA Fall Meeting that the document was adopted as a standard and became the 1985 edition.

Today emergency and standby systems are used to provide backup power for building systems to provide assurance that life safety systems and critical equipment can maintain their operation during a power outage. The use of these systems almost comes as second nature when designing large, complex facilities. Yet, how well do you know the specific requirements for these systems? Questions we must consider include:

• When is emergency and standby power required?
• What are the requirements for the design of an emergency and standby power system?
• What building fire safety systems need to be provided with emergency and standby power?

What is it?

In general terms, as defined in NFPA 70: National Electrical Code (NEC), there are three types of emergency and standby power: emergency power, legally required standby power, and optional standby power. Emergency power is required by codes for systems whose operations are essential for safety to human life. Legally required standby power is required by codes for illumination and power equipment that is not categorized as requiring emergency power, but whose failure could create hazards or hamper rescue or firefighting operations. Optional standby power is not required by code and provides equipment whose failure will not impact life safety.

When is it required?

The basic requirements for where the provision of an emergency and standby power is necessary come from the building and fire codes. Whether the local jurisdiction follows NFPA 5000: Building Construction and Safety Code, NFPA 1: Fire Code, NFPA 101: Life Safety Code, the International Building Code (IBC), or the International Fire Code (IFC), the requirements are reasonably consistent. Each of these codes broadly defines the fire, life safety, and critical operations power systems (COPS) that require emergency and standby power systems. While the building codes primarily deal with requirements for new or remodeled buildings, the requirements of the fire codes and NFPA 101 may also apply to existing buildings, as such there may be retroactive emergency and standby power issues to be addressed under these documents.

Specific requirements for emergency and standby power will vary based on building occupancy type, facility use, and critical function. With these parameters, the need for emergency or standby power is determined and described in either a building or fire code. For example, the 2009 IBC requires emergency power for:

• Emergency voice/alarm communications systems in Group A assembly occupancies
• Exit signs
• Means of egress illumination
• Fire alarms and exhaust ventilation in HPM facilities
• Power operated doors in detention facilities.
• Some of the places where the IBC requires standby power include:
• Smoke control systems
• Emergency voice/alarm systems in large covered mall buildings
• Accessible means of egress elevators and platform lifts
• Horizontal sliding doors used for egress
• Membrane structure auxiliary inflation systems
• Mechanical vestibule and stair shaft ventilation systems and fire detection systems for smokeproof enclosures.

While the 2009 edition of the IBC and NFPA 5000 have similar requirements for emergency and standby power (such as high-rise buildings and healthcare facilities) there are some requirements that differ slightly. Some of these differences include:

• NFPA 5000 identifies elevators in towers that are used as a second means of egress, in such buildings, the elevator equipment, communications, machine room cooling, and controller cooling all must be provided with normal and standby power
• Also in NFPA 5000, in buildings more than 120 ft in height, a first responders use elevator must be provided that is served by standby power.

NFPA 101 and NFPA 99

NFPA 101 and NFPA 99 are two principal documents widely used in the design of healthcare facilities. While NFPA 101 covers all classifications of building occupancy use, NFPA 99 specifically addresses healthcare facilities.

The 2009 edition of NFPA 101 presents basic requirements for emergency lighting in Section 7.9. Emergency power systems for emergency lighting are to comply with the 2005 edition of NFPA 110. Stored electrical energy systems are required to comply with the 2005 edition of NFPA 111: Standard on Stored Electrical Energy Emergency and Standby Power Systems. Each of the occupancy chapters identifies whether emergency lighting is required in that occupancy.

High-rise building requirements in NFPA 101 are presented in Section 11.8. Among the requirements are the need for the installation of automatic suppression, fire detection, alarm, and communications systems. To provide assurance that these systems will be available in a fire emergency, emergency and standby power are required. The system is to be in accordance with NFPA 110 to serve the electric fire pumps, emergency command center equipment and lighting, elevators, mechanical equipment for smokeproof enclosures, and mechanical equipment serving the smoke control systems.

While emergency and standby power requirements are found in several other occupancy use areas, the healthcare occupancies have the most detailed requirements. NFPA 101 provides the overall requirements where fire detection, alarm, and suppression systems are required, where emergency lighting is required, and other basic fire and life safety needs. However, when it gets to the details of what specific systems need to be served by what level of power reliability, NFPA 99 takes the lead.

The 2009 edition of NFPA 99 identifies three classifications of essential electrical equipment categories based on the level of criticality of the systems served:

• Life safety branch
• Critical branch
• Equipment system.

The life safety branch is defined as:

A subsystem of the emergency system consisting of feeders and branch circuits, meeting the requirements of Article 700, of NFPA 70 and intended to provide adequate power needs to ensure safety to patients and personnel, and that is automatically connected to alternate power sources during interruption of the normal power source.

The life safety branch of the emergency system provides the emergency power for:

• Illumination of the means of egress
• Lighting of the exit and directional signage
• Fire detection and alarm system
• Non-flammable medical gas system and vacuum systems alarms
• Hospital emergency communication systems
• Task lighting, battery charger, and selected receptacles in generator set location
• Elevator control, communication, and lighting
• Automatic operating egress doors
• Auxiliary fire alarm system functions.

The critical branch is defined as:

A subsystem of the emergency system consisting of feeders and branch circuits supplying energy to task illumination, special power circuits, and selected receptacles serving areas and functions related to patient care and that are connected to alternate power sources by one or more transfer switches during interruption of normal power source.

The critical branch may be divided into multiple branches. The critical branch is dedicated for use in powering specific circuits related to patient care and includes the following:

• Task illumination, selected receptacles, and fixed equipment in critical care areas using anesthetizing gas
• Isolated power systems in special environments
• Task illumination and selected receptacles in patient care, medication preparation, pharmacy dispensing, and nurses stations
• Task illumination and receptacles in specialized patient care areas
• Nurse call systems
• Bone, blood, and tissue banks
• Other selected illumination and receptacles.

In order to be able to meet the time requirements of these two essential equipment categories, it is typically necessary to have some combination of stored power and generator power solution.

The equipment system is defined as:

A system of circuits and equipment arranged for delayed, automatic, or manual connection to the alternate power source and that serves primarily 3-phase power equipment.

The equipment system is allowed to serve the following delayed-automatic or manual connection to the alternate power source:

• Heating equipment serving various treatment spaces
• Patient rooms under specific conditions
• Certain elevators
• HVAC systems for select areas
• Hyperbaric and hypobaric facilities
• Autoclaving equipment
• Controls for the above listed equipment
• Other selected equipment.

Fire codes

While the fire codes are companion documents to the building codes, remember that the fire codes are an occupancy and use enforcement document, not a construction enforcement document per se. As such, it is unusual to find requirements in a fire code that would require a new system to be installed in an existing building under a fire code. The typical requirements of a fire code will be to maintain the systems in the building that were required under the version of the code followed when the building was first built. Exceptions to this distinction would include:

• Substantial changes made in building construction, occupancy, or use after the adoption of the code
• Existing buildings, structures or operations that were not legally in existence prior to adoption of the code
• Specific hazardous conditions when specifically addressed by the code
• Existing facilities that have been identified as constituting a distinct hazard to life or property.

With this basic differentiation, the following are some of the primary fire code implications for emergency and standby power.

Since the primary focus of both NFPA 1 and the IFC is on assuring that fire protection and life safety equipment is properly maintained, it should come as no surprise that both documents require building owners to keep up to date records on inspection and maintenance of their emergency and standby power.

In Section 604 of the 2009 IFC, requirements for emergency power systems are delineated. The section is consistent with the requirements of Section 2702 of the IBC and requires compliance with the 2005 NFPA 110 or the 2005 NFPA 111 where emergency and standby power systems are to be installed. The required locations and systems include emergency voice and alarm communications systems for assembly occupancies, smoke control systems, exit signs, means of egress illumination, accessible means of egress elevators, horizontal sliding doors, membrane structures, semiconductor manufacturing facilities, and several other facilities. It further requires stationary emergency and standby power systems to be in compliance with the 2004 edition of UL 2200: Standard for Stationary Engine Generator Assemblies.

In the 2009 NFPA 1, Section 11.7.3 covers emergency and standby power requirements. Section 11.7.3.1 requires compliance with the 2005 NFPA 110 for stationary generators while Section 11.7.4 requires compliance with the 2001 NFPA 111 for stored electrical energy and standby power systems. Emergency lighting requirements are in Section 14.13. This section refers to NFPA 101 for specific facilities requirements.

Design requirements

Once the building code establishes the need for an emergency and standby power system, their design requirements are found in installation standards, such as the 2008 NEC. Article 700 of NFPA 70 establishes the ground rules for emergency system’s components, equipment and their installation. The article addresses basic requirements for these systems, defines circuit wiring, sources of power, and emergency system circuits. In accordance with Section 700.12, the emergency lighting and emergency power must be available within 10 seconds of a failure of the normal building power supply. This can be accomplished by:

• A storage battery that can maintain the load for a minimum of 1.5 hours without a voltage drop below 87.5% of normal
• Generator set that automatically starts on failure of normal service that has an automatic transfer switch for all required circuits (if the generator requires greater than 10 seconds to develop power, an auxiliary power supply must be provided until the generator can pick up the load)
• A UPS that meets the requirements of one of the two means described above
• Separate service (where approved by the authority having jurisdiction)
• Fuel cell with a rating and capacity to supply and maintain the total load for not less than two hours of full demand operation.

Similarly, Article 701 of the 2008 NEC covers installation requirements for legally required standby systems. Article 702 of the NEC covers these requirements for optional standby systems.

Emergency and standby power systems have different requirements for the time required to transfer the load. Emergency and legally required standby systems must have automatic transfer switches. As previously noted, emergency system loads must be transferred within 10 seconds after the failure of the primary power supply. Legally required standby system loads must be transferred within 60 seconds after the failure of the primary power supply. Optional standby systems are not required, so there is no maximum transfer time. In addition, an optional standby system is permitted to have a manual transfer switch.

Emergency systems also have requirements for separation from nonemergency circuits. This requirement is intended to prevent simultaneous impairment of the normal and emergency systems. Legally required and optional standby systems can be mingled with wiring for other power systems.

NFPA 110 provides the following definitions:

• Emergency Power Supply (EPS) – The source of electric power of the required capacity and quality for an emergency power supply system (EPSS).
• Emergency Power Supply System – A complete functioning EPS system coupled to a system of conductors, disconnecting means and overcurrent protective devices, transfer switches, and all control, supervisory, and support devices up to and including the load terminals of the transfer equipment needed for the system to operate as a safe and reliable source of electric power.

NFPA 111 provides the following additional definitions:

• Stored Emergency Power Supply System – A system consisting of a UPS, or a motor generator, powered by a stored electrical energy source, together with a transfer switch designed to monitor preferred and alternate load power source and provide desired switching of the load, and all necessary control equipment to make the system functional.
• UPS – A system consisting of a stored energy source, designed to continuously provide a clean, conditioned sinusoidal wave of power under normal conditions and for a finite period of time upon loss of the primary power source.

In NFPA 110, emergency power supply systems (EPSS) are assigned a class by minimum time (in hours) the EPSS is designed to operate at its rated load without being refueled or recharged. In addition to the class, they are further identified by type that defines the maximum time in seconds the EPSS will permit the load terminals of the transfer switch to be without acceptable power.

In NFPA 111, stored emergency power supply systems (SEPSS) are rated by type, class, category, and level. The type defines the maximum time in seconds the SEPSS will permit the load terminals of the transfer switch to be without acceptable power. The class determines minimum time, in hours, the SEPSS is designed to operate at its rated load without being refueled or recharged. There are two categories; Category A is devices that receive their energy from the normal supply and Category B is all other devices not in Category A and not specifically excluded elsewhere in the standard. There are two SEPSS levels. Level 1 is where failure of the SEPSS to operate could result in injury or loss of human life. Level 2 are where failure of the SEPPS is not as critical to human life and safety.

COPS

In the 2008 edition of NFPA 70 a new Article 708: Critical Operations Power Systems was added to the mix of emergency and standby power. COPS raises the bar for the reliability of power systems well above previous versions of NFPA 70.

The article provides for the protection of vital infrastructure facilities that, if destroyed, would disrupt public health, safety, or national security. The intended application would be for facilities such as communications centers, air traffic control centers, hazardous materials handling, financial data processing, transportation centers, and other at-risk structures. Potential exposures to these facilities would include natural disasters, such as hurricanes and tornados, and manmade disasters such as terrorist acts.

Reason for COPS

For many years the NEC has addressed the need for emergency power in buildings to assist in getting people safely out of buildings. The focus on emergency power in assembly and healthcare facilities in particular has enhanced the safety for high occupancy facilities and in the facilities where the occupants may have limited ability to be moved.

Over the past 20 years we have witnessed many disasters including devastating wind storms, hurricanes, and floods, many of which have caused loss of power to many of the key emergency management operations. Such emergency management facilities need to be operational in order to appropriately respond to these incidents. Other recent events that have raised concern over reliability, operation, and approach to building emergency and standby systems include the Sept. 11, 2001 attacks, threats of biological terrorist attacks, and threats of attacks on our infrastructure.

COPS have been developed to provide guidance on the design of power systems for facilities or parts of facilities that require continuous operation for the reasons of public safety, emergency management, national security, or business continuity. These facilities may include:

• Air traffic control centers
• Chemical, petrochemical, and hazardous material (including biohazard) handling facilities
• Communications centers, telephone exchanges, cellular tower sites
• 911 call centers
• Central station service facilities (fire and security system monitoring)
• Financial, banking, business data processing facilities
• Hospitals and associated support facilities
• Police, fire, civil defense facilities including power for radio repeater operations
• Emergency evacuation centers
• Transportation infrastructure –airports, rail stations, seaports
• Municipal infrastructure –water and sewer treatment facilities
• Fuel supply pumping stations (i.e. natural gas distribution and delivery infrastructure
• Offices and facilities deemed critical to continuity of government
• Radio and television stations.

Similar to the approach taken to Articles 700 and 701, the determination on where COPS is required is from the authority having jurisdiction (AHJ) in the form of emergency management directors, fire officials, police officials, building officials, Federal Emergency Management Agency, and others.

In accordance with Section 708.4, a risk assessment must be conducted for COPS to:

• Identify hazards (naturally occurring and human caused)
• Determine the likelihood of their occurrence
• Assess the vulnerability of the power system to those hazards
• Evaluate the need for physical security
• Develop a mitigation strategy.

The system is required to be commissioned and periodically tested.

A facility with a COPS is required to have a documented plan that considers emergency operations, and response, recovery, and continuity of operations.

As our world continues to change, the applications for emergency and standby power should be expected to continue to play a key role in providing reliable power for our most critical needs. The more we come to rely on consistent delivery of power to run our world, the more we will need to rely on emergency and standby power.

Emergency & Standby Power requirement chart

Type of Equipment	Maximum Time to Energize Loads	Minimum Run Time(Duration)	IBC/SBC Section	IFC/SFC or NFPA Section
Emergency Power Systems
Exit Signs	10 Seconds	2 Hours	1013.6.3	604.2.9 High rises
				604.2.16 Underground buildings
				1013.6.3 Exit signs
				604.2.13 Temporary tents, canopies, Membrane Structures
				NFPA 70
Exit illumination	10 Seconds	2 hours	1008.3	1008.3
				604.2.9 High-rises
				604.2.16 Underground buildings
Any emergency voice/alarm communication including area of refuge communications systems	Per NFPA 72	24 hours;                                 Battery: 4hours	402.7.3, 402.7.4, and 907.5.2.2 Covered mall buildings	907.2.19 Covered mall buildings
(barrier-free and horizontal exits)		(generator)	403.4.8 and 907.5.2.2 High-rises	604.2.9 High-rises
			405.8, and 907.5.2.2 Underground buildings	604.2.16 Underground buildings
			907.2.1, and 907.5.2.2 Assembly occupancies	907.2.1.1 Assembly occupancies
				NFPA 72
				907.2.11 Special amusement buildings
Fire detection and fire alarm	Per NFPA 72	24 hours(battery) and 4 hours (generator)	403.4.8 High-rises	604.2.9 High-rises
			405.8 Underground buildings	604.2.16 Underground buildings
			909.20.6.2 Smoke proof enclosures	907.6.2 Power supply
				907.2.11 Special amusement buildings
			907	NFPA-72
Smoke control systems in high-rise buildings, underground buildings and covered mall buildings, and atriums, including energy management systems if used for smoke control	6o seconds	2 hours	403.4.8 High-rises	909.11 Emergency power
			404.7 Atriums
			405.8 Underground buildings
			909.11 Smoke Control
Fire pumps in high-rise buildings and underground buildings	10 seconds	8 hours (NFPA 20)	403.4.8 High-rises	604.2.9 High-rises and NFPA 20
			405.8 Underground buildings	604.2.16 Underground buildings
				913.2 All Fire Pumps
Smoke-proof enclosures and elevator shaft pressurization	6o seconds for pressurizatio 1A	4 hours	403.4.8 High-rises 909 & 909.20.6.2
Any shaft exhaust fans required to run continuously in lieu of dampers in high-rise and underground buildings	6o seconds	4 hours	717.5.3
Fire service or occupant evacuation elevator car operation in high-rise and underground buildings (including control system ,motor controller,operation control, signal equipment ,machine room cooling/heating ,etc.)	6o seconds	4 hours	3003, 3007 and 3008	604.2.9 High-rises
Elevator car lighting and communications in high-rise and underground buildings	10 seconds	4 hours	3003, 3007 and 3008	604.2.9 High-rises
				6o4.2.16 Underground buildings
				604.2.1 Elevators
				604.2.9 High-rises
Lights, heating, and cooling for building fire command center and mechanical equipment rooms equipment rooms serving the fire command center	6o seconds	24 hours		604.2.9 High-rises
Power (other than lights, heating and cooling) for building fire command center.	60	4
Mechanical and electrical systems required by IFC Chapter 27 (hazardous materials including UPS rooms)	60	4		Chapter 27
Legally Required Standby-1
Exhaust fans for any loading dock located interior to a building	6o Seconds	4 hours
Transformer vault ventilation equipment	6o Seconds	4 hours
Heat tape for sprinkler lines and heating in sprinkler riser rooms	6o Seconds	24 hours
Fuel pump system for any legally required system	6o Seconds	4 hours
Elevators used for accessible means ofegress (in other than high-rise and underground buildings)	6o Seconds	2 hours
Elevators (other than re service or occupant evacuation elevators) in high-rise and underground buildings	6o Seconds	2 hours
Any shaft exhaust fans required to run continuously in lieu of dampers (in other than high-rise and underground buildings)	6o seconds	4 hours	717.5.3
Auxiliary inflation systems	6o seconds	2 hours	3102.8.2	3103.10.4
Special purpose horizontal sliding, accordion or folding doors	6o seconds	2 hours	1010.1.4.3	1010.1.4.3
firefighter air replenishment systems (FARS)	6o seconds	2 hours	919.7.2	919.7.2

FOOTNOTE: The fuel pump and associated systems for the emergency or legally required standby generator shall be provided with power from the generator to maintain fuel supply.