Excerpts from 2000 INTERNATIONAL BUILDING CODE®

907.2 Where required.

An approved manual, automatic, or manual and automatic fire alarm system shall be provided in accordance with Sections 907.2.1 through Section 907.2.23. Where automatic sprinkler protection, installed in accordance with Section 903.3.1.1 or 903.3.1.2, is provided and connected to the building fire alarm system, automatic heat detection required by this section shall not be required. An approved automatic fire detection systems shall be installed in accordance with the provisions of this code and NFPA 72. Devices, combinations of devices, appliances and equipment shall comply with Section 907.1.2. The automatic fire detectors shall be smoke detectors, except that an approved alternative type of detector shall be installed in spaces such as boiler rooms where, during normal operation, products of combustion are present in sufficient quantity to actuate a smoke detector.

907.2.1 Group A.

A manual fire alarm system shall be installed in accordance with NFPA 72 in Group A occupancies having an occupant load of 300 or more. Portions of Group E occupancies occupied for assembly purposes shall be provided with a fire alarm system as required for the Group E occupancy.

Exception: Manual fire alarm boxes are not required where the building is equipped throughout with an automatic sprinkler system and the notification appliances will activate upon sprinkler water flow.

907.2.1.1 System initiation in Group A occupancies with an occupant load of 1,000 or more.

Activation of the fire alarm in Group A occupancies with an occupant load of 1,000 or more shall initiate a signal using an emergency voice/alarm communications system in accordance with NFPA 72.

Exception: Where approved, the prerecorded announcement is allowed to be manually deactivated for a period of time, not to exceed 3 minutes, for the sole purpose of allowing a live voice announcement from an approved, constantly attended location.

907.2.1.2 Emergency power.

Emergency voice/alarm communications systems shall be provided with an approved emergency power source.

907.2.2 Group B.

A manual fire alarm system shall be installed in Group B occupancies having an occupant load of 500 or more persons or more than 100 persons above or below the lowest level of exit discharge.

Exception: Manual fire alarm boxes are not required where the building is equipped throughout with an automatic sprinkler system and the alarm notification appliances will activate upon sprinkler water flow.

907.2.3 Group E.

A manual fire alarm system shall be installed in Group E occupancies. When automatic sprinkler systems or smoke detectors are installed, such systems or detectors shall be connected to the building fire alarm system.

Exceptions:

1. Group E occupancies with an occupant load of less than 50.

2. Manual fire alarm boxes are not required in Group occupancies where all the following apply:

2.1. Interior corridors are protected by smoke detectors with alarm verification.

2.2. Auditoriums, cafeterias, gymnasiums and the like are protected by heat detectors or other approved detection devices.

2.3. Shops and laboratories involving dusts or vapors are protected by heat detectors or other approved detection devices.

2.4. Off-premises monitoring is provided.

2.5. The capability to activate the evacuation signal from a central point is provided.

2.6. In buildings  where  normally  occupied spaces are provided with a two-way communication system between such spaces and a constantly attended receiving station from where a general evacuation alarm can be sounded, except in locations specifically designated by the building official.

907.2.4 Group F.

A manual fire alarm system shall be installed in Group F occupancies that are two or more stories in height and have an occupant load of 500 or more above or below the lowest level of exit discharge.

Exception: Manual fire alarm boxes are not required if the building is equipped throughout with an automatic sprinkler system and the notification appliances will activate upon sprinkler water flow.

907.2.5 Group H.

A manual fire alarm system shall be installed in Group H-5 occupancies and in occupancies used for the manufacture of organic coatings. An automatic smoke detection system shall be installed for highly toxic gases, organic peroxides and oxidizers in accordance with Chapters 37, 39 and 40 respectively of the International Fire Code.

907.2.6 Group I.

A manual fire alarm system and an automatic fire detection system shall be installed in Group I occupancies. An electrically supervised, automatic smoke detection system shall be provided in waiting areas that are open to corridors.

Exception: Manual fire alarm boxes in patient sleeping areas of Group I-1 and I-2 occupancies shall not be required at exits if located at all nurse’s control stations or other constantly attended staff locations, provided such stations are visible and continuously accessible and that travel distances required in Section 907.3.1 are not exceeded.

907.2.6.1 Group I-2.

Corridors in nursing homes (both intermediate care and skilled nursing facilities), detoxification facilities and spaces open to the corridors shall be equipped with an automatic fire detection system.

Exceptions:

1. Corridor smoke detection is not required where patient sleeping rooms are provided with smoke detectors that comply with UL 268. Such detectors shall provide a visual display on the corridor side of each patient room and shall provide an audible and visual alarm at the nursing station attending each room.

2. Corridor smoke detection is not required where patient room doors are equipped with automatic door-closing devices with integral smoke detectors on the room sides installed in accordance with their listing, provided that the integral detectors perform the required alerting function.

907.2.6.2 Group I-3.

Group I-3 occupancies shall be equipped with a manual and automatic fire alarm system installed for alerting staff.

907.2.6.2.1 System initiation.

Actuation of an automatic fire-extinguishing system, a manual fire alarm box or a fire detector shall initiate an approved fire alarm signal which automatically notifies staff. Presignal systems shall not be used.

907.2.6.2.2 Manual fire alarm boxes.

Manual fire alarm boxes are not required to be located in accordance with Section 907.3 where the fire alarm boxes are provided at staff-attended locations having direct supervision over areas where manual fire alarm boxes have been omitted. Manual fire alarm boxes shall be permitted to be locked in areas occupied by detainees, provided that staff members are present within the subject area and have keys readily available to operate the manual fire alarm boxes

907.2.6.2.3 Smoke detectors.

An approved automatic smoke detection system shall be installed throughout resident housing areas, including sleeping areas and contiguous day rooms, group activity spaces and other common spaces normally accessible to residents.

Exceptions:

1. Other approved smoke-detection arrangements providing equivalent protection including, but not limited to, placing detectors in exhaust ducts from cells or behind protective guards listed for the purpose are allowed when necessary to prevent damage or tampering.

2. Sleeping rooms in Use Conditions II and III.

3. Smoke detectors are not required in sleeping rooms with four or fewer occupants in smoke compartments that are equipped throughout with an approved automatic sprinkler system.

907.2.7 Group M.

A manual fire alarm system shall be installed in Group M occupancies having an occupant load of 500 or more persons or more than 100 persons above or below the lowest level of exit discharge.

Exception: Manual fire alarm boxes are not required if the building is equipped throughout with an automatic sprinkler system and the alarm notification appliances will activate upon sprinkler water flow.

907.2.7.1 Occupant notification.

During times that the building is occupied, in lieu of the automatic activation of alarm notification appliances, the manual fire alarm system shall be allowed to activate an alarm signal at a constantly attended location from which evacuation instructions shall be initiated over an emergency voice/alarm communication system installed in accordance with Section 907.2.12.2.The emergency voice/alarm communication system shall be allowed to be used for other announcements, provided the manual fire alarm use takes precedence over any other use.

907.2.8 Group R-1.

A manual fire alarm system and an automatic fire detection system shall be installed in Group R-1 occupancies.

Exceptions:

1. A manual fire alarm system is not required in buildings not over two stories in height where all individual guestrooms and contiguous attic and crawl spaces are separated from each other and public or common areas by at least 1-hour fire partitions and each individual guestroom has an exit directly to a public way, exit court or yard.

2. An automatic fire detection system is not required in buildings that do not have interior corridors serving guestrooms and where guestrooms have a means of egress door opening directly to an exterior exit access that leads directly to the exits.

3. A separate fire alarm system is not required in buildings that are equipped throughout with an approved supervised automatic sprinkler system and which have a local fire alarm that meets the notification requirements of Section 907.9.2.

907.2.8.1 Fire detection system.

System smoke detectors are not required in guestrooms provided that the single-station smoke alarms required by Section 907.2.10 are connected to the emergency electrical system and are annunciated by guestroom at a constantly attended location from which the fire alarm system is capable of being manually activated.

907.2.9 Group R-2.

907.2.10 Single-and multiple-station smoke alarms.

Listed single-and multiple-station smoke alarms shall be installed in accordance with the provisions of  this code and the household fire-warning equipment provisions of NFPA 72.

907.2.10.1 Where required.

Single-or multiple-station smoke alarms shall be installed in the locations described in Sections 907.2.10.1.1 through 907.2.10.1.4.