
Authorities, Specifications and Codes & Standards
$ 29.00
Continuing Education Units (CEU): 0.10
Expected Duration: 1 Hour
This self-paced online course covers the authorities that require and enforce codes and standards for sprinkler system design. "Authorities having jurisdiction" are responsible for listing and interpreting requirements and determining minimum acceptable levels for life safety and property protection applied to buildings and operations.
Upon completion you should be able to:
- Define key terms, including authority having jurisdiction, approved, highly protected risk, and amendments
- Explain the function of the Insurance Services Office and how insurance companies may impact sprinkler system design and installation
- Explain why jurisdictional requirements exist
- List the organizations or authorities that may have an impact on fire sprinkler system design
- Explain the purposes of a fire sprinkler system specification
- Explain how sprinklers can be a valued life safety tool
- Explain the purpose of NFPA 13 and how it can become a legally enforced document
- Explain the principle behind substituting one form of fire protection for another
- List the two major model building codes and explain the difference between a code and a standard
Who Will Benefit
Anyone whose job involves designing, reviewing, evaluating or installing fire protection systems, including: designers, installers, engineers, electrical contractors, technicians, project managers, fire marshals, and architects.
Course Summary
- Different jurisdictions maintain different standards for the installation of fire protection equipment. for example, the basic requirements for fire sprinkler systems are occupancy-based and are typically found in a published building code or fire code. That document may well reference another document, such as the NFPA 13, or a local requirement.
- Understanding how to maneuver through the world of codes and standards is critical in determining the requirements for the design and installation of fire protection systems.
- Fire sprinkler systems are required in certain occupancies by some specific code, such as a Building Code, but an Authority Having Jurisdiction may ultimately decide the extent of a system's installation. Technically, there are two types of AHJ: those with the power of the law, like fire marshals and building officials, and those with the power of economics, such as insurance companies.
- Those with the power of law can stop an operation, and those with the power of economics can make it difficult to operate. If an insurance company cancels the policy, for example, it would be very risky for a building owner to operate without insurance.