Bopper Stoppers

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TLBryant

TLBryant

Member
Location
West Virginia
Most schools are requiring STI alarm covers over pull stations. In the A&E specs of most of these projects they are calling fro double action pull stations.

It is my understanding that it can not take more than two actions to manually activate a pull station. By placing a protective cover over a double action pull station, it now takes three actions to activate the pull station. Is this a code violation? Should the A&E be specing single action pull stations if they specing protective covers as well?
 
ron

ron

Senior Member
Location
New York, 40.7514,-73.9925
I am not aware of a national code that dictates single action or double. I would guess that if they are listed for their application, it would be okay to have double action with a cover making it triple action.
 
N

nhfire77

Senior Member
Location
NH
I know what you are saying. I believe it violates ADA rules, not fire or electric code.

I think they are good to have even if they do violate ADA, it does reduce mailcious and false alarms.

Anyone else know the real answer?
 
Security101

Security101

Senior Member
Location
Northern Indiana
I don't even think it's an ADA issue. ;)

I am under the belief that it's only an accidental trip issue where someone could accidentally lean on it and pull it or slam into or jar it and create a false alarm.

I think it is more about false alarm prevention, and if so, the STI devices just help more. Worst case you'd just have to use single action stations...

I am just going by what I've gathered though - always check with your AHJ!

Jim
 
T

tpepperl

Member
I have heard that some AHJ's are not allowing the STOPPERS that have the audible sounder as it may make the user think that they have activated the fire alarm simply by lifting the cover of the STOPPER when they have not actually activated the pull station.

Has anyone else heard of this anywhere?
 
D

DownRiverGUy

Member
Location
Canton, MI
Anyone here still have the "fail" picture about the old school fire alarm deterrent? One in black and white? I know a few of you know what I?m talking about! :D

That's a valid point about the sound kicking on making people think they tripped the alarm thou...
 
mivey

mivey

Senior Member
mivey said:
LawnGuyLandSparky said:
Has any public school anywhere in the country ever burned down?
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I would have to say yes.
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Here are some:
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mivey

mivey

Senior Member
If you make it too tough for the kids to generate a false alarm, they will generate a real one. You will not stop a determined trouble-maker.
 
love9099

love9099

Member
Location
Salt Lake City
Back to the Question

Back to the Question

You can order the Emergency Pull boxes (Pull Stations) in double action or single action still, and we stock the single action only for this purpose in order to put a lexan cover over the top either for protection against water etc.. or to deter false alarms. These covers come with or without audible alarms and the local AHJ should approve what you intend to install. STI is a brand name and there are other companies that make similar covers. International Fire Code IFC in the IBC requires dual action. See section 907
 
gadfly56

gadfly56

Senior Member
Location
New Jersey
Occupation
Professional Engineer, Fire & Life Safety
love9099 said:
You can order the Emergency Pull boxes (Pull Stations) in double action or single action still, and we stock the single action only for this purpose in order to put a lexan cover over the top either for protection against water etc.. or to deter false alarms. These covers come with or without audible alarms and the local AHJ should approve what you intend to install. STI is a brand name and there are other companies that make similar covers. International Fire Code IFC in the IBC requires dual action. See section 907
Click to expand...

In New Jersey the ones with audible notification are verboten. I think the theory is that if someone lifts the cover they may think that the pull station has been activated because, hey, I hear a fire alarm-like noise!
 
love9099

love9099

Member
Location
Salt Lake City
Come both ways

Come both ways

You can get them with or without audible and we had a fire marshal make us take the double action lift covers off all the pulls in a building because he felt they would be difficult to figure out for the old people. It was a church of older people. That has been the only time we had to take them off. I also hear that some jurisdictions don't allow you to put the glass rods in anylonger because shards broke off and got in someone's eye. I don't know if there is any truth to that or not.
 
mivey

mivey

Senior Member
All of this double-barreled action reminds me of people who move things out of the reach of kids instead of teaching them to keep their hands off. They are by-passing the real problem and implementing a temporary and even inconvenient solution. The best bopper-stopper is to re-engineer the boppers, not what they are after.

Go back to a single pull (even a single pull with cover) and correct the kids.
 
ron

ron

Senior Member
Location
New York, 40.7514,-73.9925
2006 IBC [F] 907.3.5 Protective covers.
The fire code official is authorized to require the installation of listed manual fire alarm box protective covers to prevent malicious false alarms or to provide the manual fire alarm box with protection from physical damage. The protective cover shall be transparent or red in color with a transparent face to permit visibility of the manual fire alarm box. Each cover shall include proper operating instructions. A protective cover that emits a local alarm signal shall not be installed unless approved.

So they can require a cover, but it is mute on whether they can reject a cover.
 
love9099

love9099

Member
Location
Salt Lake City
Ron your right

Ron your right

Ron in our case they did not reject the cover, the AHJ made us take the double action lift kit off the pull stations making them single action.

If you are going to use a Protective cover then you need to install the single action pull stations since the covers then make them Double action. If your not going to use the covers then just order the double action pull stations. Also as a note, sometimes these covers protect the pulls from water etc.....and they are not just used to stop false alarms.
 
gadfly56

gadfly56

Senior Member
Location
New Jersey
Occupation
Professional Engineer, Fire & Life Safety
love9099 said:
Ron in our case they did not reject the cover, the AHJ made us take the double action lift kit off the pull stations making them single action.

If you are going to use a Protective cover then you need to install the single action pull stations since the covers then make them Double action. If your not going to use the covers then just order the double action pull stations. Also as a note, sometimes these covers protect the pulls from water etc.....and they are not just used to stop false alarms.
Click to expand...

And they make 'em with heaters so you can put an addressable pull in an unheated area.
 
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