15A-5-205.5.  Amendments to Chapters 11 and 12 of IFC.

(1)  For IFC, Chapter 11, Construction Requirements for Existing Buildings:

Terms Used In Utah Code 15A-5-205.5

  • Board: means the Utah Fire Prevention Board created in Section 53-7-203. See Utah Code 15A-1-102
  • IFC: means the edition of the International Fire Code adopted under Section 15A-5-103. See Utah Code 15A-5-102
  • Jurisdiction: (1) The legal authority of a court to hear and decide a case. Concurrent jurisdiction exists when two courts have simultaneous responsibility for the same case. (2) The geographic area over which the court has authority to decide cases.
  • State: when applied to the different parts of the United States, includes a state, district, or territory of the United States. See Utah Code 68-3-12.5
(a)  IFC, Chapter 11, Section 1103.2, Emergency Responder Communication Coverage in Existing Buildings, is amended as follows: On line two after the title, the following is added: “When required by the fire code official”.

(b)  IFC, Chapter 11, Section 1103.5.1, Group A-2, is deleted and replaced with the following:
     “1103.5.1 Group A-2. An automatic fire sprinkler system shall be provided throughout existing Group A-2 occupancies where indoor pyrotechnics are used.”

(c)  IFC, Chapter 11, Section 1103.6, Standpipes, is deleted.

(d)  IFC, Chapter 11, 1103.7, Fire Alarm Systems, is deleted and rewritten as follows: “1103.7, Fire Alarm Systems. The following shall have an approved fire alarm system installed in accordance with Utah Administrative Code, R710-4, Buildings Under the Jurisdiction of the Utah Fire Prevention Board:
     1. a building with an occupant load of 300 or more persons that is owned or operated by the state;
     2. a building with an occupant load of 300 or more persons that is owned or operated by an institution of higher education; and
     3. a building with an occupant load of 50 or more persons that is owned or operated by a school district, private school, or charter school.
     Exception: the requirements of this section do not apply to a building designated as an Institutional Group I (as defined in IFC 202) occupancy.”

(e)  IFC, Chapter 11, 1103.7.1 Group E, 1103.7.2 Group I-1, 1103.7.3 Group I-2, 1103.7.4 Group I-3, 1103.7.5 Group R-1, 1103.7.5.1 Group R-1 hotel and motel manual fire alarm system, 1103.7.5.1.1 Group R-1 hotel and motel automatic smoke detection system, 1103.7.5.2 Group R-1 boarding and rooming houses manual fire alarm system, 1103.7.5.2.1 Group R-1 boarding and rooming houses automatic smoke detection system, 1103.7.6 Group R-2 are deleted.

(f)  IFC, Chapter 11, Section 1103.5.4, High-rise buildings, is amended as follows: On line two, delete “not been adopted” and replace with “been adopted.”

(g)  IFC, Chapter 11, Section 1103.9, Carbon monoxide alarms, is deleted and rewritten as follows:
     “1103.9 Carbon Monoxide Detection.
     Existing Groups E, I-1, I-2, I-4, and R occupancies shall be equipped with carbon monoxide detection in accordance with Section 915.”

(2)  For IFC, Chapter 12, Energy Systems:

(a)  Delete the section title “1205.2.1 Solar photovoltaic systems for Group R-3 buildings” and replace with the section title “1205.2.1 Solar photovoltaic systems for Group R-3 and buildings constructed in accordance with IRC.”

(b)  Section 1205.2.1, Solar photovoltaic systems for Group R-3 buildings, Exception 1 is deleted, Exception 2 is renumbered to 1 and a second exception is added as follows: “2. Reduction in pathways and clear access width are permitted where a rational approach has been used and the reduction is warranted and approved by the Fire Code Official.”

(c)  Section 1205.3.1 Perimeter pathways, and 1205.3.2 Interior pathways, are deleted and rewritten as follows: “1204.3.1 Perimeter pathways. There shall be a minimum three foot wide (914 mm) clear perimeter around the edges of the roof. The solar installation shall be designed to provide designated pathways. The pathways shall meet the following requirements:
     1. The pathway shall be over areas capable of supporting the live load of fire fighters accessing the roof.
     2. The centerline axis pathways shall be provided in both axes of the roof. Centerline axis pathways shall run where the roof structure is capable of supporting the live load of fire fighters accessing the roof.
     3. Smoke and heat vents required by Section 910.2.1 or 910.2.2 shall be provided with a clear pathway width of not less than three feet (914 mm) to the vents.
     4. Access to roof area required by Section 504.3 or 1011.12 shall be provided with a clear pathway width of not less than three feet (914 mm) around access opening and at least three feet (914 mm) clear pathway to parapet or roof edge.”

(d)  Section 1205.3.3, Smoke ventilation, is deleted and rewritten as follows: “1205.3.2, Smoke ventilation. The solar installation shall be designed to meet the following requirements:
     1. Arrays shall be no greater than 150 feet (45720 mm) by 150 feet (45720 mm) in distance in either axis in order to create opportunities for fire department smoke ventilation operations.
     2. Smoke ventilation options between array sections shall be one of the following:
     2.1 A pathway six feet (1829 mm) or greater in width.
     2.2 A pathway three feet (914 mm) or greater in width and bordering roof skylights or smoke and heat vents when required by Section 910.2.1 or Section 910.2.2.
     2.3 Smoke and heat vents designed for remote operation using devices that can be connected to the vent by mechanical, electrical, or any other suitable means, protected as necessary to remain operable for the design period. Controls for remote operation shall be located in a control panel, clearly identified and located in an approved location.
     3. Where gravity-operated dropout smoke and heat vents occur, a pathway three feet (914 mm) or greater in width on not fewer than one side.”

Amended by Chapter 95, 2023 General Session

  Previous section
Next section  
 Part 2 Contents