The National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) develops Standards for Fire Life Safety systems which are frequently adopted by federal, state and local jurisdictions along with the International Building Code (IBC), International Fire Code (IFC) and International Mechanical Code (IMC).
Fire and Smoke Dampers (FSDs) are addressed in Chapters 7 of the IFC and IBC, which in turn, reference NFPA Standards 80 and 105. The NFPA Standards call for testing dampers one year after acceptance and every four years after, or six years for hospitals. If a fire and smoke damper is part of a Smoke Control System, it may need to be tested as frequently as every six months. Descriptions of damper function can be found in Section 607 of the IMC.
Smoke Control Systems (SCS) are addressed in Chapters 9 of the IFC and IBC, which in turn, reference NFPA Standard 92. NFPA 92 Section 8.6 calls for testing smoke control systems semiannually for dedicated systems or annually for non-dedicated systems. Descriptions of smoke control system function can be found in Section 513 of the IMC.
Our industry professionals continue to serve appointments on technical committees and task forces, utilizing their expertise to advance policy and influence decisions on key issues. Technical committees serve as the principle consensus bodies responsible for the development and revision of NFPA (National Fire Protection Association), ASHRAE, ICC and other codes and standards. Becoming a member of a technical committee allows specialists to have a say in the codes and standards that govern the HVAC industry, allowing the organization and its members to stay at the forefront of public safety.
Read NFPA’s Regulations Governing the Development of NFPA Standards, Section 3.3.3.3, for further information.