ADA Fire Alarm requirements

Status
Not open for further replies.
mshields

mshields

Senior Member
Location
Boston, MA
Correct me if I'm wrong. ADA is a federal law and as such applies to all states.

Operating on this assumption, I have always taken the most restrictive requirement between it and NFPA 72 and applied it. e.g. ADA says strobes need to be at 80 inches - no more no less - period. 72 says, I believe between 80 and 96 inches.

I put them at 80 inches.

On a project in RI (where to complicate things they go by the RI Uniform Fire Code), I'm being pressured to allow strobes to go higher than 80 inches. My inclination is to put this on the AHJ or maybe even to insist on a formal variance.

What do you think?

thanks,

Mike
 
mshields said:
Correct me if I'm wrong. ADA is a federal law and as such applies to all states.

Operating on this assumption, I have always taken the most restrictive requirement between it and NFPA 72 and applied it. e.g. ADA says strobes need to be at 80 inches - no more no less - period. 72 says, I believe between 80 and 96 inches.

I put them at 80 inches.

On a project in RI (where to complicate things they go by the RI Uniform Fire Code), I'm being pressured to allow strobes to go higher than 80 inches. My inclination is to put this on the AHJ or maybe even to insist on a formal variance.

What do you think?

thanks,

Mike
Click to expand...

I'm assuming that Rhode Island has adopted the International Family of Codes. If so, look in the Rhode Island Building Code under (perhaps) Section 102 Applicability and note where it reads at 102.2 Other laws and regulations:"The provisions of this code shall not be deemed to nullify any provisions of local, state or federal laws and regulations."

To me, this says go with the Federal ADA rules.:smile:
 
fwiw pls note that 72 says that the bottom of the stobe cannot be lower than 80 (that fine point missed me on a job and I had to raise a bunch of boxes)
 
nakulak said:
fwiw pls note that 72 says that the bottom of the stobe cannot be lower than 80 (that fine point missed me on a job and I had to raise a bunch of boxes)
Click to expand...

You have to be careful here. NFPA 72 (2002) says

7.5.4 Appliance Location

Wall-mounted appliances shall be mounted such that the entire lens is not less than 2.0 m (80 in.) and not greater than 2.4 m (96 in.) above the finished floor.

However, ADA 4.28.3 (6) says:

The appliance shall be placed 80 in (2030 mm) above the highest floor level within the space or 6 in (152 mm) below the ceiling, whichever is lower.

A typical horn/strobe unit might have the horizontal centerline of the lens about 2/3 the way up a 5" tall unit. You could have the bottom of the lens at 80" (OK for NFPA 72) but the bottom of the appliance would be below 80" (a violation for ADA). Since few, if any, audible/visual appliances are more than 16" tall (XP excepted), put the bottom of the 4" box at 82-83" and your horn/strobe will be double code-compliant.

Notice under ADA you can go lower if the ceiling height requires it. You can also reference NFPA 72 (2002) A.7.5.4 for a discussion of performance based criteria to adjust strobe spacing for lowered ceilings.

In the OP's case, if he has a standard 8' ceiling I'd say he's stuck with the standard unless the AHJ has a compelling argument (other than "I'm the AHJ and that's what I want!"). Remember, ADA is enforced by civil action, and verdicts are based on majority vote of the jury, and the standard is "preponderance of the evidence" not "beyond a reasonable doubt".
 
Doesn't ADA require anything that protrudes more than 4" into the space to be a minimum of 80"? A strobe generally does not protrude more than 4" so less than 80" mounting would be OK.
 
I wish someone could tell me what mounting strobes at 80" has to do with ADA?

Is there some disability that causes you to not be able to see above 80"?

According to the NFPA handbook, its the reflected light from the strobe that is normally seen and warns someone of a fire.

So why is 80" so important? Its a real shame we have to debate something so minor.

Have you seen the news story about the handicapped lawyer that visits resturaunts and businesses in small towns. (I think it was on 20/20). If he finds a toilet mounted 1" too high, he sends them a letter demanding several thousand dollars, or he will sue.

Not that the extra 1" caused him any hardship, its just an easy way to make money.

Steve
 
Ammended ADA

Ammended ADA

An apps engineer from Simplex tells me that the ADA ammended the 80 inch requirement in 2004 such that it now references NFPA 72 and therefor the 80 to 96 inch rule. Only problem, using the following link to the ammended ADA, I can't even find a reference to strobes. Can anyone point me in the right direction.

www.ada.gov/pubs/ada.htm
 
4.28: Visual Alarms. They don't specifically refer to them as "fire" alarms, it could be any type of visual alarm.
 
steve66 said:
I wish someone could tell me what mounting strobes at 80" has to do with ADA?

Is there some disability that causes you to not be able to see above 80"?
Click to expand...

I have always thought this was about as funny as Brail on drive up ATM's.

ADA says we have to mount a visual signal at 80" (although this has been ammended in the NC Accessability code) yet they allow EXIT lights to be well above a door. The disabled person who may not be able to lift his/her head will be able to see a flashing strobe but will not be able to see the exit sign to get out of the space, go figure. :confused:


Roger
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Top