By Healthcare Facilities Today

In a recent Q&A on the FacilityCare website, consultant Brad Keyes, answered a question on fire alarm safety codes for a hospital renovation project.

When renovating part of a building, does the fire alarm system in the existing area of the building, which is not being renovated, need to be upgraded as well?  

Q: I am doing a renovation project that includes 50 percent of the total hospital building. Part of the renovation scope is a fire alarm system upgrade. Is there any code or standard requirement that states that the fire alarm devices in the remaining 50 percent of the existing building should also be upgraded before it can be occupied?

A: This is a question that does not have a direct answer, from either the Life Safety Code (2000 edition) or the NFPA 72 National Fire Alarm Code (1999 edition). When there is not a direct reference to a question in the codes or standards, then the authorities having jurisdiction (AHJs) must be consulted for their interpretation. You need to contact the AHJs who have authority over the design of your fire alarm system. 

According to Keyes, a hospital typically has five or six different AHJs that should be consulted:

• State health department or agency on public health,

• State fire marshal,

• Local fire department,

• Local building authority

• Insurance company.

Read the rest of the answer.