Manual Fire Alarm/Standpipe requirements for Bleachers

[McB_Architects]

I am in the process of permitting a bleacher project.

I have two issues with fire review.

Per Section 907.2.1 a manual fire alarm system is required for a Group A Occupancy (bleachers fall under Group A-5 Occupancy). I permitted and constructed a bleacher on the other side of the field under IBC 2006 without a manual fire alarm system being required. Furthermore upon discussion with my consultants none have ever done so for an outdoor environment.

My question is a manual fire alarm system required for an outdoor bleacher?

The second question for the same project is the requirement for a standpipe. Per IBC Section 905.3.2 a Class I automatic wet standpipe shall be provided in non sprinklered Group A building having an occupancy load exceeding 1000 persons. Per the exemptions, open air seating is exempt. I pointed this out to reviewer twice and it was ignored. We do have pressboxes but the occupant load is well below 100 for each (two total). Also the finish floor of the press box is lower than 30' above the fire lane per 905.3.1.

I don't see where a standpipe would be required for this but would like to hear other opinions

 

[cda]

sorry do not have the book , but sounds like reviewer may ????

only question is are these bleachers out doors, and not enclosed in anyway???

so what edition was this reviewed under??

I do not know if this throws out bleachers::: An approved manual, automatic or manual and automatic fire alarm system installed in accordance with the provisions of this code and NFPA 72 shall be provided in new buildings and structures ?????

maybe not::: STRUCTURE. That which is built or constructed.

so if outdoor bleachers, ask him where he wants the main panel and the audio visuals mounted????

 

[FM William Burns]

Enforcing will?

I have never seen a manual fire alarm system in an outdoor "bleacher" venue in 27 years in the business. Regarding the standpipe; it would be “required” if the following does not apply:



905.3.2 Group A. Class I automatic wet standpipes shall be provided in nonsprinklered Group A buildings having an occupant load exceeding 1,000 persons. [F]

Exceptions:

1. Open-air-seating spaces without enclosed spaces.

 

[Builder Bob]

Are you sure they are asking for a standpipe system or automatic fire sprinklers as maybe required under 903.2.5.1. They may be asking for an alternate means/method in lieu of sprinkler system.

 

[McB_Architects]

I have never seen a manual fire alarm system in an outdoor "bleacher" venue in 27 years in the business. Regarding the standpipe; it would be “required” if the following does not apply:

905.3.2 Group A. Class I automatic wet standpipes shall be provided in nonsprinklered Group A buildings having an occupant load exceeding 1,000 persons. [F]

Exceptions:

1. Open-air-seating spaces without enclosed spaces.

Exception 1 applies to the open-air bleachers. My contention is the pressbox has an occupant load under 1000 and is therefore also exempt.

Any suggestions on how I should reply regarding the fire alarm requirement? I don't see how a fire alarm would be required for an open air structure.

 

[Gene Boecker]

been there d@#*n that.

The code got scrambled when it went in regarding the fire alarms for these types of facilities. I spoke with staff at ICC from all three of the legacy groups and they are unanimous in saying that the intent was never to require the manual pulls (and fire alarm system) for bleachers. neither BOCA nor SBCCI had a requirement for the alarms. When the UFC language was integrated with it, bleachers were far from the minds of the people writing the "compromise." I just did a high school grandstand where the code official insisted on having a manual pull station (no standpipes - at least they were THAT reasonable). We tried arguing out of it from all points of logic and reason but to no avail. There are now manual pull stations in the middle of a high school football stadium which are SUCH an attractive nuisance that they turn them off when there's no use of the seats (now THAT's logical, no?).

For the fire alarm, you can only argue reason. Unfortunately, if you don't have a reasonable person to work with. . . well. . .

I'd appeal the standpipe issue. Clearly the code doesn't require it.

I have a code change submitted to the ICC 300 standard that would exempt fire alarms from outdoor facilities with seating under 25,000. Although there are some minor league facilities that are smaller than that, once you get around 25,000 you also get to having multiple levels of concourses and indoor spaces like club rooms and the such. Then it begins to make more sense. That process starts this fall. If successful, then I'll carry it over to the IBC. But that won't make it into the code until the 2015 edition. So much for being proactive. . . .

 

[FM William Burns]

If the logic plea Gene references won’t work always go after the $$ angle. Protecting these initiating devices and notification appliances from ground fault issues because of weather will be something and providing weather proof means will defeat the initiation capabilities or worse. View attachment 262 BTW as Builder Bob alludes; are the press boxes over 1000 s.f. (not to be mistaken with occupant load) and if so are these areas "as referenced" being sprinkled?

View attachment 138

View attachment 138

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[cda]

so would the bleachers fall under IBC if totaly outdoors like a high school football field???

 

[Gene Boecker]

Yes, the bleachers would fall under the IBC as a "structure intended for supporting. . . any use or occupancy" (the definition of BUILDING).

 

[cda]

Gene Boecker

You are right again, I guess they can pull the pull station every time the home team makes a score!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[Builder Bob]

Or at least hook the pull stations to a big air horn.......... Stanley Cup Playoffs are right around the corner.

 

[Paul Sweet]

Visual annunciators (strobes) would also be required. I don't know how that could be done on outdoor bleachers (unless the scoreboard flashes FIRE!!! whenever the alarm is pulled).

 

[McB_Architects]

I appreciate everyone’s input.

I’ve been working on this all week.

The good news is that I finally convinced them that a standpipe is not required for this project. To me that was a no brainer. But sometimes you have to take them by the hand.

They are still insisting on us installing a manual fire alarm system with emergency voice alarm system. They are claiming other, recently permitted outdoor bleacher/stadium were required to comply with this. I am doing another project with the GC who built one of these stadiums and was given a walk-thru. This is what I found:

1. There is no manual fire alarm system protecting the outdoor bleachers.

2. There is a manual fire alarm system protecting the press box. But the press box is a much larger, three level

structure. Nothing like the pre-fab, single story units we have.

3. There is no emergency voice/alarm communication system at all.

The stadium we looked at was a much different animal all together. The stadium has a capacity of around 15,000 where ours only has around 6,000. The press box is treated like a separate building with a fire sprinkler system and a fire alarm system serving just the pressbox/skybox structure only. On the other side where there is no pressbox there is no fire alarm system what-so-ever.

This is becoming a pain in the A$$!