15-8-170 Enclosure of wells and chutes.

   Wells, chutes and similar openings through a floor shall be enclosed with construction providing fire resistance of not less than one hour, except that enclosure of wells shall not be required where open stairways are permitted.

   (a)   In all buildings exceeding three stories in height and in institutional buildings every laundry and rubbish chute enclosure shall be of not less than two- hour fire-resistive construction. The minimum inside dimensions of the chute shall be 18 inches. All chutes shall discharge directly into a room having walls, ceiling and floor of two-hour fire-resistive construction used solely for the reception of laundry or rubbish. The room shall be equipped with one sprinkler head for the first 130 square feet of floor area and one additional head for each additional 130 square feet or less. One sprinkler head shall be installed in the chute at the top service opening; and one additional sprinkler head at every second floor level below the top floor. A self- closing one and one-half-hour Class B labeled fire door assembly shall be installed at the service opening at each level and at the bottom of the chute and in the service door opening of the room into which the laundry or rubbish is discharged.

   No laundry or rubbish chute shall be located in any stairwell nor within ten feet of any open stairway. The chute shall extend not less than four feet above the roof, and shall be covered with a metal skylight and plain glass or any approved automatic venting device.

   (b)   Every refuse chute enclosure located outside of a building shall be constructed of at least 16 U.S. gauge metal with a minimum dimension of at least 18 inches. A clearance of at least six inches shall be provided between the chute and any combustible material; provided, however, that this clearance may be reduced to three inches where the space between the chute and combustible material is protected by three inches of tile, cellular asbestos board or some similar fire-resistive material. The bottom of the chute shall discharge directly into a metal or other noncombustible receptacle which will be maintained closed at all times.

   (c)   In nursing homes, hospitals and sheltered care facilities, no chutes shall open directly on any corridor but shall be in a separate room of one-hour fire-resistive construction and the door opening shall be protected with a self-closing one-and-one-half-hour Class B labeled fire door assembly.

(Prior code §  62-3.5)

15-8-180 Protection of openings.

   Openings in all required stairway and shaft enclosures shall be limited to those essential to the purpose of the shaft and shall be protected with self-closing one-and-one-half-hour Class B fire doors or other approved protective assemblies complying with the requirements of Section 15-12-070 with the following exceptions:

   (a)   In residential units not exceeding three stories in height, openings in the enclosures of stairways serving not more than four dwelling units in any floor may be protected with doors not less fire-resistant than solid wood doors one-and-three-fourths-inches thick, and shall be equipped with approved self-closing devices.

   (b)   Door openings in elevator and dumbwaiter shafts shall be protected by opening protective assemblies having a fire-resistive rating of one-and-one-half-hour conforming to the test requirements of Sections 15-12-080 to 15-12-100 inclusive, and Sections 15-12-120 to 15-12-150 inclusive. Such doors shall not be required to be self-closing and no heat-actuated closing device shall be installed on any landing opening in an elevator or dumbwaiter hatchway.

   (c)   In all occupancies except Class B, institutional, stairwell doors in buildings of Type I construction serving not more than three floors may be equipped with automatic closers activated by products of combustion (other than heat) fire detectors. Such closers shall comply with all of the following:

      (1)   Upon release of the hold-open mechanism, the door shall be self-closing.

      (2)   The hold-open mechanism shall be so designed that the door may be instantly released manually and upon release become self-closing.

      (3)   Upon loss of power to the hold-open device, the hold-open mechanism shall release.

      (4)   Each door shall be equipped with a fire detector on either side of the door opening arranged so that operation of either detector will release the hold- open mechanism.

      (5)   Each fire detector shall be located on the ceiling along the centerline of the door opening not more than five feet or less than one foot from the opening. Where a door opening into a stairwell has more than one double door, each pair of doors shall be equipped with detectors arranged to release all doors at that floor level.

      (6)   The fire detectors, hold-open mechanisms, and closers, shall be listed by a national products testing laboratory whose main purpose is the testing of products for fire protection and safety.

(Prior code §  62-3.6; Amend Coun. J. 6-27-90, p. 17607)

15-8-190 Enclosure of heating plants and boiler rooms.

   Boiler rooms and heating plants located within a building of any occupancy shall be enclosed as provided in Sections 15-8-200 to 15-8-230, inclusive, and when located in separate structures, shall comply with the requirements of Section 13-104-020.

(Prior code §  62-4)

15-8-200 Protection not required.

   Enclosure of heating plants other than high pressure boilers shall not be required in the following buildings:

   (a)   Single-family dwellings;

   (b)   Multiple dwellings when the heating plant serves not more than two dwelling units;

   (c)   Low-hazard industrial units;

   (d)   One-story business, mercantile, industrial or storage units having a floor area not exceeding 3,000 square feet;

   (e)   Except in hazardous use units listed in Chapter 13-112, enclosures shall not be required for gas or oil fired unit heaters complying with Section 13-108-080(c).

(Prior code §  62-4.1; Amend Coun. J. 6-14-95, p. 2841)

15-8-210 Two-hour protection required.

   Rooms containing heating plants or steam boilers shall be enclosed with walls, partitions, floors and ceilings of noncombustible construction providing fire resistance of not less than two hours under the following conditions:

   (a)   Rooms containing steam boilers carrying a pressure of more than 15 pounds per square inch and having a rating in excess of ten boiler horsepower;

   (b)   Rooms containing heating plants or steam boilers in buildings having a capacity exceeding 200 persons;

   (c)   Rooms containing heating plants or steam boilers in institutional units.

(Prior code §  62-4.2)

15-8-220 One-hour protection required.

   Except as provided in Sections 15-8-200 and 15-8-210, rooms containing heating plants or steam boilers shall be enclosed with walls, partitions, floors and ceilings providing fire resistance of not less than one hour. Walls, partitions and floors shall be constructed of noncombustible materials.

(Prior code §  62-4.3)