Index of Sections



SECTION 348B - SPRINKLER AND STANDPIPE SYSTEMS
Code Plain English

348B.1 Sprinkler System.

Fire sprinklers for F-7 or R-7 JLWQ and R-9 Occupancies shall be provided when required by Section 904.2.2 and as for an R-1 apartment house pursuant to Section 904.2.8 with an individual JLWQ counted as a dwelling unit in calculating the total number of dwelling units in the building.

348B.1 Sprinkler System.

Fire sprinklers are required in any live/work building that is either more than two stories tall or contains more than 15 units. There are other provisions elsewhere in the code which might trigger requirements for sprinklers, mostly related to building height, number of stories, and construction type. Sprinklers can permit a larger allowable area of a building , and they can sometimes be substituted for one-hour construction if they are not otherwise required. (Refer to Section 328B.1.3 for more information.)

348B.2 Standpipe System.

F-7 JLWQ occupancies shall be furnished with standpipes when required by Section 904.5 as for an F-1 Occupancy. R-7 and R-9 Occupancies shall be furnished with standpipes when required by Section 904.5 as for an R-1 Occupancy.

348B.2 Standpipe System.

Standpipes are a system whereby the fire department can directly hook their hoses up to a building and feed its internal fire protection, i.e. sprinkler system. They are required to be used in certain larger buildings such as those four stories or greater in height, and these provisions simply state what the "default" regulations would be.

348B.3 Buildings Under Construction.

Buildings or portions of buildings being converted to F-7 JLWQ shall comply with the provisions of Section 904.6 as for new construction.

348B.3Buildings Under Construction.


Section 904.6 provides required means of fire protection for buildings while under construction. This mostly applies to buildings four stories or more in height and requires standpipes in such structures during construction.

348B.4 Special Provisions for Sprinkler at a Mezzanine, Sleeping Mezzanine, or Built-in Sleeping Bunk.

A mezzanine with access other than by a stairway, a sleeping mezzanine, or a built-in sleeping bunk shall have a residential quick response sprinkler head at the top of the access to the mezzanine, sleeping mezzanine, or built-in sleeping bunk. See Figure A-3B-4

348B.4 Special Provisions for Sprinkler at a Mezzanine, Sleeping Mezzanine, or Built-in Sleeping Bunk.

 

"Residential quick response sprinkler heads" have a "hair trigger" when it comes to being set off and are sometimes permitted (if a sprinkler system doesn’t already exist) to be supplied by the building’s existing domestic water supply system. Due to the perceived extra hazard of people sleeping in extra-ordinary loft types, i.e. ladder-accessed mezzanines and built in sleeping bunks, these extra sprinkler heads are required at the access points to these spaces. See Figure A-3B-4.


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