Are there any requirements NFPA 72 or IFC (or anywhere else) for the materials used in a cover for a Fire alarm manual pull station?
Th pull station cover would need to be easy to open without much force and would direct on how to life the cover to pull it. I would recommend the STI stopper as it’s generally the ideal pull station cover used in many places I’ve seen. It just has to be in the middle of where the pull station is. If the pull station uses a wire cage, make sure the middle of it’s opening is large and easily accessible to pull the level if it’s a t-bar.
Yes and no.
Per NFPA 72 annex section A17.15.8, listed pull station covers are allowed to be installed over manual pull stations to protect from mechanical damage, environmental damage, and malicious activity. The covers must be listed to ensure that they do not hinder the operation of the pull stations and to ensure that they meet accessibility requirements for activation by persons with physical disabilities. They can even be installed over double-action pull stations which would effectively make them triple-action and is allowable.
So, per NFPA 72, so long as it is listed for use as a pull station cover, is accessible to people with disabilities, and don’t hinder the operation of the pull station, then nearly anything that’s listed will work.
IBC and IFC have similar requirements. Per section 907.4.2.5 of both codes, if the fire code official requires it, it must be transparent or red in appearance, with a transparent face to permit visibility of the manual fire alarm box. In the case of IBC/IFC, pull stations with sounders are not to be installed unless specifically approved. So, the AHJ can say that they want a cover installed, but that they don’t want the cover to have a sounder.
I’ve seen wire covers that are specific to certain Simplex pull stations, but almost every pull station cover I have seen has been made by either STI or Sigcom, and almost overwhelmingly it’s STI. The STI and Sigcom ones are made of sturdy transparent plastic, easily accessible to open, and have sounder options.
Personally, I’m less of a fan of the STI covers these days as they do not have hinges so it makes it kind of a pain to put the cover back up. The Sigcom ones have a hinge on the bottom edge so they are much easier to close up.