Are there any policies regarding outlets that contain USB ports?

Transcription

1 Answers to the Questions Mark J. Blackburn, P.E., CFPS February, 2016 Question 1 Are there any policies regarding outlets that contain USB ports? There is no direct reference in code about these types of outlets These outlets are considered to be Tamper-Resistant UL or ccsaus listed 498 and 1310 National Electrical Code requirements NFPA 70 requirements 1999 Edition: no specific requirements 2008 Edition: Section Tamper- Resistant Receptacles in Dwelling Units in areas specified in Section HTML/SectionDisplay.jsp?secti on=

2 Question 2 Can there be storage rooms? If so, what are their requirements? Yes IBC Life Safety Code Sprinklered? Yes needs to be smoke tight No 1 hour Fire Resistance Rated Enclosure jpg?dimensions=154x207 3 Question 3 Please explain air fresheners in rooms. Is there an issue concerning Scents lights/deodorizers There are no official code requirements Local infection control limits on aerosols in areas with immune suppressed patients (generated by the facility) No open flame No heating unit (plug-in) Clearance from combustibles ade/products/productshots/canadaenglish/clean-linensolid-air-fresheneren.jpg?sc_lang=en-ca M3-IL._SL1500_.jpg 4 2

3 Question 4 What is the wait time before a facility calls after the battery is unplugged from a fire panel? NFPA Edition trouble signals required by and their restoration shall be automatically indicated and recorded at the proprietary supervising station within 200 seconds 2007 Edition 00.jpg trouble signals and their restoration to normal shall be indicated within 200 seconds at the locations identified in or indication of primary power failure trouble signals transmitted to a supervising station shall be delayed in accordance with Unless prohibited by the AHJ, supervising station fire alarm systems shall be arranged to delay transmission of primary power failure signals for a period ranging from 60 to 180 minutes 5 Question 5 When did the fire marshal start requiring documentation of the operator number with the alarm company for fire drills, both before when the system is taken off line, and after when the system is put back on line? The 2002 edition of NFPA 72 is the first edition requiring notification of impairment status rs/4766/screenshots/116013/shot_ jpg requires notification when a part of the fire alarm system becomes impaired requires notification when the impairment period is completed or discontinued 6 3

4 Question 6 Please explain the portion of the code on Generators. Where does the (panic) shutdown switch need to be located when the generator is outside? NFPA Edition 2008 Edition B6: where an outdoor housed generator set is equipped with a readily accessible disconnecting means located within sight of the building or structure supplied NFPA Edition kphoto.com/canstock jpg A : for systems located outdoors, the manual shutdown should be located external to the weatherproof enclosure and should be appropriately identified 2005 Edition A : for Level 1 and Level 2 systems located outdoors, the manual shutdown should be located external to the weatherproof enclosure and should be appropriately identified 7 Question 7 Is the FSES Survey still available to solve regulatory problems? It cannot be used for sprinkler related issues, but a known facility had a waiver in the past for a 2 story building with unprotected combustible construction and is now being told a new building is needed. Could a FSES Survey help with this situation? Yes. If the previous waiver was based on hardship only, it may not be continually granted. A waiver granted through the FSES process is found to provide an equivalent level of safety and may be accepted. 8 4

5 Question 8 Is there a requirement to conduct disaster drills (other than fire drills) in Nursing Homes and/or Assisted Living Facilities? ess.com/2014/04/ _2a8f7 0ff12_b.jpg FGI : In locations with recognized potential for hurricanes, tornadoes, flooding, earthquakes, or other regional disasters, the need to protect the life safety of all residential health, care, and support facility occupants and the potential need for continuing services following such a disaster shall be considered during project planning and design :Disaster Preparedness Plan A disaster preparedness plan for the new construction or renovation project shall be included in the RSRA report This plan shall include disaster planning risk mitigation recommendations prepared by the interdisciplinary team that addresses the following: Resident placement and relocation Standards for barriers and other protective measures required to protect areas of refuge from identified potential disasters 9 Question 9 Please explain the power strip use requirements in CMS s S&C:14-46-LSC This categorical waiver describes that NFPA edition contains provisions on the use of power strips that could result in unreasonable hardship for providers/suppliers Determines that the 2012 edition of the Life Safety Code achieves adequate alternative levels of protection Permits the use of power strips in existing/new health care facility patient care areas as long as: In compliance with all applicable 2012 LSC power strip requirements all other 2000 LSC electrical system and equipment provisions Residential care facilities that do not use line-operated electrical appliances for diagnostic, therapeutic, or monitoring purposes are not subjected to the more restrictiveness NFPA 99 requirements regarding the use of power strips in patient care areas/rooms Resident rooms using line-operated patient care-related electrical equipment in the patient care vicinity must comply with the NFPA 99 power strip requirement and may elect to utilize this waiver Cert-Letter pdf - amazon.com/ima ges/i/41amf69r5 WL.jpg 10 5

6 Question 10 What is the difference between a semi-annual and a 6 month inspection interval? Semi-annual inspection interval is inspecting the system twice a year. Each test can occur within a 6- month period of time (i.e. February, November) 6 month inspection interval is inspecting the system once every six months (i.e. January and July) wpcontent/uploads/2013/10/6months. jpg 11 Question 11 Who is the Authority Having Jurisdiction? CMS? State Fire Marshal? Local Fire Department? Assisted Living Facilities: State Fire Marshal Nursing Homes: State Fire Marshal Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) If federally funded A8VNnEBkAJs/Ukttt6Ts9YI/AA AAAAAABKE/oWYHHG7Pq6o/ s1600/ribbon.jpg x.shtml 12 6

7 Question 12 Where can we get copies of the LSC Books, International Fire Codes, and all related manuals? What do you recommend facilities have on hand? Recommended codes NFPA 101 (2000) NFPA 25 (2008) NFPA 72 (2010) NFPA 13 (2010) ICC Codes NFPA Codes: png _t.png ers.jpg 13 Question 13 Must smoke barriers run continuously to the roof deck of a roof/ceiling assembly? Yes, smoke barriers must be continuous from floor to for floor/ceiling or roof above Do not confuse smoke barriers with smoke partitions 14 7

8 Question 14 What is the minimum time length to run a generator to fulfill a monthly load test? What type of emergency lighting is needed? NFPA Edition 7.9 requires emergency lighting in all means of egress including exit access (corridors), exits (stairs) and exit discharge (exterior walkway to public way) Emergency Generator Required to be inspected weekly Required to run under load monthly for a minimum of 30 minutes Q.shtml 15 Question 15 What areas of a building do not need to be sprinklered? NFPA Edition Section 8.15 Special Situations Concealed Spaces Noncombustible and limited-combustible construction with minimal combustible loading having no access Vertical Shafts Noncombustible and limited-combustible nonaccessible vertical duct, electrical, or mechanical shafts Stairways /power-clipart-powerthumb_clipart_free.png Stair towers where the exterior walls are at least 50% open and it is constructed entirely of noncombustible construction 16 8

9 Question 15 (Cont.) Spaces Under Ground Floors, Exterior Docks, and Platforms (where all of the following is met) Nonaccessible for storage purposes and is protected against accumulation of wind-borne debris The space contains no equipment (ex: conveyers or fuel-fired heating uints) The floor over the space is of tight construction No combustible or flammable liquids or materials that under fire conditions would convert into combustible or flammable liquids are processed, handled, or stored on the floor above Exterior Roofs, Canopies, Porte-Cocheres, Balconies, Decks, or Similar Projections Constructed with noncombustible, limited-combustible, or fire retardant-treated wood material Omitted from exterior exit corridors when the walls are at least 50% open and is entirely of noncombustible construction Dwelling Units Bathrooms Sprinklers ARE required in limited care facilities and nursing homes (as defined in NFPA 101) 17 Question 15 (Cont.) Electrical Equipment Rooms (where all of the following s met) The room is dedicated to electrical equipment only Only dry-type electrical equipment is used Equipment is installed in a 2-hour fire-rated enclosure No combustible storage is permitted to be stored in the room Duct Protection In vertical risers located outside the building, provided the riser does not expose combustible material or the interior of the building and the horizontal distance between the hood outlet and the vertical riser is at least 25ft Additional exceptions exist if the system is designed per NFPA 13R assisted living only 18 9

10 Question 16 Is it acceptable to test the Generator under load monthly and exercise weekly? CMS S&C NFPA 101 (2000) Section requires emergency generators and standby power systems as per NFPA 110 (1999) NFPA 110 (1999) Section requires diesel-powered generators that do not meet monthly testing requirements (Section 6-4.2) to be run annually with various loads for a total of 2 continuous hours NFPA 110 (2010) requires for total test duration of 1 hour and 30 minutes Needs to be in compliance with all other applicable NFPA 110 (1999) provisions and Section NFPA 110 (1999) Section 6-4.2: Generator sets in Level 1 and Level 2 service shall be exercised at least once monthly for a minimum of 30 minutes, using one of the following methods: Under operating temperature conditions or at not less than 30% of the EPS nameplate rating Loading that maintains the minimum exhaust gas temperatures as recommended by the manufacturer NFPA 110 (2010) Section : Diesel-powered EPS installations shall be exercised monthly with the available EPSS load and shall be exercised annually with the supplemental loads at not less than 50% of the EPS nameplate kw rating for 30 continuous minutes and at not less than 75% of the EPS nameplate kw rating for 1 continuous hour for a total test duration of not less than 1.5 continuous hours Cert-Letter pdf 19 Question 17 How often is the testing of GFI s required and is this something that is checked during the Fire Marshal visit? NFPA 110 (2008) Section C: shall be performance tested when first installed on site A written record of this test shall be made and be available to the AHJ NFPA 99 (2012) Section : when equipment ground-fault protection is first installed, each level shall be performance-tested to ensure compliance with Section : Electrical circuit tests shall include the following: Ground-fault check to verify that no conductors are grounded to the chamber 20 10

11 Question 18 O2 Cylinders in a resident room: Are there only two E cylinders (one in use and one back-up) allowed in a room at one time? CMS S&C Up to 300 cubic feet of nonflammable medical gas may be accessible as operational supply rather than storage, when properly secured An individual container of medical gas placed in a patient room for as needed (but regular) individual use is not required to be stored in an enclosure, when properly secured If the resident does not need the use of oxygen for an extended period of time, such as several days, then the medical gas container should be removed from the room and properly secured in an approved storage room original/c-p-p.jpg? Question 19 O2 Cylinders in a resident room: What are the storage requirements of C cylinders? Am I within the requirements if there is one in use and three more stored in the room? Much like the previous answer, Up to 300 cubic feet of nonflammable medical gas may be accessible as operational supply rather than storage, when properly secured the gas may be located outside of an enclosure (per smoke compartment) at locations open to the corridor such as at a nurse s station or in a corridor (not obstructing the use of the corridor) au/images/thumbnails/2/320/320/c -size.png 22 11

12 QUESTIONS? Contact Mark J. Blackburn, P.E., CFPS For More Information Visit 23 12