Page 165 - 2018_IFC

FIRE PROTECTION AND LIFE SAFETY SYSTEMS

protection or other features shall thereafter be continu- NFPA 72 for inspection, testing and maintenance of such
ously maintained in accordance with applicable NFPA systems. Records of inspection, testing and maintenance
requirements or as directed by the fire code official. shall be maintained.
907.8.2 Testing. Testing shall be performed in accordance 907.9 Where required in existing buildings and struc-
with the schedules in NFPA 72 or more frequently where tures. An approved fire alarm system shall be provided in
required by the fire code official. Records of testing shall existing buildings and structures where required in Chapter
be maintained. 11.
Exception: Devices or equipment that are inaccessible 907.10 Smoke alarm maintenance. Smoke alarms shall be
because of safety considerations shall be tested during tested and maintained in accordance with the manufacturer’s
scheduled shutdowns where approved by the fire code instructions. Smoke alarms shall be replaced when they fail to
official, but not less than every 18 months. respond to operability tests, or when they exceed 10 years
907.8.3 Smoke detector sensitivity. Smoke detector sen- from the date of manufacture, unless an earlier replacement is
sitivity shall be checked within one year after installation specified in the manufacturer’s published instructions.
and every alternate year thereafter. After the second cali-
bration test, where sensitivity tests indicate that the detec-
tor has remained within its listed and marked sensitivity SECTION 908
range (or 4-percent obscuration light gray smoke, if not EMERGENCY ALARM SYSTEMS
marked), the length of time between calibration tests shall 908.1 Group H occupancies. Emergency alarms for the
be permitted to be extended to not more than 5 years. detection and notification of an emergency condition in
Where the frequency is extended, records of detector- Group H occupancies shall be provided as required in Chap-
caused nuisance alarms and subsequent trends of these ter 50.
alarms shall be maintained. In zones or areas where nui-
sance alarms show any increase over the previous year, 908.2 Group H-5 occupancy. Emergency alarms for notifi-
calibration tests shall be performed. cation of an emergency condition in an HPM facility shall be
provided as required in Section 2703.12.
907.8.4 Sensitivity test method. To verify that each *
smoke detector is within its listed and marked sensitivity
range, it shall be tested using one of the following meth- SECTION 909
ods: SMOKE CONTROL SYSTEMS
1. A calibrated test method. 909.1 Scope and purpose. This section applies to mechani-
2. The manufacturer’s calibrated sensitivity test instru- cal or passive smoke control systems where they are required
ment. for new buildings or portions thereof by provisions of the
International Building Code or this code. The purpose of this
3. Listed control equipment arranged for the purpose.
section is to establish minimum requirements for the design,
4. A smoke detector/control unit arrangement whereby installation and acceptance testing of smoke control systems
the detector causes a signal at the control unit where that are intended to provide a tenable environment for the
the detector’s sensitivity is outside its acceptable evacuation or relocation of occupants. These provisions are
sensitivity range.
not intended for the preservation of contents, the timely resto-
5. Another calibrated sensitivity test method accept- ration of operations or for assistance in fire suppression or
able to the fire code official. overhaul activities. Smoke control systems regulated by this
Detectors found to have a sensitivity outside the listed section serve a different purpose than the smoke- and heat-
and marked sensitivity range shall be cleaned and recali- removal provisions found in Section 910. Mechanical smoke
brated or replaced. control systems shall not be considered exhaust systems
under Chapter 5 of the International Mechanical Code.
Exceptions:
909.2 General design requirements. Buildings, structures,
1. Detectors listed as field adjustable shall be per-
mitted to be either adjusted within the listed and or parts thereof required by the International Building Code
marked sensitivity range and cleaned and recali- or this code to have a smoke control system or systems shall
brated or they shall be replaced. have such systems designed in accordance with the applica-
ble requirements of Section 909 and the generally accepted
2. This requirement shall not apply to single-station and well-established principles of engineering relevant to the
smoke alarms. design. The construction documents shall include sufficient
907.8.4.1 Sensitivity testing device. Smoke detector information and detail to describe adequately the elements of
sensitivity shall not be tested or measured using a the design necessary for the proper implementation of the
device that administers an unmeasured concentration of smoke control systems. These documents shall be accompa-
smoke or other aerosol into the detector. nied with sufficient information and analysis to demonstrate
compliance with these provisions.
907.8.5 Inspection, testing and maintenance. The build-
ing owner shall be responsible to maintain the fire and life 909.3 Special inspection and test requirements. In addition
safety systems in an operable condition at all times. Ser- to the ordinary inspection and test requirements that build-
vice personnel shall meet the qualification requirements of ings, structures and parts thereof are required to undergo,

132 2018 INTERNATIONAL FIRE CODE ®
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