2021 New York Laws
EXC - Executive
Article 18 - New York State Uniform Fire Prevention and Building Code Act
378 - Standards for New York State Uniform Fire Prevention and Building Code.
§ 378. Standards for New York state uniform fire prevention and building code. The uniform code shall address the following subjects: 1. Standards for the construction of all buildings or classes of buildings, or the installation of equipment therein, including standards for materials to be used in connection therewith, and standards for safety and sanitary conditions. Notwithstanding the above, sleeping quarters in a children's overnight camp as defined in subdivision one of section thirteen hundred ninety-two of the public health law shall be governed by subdivision one of section thirteen hundred ninety-four of such law. 2. Standards for the condition, occupancy, maintenance, conservation, rehabilitation and renewal of certain existing buildings, structures and premises and for the safeguarding of life and property therein and thereabout from the hazards of fire, explosion or release of toxic gases arising from the storage, handling or use of combustible or hazardous substances, materials or devices. 3. Standards for passenger elevators to promote uniformity and ease of use for the handicapped including, but not limited to: a. placement and identification of operating controls, b. door jamb markings, c. operation and leveling features, d. operation, width, and safety features for doors, e. hall buttons, and f. hall lanterns. 4. Standards for areas of public assembly requiring: a. approved fire protection equipment and systems shall be installed; b. interior finishes shall be of appropriate grade to materially retard the spread of smoke and flame, taking into consideration the fire protection equipment and systems in place, and shall be maintained in that condition; c. no combustible material shall be placed in such amounts and locations as would cause existing fire protection equipment and systems to be substantially overburdened, nor shall any material be placed in such manner as would cause safe exit to be significantly impeded; and d. incorporation of the retroactivity provisions of article eighteen-AA of this chapter. e. for buildings included in group C5 of paragraph (f) of section 900.2 of title nine of the official compilation of codes, rules and regulations of the state of New York, that water closets and urinals provided for occupants, based upon capacity, shall be deemed sanitary fixtures and shall be distributed on a basis such that the number of such sanitary fixtures provided in rest facilities for men shall be equal to the number of water closets provided in rest facilities provided for women in buildings with an occupancy of four hundred or less. For buildings consisting of more than four hundred occupants, an additional water closet shall be added to a rest facility provided for women for each sanitary fixture added to a similarly situated rest facility provided for men. The standards shall include provisions for the type, number, spacing and location of fire protection equipment and systems, the classification and maintenance of interior finishes, and the accumulation of materials. 5. Standards for hotels, motels and lodging houses, requiring that a notice be posted in a prominent place in each guest room, including but not limited to the following information: a. location of nearest exits and fire alarms; b. procedures to be followed when the fire or smoke detector gives warning; and c. procedures to be followed in the event of fire or smoke development. 5-a. Standards for installation of carbon monoxide detectors requiring that every one or two-family dwelling, or any dwelling accommodation located in a building owned as a condominium or cooperative in the state or any multiple dwellings shall have installed an operable carbon monoxide detector of such manufacture, design and installation standards as are established by the council. Carbon monoxide detectors required by this section are required only where the dwelling unit has appliances, devices or systems that may emit carbon monoxide or has an attached garage. For purposes of this subdivision, multiple dwelling means a dwelling which is either rented, leased, let or hired out, to be occupied, or is occupied as the temporary or permanent residence or home of three or more families living independently of each other, including but not limited to the following: a tenement, flat house, maisonette apartment, apartment house, apartment hotel, tourist house, bachelor apartment, studio apartment, duplex apartment, kitchenette apartment, hotel, lodging house, rooming house, boarding house, boarding and nursery school, furnished room house, club, sorority house, fraternity house, college and school dormitory, convalescent, old age or nursing homes or residences. It shall also include a dwelling, two or more stories in height, and with five or more boarders, roomers or lodgers residing with any one family. New construction shall mean a new facility or a separate building added to an existing facility. 5-b. Standards for installation of single station smoke detecting alarm devices requiring that: a. every one or two-family dwelling or any dwelling accommodation located in a building owned as a condominium or cooperative in the state used as a residence shall have installed an operable single station smoke detecting alarm device or devices, b. such device or devices shall be installed in an area so that it is clearly audible in each bedroom or other room used for sleeping purposes, with intervening doors closed, in accordance with rules to be promulgated by the council, c. such device or devices shall be in compliance with the uniform code, provided, however, that for purposes of this subdivision, battery operated devices shall be permitted, d. upon conveyance of any real property containing a one or two-family dwelling or a condominium unit used as a residence and the transferor of the shares allocated to an apartment located in a building owned by a cooperative housing corporation where such apartment is used as a residence, the grantor shall deliver to the grantee at the time of conveyance an affidavit indicating that the grantor is in compliance with this subdivision. The grantee shall have ten days from the date of conveyance within which to notify the grantor if the alarm or alarms are not operable. Upon notification, the transferor shall bear any cost of compliance with the provisions of this subdivision, e. notwithstanding any other provision of law, a failure to comply with the provisions of this subdivision shall not be a breach of any warranty in a conveyance of real property, nor shall it be a defense to any claim made under a policy of insurance issued to insure the property against fire or other casualty loss. 5-c. Standards for inspections of solid fuel burning heating appliances, chimneys and flues requiring: a. prior to the installation of any solid fuel burning heating appliance, chimney or flue in any dwelling used as a residence, the owner thereof, or his agent, shall first secure a building permit from the appropriate local government official; b. an appropriate and qualified inspector, as determined by the local government, shall cause an inspection to be made of the solid fuel burning heating appliance, chimney or flue at a time when such inspection will best determine conformity of such installation with the uniform code, provided, however, that the local government official may waive such inspection for good cause shown; c. upon approval of such installation, the appropriate local government official shall issue a certificate evidencing compliance with the appropriate provisions of the uniform code; d. no owner of any dwelling used as a residence shall operate, or cause to be operated, any solid fuel burning heating appliance until such installation, including chimney and flue, has been approved and a certificate indicating such approval obtained from the appropriate local government official; e. in the event of an accidental fire, requiring the services of a fire department, in a solid fuel burning heating appliance, chimney or flue, the chief of the fire department so responding may issue a temporary thirty day certificate indicating substantial conformity with the uniform code, until such time as an official inspector, as determined by local law, or in the case of a locality that relies on state inspection, a state inspector, shall cause an inspection to be made and a certificate to be issued indicating conformity of such solid fuel burning heating appliance, chimney or flue with the uniform code; f. the issuance of such certificate of compliance shall not be deemed to give rise to any claim or cause of action for damages against the local government or local official for damages resulting from operation or use of such solid fuel burning heating appliance, chimney or flue; g. the local government in which such property is located may establish and collect a reasonable fee for such inspection from the owner of such property or his agent; h. any violation of this subdivision shall be deemed a violation and be punishable by a fine not to exceed two hundred fifty dollars; i. notwithstanding the foregoing provisions of this subdivision, in the event of an emergency, where a delay occasioned by the requirement of securing a building permit could reasonably be expected to cause irrepairable damage to the property or serious personal injury to the occupants or other person, the owner or his agent may commence such installation without first obtaining such building permit provided application therefore is filed within three business days after such work is commenced. 5-d. Standards for installation of carbon monoxide detecting devices requiring that the owner of every building that contains one or more restaurants and the owner of every commercial building in the state shall have installed in such building and shall maintain operable carbon monoxide detecting device or devices of such manufacture, design and installation standards as are established by the council. Carbon monoxide detecting devices shall only be required if the restaurant or commercial building has appliances, devices or systems that may emit carbon monoxide or has an attached garage. 6. Standards for the use of lead in water supply systems constructed or portions added on or after January first, nineteen hundred eighty-six, including limiting the amount of lead in solder which may be utilized in piping to convey potable water to not more than two-tenths of one percent. 7. Standards for the construction of water supply systems which shall prohibit the use of asbestos cement pipe to convey potable water for any new or modified construction on or after January first, nineteen hundred ninety-two. 8. Standards for hotels, motels and lodging houses requiring (in addition to any other requirement) portable smoke-detecting alarm devices for the deaf and hard of hearing of audible and visual design, available for three percent of all units available for occupancy, with a minimum of one unit. If any other law or regulation requires a central, closed circuit interior alarm system, such device shall be incorporated into or connected to the system so as to be capable of being activated by the system. Incorporation into the existing system shall be in lieu of the portable alarms. Standards shall require operators of any such establishment to post conspicuously at the main desk or other similar station a notice in letters at least three inches in height stating that smoke-detector alarm devices for the deaf and hard of hearing are available. The council shall mandate by rule and regulation the specific design of the smoke-detector alarm devices. 9. Standards for buildings (designated as "Group B3-senior citizens" in regulations promulgated pursuant to the New York state uniform fire prevention and building code act) housing senior citizens, intended primarily for persons sixty-two years old or more, who are in good physical condition and do not require physical assistance, requiring that a notice be posted in a prominent place in each residential unit, including but not limited to the following information: a. location of nearest exits and fire alarms; b. procedures to be followed when the fire or smoke detector gives warning; and c. procedures to be followed in the event of fire or smoke development. 10. Standards for assistive listening systems for new construction commenced after January first, nineteen hundred ninety-one requiring the installation of assistive listening systems at all places of public assembly so designated by the appropriate building and fire code for use by persons who are deaf or hard of hearing who require use of such a system to improve their reception of sound. a. For purposes of this subdivision, the term (i) "assistive listening system" shall mean situational-personal acoustic communication equipment designed to improve the transmission and auditory reception of sound; and(ii) "place of public assembly" shall mean a facility which is open to the public as a theater, meeting hall, hearing room, amphitheater, auditorium, or in any other similar capacity. b. Standards for such systems shall be developed by the state fire prevention and building code council upon receiving recommendations from the advisory board on assistive listening systems in places of public assembly. c. The appropriate building code or ordinance shall designate such places of public assembly which shall be required to install such assistive listening systems. 11. Standards for buildings shall authorize the installation of potable water heaters for all domestic uses, including space heating. * 12. a. Standards for bed and breakfast dwellings shall be promulgated for fire safety. Notwithstanding any other provision of this article, for the purposes of this subdivision a "bed and breakfast dwelling" shall include an owner-occupied residence providing at least three but not more than five rooms for temporary transient lodgers with sleeping accommodations and a meal in the forenoon of the day. Such standards shall distinguish bed and breakfast dwellings from one and two family dwellings, provide specific options for hard-wired single-station smoke detectors and provide a notice to each guest that contains:
(i) the location of nearest exits and fire alarms;
(ii) procedures to be followed when fire or smoke detectors give warning; and
(iii) procedures to be followed in the event of fire or smoke development. b. Such standards shall also include egress design options to preserve the aesthetic charm and historical significance of such dwellings that shall be limited to one of the following:
(i) an automatic sprinkler head in the stairwell area of any means of egress;
(ii) an external second floor egress; or
(iii) a portable escape device for each guest room. c. The standards required by this subdivision shall be promulgated and implemented not later than one hundred twenty days after the effective date of this paragraph. * NB There are 2 sub 12's * 12. Standards for hospice residences, as defined in section four thousand two of the public health law, which shall be deemed to be either a single family dwelling or a two family dwelling for the purposes of local laws and ordinances relating to fire safety and building construction standards. * NB There are 2 sub 12's 13. Standards for the abandonment or removal of heating oil storage tanks and related piping in connection with the conversion of liquid fuel burning appliance to alternative fuel requiring: a. The entire contents of the heating oil storage tank and related piping shall be emptied, cleaned and purged of all vapor. The contents of the storage tank and related piping shall be removed from the premises or property and disposed of in accordance with applicable local, state or federal rules and regulations; b. If the heating oil storage tank is to be abandoned in place, the vent line shall remain open and intact, unless the tank is filled with an inert material. The oil fill pipe and other related piping shall either be removed, or the oil fill pipe shall be filled with concrete; c. If the heating oil storage tank is to be removed, the vent line, oil fill pipe and related piping shall also be removed, or the oil fill pipe shall be filled with concrete; d. An appropriate and qualified inspector, as determined by the local government, shall cause an inspection to be made of the abandonment or removal in connection with the conversion to determine conformity with the uniform code; provide, however, that the local government official may waive such inspection for good cause shown; and e. No approval of such abandonment or removal shall be granted unless written proof of the heating oil storage tank's oil fill pipe having been removed or filled with concrete in accordance with appropriate provisions of the uniform code has been provided by the property owner to the local inspector or, in the event that an inspection has been waived for good cause shown, to the local government official. f. For the purposes of this subdivision, "heating oil storage tank" shall mean a tank used for storing heating oil for consumptive use on the premises where stored. g. In cities with a population of over one million, such cities' local code provisions shall be at least as stringent as the provisions of this subdivision. h. The property owner shall provide written notice to his or her home heating oil supplier or suppliers to inform them of such conversion to an alternate fuel prior to the commencement of the new home heating service. 14. Provide that any: a. gates required to be provided in a swimming pool enclosure shall be self-closing and self-latching with the latch handle located within the enclosure and at least forty inches above grade, and shall be securely locked with a key, combination or other child proof lock sufficient to prevent access to such swimming pool through such gate when such swimming pool is not in use or supervised; b. residential or commercial swimming pool constructed or substantially modified after the effective date of this paragraph shall be equipped with an acceptable pool alarm capable of detecting a child entering the water and of giving an audible alarm; and * c. hot tub or spa with a safety cover which complies with American Society of Testing and Materials International standard F1346 (2003) or any similar standard which may be approved by the council or swimming pool, other than a hot tub or spa, with an automatic power safety cover which complies with American Society of Testing and Materials International standard F1346 (2003) or any similar standard which may be approved by the council shall be exempt from the provisions of paragraph b of this subdivision. * NB There are 2 paragraph c's * c. temporary swimming pool enclosure shall be required to be replaced by a permanent enclosure which is in compliance with New York state codes, regulations or local laws within ninety days from the issuance of a local building permit or the commencement of the installation of an in-ground swimming pool, whichever is later. A local building department may issue a waiver to allow an extension of such ninety day time period for good cause including but not limited to adverse weather conditions delaying construction. * NB There are 2 paragraph c's 15. Standards for temporary swimming pool enclosures used during the installation or construction of swimming pools requiring that any such enclosure shall sufficiently prevent any access to such swimming pool by any person not engaged in the installation or construction of such swimming pool and shall sufficiently provide for the safety of any such person. 16. Standards requiring the installation and maintenance of at least one safe, sanitary, and convenient diaper changing station, deck, table, or similar amenity which shall be available for use by both male and female occupants and which shall comply with section 603.5 (Diaper Changing Tables) of the two thousand nine edition of the publication entitled ICC A117.1, Accessible and Usable Buildings and Facilities, published by the International Code Council, Inc., on each floor level containing a public toilet room in all newly constructed buildings in the state that have one or more areas classified as assembly group A occupancies or mercantile group M occupancies and in all existing buildings in the state that have one or more areas classified as assembly group A occupancies or mercantile group M occupancies and undergo a substantial renovation. The council shall prescribe the type of renovation to be deemed to be a substantial renovation for the purposes of this subdivision. The council may exempt historic buildings from the requirements of this subdivision. 17. Standards requiring that, in each building that has one or more areas classified as assembly group A occupancies or mercantile group M occupancies and in which at least one diaper changing station, deck, table, or similar amenity is installed, a sign shall be posted in a conspicuous place in each public toilet room indicating the location of the nearest diaper changing station, deck, table, or similar amenity that is available for use by the gender using such public toilet room. The requirements of this subdivision shall apply without regard to whether the diaper changing station, deck, table, or similar amenity was installed voluntarily or pursuant to subdivision sixteen of this section or any other applicable law, statute, rule, or regulation. No such sign shall be required in a public toilet room in which any diaper changing station, deck, table, or similar amenity is located. 18. a. Except as otherwise provided by statute, no change to the building code shall become effective until at least ninety days after the date on which notice of such change has been published in the state register, unless the council finds that:
(i) an earlier effective date is necessary to protect health, safety and security; or
(ii) the change to the code will not impose any additional compliance requirements on any person. b. Notwithstanding the provisions of paragraph a of this subdivision, the council may provide that, in the period during which changes to the code have been adopted but are not yet effective pursuant to paragraph a of this subdivision, a person shall have the option of complying with either the provisions of the code as changed or with the code provisions as they were set forth immediately prior to the change.
