Appeal 10076

OFC 2010, 903.2.11 and OFC 2010,903.2.11

903.2.11 Specific building areas and hazards. In all occupancies an automatic sprinkler system shall be installed for building design or hazards in the locations set forth in Sections 903 .2.11.1 through 903. 2.11. 7.

Exception: Groups R-3 and U.
903.2.11.1 Stories without openings. An automat sprinkler system shall be installed throughout all stories, including basements of all buildings where the floor area exceeds 1,500 square feet (139.4 m2) and where there is not provided at least one of the following types of exterior wall openings:

1. Openings below grade that lead directly to ground level by an exterior stairway complying

with Section 1009 or an outside ramp complying with Section 1010. Openings shall be located in each 50 linear feet (15 240 mm), or fraction thereof, of exterior wall in the story on at least one side. The required openings shall be distributed such that the lineal distance between adjacent openings does not exceed 50 feet (15 240 mm).

1. Openings entirely above the adjoining ground level totaling at least 20 square feet (1.86 m2)

in each 50 linear feet (15 240 mm), or fraction thereof, of exterior wall in the story on at least one side. The required openings shall be distributed such that the lineal distance between adjacent openings does not exceed 50 feet (15 240 mm).

The existing mobile phone equipment room was permitted and installed in the basement in

1. The original permit documents showed reworking the existing fire sprinkler system in the room

and adding a standalone single-hazard fire alarm panel (SHP) which only annunciated to the Lessee's network operating center since the building at the time had no fire alarm control panel (FACP). While completing work on the site this year it was noticed that all fire sprinkler laterals in the room had been capped, the SHP nameplate mentioned "Halon" but no Halon ball was found in the room and the firm doing the SHP testing since 2007 had no record of the a Halon ball. A records search of BDS and Fire Department records turned up no explanation for when and why this occurred but it appears to have been installed originally and the Halon ball removed by an overzealous operation's person before 2007. VZW would like to install substitute a cross-zoned HFC-125 clean-agent fire suppression system in lieu of fire sprinklers for their Equipment Room which would entail the installation of new detection, notification and initiating devices and circuitry controlled by a new SHP. HVAC shutdown would be part of the design and permitting of the new system.

The alternative solution is requested in per OFC 903.3.1.1.1, Exempt location 2 (see below) and OFC 904.10 (see below). The Equipment Room has several mobile phone base station equipment bays and well as a DC Power Plant which could be damaged by an accidental release by the fire sprinkler system or even a well-placed drip of water. The Equipment Room is separated from the Basement corridor and other basement suites by one-hour fire resistive construction.

903.3.1.1.1 Exempt locations. Automatic sprinklers shall not be required in the following rooms or areas where such rooms or areas are protected with an approved automatic fire detection system in accordance with Section 907.2 that will respond to visible or invisible particles of combustion. Sprinklers shall not be omitted from any room merely because it is damp, of fire-resistance-rated construction or contains electrical equipment.

1. Any room where the application of water, or flame and water, constitutes a serious life or fire

hazard.

1. Any room or space where sprinklers are considered undesirable because of the nature of the contents, when approved by the building official.
2. Generator and transformer rooms separated from the remainder of the building by walls and

floor/ceiling or roof/ceiling assemblies having afire-resistance rating of not less than 2 hours.

1. Rooms or areas that are of noncombustible construction with wholly noncombustible contents.
2. Fire service access elevator machine rooms and machinery spaces.

904.10 Clean-agent systems. Clean-agent fire-extinguishing systems shall be installed, maintained, periodically inspected and tested in accordance with NFPA 2001 and their listing.

OFC 904.3.5

OFC 904.3.5 Monitoring. Where a building fire alarm system is installed, automatic fire-extinguishing systems shall be monitored by the building fire alarm system in accordance with NFPA 72.

The existing SHP was installed prior to the building's FACP being installed and the monitoring of the SHP was not added at that time by the Lessor and the SHP is still a stand-alone system monitored by the Lessee's network operating system (NOC). The Lessor understands the problem but requests that the SHP remain stand-alone citing the additional cost of testing apparently caused by the lessee's more frequent system testing than is required by NFPA 72.

The SHP would be monitored by the Lessee's 24/7/365 NOC in lieu of the Lessor's NOC which should be equal in nature. The local discharge annunciation appliance in the corridor would notify first responders from which room the alarm was occurring only slightly less efficient than being able to locate the room from paper zone maps at the FACP.