2023 Utah Code › Title 15A - State Construction and Fire Codes Act › Chapter 5 - State Fire Code Act › Part 2 - Statewide Amendments and Additions to International Fire Code Incorporated as Part of State Fire Code › Section 202.5 - Amendments and additions to Chapters 3 and 4 of IFC.

Effective 5/3/2023
15A-5-202.5.
Amendments and additions to Chapters 3 and 4 of IFC.
(1) For IFC, Chapter 3, General Requirements:
(a) IFC, Chapter 3, Section 304.1.2, Vegetation, is amended as follows: Delete line six and replace it with: "Utah Administrative Code, R652-122-1300, Minimum Standards for County Wildland Fire Ordinance".
(b) IFC, Chapter 3, Section 310.8, Hazardous environmental conditions, is deleted and rewritten as follows: "1. When the fire code official determines that existing or historical hazardous environmental conditions necessitate controlled use of any ignition source, including fireworks, lighters, matches, sky lanterns, and smoking materials, any of the following may occur:
1.1. If the existing or historical hazardous environmental conditions exist in a municipality, the legislative body of the municipality may prohibit the ignition or use of an ignition source in:
1.1.1. mountainous, brush-covered, forest-covered, or dry grass-covered areas;
1.1.2. within 200 feet of waterways, trails, canyons, washes, ravines, or similar areas;
1.1.3. the wildland urban interface area, which means the line, area, or zone where structures or other human development meet or intermingle with undeveloped wildland or land being used for an agricultural purpose; or
1.1.4. a limited area outside the hazardous areas described in this paragraph 1.1 to facilitate a readily identifiable closed area, in accordance with paragraph 2.
1.2. If the existing or historical hazardous environmental conditions exist in an unincorporated area, the state forester may prohibit the ignition or use of an ignition source in all or part of the areas described in paragraph 1.1 that are within the unincorporated area, after consulting with the county fire code official who has jurisdiction over that area.
1.3. If the existing or historical hazardous environmental conditions exist in a metro township created under Title 10, Chapter 2a, Part 4, Incorporation of Metro Townships and Unincorporated Islands in a County of the First Class on and after May 12, 2015, the metro township legislative body may prohibit the ignition or use of an ignition source in all or part of the areas described in paragraph 1.1 that are within the township.
2. If a municipal legislative body, the state forester, or a metro township legislative body closes an area to the discharge of fireworks under paragraph 1, the legislative body or state forester shall:
2.1. designate the closed area along readily identifiable features like major roadways, waterways, or geographic features;
2.2. ensure that the boundary of the designated closed area is as close as is practical to the defined hazardous area, provided that the closed area may include areas outside of the hazardous area to facilitate a readily identifiable line; and
2.3. identify the closed area through a written description or map that is readily available to the public.
3. A municipal legislative body, the state forester, or a metro township legislative body may close a defined area to the discharge of fireworks due to a historical hazardous environmental condition under paragraph 1 if the legislative body or state forester:
3.1. makes a finding that the historical hazardous environmental condition has existed in the defined area before July 1 of at least two of the preceding five years;
3.2. produces a map indicating the boundaries, in accordance with paragraph 2, of the defined area described; and
3.3. before May 1 of each year the defined area is closed, provides the map described in paragraph 3.2 to the county in which the defined area is located.
4. A municipal legislative body, the state forester, or a metro township legislative body may not close an area to the discharge of fireworks due to a historical hazardous environmental condition unless the legislative body or state forester provides a map, in accordance with paragraph 3."
(c) IFC, Chapter 3, Section 311.1.1, Abandoned premises, is amended as follows: On line 10 delete the words "International Property Maintenance Code and the".
(d) IFC, Chapter 3, Section 311.5, Placards, is amended as follows: On line three delete the word "shall" and replace it with the word "may".
(2) IFC, Chapter 4, Emergency Planning and Preparedness:
(a) In IFC, Chapter 4, the following new Sections are added:
"401.3.1.1 Special Education Classrooms. Special education classrooms may shelter in place, or delay evacuation when all of the following conditions are met:
401.3.1.1.1 There is no visible flame or evidence of products of combustion (smoke).
401.3.1.1.2 The building is completely protected by an approved fire sprinkler system.
401.3.1.1.3 The building is completely protected by an approved fire alarm system.
401.3.1.1.4 The classroom has a minimum of one approved exit that discharges directly to the exterior.
401.3.1.1.5 The classroom has been approved to shelter in place by the fire code official."
(b) In IFC, Chapter 4, Section 401.3.3, Delayed notification, a new exception is added:
"Exception: Group E Occupancies. Teachers may delay evacuation upon fire alarm activation for up to 60 seconds when all of the following conditions are met:
A. There is no visible flame or evidence of products of combustion (smoke).
B. The building is protected throughout by an approved fire sprinkler system.
C. The building is protected throughout by an approved fire alarm system.
D. Students are in the safe zone of the room lined up and prepared for immediate evacuation."
(c) IFC, Chapter 4, Section 403.9.2.1, College and university buildings, is deleted and replaced with the following:
"403.9.2.1 College and university buildings and fraternity and sorority houses.
(i) College and university buildings, including fraternity and sorority houses, shall prepare an approved fire safety and evacuation plan, in accordance with Section 404.
(ii) Group R-2 college and university buildings, including fraternity and sorority houses, shall comply with Sections 403.9.2.1.1 and 403.9.2.1.2."
(d) IFC, Chapter 4, Section 405.3, Table 405.3, is amended to add the following footnotes:
(i) "c. Secondary schools in Group E occupancies shall have an emergency evacuation drill conducted at least every two months, to a total of four emergency evacuation drills during the nine-month school year. The first emergency evacuation drill shall be conducted within 10 school days after the beginning of classes. The third emergency evacuation drill, weather permitting, shall be conducted 10 school days after the beginning of the next calendar year. The second and fourth emergency evacuation drills may be substituted by a security or safety drill to include shelter in place, earthquake drill, or lock down for violence. If inclement weather causes a secondary school to miss the 10-day deadline for the third emergency evacuation drill, the secondary school shall perform the third emergency evacuation drill as soon as practicable after the missed deadline."
(ii) "d. In Group E occupancies, excluding secondary schools, if the AHJ approves, the monthly required emergency evacuation drill can be substituted by a security or safety drill to include shelter in place, earthquake drill, or lock down for violence. The routine emergency evacuation drill must be conducted at least every other drill."
(iii) "e. A-3 occupancies in academic buildings of institutions of higher learning are required to have one emergency evacuation drill per year, provided the following conditions are met:
(A) The building has a fire alarm system in accordance with Section 907.2.
(B) The rooms classified as assembly shall have fire safety floor plans as required in Subsection 404.2.2(4) posted.
(C) The building is not classified a high-rise building.
(D) The building does not contain hazardous materials over the allowable quantities by code."
Amended by Chapter 95, 2023 General Session