Hello Guys
I have a GC not wanting to pay to install an remote annunciator and says it is not in fire code. Fire panel is in was moved to meter room.
I looked at
Nfpa72 chapter 10 and Nfpa 101 , did not see We’re it says you need to install one because ?
.AHJ was not good enough
Your answer is in 10.16.1.1. Not required unless required by AHJ.
nfpa 72 - 2016
10.17.3.1 All required annunciation means shall be readily accessible to responding personnel.
10.17.3.2 All required annunciation means shall be located as required by the authority having jurisdiction to facilitate an efficient response to the situation.
My experience with AHJ’s is they almost always want something at the entrance for the responding personnel. If the GC doesn’t want it now, tell him that’s fine but it’ll be a change order if the AHJ wants it later. If you have an AHJ that doesn’t approve permit drawings or just doesn’t care, it might not be an issue. We get flagged on it every time in municipalities around here though.
I’m kind of curious, what’s the building’s occupancy? Number of floors? Size? How many FA devices? Around here, if it’s multi-story (where you might have multiple waterflow switches) or a mult-tenant building, they want one installed to pinpoint the location.
That’s the catch then , plan review past without it and FM wants one at entrance we Knox box is thanks , will let them fight it out
Run the annunciator wire from the panel to the potential location and hide it above the ceiling or inside the box of the nearest device. This way when the FM makes them put it in after the fact, the hard part is done! We’ve done that on a couple of installs when we knew there was a potential for something being added on after the fact. Doesn’t always work out but a huge time saver when it does.
In Canada (Or Onario at least), our Building code states you need an annunciator for any system that has 2 or more zones.
Where I am the local GCs and ECs know that when the AHJ notes items they will require on the plans review comment sheet it shall be done. Sometimes we had out of town GCs that thought they could stonewall the AHJ on something. At the AHJ final inspection they would find out that the U&O card would not be signed if those comment sheet items were not in the building. It really hits the fan when the GC has to tell the building owner that they cannot move in and occupy the building. Sometimes that is what it takes.
Possibly try getting the appropriate AHJ to put something in writing (signed) stating they need annunciation in place at said facility. At that point it would become 100% required per 72.
Requirement seems to still hold in the 2016 as even in 2013. With big AHJ’s just now recognizing 2013 the requirement will be the AHJ’s playing field for quite a while…(10.18.3 per 2013).