13006981 - Laserfiche WebLink

Home Browse Search

least the equivalent of that prescribed in this code in quality, strength, effectiveness,fire resistance, durability and safety. Applicability: The intent of this "White Paper"is to establish guidelines for building official to address structures built on a parcel that is not served by a municipal water system, where the municipal water system is not reliable, or where the building official determines that there are practical difficulties involved in carrying out the code. This white paper shall apply to new construction, alteration, change of occupancy,and addition to buildings. Solutions may combine prescriptive compliance with performance compliance methods, evaluation and design procedures. Discussion: The building shall be designed with safeguards for the safe evacuation of its occupants and against the spread of fire during an event. The purpose of all fire protection systems as required by Chapter 9 of the OSSC is: to detect a fire; to alert the occupants or fire department of a fire emergency;to control smoke and to control or extinguish a fire. So the intent of any alternate to a fire sprinkler system shall always consider this purpose and reasonable safeguards for the occupants of the building. Conclusion: The following building code elements,when required,enhance the safety of the occupants. When not L required by the code, the building official may consider the addition of one or more of these elements as an approved equivalent to fire sprinkler installation. The following guidelines correlate with OSSC Chapter references: CHAPTER 5-GENERAL BUILDING HEIGHTS AND AREAS Many other code requirements depend on the establishment of the minimum required type of construction for a building. The keystone in setting thresholds for a building's size is based on the building's use and the materials with which it is constructed. It is aimed at providing an acceptable level of hazard for building occupants by limiting fire load and fire hazards relating to height,area and occupancy. Buildings of higher construction types that incorporate noncombustible materials and a higher degree of fire-resistant elements can be larger and higher than buildings of lower construction types that utilize combustible and unprotected elements. Reductions to the allowable area and height can be considered as an element for mitigation of a fire sprinkler system. CHAPTER 6-TYPES OF CONSTRUCTION: The purpose of classifying buildings or structures by their type of construction is to account for the response or participation that a building's structure will have in a fire condition originating within the building as a result of its occupancy or fuel load. In some cases, the code allows for a I-hour fire-resistance-rated construction as a substitute for sprinklers. The building official can consider this and/or the introduction of non-combustible or fire- resistive materials when normally not required. �/ Page 2 of 5