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Openings in fire divisions and fire separations that are required to have a fire-resistance rating, shall be protected by opening protectives having the fire-resistance ratings prescribed in table 5-3, shall not exceed the limits in size and area herein prescribed, and shall comply with the provisions of section 27-329 of article three of this subchapter. Door and other openings in enclosures of vertical exits, exit passageways, corridors, and places of assembly shall be protected by opening protectives as required by the provisions of subchapters six and eight of this chapter. When such enclosures also serve as fire divisions or fire separations, openings therein shall be protected as required by the provisions of this subchapter.
(a) Size of opening. In buildings that are not sprinklered no opening through a fire division or fire separation shall exceed one hundred twenty square feet in area, with no dimension greater than twelve feet, and the aggregate width of all openings at any level shall not exceed twenty-five percent of the length of the wall. Where the areas on both sides of a fire division or fire separation are sprinklered in accordance with the construction provisions of subchapter seventeen of this chapter, the size of the opening may be one hundred fifty square feet in area, with no dimension greater than fifteen feet. In buildings fully sprinklered in compliance with the provisions of subchapter seventeen of this chapter, the size and aggregate width of openings through fire divisions or fire separations shall be unlimited. When a fire division or fire separation serves as a horizontal exit also, it shall have no opening other than door openings not exceeding fifty-six square feet in area, the aggregate width of all openings at any level shall not exceed twenty-five percent of the length of the wall, and shall comply with the provisions of section 27-373 of article five of subchapter six of this chapter.
(b) Conveyor openings. Where fire doors or shutters are impractical for the protection of conveyor openings in fire divisions or fire separations, a system of water spray nozzles may be used. At least four nozzles shall be provided on each side of the opening so as to give complete coverage of the opening. Nozzles shall be controlled by an automatic valve actuated by a heat detector. Nozzles shall be located at an angle not more than thirty degrees between the centerline of nozzle discharge and a line perpendicular to the plane of the opening. The water discharge rate shall be at least three gallons per square foot per minute. When conveyor openings through floors are protected by this method, the openings shall also be provided with a noncombustible enclosure constructed around the conveyor from the floor up to or slightly beyond the spray nozzles, and draft curtains shall be provided extending twenty-four inches below and around the floor opening.
TABLE 5-3
Opening Protectives for Fire Divisions and Fire Separations
Opening Protectives for Fire Divisions and Fire Separations
Fire-Resistance Rating of Fire Division or Fire Separation in which Opening Occurs (hr.) | Fire Protection Rating of Opening Protective |
3 or 4 | 3 hr. (Class A)* |
2 or 1 1/2 | 1 1/2 hr. (Class B)* |
1 | 3/4 hr. (Class C)* |
* Note – Shall consist of two one and one-half hour (class B) opening protectives, with one protective installed on each face of a fire division or fire separation.
(a) Installation of ducts which pass through construction required to have a fire-resistance rating shall comply with the requirements of subchapter thirteen, provided that, notwithstanding the provisions of subchapter thirteen or reference standard RS 13-1, noncombustible ducts which pass through construction required to have a fire-resistance rating of one hour must be provided with fire dampers unless:
(1) The building is classified in occupancy group C, E, or H-2; and
(2) Complete sprinkler protection is provided for the floor in accordance with subchapter seventeen; or
(3) The openings for the ventilation ducts do not exceed three square feet in area; or
(4) The duct is protected on both sides of the partition for a distance equal to the maximum duct dimension by a sleeve affording one hour fire separation for such horizontal distance.
(b) Noncombustible pipes and conduits. Noncombustible pipes and conduits may pass through construction required to have a fire-resistance rating provided that the space between the pipe or conduit and its sleeve or opening does not exceed one-half inch and is completely packed with mineral wool or equivalent noncombustible material and is closed off by close-fitting metal escutcheons on both sides of the construction; and provided further that the aggregate net area of such openings does not exceed twenty-five square inches in any one hundred square feet of wall or floor area (excluding the areas of openings for sleeves which are firestopped in conformance with this section and section 27-345).
(c) Openings for passage of pipe and ducts whose aggregate net area exceeds twenty-five square inches in any one hundred square feet of wall or floor area (excluding opening for sleeves which are firestopped in conformance with this section and section 27-345) may pierce constructions required to have a fire-resistance rating only when the type of construction to be used has been tested with such types of facilities installed in place and the proportionate area of openings of such facilities to be installed in the construction does not exceed the proportionate area of openings in the assembly tested, and provided no opening is larger than that in the assembly tested. Protection of such openings shall be the same as provided in the test. All openings through hollow fire rated construction shall be sleeved with sheet metal least No. 14 U.S. std. gage thick.
(d) The installation and proper functioning of required fire dampers shall be subject to the controlled inspection requirements of section 27-132 of this code, except that it shall not be required that the architect or engineer be in the employ of the owner.
The requirements of this section shall apply to all shafts, except that floor openings accommodating a slide pole in a fire house and openings other than for ventilation, chimneys or gas vents in buildings three stories or less in height classified in occupancy group J-3 shall be exempt from these requirements, and except as more restrictive requirements may be specified for chimneys and gas vents in subchapter fifteen of this chapter, stairway enclosures in subchapter six, duct enclosures in subchapter thirteen, elevator, escalator, and dumbwaiter enclosures in subchapter eighteen of this chapter, and except as permitted in reference standard RS 5-18.
(a) Construction. Shafts shall be enclosed with materials having at least fire-resistance rating required by table 3-4. A shaft that serves the topmost story of a building shall extend through the roof at least thirty-six inches above any combustible roof construction. Where the roof construction is of noncombustible materials, the shaft shall extend through any concealed space within the roof construction and may terminate at the underside of the roof deck. Pipes and ducts penetrating shaft construction shall comply with the requirements of section 27-343 of this article.
(b) Combustible Contents. Shafts shall be kept free of bookstacks or other combustible contents except for stair construction as permitted under subchapter six of this chapter, duct and pipe coverings as permitted under subchapters thirteen and sixteen, and elevator car enclosures as permitted under subchapter eighteen of this chapter.
(c) Openings in shafts. All shaft openings below the top terminus shall be provided with opening protectives that comply with section 27-329 of this subchapter and table 5-3. In shafts that contain only one opening below the roof terminus, no opening protective need be provided. Openings in elevator and dumbwaiter shafts shall comply only with the requirements of subchapter eighteen of this chapter. Where a window is located in a shaft wall that is an exterior wall and is ten stories or less above grade or three stories or less above a roof, it shall be protected against entrance by a permanently secured grille consisting of 5/8 in. dia. bars, 10 in. o. c. vertically, or by a stationary metal sash window having 1/8 in. thick solid section steel muntins, 8 in. o. c. one way. This protection shall not be required in stair shafts where there is a stair landing or platform not more than three feet directly below the window sill.
(d) Smoke venting of closed shafts. All closed shafts having an area exceeding four square feet, other than elevator or dumbwaiter shafts, shall be provided with a smoke vent having an area of at least three and one-half percent of the maximum shaft area at any floor, but in no event less than one-half square foot. Elevator and dumbwaiter shaft vents shall comply with the requirements of subchapter eighteen of this chapter. Smoke vents may be windows, louvers, skylights, vent ducts, or similar devices. Vent ducts shall be enclosed by construction having the same fire resistance rating as required for the shaft enclosure. Such vent ducts shall extend vertically, diagonally, or horizontally as provided below.
(1) Through any roof of the building provided the vent opening is at least ten feet from any window, door, outside stairway, or interior lot line. This dimension may be reduced to five feet if the vent duct is extended up to at at least the level of the top of the window or door. A vent that is required to extend above a roof shall extend at least eight inches above a roof assembly constructed of noncombustible materials, and at least thirty-six inches above a roof assembly constructed of combustible materials that are within a horizontal distance of ten feet.
(2) Through an exterior wall of the building, provided there are no openings in the wall within a distance of thirty feet vertically above the vent opening, and within five feet either side of the vent opening. When a side of a shaft is an exterior wall or a wall of a roof bulkhead, the required vent may be a louver or window. Any window or louver located in a shaft wall above a roof constructed of combustible materials shall have its sill at least thirty-six inches above the roof.
(e) Terminus of shaft vents. Of the total required vent area for shafts, at least one-third shall be clear opening to the outdoors, either in the form of fixed louvers, ridge vents, or hooded or goosenecked openings. In lieu thereof, skylights or trap doors may be used if constructed and arranged to open automatically by fusible link or other mechanical device when subjected to a temperature of one hundred sixty degrees Fahrenheit or to a rapid rise in temperature at a rate of fifteen to twenty degrees Fahrenheit per minute. The remaining portion of the required vent area may be a window or skylight glazed with plain glass not more than one-eighth inch thick or slow burning plastic.
(f) Machine rooms. Any compartment containing machinery that communicates with a shaft enclosure shall comply with all requirements for shafts. The required louver or glazing shall not be located in any door leading into such compartment.
Concealed spaces within partitions, walls, floors, roofs, stairs, furring, pipe spaces, column enclosures, etc. that would permit passage of flame, smoke, fumes, or hot gases from one floor to another floor or roof space, or from one concealed area to another, shall be firestopped to form an effective draft barrier, or shall be filled with noncombustible material in accordance with the requirements of this section. Firestopping shall not be required where a concealed space is sprinklered in accordance with the construction provisions of subchapter seventeen of this chapter, or is constructed as a shaft.
(a) Firestopping materials. In buildings of construction group I, firestopping or fill shall be of noncombustible material that can be shaped, fitted, and permanently secured in position. In buildings of construction group II, firestopping may be of combustible material consisting of wood not less than two inches nominal thickness with tight joints, two layers of one inch nominal thickness assembled so that there are no through joints or of one-half inch exterior type plywood with joints backed, except that noncombustible firestopping shall be used in concealed spaces of fire divisions and where in contact with fireplaces, flues, and chimneys. Noncombustible firestopping may be masonry set in mortar, concrete, three-quarter inch thick mortar or plaster on noncombustible lath, plasterboard at least three-eighths of an inch thick, fire-rated wallboard at least five-eighths of an inch thick, sheet metal at least No. 14 U.S. std. gage thick, solid web metal structural members, asbestos-cement board at least one-quarter of an inch thick, or equivalent rigid noncombustible material. Mineral, slag, or rockwool may be used for firestopping when compacted to a density of at least three and one-half pounds per cubic foot into a confined space of least dimension not more than one-third its second dimension.
(1) The performance of through-penetration fire stops shall be measured and specified according to reference standard RS 5-19.
(2) The commissioner may accept reference standard RS 5-19 test data results from an independent laboratory acceptable to the commissioner pursuant to subdivision (c) of section 27-131, when such data is submitted by a registered architect or licensed professional engineer to justify the usage of fire stops or the details of their installation not specified herein.
(b) Hollow partitions and furred spaces. All hollow partitions and furred out spaces shall be firestopped at each floor level. Firestops shall be the full thickness of the hollow space or furred out space.
(c) Stairs. Concealed spaces within stair construction shall be firestopped between stringers at the top and bottom of each flight of stairs so as not to communicate with concealed spaces in the floor, roof or intermediate landing construction.
(d) Ceiling spaces. Floor or roof assemblies required to have a fire-resistance rating shall have any concealed spaces therein firestopped in accordance with section 27-327 of this subchapter.
(e) Exterior cornices. Exterior cornices and eaves, constructed of combustible materials or with combustible framing, shall be firestopped at the ends of fire divisions and party walls, and at maximum intervals of twenty feet. If not continuous, they shall have closed ends and at least four inches separation between adjoining sections.
(f) Trim and finish. Where combustible trim and finish is permitted all hollow spaces shall be firestopped at ten foot intervals or shall be solidly filled with noncombustible materials.
(g) Duct and pipe spaces. Ducts and pipes enclosed in construction that does not meet the requirements of this code for shaft construction shall be firestopped at every floor level.
(h) Inspection of firestopping. The installation of all required firestopping shall be subject to the controlled inspection requirements of section 27-132 of article seven of subchapter one of this chapter, except that the architect or engineer need not be retained by the owner. Firestopping shall not be concealed from view until inspected.
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