Source: https://ecode360.com/13739884
Timestamp: 2019-04-25 00:07:17+00:00

Document:
§ 3-901.1 Intent and purpose.
§ 3-901.2 Fire Code adoption.
§ 3-901.3 Amendments to adopted code.
§ 3-901.4 More restrictive provisions to control.
§ 3-901.7 Administration and enforcement of fee schedule.
Editor's Note: Section 17 of Ord. No. 25-2003 provided as follows: "Subtitle 3-900, entitled Fire Prevention Code, is hereby repealed in its entirety, with the exception of Chapter 3-953, entitled Fire Occupancy Classification and Occupancy Loads, and Chapter 3-961, entitled Residential (Domestic) Sprinklers, which remain in full force and effect and are renumbered Chapters 3-903 and 3-905, respectively, and new Chapter 3-901 is hereby added to the Codified Ordinances as follows."
It is the intent and purpose of this chapter to adopt a modern Fire Code which will prescribe effective standards and minimum requirements consistent with nationally recognized good practice for safeguarding life, property and public welfare from the hazards of fire, explosion or dangerous conditions in new and existing buildings, structures and premises.
In accordance with Section 608 of the Optional Third Class City Charter Law, Act of July 15, 1957, P.L. 901, 53 P.S § 41608, and Section 4130 of the Third Class City Code, Act of June 28, 1951, P.L. 662 as amended, 53 P.S. § 39130, there is hereby adopted by the City for the purpose of prescribing specifications and regulations to ensure the structural safety and noncombustibility of housing constructed, reconstructed, altered, enlarged, repaired, or maintained within the City that certain Fire Code known as the International Fire Code, 2003 edition, and all appendices thereto, as supplemented and published by the International Code Council, including all appendices with the exception of Appendix A, except such provisions which are in conflict with regulations promulgated by the Pennsylvania Department of Labor and Industry interpreting the Uniform Construction Code pursuant to Section 301 of the Pennsylvania Construction Code Act, Act of November 10, 1999, P.L. 491, 35 P.S. § 7210.301, or any other state law on the subject or regulations issued by a state agency by virtue of a state law. Ten copies of the Fire Code are presently on file in the office of the City Clerk, and such code is hereby adopted and incorporated as if fully set forth at length herein. The provisions of the adopted Fire Code shall be controlling within the limits of the City except as amended by the provisions of this chapter.
101.1 Title. These regulations shall be known as the "Fire Code of the City of Harrisburg," hereinafter referred to in this chapter as "this code."
103.1 General. The City of Harrisburg, Department of Public Safety, Bureau of Fire, under the direction of the Fire Chief, and the Department of Building and Housing Development, Bureau of Codes Enforcement, under the direction of the Codes Administrator, shall jointly administer and enforce this code or any part thereof.
This section is deleted in its entirety. See § 3-901.6 of the City's Codified Ordinances for appeal procedures.
109.3 Violation penalties. Persons who violate a provision of this code or fail to comply with any of the requirements thereof or who erect, install, alter or repair fire prevention work in violation of the approved construction documents or directive of the building official, or of a permit or certificate issued under the provisions of this code, shall be subject to penalties as prescribed by law.
111.4 Stop-work orders. Any person who shall continue any work on the system after having been served with a stop-work order, except such work as that person is directed to perform to remove a violation or unsafe condition, shall be subject to penalties as prescribed by law.
907.2.10.5 Smoke detectors in residential structures.
At least one early fire detection device (smoke detector) shall be installed in each sleeping area of any building or structure used for residential occupancy, including but not limited to single-family dwellings, multifamily dwellings, multifamily apartment houses, boardinghouses, lodging houses, rooming houses, tourist homes, bed-and-breakfast homes, dormitories, hotels, motels and residence buildings.
In each multifamily apartment house of three to five units, a smoke detector shall be installed in the cellar and/or basement and on every floor of the residential structure in addition to those placed in the sleeping areas.
In each multifamily apartment house containing more than five units and in each boardinghouse, lodging house, rooming house, bed-and-breakfast home, tourist home, dormitory, hotel, motel and residence building, a smoke detector shall be installed in the cellar and/or basement and on every floor in common areas (hallways, corridors, etc.) and shall be interconnected, that is, shall be wired directly to the building's power supply and shall each sound an alarm when one is activated.
Where bedrooms or rooms habitually used for sleeping are separated by other use areas, such as kitchens, living rooms or dining rooms, they shall be considered as separate sleeping areas for the purposes of this section.
Each smoke detector installed shall be certified by a nationally recognized inspection agency, such as Underwriters' Laboratories, Inc., as a properly operating fire detection device for the protection of life safety.
It shall be the responsibility of the owner, agent for the owner or other controlling party/individual of each new and existing occupied residential occupancy unit to install smoke detectors in each residential unit as heretofore provided. Such smoke detectors shall be capable of sensing visible or invisible particles of combustion and shall be capable of producing an audible alarm upon detection thereof.
It shall be the responsibility of the tenants or occupants to maintain smoke detectors. Such maintenance shall include keeping the smoke detector units serviceable by replacing batteries when necessary or by keeping them connected to an electrical source so that they remain capable of transmitting an audible signal in the presence of smoke.
As an alternative to self-contained smoke detectors, an approved fire detection system may be installed. Each fire detection system must be individually approved and a permit issued by the Bureau of Fire or Codes Enforcement.
In new dwelling units, smoke detectors shall be hard-wired directly to the building's power supply. In all existing dwelling units it is preferred that the smoke detectors be hard-wired to the building's power supply; however, a monitored battery supply is acceptable.
At every change of occupancy of every dwelling unit occasioned by or incidental to a sale, lease or sublease of such unit, it shall be the duty of the grantor thereof (i.e., the seller, lessor or sublessor, as the case may be) to certify, before occupancy, to the new occupant that all smoke detectors required by this section or other applicable laws are installed and in proper working condition.
No smoke detector or alternative system shall be directly connected (permanently wired) to the electrical system of the building or structure unless an electrical permit has first been obtained and the installation has been approved by an electrical inspector.
Whenever any provision or requirement of the Codified Ordinances of the City of Harrisburg or the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania Department of Labor and Industry is more stringent or stricter than a provision or requirement of the Fire Code adopted herein, the more stringent provision shall supersede any such provision or requirement of the Fire Code.
Any person, firm, corporation, association or other entity who or which is aggrieved by a ruling, decision or action of any department, bureau or other division of the City in regard to the administration or enforcement of any of the provisions of this Fire Code may appeal the ruling, decision or action complained of in writing to the Building and Housing Code Board of Appeals of the City of Harrisburg in the manner and in accordance with the procedures set forth in Chapter 8-301, Emergency Orders and Appeals, of the Codified Ordinances.
Fees of less than $500 per incident will be due to the City within 30 days. Fees of $500 per incident or greater will be due to the City within one year.
The City Bureau of Fire shall have the responsibility and authority to assess the fees as set forth herein. Fees for City Bureau of Fire services that have been rendered, as designated in the fee schedule, shall be billed by the City to the person or entity responsible for the need of such services. Should the individual or entity responsible for such services and the associated charges have insurance which covers the same, at the request of such individual or entity the City shall bill the insurance carrier directly. However, doing so will not relieve such individual or entity from liability should the insurance carrier fail to pay the same to the City. Any bill for such services provided for the benefit of non-City-owned property shall be paid by the property owner. The failure of the property owner to pay the amounts due within the designated time frame set forth herein shall entitle the City to collect all amounts and pursue any or all of the remedies identified in the Pennsylvania Municipal Claims Act (see 53 P.S. § 7101 et seq.) or any other available remedy under the law.
Any person, whether individually or as a member or employee of a partnership, or any officer, agent or employee of a corporation who directs or knowingly permits any violation of any of the provisions of the sections of this Fire Code, or who aids or assists therein, either on his/her own behalf or in the interests of his/her employer or principal, or who fails to comply with any order made thereunder, or who builds in violation of any detailed statement of specifications or plans submitted and approved in accordance with this code or any certificate of approval issued thereto and from which no appeal has been taken, or who fails to comply with such order as affirmed or modified by the City, shall, upon conviction thereof, severally and for each violation and noncompliance respectively, be fined not less than $50 nor more than $1,000, plus costs, or shall be imprisoned in the Dauphin County prison for not more than 90 days for each separate violation, or both. The imposition of one penalty for any violation shall not excuse the violation or permit it to continue, and all persons required to do so shall correct and remedy violations or defects within a reasonable time, and, when not otherwise specified, each five days that the prohibited conditions are maintained shall constitute a separate offense.
The application of the above penalty shall not prevent the enforced removal of the prohibited conditions or device, or any other remedy at law or equity available to the City for enforcement of this chapter.

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§ 3

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§ 3
 § 41608
 § 39130
 § 7210
 § 3
 § 7101