HomeMy WebLinkAboutORD 3542 A
CITY OF RENTON, WASHINGTON
ORDINANCE NO, 3542
AN ORDINANCE OF THE CITY OF RENTON, WASHINGTON,
AMENDING A PORTION OF SECTION 7-901 OF TITLE VII
(FIRE REGULATIONS) OF ORDINANCE NO. 1628 ENTITLED
CODE OF GENERAL ORDINANCES OF THE CITY OF RENTON,
ESTABLISHING CONDITIONS ON WHICH AUTOMATIC SPRINKLER
SYSTEMS WILL BE REQUIRED, ESTABLISHING EXCEPTIONS
AND PROVIDING A PENALTY.
THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF RENTON, WASHINGTON, DO
ORDAIN AS FOLLOWS :
SECTION I: Automatic sprinkler systems shall be installed
and maintained in operable condition in the following locations :
1, All occupancies except Group R, Division 3, and
Group M.
A. In every story or basement of all buildings
when the floor area exceeds 1500 square feet
and there is not provided at least 20. square
feet of opening entirely above the adjoining
ground level in each 50 lineal feet .or fraction
thereof of exterior wall in the story or basement
on at least one side of the building, Openings
shall have a minimum dimension of not less than
30 inches , Such openings shall be accessible to
the fire department from the exterior and shall
not be obstructed in a manner that fire fighting
or rescue cannot be accomplished from the
exterior. When openings in a story are provided
on only one side and the opposite wall of such
story is more than '75 feet from such openings ,
the story shall be provided with an. approved
automatic sprinkler system, or openings as
specified above shall be provided on at least two
sides of an extension wall of the story. If any
portion of a basement is located more than 75
feet from openings required in this section,
the basement shall be provided with an approved
automatic sprinkler system,
B. At the top of rubbish and linen chutes and in
their terminal rooms , Chutes extending through
three or more floors shall have additional sprinkler
heads installed within such chutes at alternate
floors . Sprinkler heads shall be accessible for
servicing,
C. ' All rooms where nitrate film is stored or handled
shall be equipped with an approved• automatic
sprinkler system as specified in U.B.C. Standard
No. 48-1
D. In protected combustible fiber storage vaults as
defined in the 1979 Uniform Fire Code
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2 . Group A Occupancies :
A. In basements larger than__1500 square feet in floor
area.
B. When the occupancy has over 12 ,000 square feet of
floor area or more than 40 feet in height.
C. In anv enclosed usable space below or over a
stairway in Group A, Divisions 2 , 2 . 1 , 3 and 4
occupancies .
D. Under the roof and gridiron, in the tie and fly
galleries and in all places behind the proscenium
wall of stages ; over enclosed platforms in excess
of 500 square feet in area, and in dressing rooms ,
workshops and storerooms accessory to such stages
or enclosed platforms .
EXCEPTIONS : Under stages or enclosed platform areas
less than four feet in clear height used exclusively
for chair or table storage and lined on the inside
with materials approved for one-hour fire-resistive
construction.
3 . Group B Occupancies
A. When the occupancy has over 12, 000 square feet of
floor area or more than 40 feet in height .
B. In buildings used for high-piled combustible storage,
f're pr tectiop shall be in accordance with Article 81 ,.
of the 979 Uniform Fire Code,
4. Group E Occupancies .
A. When the occupancy has over 12, 000 square feet of
floor area or more than 40 feet in height.
B. In basements larger than 1500 square fee of floor
area.
C. In any enclosed usable space below or above any stairway.
5 . Group H Occupancies .
A. In Group H, Division 1 and2 occupancies larger than
1500 square feet in floor area.
B. In Group H, Division 3 occupancies larger than
3 ,000 square feet in floor area.
C. In Group H, Division 4 occupancies more than one story
in height or larger than 12 ,000 square feet in area.
D. In rooms where flammable or combustible liquids are
stored or handled in excess of 30 gallons of Class I-C
120 gallons of Class II , 250 gallons of Class III-A
or any combination of flammable liquids totaling
240 gallons .
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E, For paint spray booths or rooms used for special
provisions on hazardous chemicals and magnesium,
and calcium carbide, see Section 45 , 208 , Articles
480 49. and 80 of the 1979 edition of the Uniform
Fire Code, See also Section 10. 301 .
6. Group I Occupancies
EXCEPTIONS :
(1) In hospitals of types I , II Fire-resistive and
II one-hour construction, the automatic sprinkler
system may be omitted from operating, delivery,
cardiac, X-ray and intensive care rooms and
patient sleeping rooms not exceeding 450 s.quare
feet in area when each such room is provided with
smoke detectors connected to a continuously
attended station or location within the building
Increases for area height specified in Section
50.6 (c)_. and 507 of the 1979 Uniform Fire Code
shall not apply when this exception is used.
(2) In jails , prisons , and reformatories , the piping
system may be dry, provided a manually operated
valve is installed at a continuously monitored
location. Opening of the valve will cause the
piping to be charged.. Sprinkler heads in such
a system shall be designed as required for deluge
systems in 1979 Uniform Building Code Standard .
No, 38-1,
7 , Group R-1 Occupancies .
A.. When the occupany has over 12,000 square feet of
floor area or more than 40 feet in height ,
SECTION II? Alarms . When serving more than 10G sprinklers ,
automatic sprinkler systems shall he supervised by an approved central
proprietary or remote station service or a local alarm which will give
an audible signal at the constantly attended location. "Approved" in
this Section shall mean approved as defined in .the Uniform-.Fire Code,
1979 Edition,
-SECTION III ; Permissible Omissions . Upon written applica-
tion, including submission of documentation by a professional engineer
that there is an equivalent level of protection designed into a
particular project or structure , and further subject to the approval
of the Fire Chief with concurrence of the Building Official, sprinklers
may be .omitted in rooms or areas as follows :
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1. Where sprinklers are considered undesirable because
of the nature of the contents or in rooms or areas
which are of non-combustible construction with
wholly non-combustible contents and which are not
exposed by other areas . Sprinklers shall not be
omitted from any room merely because it is damp
or of fire-resistive construction.
2. Sprinklers shall not be installed where the application
of water or flame and water to the contents may consti-
tute a serious fire or life hazard, as in the manufacture
or storage of quantities of aluminum powder, calcium
carbide , calcium phosphide, metallic sodium and
potassium, quicklime, magnesium powder, and sodium
peroxide.
3 . Safe deposit or other vaults of fire-resistive
construction, when used for the storage of records ,
files and other documents , when stored in metal cabinets .
4. Communication equipment areas under the exclusive control
of a public communication utility agency provided;
A. The equipment areas are separated from the
remainder of the building by one-hour fire
resistive occupancy separation.
B. Such areas are used exclusively for such. equipment
i
C. An approved automatic smoke detection system is
installed in such areas and is supervised by an
approved central, properietary or remote station
service, or a local alarm which will give an
audible signal at a constantly attended location.
Approved in this section shall mean approved as
defined in the Uniform Fire Code, 1979 Edition,
with installation and materials as per NFPA,
standards 71 , 72A, 72B and 72C .
D. Other appropriate fire-protection equipment, such
as portable fire extinguishers or Class Ii stand-
piAes , is installed in such areas as per 1979.
Uniform Building Code , Section, 3801 (D) ,
5 . Other approved automatic fire-extinguishing systems
may be installed to protect special hazards or
occupancies in lieu of automatic sprinklers .
6 . Area and Height Increases . Sprinkler systems installed
to meet the requirements of this section shall qualify
the protected building for appropriate area increased,
height increased and fire resistive substitutions as
set forth in Sections 506 (c) , 507 and 508 of the
1979 Uniform Building Code. Applications of this
section shall be as set forth in Section 104 of the
1979 Uniform Building Code .
SECTION IV: Penalty. Violation of any section or provision
of this Ordinance is a misdemeanor punishable by fine or not more than
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1 f .
$500. 00 , by ninety (90) days in jail , or by both such fine and such
jail term. Each day upon which a violation occurs or continues con-
stitutes a separate offense.
SECTION V: This Ordinance shall be effective upon its
passage, approval and 30,- days after its publication.
PASSED BY THE CITY COUNCIL this 4th day of • .May- , 1981.
De orps .AMea Clerk-
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• APPROVED BY THE MAYORAthis�4th day of May 1981 .
Richard M.. tr°edicke, :_MAyer-Pro tem
Approved as to form:
Lawrence J,-.Wa roan,-.GLLy-�.., torney
Date of Publication: May 8, 1981