Currently, 38 states have passed specific carbon monoxide (CO) detector legislation, and more are considering new legislation or updates to existing laws.
Posts Tagged ‘ Code ’
Cracking the Code
Think of NFPA 72®: 2013 as a better-organized 2010 edition with updated requirements for inspection, testing and signaling precedence.
NFPA 720: 2012 Deletes CO Sensitivity Testing Requirements
One of the more significant changes in NFPA 720: 2012 relates to sensitivity testing. The Technical Committee accepted a proposal to delete the sensitivity testing requirements for CO detectors. The Committee’s rationale is that no data has been provided at this time showing CO detectors experience a degradation of detection performance over time due to the sensitivity shifting. Furthermore, the CO sensing cell of all CO detection devices are required to be replaced after a certain period of time, usually between 6 to 10 years. Therefore, the requirement for sensitivity testing in the 2009 edition of the standard seemed to provide limited value or benefit.
New White Paper Clarifies NFPA 72-2010 and DOD Intelligibility Requirements
As a relatively new concept to fire and life safety systems, intelligibility requirements will change how these systems are designed and installed. Designing for intelligibility can be complicated by a variety of factors. While the properties of the speaker have some impact on the intelligibility of a system, most factors have to do with the occupancy itself. So while important, speaker choice will not always ensure intelligibility.
Codes Address Aspirating Smoke Detection
Aspiration detection systems must comply with the state, local, federal and National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) codes and standards, specifically, the NFPA 72 (National Fire Alarm Code), NFPA 75 “Standard for Protection of Computer and Data Processing Equipment,” and NFPA 76 “Standard for the Fire Protection of Telecommunications Facilities.” Ultimately, the Authority Having Jurisdiction (AHJ) will dictate fire protection requirements. Although aspiration systems must comply with codes, they are not required by code.
What Contractors Should Know About the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act
Funds from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (ARRA), the $787 billion economic stimulus package enacted and signed into law in February 2009, are now being disbursed. According to www.recovery.gov, the U.S. government’s official ARRA spending Web site, $25 billion of ARRA funds had been awarded as of December 2009. Only $18 billion of this sum has already been disbursed, however.
Q&A: Understand the Impact of Fire and Life Safety during Renovations
LifeSafety interviews Donald Goosman, construction manager at Rolf Jensen & Associates, a nationwide fire-protection and security consultancy, on the role of fire- and life-safety engineers during renovation projects. Q. Tell us the first steps you take to design the fire- and life-safety system for a building that is going to be renovated for a completely [...]