Compilation of Rules and Regulations of the State of Georgia › Department 120 - OFFICE OF COMMISSIONER OF INSURANCE, SAFETY FIRE COMMISSIONER AND INDUSTRIAL LOAN COMMISSIONER › Chapter 120-3 - RULES OF SAFETY FIRE COMMISSIONER › Subject 120-3-23 - RULES AND REGULATIONS FOR INSTALLATION, INSPECTION, RECHARGING, REPAIRING, SERVICING AND TESTING OF PORTABLE FIRE EXTINGUISHERS OR FIRE SUPPRESSION SYSTEMS › Rule 120-3-23-.02 - Definitions

Current through Rules and Regulations filed through June 27, 2024
(1)
				"
Acceptable
"means having been inspected by the Commissioner or
				his/her representative and approved for the intended usage.
(2) "
Approved
"means in addition
				to being acceptable, as defined herein, a device, practice, or method mandated
				by a coexistent authority of the Commissioner (such as the D.O.T.).
(3) "
Approved Training
"means any
				training or continuing education made available by an official company or
				individual specifically qualified and insured to provide such training
				(including equipment manufacturers) as acceptable to the
				Commissioner.
(4) "
Clean
				Agent
"means an electrically non-conducting, volatile, or gaseous
				fire-extinguishing agent that does not leave a residue upon
				evaporation.
(5)
				"
CO2
(
Carbon Dioxide
)"means a
				colorless, odorless, electrically non-conductive inert gas suitable for use in
				portable extinguishers or fire systems.
(6) "
Commissioner
"means the
				Georgia Safety Fire Commissioner or his/her designated
				representative.
(7)
				"
Continuing Education
"means education, information or training
				derived from participating and successfully completing a course, class or
				seminar pertaining to the fire protection industry for the purpose of
				increasing one's aptitude, knowledge or skill in a particular area or task
				which is acceptable to and approved by the Commissioner prior to receiving
				credit units.
(8) "
Credit
				Units
"means actual hours of active participation in a course, class or
				seminar pertaining to the fire protection industry for the purpose of
				increasing one's aptitude, knowledge or skill in a particular area or task. One
				hour of personal course contact acceptable to the Commissioner will equal one
				credit unit.
(9)
				"
DOT
"means the United States Department of
				Transportation.
(10)
				"
EMT
"means electrical metallic tubing used for enclosing detection
				cables, remote pull stations, gas shut offs and electrical wiring.
(11) "
Engineered Special Hazard Fire
				Suppression System
"means any fire suppression system having pipe
				lengths, number of fittings, number and types of nozzles, suppression agent
				flow rates, and nozzle pressures as determined by calculations derived from the
				appropriate standards of the National Fire Protection Association, whether
				those calculations are performed by hand or by a computer program or by other
				method of calculation. These systems may consist of other components,
				including, but not limited to, detection devices, alarm devices, and control
				devices as tested and approved by a nationally recognized testing laboratory
				and shall be manufacturer listed as compatible with the fire suppression system
				involved.
(12) "
Fire
				Suppression System
"means any fire-fighting system employing a
				suppression agent for the purpose of controlling, suppression, or extinguishing
				a fire in a specific hazard. The suppression agent shall be a currently
				recognized agent or water additive required to control, suppress, or extinguish
				a fire. The term fire suppression system shall include engineered special
				hazard and pre-engineered fire suppression systems as defined in these rules
				and regulations and shall not include those systems addressed in Chapter 11 of
				Title 25 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated.
(13) "
Firm
"means any
				corporation, business, person, partnership, organization, association,
				contractor, individual or other entity, engaged in the business of installing,
				inspecting, altering, maintaining, recharging, repairing or servicing fire
				extinguishers and fire suppression systems.
(14)
"Full Time Employee"
means
				an individual who works for the firm and is on payroll for a minimum of thirty
				and one half hours of paid service per week, per employer.
(15) "
High Pressure
				Cylinder
"means cylinders and cartridges containing nitrogen or
				compressed gases at a service pressure higher than 500 psi (3447 kPa) at
				70°F (21°C).
(16)
				"
Hydrostatic Testing
"means cylinder pressure testing by water
				jacketed test pressure means.
(17)
				"
Industrial Fire Suppression System
"means a pre-engineered
				automatic fire extinguishing system provided for the protection of property or
				equipment as described by the manufacturer other than those systems covered
				under the definition of kitchen or restaurant fire suppression
				system.
(18)
				"
Inspection
"means a thorough examination which is part of the
				designated or prescribed maintenance of a fire extinguisher or of a fire
				suppression system to give maximum assurance that the fire extinguisher or fire
				suppression system is in its proper location, appropriately sized for the
				hazard it is intended to cover, there is no physical or chemical damage to
				prevent its proper operation, the extinguisher or system is fully charged and
				is in proper operating condition. Such procedure shall only be conducted by a
				properly permitted technician unless otherwise exempted by Chapter 12 of
				O.C.G.A. Title 25 or by this Chapter. It includes a thorough examination by
				inspection and any necessary repair or replacement of components as well as,
				revealing if hydrostatic testing is required.
(19) "
Kitchen or Restaurant Fire
				Suppression System
"means an automatic fire extinguishing system provided
				for the protection of grease removal devices, hoods, duct systems, cooking
				equipment and listed for such use as outlined in National Fire Protection
				Association Standard 96,
Standard for Removal of Smoke and Grease-Laden
				Vapors from Commercial Cooking Equipment
edition as adopted and
				modified by Chapter 120-3-3 Rules and Regulations of the Safety Fire
				Commissioner, and systems classified under UL300A.
(20) "
License
"means the document
				issued by the Commissioner which authorizes a firm to engage in the business of
				installation, repair, alteration, recharging, inspection, maintenance, service
				or testing of fire suppression systems or portable fire
				extinguishers.
(21) "
Low
				Pressure Cylinder
"means those cylinders having an operating or service
				pressure of 500 psi (3447 kPa) or lower at 70°F (21°C).
(22) "
Maintenance
"means a
				thorough examination of the portable fire extinguisher or fire suppression
				system. It is intended to give maximum assurance that a fire extinguisher or
				fire suppression system will operate effectively and safely. It includes a
				thorough examination by inspection and any necessary repair or replacement of
				components as well as, revealing if hydrostatic testing is required.
(23) "
Manufacturer's
				Certification
"means certification derived from participating and
				successfully completing a training course issued by the manufacturer or other
				designated agent or representatives authorized by the original equipment
				manufacturer.
(24)
				"
NAFED
"means National Association of Fire Equipment
				Distributors.
(25)
				"
NFPA
"means National Fire Protection Association.
(26) "
NICET
"means National
				Institute for Certification in Engineering Technologies and, when used in this
				regulation, refers to the Special Hazards Systems program areas.
(27) "
Permit
"means the document
				issued by the Commissioner which authorizes an individual to install, inspect,
				repair, recharge, service, or test fire suppression systems or portable fire
				extinguishers as a direct result of meeting the minimum qualifications herein
				for which the individual has applied.
(28) "
Portable Fire
				Extinguisher
"means a portable device containing an extinguishing agent
				that can be expelled under pressure for the purpose of suppressing or
				extinguishing a fire. The device must be listed by a nationally recognized
				testing laboratory. The device must bear a manufacturer's name and serial
				number. The listings, approvals, and serial numbers may be stamped on the
				manufacturer's identification and instruction plate or on a separate plate of
				the testing laboratory soldered or attached to the extinguisher shell in a
				permanent manner as set forth by the listing or approving
				organization.
(29)
				"
Pre-Engineered Fire Suppression System
"means any system having
				predetermined flow rates, nozzle pressures, and quantities of an extinguishing
				agent. These systems have specific pipe sizes, maximum and minimum pipe
				lengths, flexible hose specifications, number of fittings, and number and types
				of nozzles prescribed by a nationally recognized testing laboratory. The
				hazards protected by these systems are specifically limited as to the type and
				size by the testing laboratory based upon actual fire tests. Limitations on
				hazards that can be protected by these systems are contained in the
				manufacturer's installation manual, which is referenced as part of the
				listing.
(30)
				"
RIN
"means the current retester identification number issued by
				the DOT or its designated agency, to retest facilities that can then legally
				perform cylinder requalifications. Only the DOT or its designated agency has
				the authority to issue such numbers in the United States.
(31) "
Service
"means the
				performance of an inspection, installation, maintenance or repair of a portable
				fire extinguisher or fire suppression system.
(32) "
Service Location
"means any
				location where the inspection, installation, or repair is performed on any
				portable fire extinguisher or fire suppression system covered by these rules
				and regulations including mobile service vehicles.
(33) "
Standard
"means any
				official NFPA publication pertaining to the fire protection industry and
				addressed in this Chapter.
(34)
				"
Visual Inspection
"means a monthly "quick check"to determine that
				a portable fire extinguisher or fire suppression system cylinder is available
				and has not been discharged. A visual inspection is intended to give reasonable
				assurance that the extinguisher or system cylinder is fully charged and
				operable. A visual inspection is done by verifying the extinguisher or system
				cylinder is in its designated place, it has not been actuated or tampered with,
				and there is no obvious physical damage or condition that would prevent its
				operation. This inspection may be conducted by the equipment owner, his/her
				employee or a written designated representative of the equipment owner and is
				not to be confused with inspections conducted under the designated or
				prescribed maintenance procedures of a portable fire extinguisher or fire
				suppression system.
O.C.G.A. Secs.
				  25-2-4,
				  25-12-15,
				  33-2-9,
				  50-13-21.