Note the following two "one-year maximum age" rules:
* (2007) NFPA 14 10.2 provides a standpipe system water supply test procedure requirement that "Tests for the purpose of system design shall not be conducted more than 1 year prior to system design." * The South Carolina Fire Protection Sprinkler Systems Act [http://www.scstatehouse.gov/code/t40c010.htm <http://www.scstatehouse.gov/code/t40c010.htm> ], administered by the South Carolina Contractor's Licensing Board, provides a statutory maximum flow test age in ยง40-10-250(A)(1): SECTION 40-10-250. Fire Protection Sprinkler System Specification Sheet; completion of form; attachment to building permit applications. (A) A "Fire Protection Sprinkler System Specification Sheet" must be completed for every fire protection sprinkler system, and submitted on a form approved by the State Fire Marshal's Office to the authority having jurisdiction. The completed form must contain the following information at a minimum: (1) the available static and residual water pressure from a flow test conducted less than one year before submittal; (2) the volume per minute of the available water flow and duration; (3) the source of water supply; (4) the NFPA hazard classifications and details of storage arrangement, if applicable; (5) the occupancy use of the building, or the area to be sprinkled; (6) the type of system to be installed; (7) the applicable National Fire Protection Association standards to be followed for each component of the system; (8) other state and local statutes, regulations, codes, or ordinances that must be followed; (9) the name, address, title, and phone number of the person developing the fire sprinkler system specification sheet. (B) The form must be completed by: (1) a professional engineer licensed in this State bearing his professional seal and signature; or (2) a fire sprinkler contractor licensed in this State with a qualifying party holding a NICET Level IV Technician Certification in "Fire Protection Engineering Technology Automatic Sprinkler System Layout" if a specific statute, regulation, or ordinance does not require the services of a licensed professional engineer. The qualifying party must be the individual completing the form, and he must place his name on the lower right hand corner on the first page of the form with the words "Qualifying Party" after his name and with his qualifying party certificate number. (C) When applying for building permits or other required permits, the Fire Sprinkler System Specification Sheet completed in accordance with subsections (A) and (B) must be made part of the bid documents and must be submitted to the authority having jurisdiction, along with the architectural or engineering, or both, drawings and specifications. The completed Fire Sprinkler System Specification Sheet must accompany the shop drawings when they are submitted for review. We deem one year a reasonable general maximum; however, the designer is ultimately responsible for determining the adequacy of the water supply. The commentary to (2007) NFPA 13 23.1.2 in the Automatic Sprinkler Systems Handbook details the necessary considerations regarding the designers evaluation of the adequacy of the water supply capacity and emphasizes its critical importance: "It is important to note that, regardless of how well the sprinkler system was designed and installed, if the water supply fails, the sprinkler system will fail." David W. S. Blackwell, II, PE, CFI-I, CFPE Engineering ---------------------------------------------------------------- Office of State Fire Marshal 141 Monticello Trail Columbia, SC 29203 Phone: 803.896.9833 Fax: 803.896.9806 Email: [email protected] OSFM Website: http://www.llr.state.sc.us/firemarshal.asp <http://www.llr.state.sc.us/firemarshal.asp> ---------------------------------------------------------------- _______________________________________________ Sprinklerforum mailing list http://lists.firesprinkler.org/mailman/listinfo/sprinklerforum For Technical Assistance, send an email to: [email protected] To Unsubscribe, send an email to:[email protected] (Put the word unsubscribe in the subject field)
