Administrative Rules of Montana › Department 23 - JUSTICE › Chapter 23.12 - DIVISION OF CRIMINAL INVESTIGATION › Subchapter 23.12.6 - Uniform Fire Code › Rule 23.12.601 - ADOPTION OF THE INTERNATIONAL FIRE CODE (2021 EDITION)

Current through Register Vol. 13, July 5, 2024
(1) The FPIS adopts and incorporates by
				reference the International Fire Code 2021 Edition (2021 IFC) with the
				additions and amendments enumerated in this subchapter. Copies of the IFC and
				related materials may be obtained from the International Code Council, 4051
				West Flossmoor Road, Country Club Hills, IL 60478-5795,
www.iccsafe.org
.
(2) If there is any conflict between the IFC
				and the Montana Code Annotated, the provisions of the Montana Code Annotated
				control.
(3) This rule establishes
				a minimum fire protection code to be used in conjunction with the building
				code. Nothing in this rule prohibits any local government unit from adopting
				those portions of the IFC that are not adopted by the FPIS or standards which
				are more restrictive than the IFC.
(4) This code shall apply to new construction
				as required in the building code and existing conditions. Existing buildings
				shall be maintained in accordance with the building code in effect at the time
				of construction. However, where existing conditions or buildings pose an
				imminent hazard or risk to public health and safety and are not, therefore,
				within the purview of the building code, the FPIS may take corrective action
				pursuant to the provisions of
				50-61-101, et seq., MCA, and
				50-62-101, et seq., MCA.
(5) The following IFC sections are modified
				as shown:
(a) 104.2 Application and permits
				is not adopted.
(b) 105 Permits is
				not adopted.
(c) The Permit
				sections of the following chapters are not adopted: 3, 5, 6, 9, 11, 12, 20
				through 35, 37, 39, and 50 through 67.
(d) 106 CONSTRUCTION DOCUMENTS is not
				adopted.
(e) 107 FEES is not
				adopted.
(f) 108.2.1 Inspection
				requests is not adopted.
(g)
				108.2.2 Approval required is not adopted.
(h) 108.3 Concealed work is not
				adopted.
(i) 111 MEANS OF APPEALS
				is not adopted.
(j) 202 GENERAL
				DEFINITIONS is amended by adding or modifying the following definitions:
(i) BUILDING OFFICIAL. Add "The Chief of the
				Building and Commercial Measurements Bureau of the Department of Labor and
				Industry, or when made applicable by statute or rule, the building official of
				the certified city, county, or town."
(ii) FARM. A tract of land devoted to
				agricultural purposes.
(iii) FIRE
				DEPARTMENT. Governmental fire agencies. Any fire department organized under
				Montana law under the jurisdiction of a city, county, state, fire district, or
				fire service area.
(iv) NATIONALLY
				RECOGNIZED STANDARDS. Includes, but is not limited to, any of the standards
				referenced in: NFPA; IFC 2021 edition, Underwriters Laboratories Inc. (UL);
				American Petroleum Institute (API); American Society for Testing and Materials
				(ASTM); and American National Standards Institute (ANSI).
(v) OCCUPANCY CLASSIFICATION. Group E, day
				care facilities.
(A) Fifteen or fewer
				children.
(B) Fifteen or fewer
				children in a dwelling unit.
(vi) RANCH. A tract of land devoted to
				agricultural purposes.
(vii) RURAL
				AREA. Those areas located three miles or more beyond (outside) the corporate
				limits of a Class 1 or Class 2 city, as defined in
				7-2-4111, MCA, when the Class 3
				city's population is more than 1,500 residents. In the case of any
				unincorporated place, city, or community, or town, the unincorporated place,
				city, community, or town, the unincorporated place, city, community, or town
				will be considered rural if it has a population of less than 1,500 and a
				density of less than 800 persons per square mile, according to the most recent
				U.S. census.
(k) 308.1.6
				Open-flame devices is adopted, but deleting "except by a permit in accordance
				with Section 105.6 secured from the fire code official."
(l) 311.6 Unoccupied tenant spaces in mall
				buildings. 2. and 3. are not adopted.
(m) 319.1 General. Add last sentence "Mobile
				food preparation vehicles manufactured prior to the adoption of this code shall
				comply with sections 319.3 and 319.4 on or before May 1, 2024."
(n) 319.10.3 Fuel gas systems is not
				adopted.
(o) 405.3 Delete section
				and replace with: "Frequency. Required emergency evacuation drills shall be
				held at the intervals specified in
				20-1-402, MCA. There must be at
				least eight emergency evacuation/disaster drills held a year in a school. At
				least four of the drills must be fire exit drills. Drills must be held at
				different hours of the day or evening to avoid distinction between drills and
				actual disasters." In Table 405.3, delete the word "monthly" from the Frequency
				column, applicable to Group E, and replace with "20-1-402, MCA."
(p) 407.5 Hazardous Materials Inventory
				Statement is not adopted.
(q) 407.6
				Hazardous Materials Management Plan is not adopted.
(r) 407.7 Facility closure plans is not
				adopted.
(s) 903.2.4.2 Group F-1
				distilled spirits. Amend by adding the following paragraph: "Exception: An
				automatic sprinkler system is not required where a Group F-1 fire area used for
				the manufacture of distilled spirits is not more than one story above-grade
				plane, and not exceeding 2.500 square feet."
(t) 903.2.8 Group R. Delete and replace with
				the following:
(i) "An approved automatic
				sprinkler system installed in accordance with Section 903.3 shall be provided
				in all Group R buildings meeting any of the following criteria:
(A) nine or more transient guests or five or
				more transient guest rooms;
(B)
				nine or more occupants in other than dwelling units;
(C) five or more dwelling units; or
(D) more than two stories.
(ii) In lieu of the above-required
				automatic sprinkler system in buildings not more than three stories above the
				lowest level of exit discharge, each transient guest room may be provided with
				at least one door leading directly to an exterior exit access that leads
				directly to approved exits.
(iii)
				"Transient guest" for the purpose of this subsection shall mean an occupant who
				is primarily transient in nature, staying at one location for 30 days or
				less."
(u) 903.2.9.3
				Group S-1 distilled spirits or wine. Amend by adding the following paragraph:
				"Exception: An automatic sprinkler system is not required where a Group S-1
				fire area used for the bulk storage of distilled spirits or wine is not more
				than one story above grade plane, and not exceeding 2,500 square
				feet."
(v) 903.3.5 Water Supply.
				Amend by adding the following: "This subsection shall apply to buildings which
				are required by the International Building Code to be provided with an
				automatic fire extinguishing system and do not have access to an existing
				multiple user water supply system, such as a municipal water supply system or a
				private community water supply system, capable of providing the water supply
				requirements of National Fire Protection Association Standard for the
				Installation of Sprinkler Systems, 2019 edition (NFPA 13). Under such
				circumstances, water storage requirements may be modified by the building
				official. The modified design shall include sufficient storage onsite to
				operate the hydraulically remote area for the response time of the local fire
				department. Response time is the time from alarm to the time the fire
				department can apply water to the fire. Response time shall be established by
				the use of the formula T = 6.5 minutes (mobilization time) + 1.7 minutes/mile D
				(travel time), where T is response time, in minutes, and D is distance, in
				miles, from the fire station to the building. The modified water supply shall
				be sufficient to operate the system for the response time calculated above but
				not be less than 20 minutes. Water supply requirements shall be established by
				using the area/density method as defined in NFPA 13. A reduction in water
				storage of up to 50 percent, but not less than that required for a 20-minute
				supply is allowed. All automatic fire sprinkler system designs and components
				shall be in compliance with NFPA 13. When a modified water storage is allowed,
				the automatic fire sprinkler system must be equipped with a flow alarm, digital
				alarm communicator transmitter, and a fire department connection. The automatic
				fire sprinkler system shall be monitored by an approved central station in
				accordance with NFPA 72, National Fire Alarm Code, 2019 edition."
(w) 903.6 Where required in existing
				buildings and structures is not adopted.
(x) 906.1 Where required. Exception 1 is not
				adopted.
(y) 1009.8 Two-way
				communication. Add "Emergency elevator communication equipment systems for the
				deaf, hard of hearing, and speech impaired, is amended as follows: Emergency
				elevator communication systems for the deaf, hard of hearing, and speech
				impaired. An emergency two-way communication system shall be provided in
				accordance with the provisions of ASME A17.1/CSA B44 and NFPA 72."
(z) 1010.2 Door operations. Adopted, adding
				the sentence "Exit doors shall not be locked, chained, bolted, barred, latched,
				or otherwise rendered unusable. All locking devices shall be of an approved
				type."
(aa) 1020.2 Construction.
				Amend by adding the following: "Upgrading of corridors in existing E
				occupancies serving an occupant load of 30 or more, may have walls and ceilings
				of not less than one-hour fire-resistive construction as required by this code.
				Existing walls surfaced with wood lathe and plaster in good condition or
				1/2-inch gypsum wallboard or openings with fixed wired glass set in steel
				frames are permitted for corridor walls and ceilings and occupancy separations
				when approved. Doors opening into such corridors shall be protected by
				20-minute fire assemblies or solid wood doors not less than 1 3/4 inches (45
				mm) thick. Where the existing frame will not accommodate the 1 3/4-inch-thick
				door, a 1 3/8-inch-thick solid bonded wood-core door or equivalent insulated
				steel door shall be permitted. Doors shall be self-closing or automatic closing
				by smoke detection. Transoms and openings other than doors from corridors to
				rooms shall comply with this code or shall be covered with a minimum of
				3/4-inch plywood or 1/2-inch gypsum wallboard or equivalent material on the
				room side. Exception: Existing corridor walls, ceilings, and opening protection
				not in compliance with the above may be continued when such buildings are
				protected with an approved automatic sprinkler system throughout. Such
				sprinkler system may be supplied from the domestic water system if it is of
				adequate volume and pressure."
(ab)
				Table 1020.2 CORRIDOR FIRE-RESISTANCE RATING, R Occupancy, replace "Greater
				than 10" with "Greater than 8."
(ac) 1031.2 Where required. Amend as follows:
				"In addition to the means of egress required by this chapter, emergency escape
				and rescue openings shall be required in all sleeping rooms in Group R
				occupancies located in buildings that do not have an automatic sprinkler system
				and in the following occupancies:"
(ad) Table 1103.1 OCCUPANCY AND USE
				REQUIREMENTS
.
Amend to include "R" (required to comply) for
				Section 1103.9 under "E" Occupancy Classification column.
(ae) 1103.5 Sprinkler systems is not
				adopted.
(af) 1207.1.2.1
				Communication utilities is not adopted.
(ag) 1207.10.4 Construction documents is not
				adopted.
(ah) 1207.10.5 Approved
				locations is not adopted.
(ai)
				1207.10.7.5 Local staging. Delete words "when the permit is issued."
(aj) 2006.2 Airport fuel systems. Change NFPA
				407 to NFPA 407-12.
(ak) 2006.3
				Construction of aircraft-fueling vehicles and accessories. Change NFPA 407 to
				NFPA 407-12.
(al) 2306.2.3
				Above-ground tanks located outdoors, above grade, is adopted. See
				50-3-103, MCA, for modifications.
				In paragraph 4., change Section 5706.2 to ARM 23.12.605.
(am) 2306.7.9 through 2306.7.9.2.4
				Vapor-recovery and vapor-processing systems are not adopted.
(an) 3103.2 Approval required. Adopted, but
				deleting "a permit and."
(ao)
				3103.7 Inspections. Delete the word "permit." After Exception: delete the word
				"Permit."
(ap) 3104.2 Flame
				propagation performance testing and certification. In the first and last
				sentence of the paragraph, change the word "permit" to "approval."
(aq) 3105.5 Required documents. Delete the
				words "the fire code official and."
(ar) 3106.4.1 Public safety plan for
				gatherings. Delete the words "with the application for an operational permit as
				required by section 3106.2.2."
(as)
				3201.3 Construction documents. In the first sentence, delete the words "and at
				the time of application for a storage permit." In the second sentence, change
				the words "storage permit" to "building permit."
(at) 3201.4 Fire safety and evacuation plan.
				Delete the words "at the time of permit application."
(au) 3504.3 Area reviews. In the first
				sentence, delete the words "while the permit is in effect" and delete the
				second sentence "Information shown on the permit shall be verified prior to
				signing the permit in accordance with Section 105.5."
(av) 5001.6.1 Temporarily out-of-service
				facilities. Delete the words "maintain a permit and."
(aw) 5001.6.2 Permanently out-of-service
				facilities. Replace paragraph with "Facilities not monitored and inspected on a
				regular basis shall be deemed to be permanently out of service and shall be
				closed in an
approved manner
."
(ax) 5003.3.1.1 Records. Delete the words "by
				the permittee."
(ay) 5003.5 Hazard
				identification signs. Delete the words "in quantities requiring a permit
				and."
(az) 5307.4.1 Documentation.
				Change the words "with the application for permit" to "to the fire code
				official for approval."
(ba)
				5503.1.1.1 Data submitted for approval. Delete the words "with the
				application."
(bb) 5601.1.3
				Fireworks is not adopted and is replaced by Title 50, chapter 37,
				MCA.
(bc) 5601.2 Permit required.
				Replace section 105.5 with
				50-37-107, MCA.
(bd) 5601.2.2 through 5601.2.4.2 are not
				adopted and are replaced with Title 50, chapter 37, MCA.
(be) 5606.5 through 5606.5.2.3 Display and
				storage in Group M occupancies are not adopted and are replaced with
				50-61-120 and
				50-61-121, MCA.
(bf) 5608.1 General
.
Add "and
				Title 50, chapter 37, MCA" at end of sentence.
(bg) 5608.2 Permit application. Delete words
				"Prior to issuing permits for a fireworks display." Add sentence "An
				application shall be submitted to FPIS a minimum of 15 days prior to the date
				of display."
(bh) 5706.1 General.
				In paragraph 1., delete "farms and."
(bi) 5706.2 Storage and dispensing of
				flammable and combustible liquids on farms and construction sites. Delete
				"farms and" from the heading and "on farms and rural areas and" from the
				paragraph. Add at the end of the paragraph "See ARM 23.12.605 for requirements
				of farms and rural areas."
(bj)
				5706.2.5.1 Tanks with top openings only. Paragraph 2. is not adopted.
(bk) 5706.5.4.5 Commercial, industrial,
				governmental or manufacturing. Paragraph 1. is not adopted. Delete the first
				sentence in paragraph 3.
(bl)
				5707.1.1 Approval required. Delete the words "first obtaining a permit
				and."
(bm) On page 80-12,
				Referenced Standards, change NFPA 407-17 to NFPA 407-12.
(bn) Appendix B, Fire Flows, is
				adopted.
(bo) Appendix C, Hydrants,
				is adopted.
(bp) Appendix E, Hazard
				Categories, is adopted.
(bq)
				Appendix F, Hazard Ranking, is adopted.
(br) Appendix G, Cryogenic Fluids - Weight
				and Volume Equivalents, is adopted.
(bs) Appendix I, Fire Protection Systems
				Non-Compliant Conditions, is adopted.