Getting a head start on the 2013 edition of NFPA -72

Presented by: Jon Kapis

Changes Proposed for 2013 Edition

Originally Presented at:The 2013 National Fire Alarm and Signaling

Code – Panel Discussion of Changes Presentation at the 2012 NFPA Conference & Expo Sessions M12, M25 and M45, Monday, 11 June 2012

Changes Proposed for 2013 Edition

Documentation

• Written narrative• Riser diagram• Floor plan• Sequence of operation (matrix or narrative)• Equipment technical data sheets• Manufacturers published instructions

Documentation• Battery calculations• Voltage drop calculations for NACs• Completed record of inspection and testing• Completed record of completion• A copy of site specific software• Record (as-built) drawings

Documentation

• Identification of the person responsible for the design or layout

• USE of NFPA 170 symbols or others acceptable to the AHJ

Documentation

• Ambient noise & audible design sound pressure levels

• Designation of spaces to have visible notification

• Extensive ECS design document requirements

Documentation

Fire Risk Analysis

• Fire Risk Analysis added to the Code.

• A.6.1 See NFPA 551, Guide for the Evaluation of Fire Risk Assessments

Control Unit Protection

• Protection of the Control Unit moved to Section 10.4, Installation and Design.

10.4.4 In areas that are not continuously occupied, automatic smoke detection shall be provided at the location of each fire alarm control unit(s), notification appliance circuit power extenders, and supervising station transmitting equipment to provide notification of fire at that location.

Qualifications of Personnel

• All qualification requirements moved to Chapter 10– System Designer– System Installer– Inspection Personnel– Testing Personnel– Service Personnel– Programming– Supervising Station Operators

Signal Priority

• Signal Priority– Carbon monoxide signals shall be permitted to

take precedence over supervisory and trouble signals.

– Pre-alarm signals shall take precedence over supervisory and trouble signals.

Impairment System Procedures• New paragraphs added to the Impairments section

of the Code.• 10.21.3 The supervising station shall report to

the authority having jurisdiction any fire alarm system for which monitoring has been terminated.

• 10.21.4 The service provider shall report to the authority having jurisdiction any fire alarm system that is out of service for more than 8 hours.

“Unwanted” Alarms

• 10.22 Unwanted Alarms. For the purpose of reporting, alarm signals that are not the result of hazardous conditions shall be classified as Unwanted and sub-classified as one of the following:– (1) Malicious Alarm– (2) Nuisance Alarm– (3) Unintentional Alarm– (4) Unknown Alarm

Inspection/Testing/Maintenance14.2.3.6 Service Personnel

Qualifications and Experience

Requires compliance with 10.5.3

10.5.3 lists requirements for,inspection, testing, maintenance, and programming personnel

Inspection/Testing/Maintenance14.2.10 Test Plan

14.2.10.1 A test planshall be written to clearlyestablish the scope of testing14.2.10.2 The test planand results shall bedocumented with thetesting recordsAnnex material toexplain test plan

Software Changes14.4.2.5 Reacceptance Testing After

Executive Software Changes• Changes to the system executive software shall

require a 10 percent functional test of the system, including a test of at least one device on each input and output circuit to verify critical system functions such as notification appliances, control functions, and off premises reporting.

Intelligibility Testing

14.4.11 Voice Intelligibility

• Voice communications shall be verified as intelligible.

• Quantitative testing permitted, but NOT required

Inspection\Testing\MaintenanceTable 14.3.1 Visual Inspection

• Details inspection frequencies• Now details inspection methods

– What to look for– Damage– Obstructions– Location– Condition

Testing\Inspection\MaintenanceTable 14.4.3.2 Testing

• Combines previous Table 14.4.2.2, “Test Methods,” and Table 14.4.5, “Test Frequencies”

• Item identification numbers coordinated with Table 14.3.1, “Visual Inspections”

• Improved user friendliness by including all information in one table

Alarm MonitoringSupervising Station Alarm Systems

• 26.6 Communications Methods for Supervising Station Alarm Systems– 26.6.3.2 Digital Alarm Communicator Transmitter

(DACT)– Testing interval has been reduced from 24 hours

to 6 hours (for each transmission means)– A successful signal transmission sequence of any

type within the same 6 hour period satisfies the testing interval requirement

Protected PremisesProtected Premises Fire Alarm Systems

• New Section 23.6.1 added to require a loss of no more than 50 addressable devices for a signaling line circuit.

• Section A.23.6.2 clarifies intent that this does not apply to data/backbone circuits.

Protected PremisesProtected Premises Fire Alarm Systems

• Section 23.8.3.2 revised to permit dwelling unit smoke alarms to be connected to a protected premises control unit but to only initiate a supervisory signal.

Protected PremisesProtected Premises Fire Alarm Systems

• Section 23.8.4.8 was revised to require signals from CO detectors or CO detection systems to initiate a CO alarm signal (Temporal – 4).

• A new exception to 23.8.4.8 permits supervisory signals where permitted by the building response plan.

Emergency Control Function Interfaces

Emergency Control Function Interfaces• Section 21.2.4 revised to clarify terms.• ROP 72-270 and ROC 72-247

Emergency Control Function Interface

Emergency Control Function Interfaces• New exception to 21.3.3 added:• Exception: A waterflow switch shall be permitted to

initiate elevator recall upon actuation of a sprinkler installed in the pit, provided the waterflow switch and pit sprinkler are installed on a separately valved sprinkler line dedicated solely for protecting the pit, and the waterflow switch is provided without time delay capability.

Initiating DevicesInitiating Devices - Definitions

• “Accessible Spaces”– Spaces or concealed areas of construction– Space that can be entered via panel, door

hatches, ceiling tiles– Applies only for the purpose of determining extent

of detector coverage, relevant when “Total Coverage” used “Gas Detector”

– Device that detects presence of a specified gas concentration

– Spot type, line-of-sight, open path type

Initiating DevicesInitiating Devices – New Annex Material

Effects of HVAC Systems

• Guidance on factors to consider when using smoke detectors near HVAC registers

• Ceiling jet verses HVAC flow velocities

Occupant NotificationAudibility Documentation/Application Information

• A.18.4.1.4.1 Audibility of a fire or emergency signal might not be required in all rooms and spaces. For example, a system that is used for general occupant notification should not require audibility of the signal in closets and other spaces that are not considered as occupiable spaces. However, a space of the same size used as a file room would be considered occupiable and should have coverage by notification appliances. Also, signaling intended only for staff or emergency forces might only have to be effective in very specific locations.

Occupant NotificationAudibility Documentation

• 18.4.1.4.4 The design sound pressure levels to be produced by the notification appliances for the various coverage areas shall be documented for use during acceptance testing of the system.

Occupant NotificationAudibility Documentation

• 18.4.2.1* To meet the requirements of Section 10.9, the alarm audible signal pattern used to notify building occupants of the need to evacuate (leave the building) or relocate (from one area to another) shall be the standard alarm evacuation signal consisting of a three-pulse temporal pattern.

Occupant NotificationIntelligibility

• Relocated existing 24.4.1.2.2.4 to chapter 18 as 18.4.10.2.1

• 18.4.10.2.1* Unless specifically required by other governing laws, codes or standards, or by other parts of this Code, intelligibility shall not be required in all ADSs.

Occupant Notification

Intelligibility• A.18.4.10.2.1 For example, based on the system design the following

locations might not require intelligibility. See also Annex D.– (1) Private bathrooms, shower rooms, saunas and similar rooms/areas– (2) Mechanical/electrical/elevator equipment rooms– (3) Elevator cars– (4) Individual offices– (5) Kitchens– (6) Storage rooms– (7) Closets– (8) Rooms/areas where intelligibility

cannot reasonably be predicted

Occupant NotificationIntelligibility

• 18.4.10.4 Intelligibility shall not be required to be determined through quantitative measurements.

• • 18.4.10.5 Quantitative measurements as described in Annex D.2.4 shall be permitted, but are not required.

Occupant NotificationDocumentation of Visible Appliances

• A.18.5.3 Occupant notification by visible signaling is not required by NFPA 72 except in high noise areas (see 18.4.1.1). Just as with audible occupant notification, the requirement to have such signaling originates from other governing laws, codes, or standards. Those other governing laws, codes, or standards specify the areas or spaces that require either audible, visible or both types of occupant notification. NFPA 72 then provides the standards for those systems.

Emergency Communications System

• Level 1, Level 2, or Level 3 Survivability is required for a two-way radio communications enhancement system

• Exception: Where leaky feeder cable is utilized as the antenna, it shall not be required to be installed in metal raceway.

• Extensive searches and discussions with cable manufacturers have not been able to identify a source of listed 2 hour rated coaxial or fiber cables.

Emergency Communications Systems

• Layer 1 = In-Building MNS, controlled only by authorized users

• Layer 2 = Wide-Area MNS, controlled only by authorized users

• Layer 3 = Distributed Recipient MNS, notification of personnel through individual measures

• Layer 4 = Public media notification, Broadcast Radio, TV, etc.

Emergency Communications Systems

• 24.3.11* Risk Analysis for Mass Notification Systems.

• This section and its Annex material has been relocated and expanded to provide additional guidance for performing a Risk Analysis. Additional references for risk analysis as well as an RA Checklist has been added to the Annex

Emergency Communications Systems

• 24.4.2.2 Voice Evacuation Messages.

• In occupancies where sleeping accommodations are provided and the voice message is intended to communicate information to those who could be asleep, a low-frequency tone that complies with 18.4.5 shall be used for the 2 cycles before and after the message.

Emergency Communications Systems

• 24.4.2.6 Loudspeakers.• Loudspeakers in each enclosed stairway, each exit

passageway, and each group of elevator cars within a common hoist way must be connected to separate notification zones for manual paging only.

• The evacuation signal shall not operate in elevator cars, exit stair enclosures and exit passageways.

Emergency Communications Systems

• 24.4.3.18* Textual and Graphical Visible Appliances.

• Textual and graphical visible notification appliances are now permitted to be used for primary or supplemental notification

• Textual and graphical visible appliances are also permitted to be used for nonemergency purposes

Emergency Communications Systems

• 24.5.1* Two-Way, In-Building Wired Emergency Services Communications Systems.

• Installation requirements are now more specific:– 1. Wall mount telephones or jacks mounted not

less than 36 inches no more than 66 inches AFF– 2. If accessible to the public one telephone or jack

must be 48 inches AFF– 3. Clear access must be provided – minimum 30

inches wide

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