N.J. Admin. Code § 5:70-4.7

Current through Register Vol. 56, No. 23, December 2, 2024

Section 5:70-4.7 - Fire suppression systems

(a) All buildings of Use Group A-2 (nightclubs) or portions thereof when separated in accordance with (1) below shall be equipped throughout with an automatic fire suppression system installed in accordance with the New Jersey Uniform Construction Code where any of the conditions in (a)1, 2 or 3 below exist:

1. The A-2 (nightclub) Use or portion thereof is located on a floor other than the level of exit discharge. For purposes of applying this paragraph, the level of exit discharge shall be defined as having all exits discharging not more than five feet above, nor more than two feet below, the adjacent grade;

2. The building or portion thereof has an occupant load of 300 or more;

i. Voluntarily limiting occupant load in a space that will accommodate a greater number shall not be permitted for purposes of determining whether suppression is required. The nightclub space itself may be reduced to a size such that the occupant load calculated in accordance with Table 5:70-4.11(f)3 at N.J.A.C. 5:70-4.11(f)3 is fewer than 300. If this option is chosen, then the following conditions shall apply:

(1) The nightclub space shall be separated from other portions of the building through the use of one hour fire resistance rated assemblies constructed in accordance with the building subcode of the Uniform Construction Code (5:23-3.14);

(2) Opening protectives constructed in accordance with the building subcode shall be required for all openings between accessory use areas and the nightclub space. For purposes of applying these requirements, accessory use areas shall include, but not be limited to, all back of house spaces, storage rooms, offices, kitchens and coatrooms. Accessory use areas shall not include any assembly spaces;

(3) No openings shall be permitted between any non-accessory use areas and the nightclub;

(4) The separated, non-accessory portions of the building shall not contain any assembly uses; and

(5) The means of egress serving any separated, non-accessory portions of the building and the means of egress serving the nightclub shall be totally independent of one another.

(A) Exception: Means of egress shared between a nightclub and a separated, non-accessory space shall be permitted for nightclubs located in buildings of Use Group R-1; or

3. The building or portion thereof exceeds 5,000 square feet.

4. The automatic fire suppression system shall be tied to the performance sound system and to the house lights in such a way that activation of the fire suppression system mutes the performance sound system and restores the intensity of illumination to that required by N.J.A.C. 5:70-4.1l(i)2.

(b) All buildings of Use Group I-1 or portions thereof when separated in accordance with (l) below greater than two stories in height above grade or having an occupant load greater than 20 excluding staff shall be equipped throughout with an automatic fire suppression system installed in accordance with the New Jersey Uniform Construction Code.

(c) All buildings of Use Group I-2 or portions thereof when separated in accordance with (l) below shall be equipped throughout with an automatic fire suppression system installed in accordance with the New Jersey Uniform Construction Code.

1. The following are exceptions to (c) above:

i. Buildings of Type 1 or Type 2A construction of any height or of Type 2B construction not over one story in height as defined in the Uniform Construction Code.

ii. Day nurseries serving children below 2 1/2 years of age, provided that all the children under 2 1/2 years of age are cared for on the first floor in a room(s) having direct access to approved exits discharging directly to the exterior.

2. By January 2, 2010, all nursing homes shall be equipped throughout with an automatic fire suppression system installed in accordance with the New Jersey Uniform Construction Code. The exception contained in (c)1i above shall not apply to nursing homes.

(d) All buildings of Use Group I-3 or portions thereof when separated in accordance with (l) below with an occupant load of six or more shall be equipped throughout with an automatic fire suppression system installed in accordance with the New Jersey Uniform Construction Code or shall be in compliance with all applicable provisions of Chapter 15 "Existing Detention and Correctional Occupancies" of the Life Safety Code, NFPA 101, 1985 edition.

1. Exception to (d) above: All buildings of Use Group I-3 not required to be equipped throughout with suppression by these provisions shall be equipped with suppression in all padded cells, boiler rooms, storage and workshop rooms 24 square feet and larger, mechanical equipment and similar rooms.

(e) All buildings of Use Group H or portions thereof when separated in accordance with (l) below shall be equipped throughout with an automatic fire suppression system installed in accordance with the New Jersey Uniform Construction Code.

1. All spraying operations as regulated by 5:70-3, the State Fire Prevention Code, Chapter 24, shall be equipped throughout with an automatic fire suppression system installed in accordance with the New Jersey Uniform Construction Code.

2. Dip operations as defined by 5:70-3, the State Fire Prevention Code, Section 2402.1 and as outlined in (e)2i through iii below shall be equipped with an automatic fire suppression system installed in accordance with the New Jersey Uniform Construction Code.

i. Dip tanks of over 150 gallons capacity or 10 square feet liquid surface area;

ii. Dip tanks containing a liquid with a flash point below 110 degrees F., when used in such manner that the liquid temperature may equal or be greater than its flash point from artificial or natural causes when having both a capacity of more than 10 gallons and a liquid surface area of more than four square feet; and

iii. Hardening and tempering tanks of over 500 gallons capacity or 25 square feet liquid surface area.

(f) All ballrooms, exhibit areas and accessory spaces of Use Group A-3 which exceed 12,000 square feet and are located in buildings of Use Groups R-1 and R-2, shall be equipped with an automatic fire suppression system installed in accordance with the New Jersey Uniform Construction Code.

1. The following are exceptions to (f) above:

i. Such assembly uses may be subdivided into fire areas not exceeding 12,000 square feet using permanent two-hour fire separation walls with 1 1/2 hour opening protectives. Such walls shall be continuous from the floor to the deck above except that the wall may terminate at the ceiling if the ceiling is part of a fire-resistance rated floor/ceiling or roof/ceiling assembly.

ii. A-3 uses which are completely separated both horizontally and vertically from R-1 and R-2 uses by fire separation walls and floor/ceiling assemblies having a fire-resistance rating of not less than two hours with approved opening protectives having a fire-resistance rating of not less than 1 1/2 hours. Walls shall be continuous from the floor to the deck above except that the walls shall be permitted to terminate at the ceiling if the ceiling is part of a fire-resistance rated assembly.

(g) All commercial cooking operations that produce grease laden vapors shall be equipped with a ventilating hood, duct, and automatic fire suppression system designed and installed in accordance with the New Jersey Uniform Construction Code.

1. This subsection shall not apply to bed and breakfast home stay facilities, which are designed to accommodate five or fewer guests.

2. Exception to (g) above: Ventilating hoods, ducts, and suppression shall not be required for completely enclosed ovens, steam tables, or auxiliary equipment that does not produce grease laden vapors.

3. This subsection shall apply to mobile enclosed units, as defined in 5:70-3. Systems installed in mobile enclosed units shall comply with the applicable requirements of NFPA 96, but such installations shall not be required to comply with the New Jersey Uniform Construction Code.

(h) In all buildings, any windowless basement or story located below the seventh story shall be equipped throughout with an automatic fire suppression system installed in accordance with the New Jersey Uniform Construction Code.

1. Stories or basements shall not be considered windowless when there is provided on at least one side of such story or basement fire fighter access through openings, such as windows, doors or access panels, that are located entirely above the adjoining grade level.

2. Such openings shall comply with one of the following:

i. Be at least 32 inches by 48 inches in size, spaced not more than 100 feet apart in each story or basement;

ii. Be at least 22 inches by 42 inches in size, spaced not more than 30 feet apart in each story or basement; or

iii. For basements in Use Group R-2 not exceeding 3,000 square feet, the requirement for openings shall be deemed to have been met where:

(1) There is a basement door with:

(A) A minimum width of 32 inches;

(B) A breakable window with minimum dimensions of 28 inches by 24 inches; and

(C) Direct access to grade by an outdoor stairway or ramp with a minimum width of 36 inches that is open to the sky with no overhead obstructions; and

(2) A window or access panel in the exterior wall with a minimum of two square feet located such that the bottom of the opening is not more than 24 inches below finished grade.

(3) Where the basement is subdivided into more than one room, each additional separate room that does not have a basement door meeting (h)2iii(1) above shall be provided with a window or access panel in the exterior wall having a minimum area of two square feet located such that the bottom of the opening is not more than 24 inches below finished grade.

3. All openings for fire fighter access shall conform to all the following:

i. Openings shall be unobstructed to allow fire fighting and rescue operations from the exterior; and

ii. Openings in stories at or above grade shall have a sill height of not more than 36 inches as measured from the finished floor level. Openings in basements shall have no sill height restrictions; and

iii. Openings shall be readily identifiable and openable from the outside or shall be glazed with plain flat glass.

4. 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 considered windowless unless openings as specified above are provided on at least two sides of the exterior walls of the story.

i. Where the openings are provided in accordance with (h)2iii above, the 75-foot distance shall be measured to grade level at the end of the stairway or ramp.

5. If any portion of a basement is located more than 75 feet from openings as specified above, the basement shall be considered windowless.

6. Windowless basements not exceeding 3,000 square feet in area shall be exempt from this automatic suppression requirement, provided a supervised automatic fire alarm system shall be installed in accordance with the New Jersey Uniform Construction Code.

7. In windowless basements greater than 3,000 square feet, but not exceeding 10,000 square feet in area, the required suppression system need not be connected to a water supply other than an existing domestic supply if the following conditions are met:

i. The suppression system shall be provided with a fire department connection, which shall be marked with a sign reading "Basement Area Sprinkler Water Supply"; and

ii. A supervised automatic fire alarm system shall be installed in accordance with the New Jersey Uniform Construction Code.

(i) In all buildings of Use Group R-1 or portions thereof when separated in accordance with (l) below, not required at N.J.A.C. 5:70-4.17 to have a complete automatic fire suppression system, all storage and workshop rooms and rubbish, laundry, and similar rooms shall be equipped with a suppression system or smoke detector system connected to an approved continuously staffed location in the building or supervised in accordance with (k) below or N.J.A.C. 5:70-4.9(c), respectively. Such systems shall be installed in accordance with the New Jersey Uniform Construction Code.

(j) All dormitories, as defined in this chapter at 5:70-1.5, or portions thereof when separated in accordance with (l) below, shall be equipped throughout with an automatic fire sprinkler system installed in accordance with the New Jersey Uniform Construction Code.

(k) Fire suppression systems required by this Code shall be supervised as determined by the fire official and installed in accordance with the New Jersey Uniform Construction Code in effect at the time of installation.

(l) In buildings containing mixed uses, one or more of which requires automatic suppression in accordance with this section, suppression will not be required throughout the building, provided that the uses requiring suppression are separated from those not requiring suppression by fire resistive construction having a minimum one hour rating. In Use Group H, the rating is to be increased to two hours.

N.J. Admin. Code § 5:70-4.7

Amended by 48 N.J.R. 277(a), effective 2/16/2016

Amended by 50 N.J.R. 729(a), effective 2/5/2018

Amended by 56 N.J.R. 553(b) effective 4/15/2024

Administrative Change, 56 N.J.R. 1852(a), effective 8/27/2024