2006 New York Code - Systems Required For Specific Occupancies.

 
    § 27-972 Systems required for specific occupancies. (a) In any type of
  one-story  building  where a fire alarm system is required and where the
  floor area is not more than twenty-five hundred square feet, an  uncoded
  closed circuit fire alarm system may be used.
    (b)  Private and public schools. Master coded systems shall be used in
  all schools, except  that  schools  having  more  than  fifteen  hundred
  students shall have an individually coded system.
    (c) Single and multi-tenant factory buildings.
    (1)  In  factory  buildings, an individually coded closed circuit fire
  alarm system shall be  installed  except  as  hereinafter  provided.  An
  uncoded circuit fire alarm system may be used in buildings not exceeding
  two  stories  in height, having not more than twenty-five hundred square
  feet in area in any one story, and having  not  more  than  one  hundred
  persons  in  a  single factory nor more than fifty persons in a multiple
  tenant factory above the first or ground floor.
    (2) Special fire alarm signal systems  may  be  designed  for  use  in
  buildings subject to the approval of the commissioner.
    (d)  A  common  coded  closed  circuit  system may be used in a motion
  picture studio, and in  addition,  an  approved  rate-of-rise  or  other
  approved  thermostatic  fire  alarm system, with direct connections to a
  central office of an approved operating fire alarm company or  the  fire
  alarm  telegraph  central  station, shall be provided for protecting the
  open studio door. Also there shall be one  or  more  manual  fire  alarm
  boxes,  which  shall  be located so as to be readily accessible from the
  open studio door.
    (e) Hospitals, asylums, and nursing  homes.  Buildings  classified  in
  occupancy group H-2 shall meet the following requirements:
    (1)  An  individually  coded closed circuit fire alarm system shall be
  provided in accordance with subdivision (c)  of  section  27-971  except
  where  the  fire  commissioner shall have approved an individually coded
  closed circuit presignal fire alarm system as described  in  subdivision
  (d)  of  section  27-971.  All  fire alarm systems shall be activated by
  sprinkler waterflow and by all other fire detection devices installed in
  the building.
    (2) Alarm systems shall be installed in zones of  a  maximum  size  of
  twenty thousand square feet.
    (3)  Manual  fire  alarm  sending stations shall be at staff locations
  only.
    (4) Where two or more buildings are served  by  one  fire  brigade,  a
  combination  unit  or zone and a general alarm coded closed circuit fire
  alarm system shall be provided and an  approved  indicating  annunciator
  installed in each building. Upon initiation of a station signal, general
  alarm  signaling  devices shall sound in engine rooms and subgrade areas
  of each building, and unit or zoned alarm signaling devices shall  sound
  throughout all areas in only the building wherein the station signal was
  initiated.  In the building where the station signal has been initiated,
  an approved annunciator shall indicate the station at which  the  signal
  is initiated.
    (f)  Buildings  classified  in  occupancy group E, one hundred feet or
  more in height, and existing office buildings one hundred feet  or  more
  in height except as provided in subdivision (g) of this section shall be
  provided with a class E fire alarm signal system as follows:
    (1)  It  shall  be  a  special electrically supervised approved direct
  wire, radio or combination thereof fire alarm signal  system  consisting
  of  an  interior  fire  alarm and voice communicating system so arranged
  that the operation of any station will identify its location at the fire
  command station as required by section 27-975 of this  article,  at  the
  mechanical  control center and at the regularly assigned location of the


  fire safety director. This identification signal shall  be  accomplished
  by  means  of  an  information  display  system  which shall be manually
  resettable from the fire command station only.
    (2) The nomenclature used for the location identification system shall
  be subject to the approval of the fire commissioner.
    (3)  In  addition to the visual devices required above, audible signal
  devices indicating operation of the fire alarm signal  system  shall  be
  provided  at the fire command station, mechanical control center and the
  regularly assigned location of  the  fire  safety  director.  Provisions
  shall  be  made  for  silencing the audible signal and transferring this
  signal to lamp indication.
    (4) Operation of a manual station shall automatically transmit a  fire
  alarm signal to the fire department via a central office of an operating
  company  franchised  by  the board of estimate, and cause the fire alarm
  signal system to sound continuously throughout the floor where activated
  and the floor above.
    (5) The fire alarm  signal  may  be  sounded  over  loud  speakers  as
  provided  in reference standard RS 17-3A so located that their operation
  will be heard clearly above any ambient noise, and shall  be  controlled
  from  the  fire  command  station  in  such a manner that the fire alarm
  signal can be  sounded  on  the  individual  floors  or  throughout  the
  building.
    (6)  Provision  shall  be  made  whereby  the fire command station may
  permit the floor station to make announcements  over  the  loud  speaker
  system.
    (7)  The  loud  speaker  amplifier  system  shall  be  so designed and
  installed that approximately fifty (50)  percent  of  the  system  shall
  remain  operable  for  the  transmission  and  audibility of signals and
  intelligibility of voice communication  over  the  loud  speaker  system
  throughout  the  building,  in  the  event  the other fifty (50) percent
  become inoperable. The electrical supply for  this  fire  alarm  system,
  including  the  amplifiers, shall be in accordance with applicable laws,
  rules and regulations.
    (8) An approved product of combustion ionization detecting device or a
  combination of an approved smoke detecting device and an approved  fixed
  temperature  thermostatic  device  shall  be  installed at each elevator
  landing. The device shall be located in the ceiling immediately above  a
  call button. The activation of this device shall have the same effect as
  specified  in  subparagraphs  a  through  e  of  paragraph  nine of this
  subdivision and in addition cause the overriding of the programming  for
  car  stops  of all automatic elevators serving the floor where activated
  and bring them non-stop  to  the  floor  levels  designated  by  section
  210.13C of reference standard RS 18-1.
    (9)  In  buildings  which  are  provided  with air-conditioning and/or
  mechanical ventilation systems that serve more than the floor  on  which
  the  equipment  is  located,  the  activation  of  any  of the detectors
  installed in such air-conditioning and/or mechanical ventilation systems
  in accordance with the provisions of RS 13-1 of the reference  standards
  shall:
    a. cause the fire alarm signal system to sound continuously throughout
  the floor where activated and the floor above.
    b.  cause a fire alarm signal to be transmitted to the fire department
  via a central station of a franchised operating company.
    c. cause the fire alarm signal system to sound  at  the  fire  command
  station required by section 27-975 of this article and to sound an alarm
  in  the mechanical control center and at the regularly assigned location
  of the fire safety director,  and  to  operate  an  information  display
  system as provided in paragraph one of this subdivision.


    d.  stop  the  air supply into and the air return from the floor where
  activated by  actuation  of  approved  remote  control  reversible  fire
  shutters  or  by automatically shutting down the air supply fans and the
  air return fans  of  the  floor  where  activated,  notwithstanding  the
  provisions  of  sections  1001  through 1005 of RS 13-1 of the reference
  standards relating to air supply and air  return  controls  in  case  of
  fire.
    e.  cause  the activation of the air exhaust fans and dampers in smoke
  shafts and/or the pressurizing fans in stair enclosures.
    (10) A building equipped throughout with an automatic sprinkler system
  including a water flow alarm shall be exempt from  the  installation  of
  any  detectors  pursuant  to  paragraph  eight  of  this subdivision and
  section 1006 of reference standard RS 13-1 provided  the  activation  of
  the  sprinkler  water flow alarm shall have the same effect as specified
  in subparagraphs a through e of paragraph nine of this  subdivision  and
  in addition cause the overriding of the programming for car stops of all
  automatic  elevators  serving  the  floor where activated and bring them
  non-stop to the floor levels designated by section 210.13C of  reference
  standard RS 18-1.
    (11)  In  existing office buildings one hundred feet or more in height
  where compliance would cause practical difficulty or undue hardship, the
  commissioner may waive or modify  the  requirements  of  paragraphs  one
  through  nine of this subdivision (f) and accept alternatives fulfilling
  the intent of these requirements.
    (12) Existing office buildings one hundred  feet  or  more  in  height
  shall  comply  with  the  requirements  of this subdivision on or before
  September thirteenth, nineteen hundred eighty-one. Complete plans of the
  installation shall be filed with the  commissioner  on  or  before  June
  thirteenth,  nineteen hundred eighty. A permit shall be secured from the
  commissioner on or before September thirteenth, nineteen hundred eighty.
  Where compliance with the time  requirements  of  this  paragraph  would
  cause  undue  hardship,  the commissioner, with the approval of the fire
  commissioner, may extend the time for  compliance,  in  accordance  with
  rules  and  regulations to be promulgated. Before such application for a
  time extension shall be considered all required applications  and  plans
  must  be  filed  and  approved  permits obtained and a good faith effort
  towards completion of the work shall have been made.
    (g) Fire alarm or communication systems installed  prior  to  December
  thirteenth,  nineteen  hundred  eighty in existing office buildings, one
  hundred feet or more in height, may be incorporated or  installed  in  a
  modified  class E fire alarm signal system provided they comply with the
  following:
    (1) It shall be a  special  electrically  supervised  approved  direct
  wire,  radio  or combination thereof fire alarm signal system consisting
  of an interior fire alarm and voice  communicating  system  so  arranged
  that the operation of any station will identify its location at the fire
  command  station  as  required by section 27-975 of this article, at the
  mechanical control center and at the regularly assigned location of  the
  fire  safety  director. This identification signal shall be accomplished
  by means of an  information  display  system  which  shall  be  manually
  resettable from the fire command station only.
    (2) The nomenclature used for the location identification system shall
  be subject to the approval of the fire commissioner.
    (3)  In  addition to the visual devices required above, audible signal
  devices indicating operation of the fire alarm signal  system  shall  be
  provided  in the fire command station, mechanical control center and the
  regularly assigned location of  the  fire  safety  director.  Provisions


  shall  be  made  for  silencing the audible signal and transferring this
  signal to lamp indication.
    (4)  Operation of a manual station shall automatically transmit a fire
  alarm signal to the fire department via a central office of an operating
  company franchised by the board of estimate, and cause  the  fire  alarm
  signal system to sound continuously throughout the floor where activated
  and the floor above.
    (5)  The  fire  alarm  signal  may  be  sounded  over loud speakers as
  provided in reference standard RS 17-3B so located that their  operation
  will  be  heard clearly above any ambient noise, and shall be controlled
  from the fire command station in such  a  manner  that  the  fire  alarm
  signal  can  be  sounded  on  the  individual  floors  or throughout the
  building.
    (6) The  electrical  supply  for  this  modified  fire  alarm  system,
  including  the  amplifiers, shall be in accordance with applicable laws,
  rules and regulations.
    (7) An approved product of combustion ionization detecting device or a
  combination of an approved smoke detecting device and an approved  fixed
  temperature  thermostatic  device  shall  be  installed at each elevator
  landing. The device shall be located in the ceiling immediately above  a
  call button. The activation of this device shall have the same effect as
  specified  in  subparagraphs  a  through  e  of  paragraph eight of this
  subdivision and in addition cause the overriding of the programming  for
  car  stops  of all automatic elevators serving the floor where activated
  and bring them non-stop  to  the  floor  levels  designated  by  section
  210.13C of reference standard RS 18-1.
    (8)  In  buildings  which  are  provided  with air-conditioning and/or
  mechanical ventilation systems that serve more than the floor  on  which
  the  equipment  is  located,  the  activation  of  any  of the detectors
  installed in such air-conditioning and/or mechanical ventilation systems
  in accordance with the provisions of RS 13-1 of the reference  standards
  shall:  a.  cause  the  fire  alarm  signal system to sound continuously
  throughout the floor where activated and the floor above.
    b. cause a fire alarm signal to be transmitted to the fire  department
  via a central station of a franchised operating company.
    c.  cause  the  fire  alarm signal system to sound at the fire command
  station required by section 27-975 of this article and to sound an alarm
  in the mechanical control center and at the regularly assigned  location
  of  the  fire  safety  director,  and  to operate an information display
  system as provided in paragraph one of this subdivision.
    d. stop the air supply into and the air return from  the  floor  where
  activated  by  actuation  of  approved  remote  control  reversible fire
  shutters or by automatically shutting down the air supply fans  and  the
  air  return  fans  of  the  floor  where  activated, notwithstanding the
  provisions of sections 1001 through 1005 of RS  13-1  of  the  reference
  standards  relating  to  air  supply  and air return controls in case of
  fire.
    e. cause the activation of the air exhaust fans and dampers  in  smoke
  shafts and/or the pressurizing fans in stair enclosures.
    (9)  A building equipped throughout with an automatic sprinkler system
  including a water flow alarm shall be exempt from  the  installation  of
  any  detectors  pursuant  to  paragraph  seven  of  this subdivision and
  section 1006 of reference standard RS 13-1 provided  the  activation  of
  the  sprinkler  water flow alarm shall have the same effect as specified
  in subparagraphs a through e of paragraph eight of this subdivision  and
  in addition cause the overriding of the programming for car stops of all
  automatic  elevators  serving  the  floor where activated and bring them


  non-stop to the floor levels designated by section 210.13C of  reference
  standard RS 18-1.
    (10)  Existing  office  buildings  one  hundred feet or more in height
  shall comply with the requirements of  this  subdivision  on  or  before
  September thirteenth, nineteen hundred eighty-one. Complete plans of the
  installation  shall  be  filed  with  the commissioner on or before June
  thirteenth, nineteen hundred eighty. A permit shall be secured from  the
  commissioner on or before September thirteenth, nineteen hundred eighty.
  Where  compliance  with  the  time  requirements of this paragraph would
  cause undue hardship, the commissioner, with the approval  of  the  fire
  commissioner,  may  extend  the  time for compliance, in accordance with
  rules and regulations to be promulgated. Before such application  for  a
  time  extension  shall be considered all required applications and plans
  must be filed and approved, permits obtained and  a  good  faith  effort
  towards completion of the work shall have been made.
    (11)  In  existing office buildings one hundred feet or more in height
  where compliance would cause practical difficulty or undue hardship, the
  commissioner may waive or modify  the  requirements  of  paragraphs  one
  through  nine of this subdivision (g) and accept alternatives fulfilling
  the intent of these requirements.
    (h) Buildings classified in occupancy group E, less than  one  hundred
  feet  in height occupied or arranged to be occupied for an occupant load
  of more than one hundred persons above or below the street level or more
  than a total of five hundred persons in the entire building, and  on  or
  before  January  eighteenth,  nineteen  hundred  seventy-five,  existing
  office buildings less than one  hundred  feet  in  height,  occupied  or
  arranged  to  be  occupied,  as hereinabove specified, shall be provided
  with a system acceptable to the commissioner, which shall:  (1)  consist
  of   equipment   which  shall  have  the  capability  of  two-way  voice
  communication from a fire command station to the warden on each floor of
  the building and the mechanical control center,  to  be  used  for  fire
  emergencies and fire drills.
    (2)  have  the capability of transmitting a fire alarm signal from the
  fire command station to the fire department via a central station  of  a
  franchised operating company.
    (i)(1)  High-rise  buildings  classified in occupancy group C shall be
  provided  with  a  fire  alarm  and  communication  system  meeting  the
  requirements  of  subdivision (k) of this section and reference standard
  RS 17-3A.
    standard RS 17-3C.
    (2) Buildings classified in occupancy group J-1,  either  seventy-five
  feet  or  more  in  height  or  containing thirty or more sleeping rooms
  (except "residential hotels" as such term is defined by the commissioner
  pursuant to rules and regulations) shall be provided with a  fire  alarm
  and  communication system meeting the requirements of subdivision (l) of
  this section and reference standard RS 17-3A. In  lieu  of  fire  warden
  stations,  either  of  the  following  are acceptable as a two-way voice
  communications system:
    1. A  closed  circuit  supervised  fire  department  telephone  system
  meeting  the  following  conditions in complying with requirements of RS
  17-3 as applicable to standpipe fireline telephone and signaling system:
    a. Means on every floor to communicate  by  telephone  with  the  fire
  command  station.  A  permanent  telephone  shall be located at the fire
  command station. All other floors near the main riser shall be  provided
  with  telephones  or  telephone  jacks.  Telephones  or  jacks  shall be
  installed in locked  cabinets  capable  of  being  opened  with  a  fire
  department  standard  key. b. At least six portable telephones with jack
  connections shall be provided unless permanent telephones are  installed


  at  every  required location. The portable telephones shall be kept in a
  cabinet located near the fire command station and shall be provided with
  a lock capable of being opened with a fire department standard key. Such
  cabinet  shall be locked at all times and marked portable telephones for
  fire department use.
    c. A pilot light shall be provided at  the  fire  command  station  to
  indicate  that  the  telephone is in use or that its receiver is off the
  hook; or
    2. A fire communication slotted coaxial cable radio  system  installed
  to  provide  adequate  communication capability throughout the building.
  Adequate communication is defined as the capability  for  clear  two-way
  communication  between  a  fire  department  portable radio at the lobby
  command post and another fire department portable  radio  at  any  other
  point in the building.
    Such system shall be acceptable to the fire department.
    (j)(1)  Existing  buildings  seventy-five  feet  or  more  in  height,
  classified in occupancy group J-1 (except "residential hotels"  as  such
  term  is  defined by the commissioner pursuant to rules and regulations)
  shall be provided with a fire alarm and communication system meeting all
  the applicable requirements of  subdivision  (m)  of  this  section  and
  reference  standard RS 17-3B. In lieu of fire warden stations, either of
  the following is acceptable as a two-way voice communication system.
    1. A  closed  circuit  supervised  fire  department  telephone  system
  meeting  the  following  conditions in complying with requirements of RS
  17-3 as applicable to standpipe fireline telephone and signaling system:
  a.   Means on every floor to communicate  by  telephone  with  the  fire
  command  station.  A  permanent  telephone  shall be located at the fire
  command station. All other floors near the main riser shall be  provided
  with  telephones  or  telephone  jacks.  Telephones  or  jacks  shall be
  installed in locked  cabinets  capable  of  being  opened  with  a  fire
  department standard key.
    b.  At  least  six  portable telephones with jack connections shall be
  provided unless permanent telephones are  installed  at  every  required
  location.  The  portable  telephones  shall be kept in a cabinet located
  near the fire command station and shall be provided with a lock  capable
  of  being opened with a fire department standard key. Such cabinet shall
  be  locked  at  all  times  and  marked  portable  telephones  for  fire
  department use.
    c.  A  pilot  light  shall  be provided at the fire command station to
  indicate that the telephone is in use or that its receiver  is  off  the
  hook;  or  2.  A  fire  communication slotted coaxial cable radio system
  installed to provide adequate communication  capability  throughout  the
  building.  Adequate communication is defined as the capability for clear
  two-way communication between a fire department portable  radio  at  the
  lobby  command  post  and  another fire department portable radio at any
  other point in the building.
    Such system shall be acceptable to the fire department.
    (2) Existing buildings less  than  seventy-five  feet  in  height  and
  containing  thirty or more sleeping rooms, classified in occupancy group
  J-1, shall be  provided  with  a  modified  Class  J-1  fire  alarm  and
  communications system as follows:
    (a)  A fire command station shall be provided at the entry floor level
  in accordance with the requirements of the fire commissioner.
    (b) A public address system shall be provided acceptable to  the  fire
  commissioner capable of being easily heard (80 dbs at sixty feet) in all
  existing corridors, hallways, passageways and stairs.
    (c)  The  approved  existing  interior  fire  alarm  system  shall  be
  acceptable provided that it shall automatically transmit  a  fire  alarm


  signal  (when  activated)  to  the fire department via a central station
  connection of an operating company which is franchised where  applicable
  and which is acceptable to the fire department.
    (k)  Buildings  classified  in occupancy group C, seventy-five feet or
  more in height, shall  be  provided  with  a  class  C  fire  alarm  and
  communications  system  which  shall  meet  the  criteria  contained  in
  paragraphs one through ten of subdivision (f) of this  section  and  the
  criteria contained in subdivisions (a) and (b) of section 27-975 of this
  article.
    (l)  Buildings classified in occupancy group J-1, seventy-five feet or
  more in height or containing thirty or more  sleeping  rooms,  shall  be
  provided  with a class J fire alarm and communication system which shall
  meet the criteria contained in paragraphs one through ten of subdivision
  (f) of this section and the criteria contained in subdivisions  (a)  and
  (b) of section 27-975 of this article.
    (m) Existing buildings classified in occupancy group J-1, seventy-five
  feet  or  more in height, shall be provided with a modified class J fire
  alarm and communication system which shall meet the  criteria  contained
  in  paragraphs  one  through nine of subdivision (g) of this section and
  the criteria contained in subdivisions (a) and (b) of section 27-975  of
  this article.
    (n) All other occupancies shall be provided with an individually coded
  closed  circuit  general  fire  alarm system when a fire alarm system is
  required.