Thanks Roland. That is good to know. Since Roland mentioned our fine State [and the devil is in the details...], I will elaborate on how it is approached in South Carolina(SC). [The law may be opened up for updating soon... so please feel free to email your comments and critiques of it directly to me (if you don't want to send them to the forum); and, I am also interested in seeing any similar laws that may exist in other states.]
We have a special state law in SC addressing the process that is found in the SC Code of Laws in Title 40, Chapter 10. [It is titled the "Fire Protection Sprinkler Systems Act", administered by the South Carolina Contractor's Licensing Board, and can be read in full at http://www.scstatehouse.gov/code/t40c010.php] Sections 40-10-240, 40-10-250, & 40-10-260 of the SC Fire Protection Sprinkler Systems Act detail the process and the PE role: SECTION 40-10-240. Building code compliance. (A) Fire protection sprinkler systems must be designed and installed in accordance with the state building codes as adopted by the South Carolina Building Codes Council and the state Fire Codes as adopted by the State Fire Marshal. (B) The following supplemental design codes and standards must be followed when applicable: NFPA 1, NFPA 16(a), NFPA 214, and NFPA 230. (C) An agency shall accept full and complete compliance with the latest edition of a nationally recognized code that it is charged by statute or regulation with enforcing, unless it has promulgated amendments to that code pursuant to state law. HISTORY: 2005 Act No. 177, Section 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. HISTORY: 2005 Act No. 177, Section 1. SECTION 40-10-260. Shop drawings; contents and review; certificates of occupancy. (A) Shop drawings must be prepared for every fire sprinkler system and must meet the following requirements: (1) shop drawings and the attached specification sheet must contain sufficient information to show compliance with the National Fire Protection Association standards required in the Fire Sprinkler Specification Sheet; and (2) shop drawings must bear the authorized signature and license number of the fire sprinkler contractor licensed in this State who prepared the drawings; (3) shop drawings for the exceptions listed in Section 40-10-230(1) must be submitted and approved by the State Fire Marshal's Office or his designee before installation. The installation must comply with NFPA Standard 14. (B) Shop drawings must be reviewed in accordance with the following to determine compliance with the Fire Sprinkler Specification Sheet. (1) If a licensed engineer prepared a Fire Sprinkler System Specification Sheet for the shop drawings, the shop drawings must be submitted to that licensed engineer. After determination of compliance with the Fire Sprinkler System Specification Sheet, the shop drawings must be submitted to the State Fire Marshal's Office or to his designee for further review in accordance with subsection (C). In no case must the seal of a licensed professional engineer be required on shop drawings. (2) If a licensed fire sprinkler contractor prepared a Fire Sprinkler System Specification Sheet for the shop drawings, the shop drawings must be submitted to the State Fire Marshal's Office or to his designee for review and determination of compliance with the Fire Sprinkler System Specification Sheet. (C) In addition to compliance review required by subsection (B), shop drawings for the fire sprinkler systems must be submitted as follows: (1) areas of the State that do not have a local authority to provide the review must be submitted to the State Fire Marshal's Office for review; (2) the local authority having jurisdiction, the awarding authority, or the state agency having jurisdiction over the project may also require that the fire protection sprinkler system shop drawings be submitted for review of any additional requirements or may require that the shop drawings be submitted to the State Fire Marshal's Office or to his designee for review; (3) in lieu of performing its own review of shop drawings, the State Fire Marshal's Office may accept the shop drawing review of an insurance underwriter, a licensed engineer, a local authority having jurisdiction, or his designee, if the review meets the standards established by the State Fire Marshal's Office; (4) within thirty calendar days from the receipt of shop drawings, the State Fire Marshal's Office must publish a letter approving the shop drawings or listing the corrective action necessary for approval. This letter must be sent to the fire sprinkler contractor or licensed engineer that submitted the shop drawings. Any response regarding corrective action must be reviewed and answered within thirty calendar days of receipt by the State Fire Marshal's Office. If a letter is not issued by the State Fire Marshal's Office within this time frame approving the shop drawings or addressing the required corrections response from the fire sprinkler or licensed engineer, the plans must be deemed approved. (D) Before a certificate of occupancy may be issued, completed certificates must be delivered to the owner of the building and to the authority having jurisdiction in accordance with the following: (1) A Certificate of Compliance certifying that the fire sprinkler system was designed in accordance with the "Fire Sprinkler System Specification Sheet" must be completed by the individual conducting the review pursuant to subsection (B). (2) The licensed fire sprinkler contractor responsible for the installation of the fire sprinkler system must complete the contractors' Material and Test Certificate for Above Ground Piping in accordance with NFPA within thirteen days. (3) The licensed fire sprinkler contractor responsible for the installation of the fire sprinkler system must complete the contractors' Material and Test Certificate for Under Ground Piping in accordance with NFPA within thirteen days. HISTORY: 2005 Act No. 177, Section 1. The current forms can be seen at http://scfiremarshal.llronline.com/EngServices/Forms/SprinklerForms/SprinklerSystemSpecificationPrimary.pdf http://scfiremarshal.llronline.com/EngServices/Forms/SprinklerForms/SprinklerSystemSpecificationContinuation.pdf http://scfiremarshal.llronline.com/EngServices/Forms/SprinklerForms/SprinklerSystemCertificateComplianc%20Form.pdf I hope this helps. Respectfully, David Blackwell David Blackwell, P.E. Chief Engineer (803)896-9833 http://scfiremarshal.llronline.com/EngServices/index.asp?file=main.htm Office of State Fire Marshal 141 Monticello Trail | Columbia, SC 29203 http://scfiremarshal.llronline.com/ (803)896-9800 -----Original Message----- From: Sprinklerforum [mailto:[email protected]] On Behalf Of Roland Huggins Sent: Wednesday, January 20, 2016 11:05 AM To: [email protected] Subject: Re: who can seal fire sprinkler drawings *** SCDLLR NOTICE *** This email is from an external email address. Please use caution when deciding whether to open any attachments or when clicking links inside the email. The devil is in the details but at least they fixed the issue of Direct Control. The main devil is that AL did not define Design. Incorporating the SFPE paper gets us much closer but the weakness is saying the PE shall perform preliminary calculations which can be misinterpreted to mean drawing lines and circles. It should have just stayed with confirm adequacy of the water supply. A nasty component for the PE is the issue of structural support without having a detailed system layout (so that really doesn’t get covered well most of it doesn’t get covered). Then of course there is the employment effort by saying the PE must review the shop drawings. My understanding of the FL and SC models seem to be a good ones but again the devil is in the details until you are dancing with the devil, you can’t tell whether you get your toes stepped on. PS - the unstated part that made me nuts with the SFPE during the development of this White Paper was their constant reference in writing to the assurance that the PE Code of Ethics provides while verbally confirming that the overwhelming majority of the engineering work was performed by other fields without the necessary expertise. Now add the event where one state chapter of the SFPE was trying to help curb violations of the Code of Ethics by offering to review complaints by others (like contractors) before it was sent to the state Board (to reduce the avalanche) and was told to Nationally SFPE to cease and desist. At that point I decided that it wasn’t the sand that their head was stuck in. Roland Roland Huggins, PE - VP Engineering American Fire Sprinkler Assn. --- Fire Sprinklers Saves Lives Dallas, TX http://www.firesprinkler.org <http://www.firesprinkler.org/> > On Jan 19, 2016, at 2:31 PM, David Blackwell <[email protected]> > wrote: > > > The legal requirements and opinions that count are based in/on the > jurisdiction(s) controlling the project. However, it may benefit you to see > an example of a state engineering licensing board opinion such as these from > Alabama seen at: > > http://www.bels.alabama.gov/pdf/opinions/Fire%20Protection%20Letter%20&%20Statement.pdf > > <http://www.bels.alabama.gov/pdf/opinions/Fire%20Protection%20Letter%20&%20Statement.pdf> > > http://www.bels.alabama.gov/pdf/rulings/2009-Direct%20Control%20&%20Supervision.pdf > > <http://www.bels.alabama.gov/pdf/rulings/2009-Direct%20Control%20&%20Supervision.pdf> > > > Other national level links of interest that may influence the State positions > are seen at: > > http://www.nspe.org/resources/issues-and-advocacy/take-action/position-statements/sfpenspenicet-joint-position-engineer > > <http://www.nspe.org/resources/issues-and-advocacy/take-action/position-statements/sfpenspenicet-joint-position-engineer> > > http://www.nspe.org/sites/default/files/resources/GR%20downloadables/SFPE%20NSPE%20NICET%20Joint%20Position.pdf > > <http://www.nspe.org/sites/default/files/resources/GR%20downloadables/SFPE%20NSPE%20NICET%20Joint%20Position.pdf> > > > > > > Respectfully, > > David Blackwell _______________________________________________ Sprinklerforum mailing list [email protected] http://lists.firesprinkler.org/listinfo.cgi/sprinklerforum-firesprinkler.org _______________________________________________ Sprinklerforum mailing list [email protected] http://lists.firesprinkler.org/listinfo.cgi/sprinklerforum-firesprinkler.org
