Virginia Administrative Code › Title 13 - HOUSING › Agency 5 - DEPARTMENT OF HOUSING AND COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT › Chapter 63 - VIRGINIA UNIFORM STATEWIDE BUILDING CODE › Part II - Existing Buildings › Section 13VAC5-63-435.5 - Chapter 11 Retrofit requirements

Current through Register Vol. 40, No. 24, July 15, 2024
Replace Chapter 11 of the IEBC with the following:
Section 1101 General:
1101.1 Scope. In accordance with Section
				  103.3, the following buildings are required to be provided with certain fire
				  protection equipment or systems or other retrofitted components.
1101.2 Smoke alarms in colleges and
				  universities. In accordance with §
											36-99.3 of the Code of Virginia,
				  college and university buildings containing dormitories for sleeping purposes
				  shall be provided with battery-powered or AC-powered smoke alarm devices
				  installed therein in accordance with this code in effect on July 1, 1982. All
				  public and private college and university dormitories shall have installed such
				  alarms regardless of when the building was constructed. The chief
				  administrative office of the college or university shall obtain a certificate
				  of compliance with the provisions of this subsection from the building official
				  of the locality in which the college or university is located or, in the case
				  of state-owned buildings, from the Director of the Virginia Department of
				  General Services. The provisions of this section shall not apply to any
				  dormitory at a state-supported military college or university that is patrolled
				  24 hours a day by military guards.
1101.3 Smoke alarms in certain juvenile care
				  facilities. In accordance with §
											36-99.4 of the Code of Virginia,
				  battery-powered or AC-powered smoke alarms shall be installed in all local and
				  regional detention homes, group homes, and other residential care facilities
				  for children and juveniles that are operated by or under the auspices of the
				  Virginia Department of Juvenile Justice, regardless of when the building was
				  constructed, by July 1, 1986, in accordance with the provisions of this code
				  that were in effect on July 1, 1984. Administrators of such homes and
				  facilities shall be responsible for the installation of the smoke alarm
				  devices.
1101.4 Smoke alarms for
				  the deaf and hearing-impaired. In accordance with §
											36-99.5 of the Code of Virginia,
				  smoke alarms providing an effective intensity of not less than 100 candela to
				  warn a deaf or hearing-impaired individual shall be provided, upon request by
				  the occupant to the landlord or proprietor, to any deaf or hearing-impaired
				  occupant of any of the following occupancies, regardless of when constructed:
1. All dormitory buildings arranged for the
				  shelter and sleeping accommodations of more than 20 individuals;
2. All multiple-family dwellings having more
				  than two dwelling units, including all dormitories and boarding and lodging
				  houses arranged for shelter and sleeping accommodations of more than five
				  individuals; or
3. All buildings
				  arranged for use as one-family and two-family dwelling units.
A tenant shall be responsible for the maintenance and
					 operation of the smoke alarm in the tenant's unit.
A hotel or motel shall have available no fewer than one
					 such smoke alarm for each 70 units or portion thereof, except that this
					 requirement shall not apply to any hotel or motel with fewer than 35 units. The
					 proprietor of the hotel or motel shall post in a conspicuous place at the
					 registration desk or counter a permanent sign stating the availability of smoke
					 alarms for the hearing impaired. Visual alarms shall be provided for all
					 meeting rooms for which an advance request has been made.
1101.5 Assisted living facilities
				  (formerly known as adult care residences or homes for adults). In accordance
				  with §
											36-99.5 of the Code of Virginia,
				  existing assisted living facilities licensed by the Virginia Department of
				  Social Services shall comply with Sections 1101.5.1 and 1101.5.2.
1101.5.1 Fire protective signaling system and
				  fire detection system. A fire protective signaling system and an automatic fire
				  detection system meeting the requirements of the USBC, Volume I, 1987 Edition,
				  Third Amendment, shall be installed in assisted living facilities by August 1,
				  1994.
Exception: Assisted living facilities that are equipped
					 throughout with a fire protective signaling system and an automatic fire
					 detection system.
1101.5.2
				  Single-station and multiple-station smoke alarms. Battery-powered or AC-powered
				  single-station and multiple-station smoke alarms meeting the requirements of
				  the USBC, Volume I, 1987 Edition, Third Amendment, shall be installed in
				  assisted living facilities by August 1, 1994.
Exception: Assisted living facilities that are equipped
					 throughout with single-station and multiple-station smoke alarms.
1101.6 Smoke alarms in
				  buildings containing dwelling units. AC-powered smoke alarms with battery
				  backup or an equivalent device shall be required to be installed to replace a
				  defective or inoperative battery-powered smoke alarm located in buildings
				  containing one or more dwelling units or rooming houses offering to rent
				  overnight sleeping accommodations when it is determined by the building
				  official that the responsible party of such building or dwelling unit fails to
				  maintain battery-powered smoke alarms in working condition.
1101.7 Fire suppression, fire alarm, and fire
				  detection systems in nursing homes and facilities. In accordance with §
											36-99.5 of the Code of Virginia,
				  fire suppression systems as required by the edition of this code in effect on
				  October 1, 1990, shall be installed in all nursing facilities licensed by the
				  Virginia Department of Health by January 1, 1993, regardless of when such
				  facilities or institutions were constructed. Units consisting of certified
				  long-term care beds located on the ground floor of general hospitals shall be
				  exempt from the requirements of this section.
Fire alarm or fire detector systems or both, as required by
					 the edition of this code in effect on October 1, 1990, shall be installed in
					 all nursing homes and nursing facilities licensed by the Virginia Department of
					 Health by August 1, 1994.
1101.8 Fire suppression systems in hospitals.
				  In accordance with §
											36-99.1 of the Code of Virginia,
				  fire suppression systems shall be installed in all hospitals licensed by the
				  Virginia Department of Health as required by the edition of this code in effect
				  on October 1, 1995, regardless of when such facilities were
				  constructed.
1101.9 Identification
				  of disabled parking spaces by above grade signage. In accordance with §
											36-99.11 of the Code of Virginia,
				  all parking spaces reserved for the use of persons with disabilities shall be
				  identified by above-grade signs, regardless of whether identification of such
				  spaces by above-grade signs was required when any particular space was reserved
				  for the use of persons with disabilities. A sign or symbol painted or otherwise
				  displayed on the pavement of a parking space shall not constitute an
				  above-grade sign. Any parking space not identified by an above-grade sign shall
				  not be a parking space reserved for the disabled within the meaning of this
				  section. All above-grade disabled parking space signs shall have the bottom
				  edge of the sign no lower than four feet (1219 mm) nor higher than seven feet
				  (2133 mm) above the parking surface. Such signs shall be designed and
				  constructed in accordance with the provisions of Chapter 11 of this code. All
				  disabled parking signs shall include the following language: "PENALTY, $100-500
				  Fine, TOW-AWAY ZONE." Such language may be placed on a separate sign and
				  attached below existing above-grade disabled parking signs, provided that the
				  bottom edge of the attached sign is no lower than four feet above the parking
				  surface.
1101.10 Smoke alarms in
				  hotels and motels. Smoke alarms shall be installed in hotels and motels as
				  required by the USBC, Volume II, (13VAC5-63-400 through
				  13VAC5-63-445) in effect on March
				  1, 1990, by the dates indicated, regardless of when constructed.
1101.11 Sprinkler systems in hotels and
				  motels. By September 1, 1997, an automatic sprinkler system shall be installed
				  in hotels and motels as required by the USBC, Volume II, (13VAC5-63-400 through
				  13VAC5-63-445) in effect on March
				  1, 1990, regardless of when constructed.
1101.12 Fire suppression systems in
				  dormitories. In accordance with §
											36-99.3 of the Code of Virginia,
				  an automatic fire suppression system shall be provided throughout all buildings
				  having a Group R-2 fire area that are more than 75 feet (22,860 mm) or six
				  stories above the lowest level of exit discharge and are used, in whole or in
				  part, as a dormitory to house students by any public or private institution of
				  higher education, regardless of when such buildings were constructed, in
				  accordance with the edition of this code in effect on August 20, 1997, and the
				  requirements for sprinkler systems under the edition of the NFPA 13 standard
				  referenced by that code. The automatic fire suppression system shall be
				  installed by September 1, 1999. The chief administrative office of the college
				  or university shall obtain a certificate of compliance from the building
				  official of the locality in which the college or university is located or, in
				  the case of state-owned buildings, from the Director of the Virginia Department
				  of General Services.
Exceptions:
1.
				  Buildings equipped with an automatic fire suppression system in accordance with
				  Section 903.3.1.1 of the VCC or the 1983 or later editions of NFPA
				  13.
2. Any dormitory at a
				  state-supported military college or university that is patrolled 24 hours a day
				  by military guards.
3. Application
				  of the requirements of this section shall be modified in accordance with the
				  following:
3.1. Building systems, equipment,
				  or components other than the fire suppression system shall not be required to
				  be added or upgraded except as necessary for the installation of the fire
				  suppression system and shall only be required to be added or upgraded where the
				  installation of the fire suppression system creates an unsafe
				  condition.
3.2. Residential
				  sprinklers shall be used in all sleeping rooms. Other sprinklers shall be quick
				  response or residential unless deemed unsuitable for a space. Standard response
				  sprinklers shall be used in elevator hoistways and machine rooms.
3.3. Sprinklers shall not be required in
				  wardrobes in sleeping rooms that are considered part of the building
				  construction or in closets in sleeping rooms when such wardrobes or closets (i)
				  do not exceed 24 square feet (2.23 m2) in area, (ii)
				  have the smallest dimension less than 36 inches (914 mm), and (iii) comply with
				  all of the following:
3.3.1. A single-station
				  smoke alarm monitored by the building fire alarm system is installed in the
				  room containing the wardrobe or closet that will activate the general alarm for
				  the building if the single station smoke alarm is not cleared within five
				  minutes after activation.
3.3.2.
				  The minimum number of sprinklers required for calculating the hydraulic demand
				  of the system for the room shall be increased by two, and the two additional
				  sprinklers shall be corridor sprinklers where the wardrobe or closet is used to
				  divide the room. Rooms divided by a wardrobe or closet shall be considered one
				  room for the purpose of this requirement.
3.3.3. The ceiling of the wardrobe, closet,
				  or room shall have a fire resistance rating of not less than 1/2
				  hour.
3.4. Not more than
				  one sprinkler shall be required in bathrooms within sleeping rooms or suites
				  having a floor area between 55 square feet (5.12 m2)
				  and 120 square feet (11.16 m2), provided the
				  sprinkler is located to protect the lavatory area and the plumbing fixtures are
				  of a noncombustible material.
3.5.
				  Existing standpipe residual pressure shall be permitted to be reduced when the
				  standpipe serves as the water supply for the fire suppression system, provided
				  the water supply requirements of NFPA 13-94 are met.
3.6. Limited service controllers shall be
				  permitted for fire pumps when used in accordance with their listing.
3.7. Where a standby power system is
				  required, a source of power in accordance with Section
				  701-11(d) or
				  701-11(e) of
				  NFPA 70-96 shall be permitted.
1101.13 Fire extinguishers and smoke alarms
				  in state regulated care facilities (SRCFs). SRCFs shall be provided with at
				  least one approved type ABC portable fire extinguisher with a minimum rating of
				  2A:10B:C installed in each kitchen. In addition, SRCFs shall provide at least
				  one approved and properly installed battery-operated smoke alarm outside of
				  each sleeping area in the vicinity of bedrooms and bedroom hallways and on each
				  additional floor.
1101.14 Smoke
				  alarms in adult day care centers. In accordance with §
											36-99.5 of the Code of Virginia,
				  battery-powered or AC-powered smoke alarm devices shall be installed in all
				  adult day care centers licensed by the Virginia Department of Social Services,
				  regardless of when the building was constructed. The location and installation
				  of the smoke alarms shall be determined by the provisions of this code in
				  effect on October 1, 1990. The licensee shall obtain a certificate of
				  compliance from the building official of the locality in which the center is
				  located or, in the case of state-owned buildings, from the Director of the
				  Virginia Department of General Services.
1101.15 Posting of occupant load. Every room
				  or space that is an assembly occupancy and where the occupant load of that room
				  or space is 50 or more shall have the occupant load of the room or space as
				  determined by the building official posted in a conspicuous place near the main
				  exit or exit access doorway from the room or space. Posted signs shall be of an
				  approved legible permanent design and shall be maintained by the owner or
				  owner's authorized agent.
1101.16
				  ALFSTs. Existing aboveground liquid fertilizer storage tanks (ALFSTs),
				  regardless of when constructed, shall by October 1, 2011, meet the applicable
				  requirements of API 653 and TFI RMIP for suitability for service and
				  inspections and shall provide a secondary containment system complying with
				  Section 430.3 of the VCC.
1101.17
				  Address identification. Existing buildings shall be provided with approved
				  address identification. The address identification shall be legible and placed
				  in a position that is visible from the street or road fronting the property.
				  Address identification characters shall contrast with their background. Address
				  numbers shall be Arabic numbers or alphabetical letters. Numbers shall not be
				  spelled out. Each character shall be a minimum of four inches (102 mm) high
				  with a minimum stroke width of 1/2 inch (12.7 mm). Address identification shall
				  be provided in additional approved locations to facilitate emergency response.
				  Where access is by means of private road and the building address cannot be
				  viewed from the public way, a monument, pole, or other approved sign or means
				  shall be used to identify the structure.
1101.18 Fire department connection sign. On
				  existing buildings, wherever the fire department connection is not visible to
				  approaching fire apparatus, the fire department connection shall be indicated
				  by an approved sign mounted on the street front or on the side of the building.
				  Such sign shall have the letters "FDC" not less than six inches (152 mm) high
				  and words in letters not less than two inches (51 mm) high or an arrow to
				  indicate the location. Such signs shall be maintained and subject to the
				  approval of the fire code official.