2022 Pennsylvania Consolidated & Unconsolidated Statutes
Act 42 - FIRE AND PANIC ACT - STANDARDS FOR CLASS VI BUILDINGS
Session of 2022
No. 2022-42
SB 563
AN ACT
Amending the act of April 27, 1927 (P.L.465, No.299), entitled "An act to provide for the safety of persons employed, housed, or assembled in certain buildings and structures by requiring certain construction and ways of egress, equipment, and maintenance; providing for the licensing of projectionists, except in cities of the first class and second class; requiring the submission of plans for examination and approval; providing for the promulgation of rules and regulations for the enforcement of this act; providing for the enforcement of this act by the Department of Labor and Industry, the Department of Health, boards of school directors and, in certain cases, by the chiefs of fire departments in cities of the third class; providing penalties for violations of the provisions of this act; and repealing certain acts," further providing for standards for Class VI buildings.
The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania hereby enacts as follows:
Section 1. Section 3.6(f)(1)(i), (f.1) and (g) of the act of April 27, 1927 (P.L.465, No.299), referred to as the Fire and Panic Act, are amended to read:
Section 3.6. Standards for Class VI Buildings.--
(f) (1) (i) As to family [child day-care] child-care homes, a facility [registered] licensed by the Department of [Public Welfare] Human Services as of [April 4, 1992,] the effective date of this section shall be permitted [one full registration period of twenty-four (24) months beyond] 12 months from the effective date of this section, or until the expiration of [the current certificate of registration] its current license, whichever is longer, to comply with the requirements of this section.
(f.1) [(1) The smoke detection devises required under this section need not be interconnected or electronically connected for family child day-care homes. For the purposes of this act, noninterconnected smoke detection devises shall be deemed acceptable where:
(i) each devise is an enclosed nonreplacable battery smoke detector unit which meets applicable UL standards and has a minimum ten-year limited warranty commencing with the date of purchase; and
(ii) the activation of each detector results in an alarm that is audible to persons in the indoor child-care space with all intervening doors closed.] The following shall apply:
(1.1) The smoke alarms required under this section shall be interconnected via hardwire, Bluetooth connectivity or any other means that allow for communication between smoke alarms for family child-care homes. The following shall apply:
(i) The activation of each smoke alarm shall result in an alarm that is audible to persons in the indoor child-care space with all intervening doors closed.
(ii) Each smoke alarm shall, at the time of installation, be approved by a testing laboratory recognized by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration of the United States Department of Labor to test and certify smoke alarms.
(2) Family [child day-care] child-care home operators shall maintain, in their fire drill logs, proof of purchase, including the date of purchase of the smoke [detector] alarm.
(3) A family child-care home shall:
(i) Have a smoke alarm on each floor and in the basement.
(ii) Have a portable fire extinguisher rated for class B fires in the kitchen and other cooking areas.
(iii) Meet the exiting requirements for an R-3 occupancy and licensure under 55 Pa. Code Ch. 3290 (relating to family child care homes).
(g) As used in this section, the following words and phrases shall have the meanings given to them in this subsection:
"Family [child day-care] child-care home" means a home other than the child's own home in which child [day] care is provided at any one time to four (4), five (5) or six (6) children unrelated to the operator.
["Group child day-care home" means a home other than a child's own home in which child day care is provided at any one time for more than six (6) but fewer than thirteen (13) children who are unrelated to the operator.]
Section 2. This act shall take effect in 60 days.
APPROVED--The 7th day of July, A.D. 2022.
TOM WOLF
