Security Sales & Integration

July 2013

SSI serves security installing contractors providing systems and services; surveillance, access control, biometrics, fire alarm and home control/automation. Coverage in commercial and residential product applications, designs, techniques, operations.

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DETECTION CODE CHANGES DELIBERATED Fire Side Chat by Shane Clary Shane Clary, Ph.D., has more than 37 years of security and fre alarm industry experience. He serves on a number of NFPA technical committees, and is Vice President of Codes and Standards Compliance for Pacheco, Calif.-headquartered Bay Alarm Co. smclary@bayalarm.com The creation of and changes to fre/ life-safety codes, standards and regulations does not occur in a vacuum. Fire systems professionals should minimally keep on top of how these rules and guidelines are developing; even better, actively participate in the process. Find out about key proposed ICC fre code changes. W hen last we convened I brought you the latest and most incisive developments from the International Code Council (ICC) Group B Code Hearings that were recently held in Dallas. Tis month we conclude dissecting proposals considered for the International Fire Code (IFC) as well as review several others submitted for the International Residential Code (IRC). While a number of the changes discussed in this and last month's article may be viewed as having a positive impact to the IFC and IRC, there may be a few that are not. If you have a diferent opinion as to the direction the committees took during the hearings in Dallas, be part of the process and submit a comment. 5 FIRE CODE CHANGES WORTH NOTING As described in June's column, more than 360 proposals were acted upon for the IFC, with some 30 pertaining to fre alarm systems, their installation and how they are to be dispatched on. Tere were in excess of 470 proposals up for discussion on the IRC, with nine involving fre alarm and carbon monoxide (CO) detection. Proposals of interest within the IFC include the following: F-178 — Adds a new Paragraph 907.8.6, Problematic Systems. Tis proposal was submitted by the Fire Code Advisory Committee and allows a fre department to require 26 / SECURITYSALES.COM / JULY 2013 systems producing unwanted alarms to be provided with central station service. Tis would require a service contract be in place and a certifcation document issued in accordance with NFPA 72. Tis action was prompted based on the assumption that one of the issues causing unwanted alarms is systems not being maintained. By requiring documentation a service contract would also be required. An issue with this concept is the service contract must cover any service required and not be written in such a manner as to still require authorization to proceed with the service. T is is generally the case with a time and material contract. F-180— Tis accepted proposal moves the requirements for CO detection from the existing Section 908, Emergency Alarm Systems, to a new Section, 915, Carbon Monoxide Detection. Te existing provisions found within Section 908 for CO detection were not changed. F-182— Tis makes a revision to existing paragraph 908.7 so as to require CO detection within all Group E (education) occupancy rooms that have either fuel-burning appliances, fuel-burning freplaces or forced air furnaces. During the past year there have been several reported cases of CO poisoning at Group E occupancies. Tere are also bills in several states that would require CO detection with Group E occupancies within the states that the bills are being considered. Tis proposal, if it stands through the Final Action Hearing PHOTO COURTESY HONEYWELL FIRE SYSTEMS

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