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  1. P

    B3 Commercial Plans Examiner test

    I've never tried to take a binder copy into the testing center because I know people who have been turned away. That line from the candidate bulletin seems to confirm that the binder is okay.
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    B3 Commercial Plans Examiner test

    As I recall, it was an IECC flyer. I think they would have been justified. :D Seriously, anything not in the candidate bulletin is prohibited, and they don't seem to care if it was innocent, unintentional, etc. They expect you to take it seriously enough to check before you enter the...
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    B3 Commercial Plans Examiner test

    Check with the testing center before you try taking in pages that aren't bound in the book. I've never been to a test center that would allow that. They almost kicked me out once because the book I arrived with still had one of those promotional flyers in it that fell out when they fanned the...
  4. P

    It happened again in the same Tennessee County, Fire Department watchs house burn.

    Prevention is protection . . .
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    B3 Commercial Plans Examiner test

    Relax, take your time, make sure you've read and understand the question fully. If you can't answer it quickly, then mark it and come back to it after you've answered everything else. It takes the pressure off when you realize you have 35 minutes left for those 8 pesky questions that are going...
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    It happened again in the same Tennessee County, Fire Department watchs house burn.

    My hope is that this isn't intended to be a profit generator; that the city has actually analyzed the statistics and said "we can collect just enough of these $75 fees in a year to cover the actual costs of extinguishing fires in the county for the same year". Based on the way they answer...
  7. P

    It happened again in the same Tennessee County, Fire Department watchs house burn.

    It is voluntary fee (not a tax) for residents of the county who want fire protection. Residents of the city fund the department through their involuntary city taxes. They respond to fires if the owner hasn't paid because they will attempt rescue if it is necessary. They just won't protect...
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    Panic Hardware on Bronze Doors

    That is the case. With balanced doors, the pivot point isn't on the edge of the door as it is with a traditionally hinged door. The force needs to be applied more directly towards the latch side in order for it to open. Are the doors in the OP balanced doors? I didn't see information on...
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    Panic Hardware on Bronze Doors

    I understand that logic as well. However, people without sight learn to rely on other senses, including touch. You put a person with sight in a panic situation and they may waste time looking for the hardware visually before they try to open it. This is all assuming they recognize it as a...
  10. P

    fire repairs or reconstruction?

    Welcome! I'd say everything being replaced must be to current code to the extent technically feasible. For insntance, stair geometry probably isn't technically feasible without major floor plan modifications, but guardrails and hand rails probably are. I'd make sure an engineer is involved...
  11. P

    Tattle Tale

    The problem in our area is thousands of systems and dozens of local service providers. It's extremely competitive in this market, and there are plenty of hacks willing to perform less than quality work for half of a good providers price. I received sprinkler test reports for a 16 building...
  12. P

    Panic Hardware on Bronze Doors

    But we do regulate wall and door finishes (including paint) that obscure the means of egress. Gymnasium murals are a good example. If your 25'x25' eagle mural makes the door too difficult to distinguish, it is not compliant. I can see the logic in extending that principle to panic hardware on...
  13. P

    Black Friday Fire Code Violations - Anyone else concerned?

    When talking with them about their exposure, remember both lives and property. Even if everyone avoids injury or death, the building is going to need some work to get back to normal. The insurance they think is protecting their property can be MIA if the inspection history shows unresolved...
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    Tattle Tale

    We do take them seriously and act upon them. We have been trying to encourage contractors to contact us when they have unresolved maintenance issues, but most of them hesitate out of fear of losing the account. They usually write up what they see, quickly breeze through their findings with the...
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    Two Different Types of Construction Within One Building

    A firewall creating separate buildings. That's the only way. Don't over-think it. Does the building meet the requirements to be an unlimited area building? That may help the designer since they're already putting in sprinklers. The whole thing could be II-B and avoid rated assemblies...
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    Black Friday Fire Code Violations - Anyone else concerned?

    First, welcome to the forum! Levels of code adoption and enforcement vary wildly, so there won't be a one size fits all approach to fix this for the entire country. I imagine we will continue to hear about incidents like this every year for quite some time. Regardless, an adopted code gives...
  17. P

    Smokes wired to nurse call

    Dwelling units and sleeping units are only required to have single- or multiple-station smoke alarms. These are not tied into the building's fire alarm system. The nurse call activation is a bonus from and IFC standpoint. Verify the occupancy classification and see Section 907 of the '09 IFC.
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    Water Purveyor Rejects Multipurpose Sprinkler Taps

    Just when I was starting to think someone had finally learned not to take the bait . . . NEWS FLASH - You're both right, and you're both wrong. You aren't going to change each other's minds on this. Get over it.
  19. P

    Happy Thanksgiving

    Ditto to everyone! Have a great day!
  20. P

    Commercial Fire Detection False Alarms How Do You Handle

    A false alarm occurs when emergency resources are dispatched and there is no emergency. They can be further broken down into categories (loosely quoted from NFIRS, going off memory): Unintentional: There was appropriate environmental stimuli to activate the system, but no fire was present...
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    Phasing issue re 705.3

    Court action to close a building after a TCO expires? I'm glad I don't work where you do! ;) So if it's the middle of winter and the landscaping can't be planted, they don't get to move in until spring?
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    official: the fix is in on building code violations

    I thought Chicago was Torrio's territory (for now). LOVE that show!
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    official: the fix is in on building code violations

    Note to self: never work for an AHJ that needs an "inspector general". This whole thing reeks of the patronage system gone bad (as it usually does). Why in the world would a deputy building commissioner be contributing to the political campaigns of the town president? How did he become...
  24. P

    Copper question

    We had a school retrofit a system about a year and a half ago. They used exposed copper in the cafeteria following beams in a vaulted ceiling (natural wood look). Turned out pretty nice. That's the only one I've seen around here at all.
  25. P

    smoke alarms

    We don't give them away, and we don't have an official departmental policy. If someone happens to ask me, I'd recommend dual.
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