Bill Text: CA AB2531 | 2019-2020 | Regular Session | Introduced

California Assembly Bill 2531 (Prior Session Legislation)

Introduced

Bill Title: Fire protection: fire dampers, smoke dampers, and smoke control systems.

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 1-0)

Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2020-03-12 - Referred to Com. on G.O. [AB2531 Detail]

Download: California-2019-AB2531-Introduced.html

CALIFORNIA LEGISLATURE— 2019–2020 REGULAR SESSION

Assembly Bill

No. 2531

Introduced by Assembly Member Quirk

February 19, 2020

An act to add Chapter 9 (commencing with Section 13270) to Part 2 of Division 12 of the Health and Safety Code, relating to fire protection.

LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST

AB 2531, as introduced, Quirk. Fire protection: fire dampers, smoke dampers, and smoke control systems.

Existing law requires that every automatic fire extinguishing system, including, but not limited to, fire sprinkler systems, engineered and preengineered fixed extinguishing systems, standpipe systems, and alarm and supervisory equipment attached to those systems, be serviced, tested, and maintained in accordance with regulations and building standards adopted by the State Fire Marshal. Existing law requires the owner or operator of any privately owned high rise structure to annually certify that the owner has requested the appropriate local fire enforcing agency to conduct an inspection of the building to determine its conformance with all applicable high rise structure fire safety standards and requires that the certification be submitted by letter to the State Fire Marshal.

This bill would establish the Heating, Ventilating, and Air Conditioning (HVAC) Fire Damper, Smoke Damper, and Smoke Control System Inspection Verification Program. The bill would require that the owner of a building equipped with HVAC fire dampers, smoke dampers, or a smoke control system has any fire dampers and smoke dampers inspected and tested, as specified, by a qualified inspector, as defined, no less than once after the first year of installation and once every 4 years thereafter. The bill would require that the owner of a hospital have the hospital’s fire dampers and smoke dampers inspected and tested, as specified, by a qualified inspector no less than once after the first year of installation and once every 6 years thereafter. The bill would require that smoke control systems be tested periodically, as specified, and require that dedicated smoke control systems be tested at least annually. The bill would provide for compliance certification by persons performing any inspection and testing and require that any deficiency be brought into compliance within 60 days. The bill would provide for posting of a verification of the inspection and testing, containing specified information, in the outside lobby window or the building or another area clearly visible to the public.

Vote: MAJORITY Appropriation: NO Fiscal Committee: YES Local Program: NO

The people of the State of California do enact as follows:

SECTION 1.

Chapter 9 (commencing with Section 13270) is added to Part 2 of Division 12 of the Health and Safety Code, to read:

CHAPTER 9. Fire Damper, Smoke Damper, and Smoke Control Systems

Article 1. General and Definitions

13270.

The Heating, Ventilating, and Air Conditioning (HVAC) Fire Damper, Smoke Damper, and Smoke Control System Inspection Verification Program shall be established for the purpose of ensuring that fire dampers, smoke dampers, and smoke control systems are in working order to prevent the spread of fire and smoke within walls, floors, and ceilings.

13271.

For purposes of this article, the following words have the following meanings:

(a) “Buildings” means a building equipped with HVAC fire dampers, smoke dampers, or a smoke control system, or more than one of those items.

(b) “Combination fire and smoke damper” means a device that meets both the fire damper and smoke damper requirements.

(c) “Fire damper” means a device installed in an air distribution system, designed to close automatically upon detection of heat, to interrupt migratory airflow, and to restrict the passage of flame, and includes devices installed in air conditioning systems to close automatically upon detection of heat, to interrupt migratory airflow, and to restrict the passage of flames. A fire damper also includes a combination fire and smoke damper system.

(d) “IEC” means the International Electrotechnical Commission.

(e) “ISO” means International Organization for Standardization.

(f) “NFPA” means the National Fire Protection Association.

(g) “Qualified inspector” means either of the following:

(1) Authorized state or local fire department personnel.

(2) A technician possessing certification from the International Certification Board as an HVAC fire life safety technician or through an equivalent certification program accredited by the American National Standards Institute under the ISO/IEC 17024 standard.

(h) “Smoke control system” means an engineered system that includes all methods that can be used singly, or in combination, to modify smoke movement, including engineered systems that use mechanical fans to produce pressure differences across smoke barriers to inhibit smoke movement.

(i) “Smoke damper” means a device within an air distribution system to control the movement of smoke, and includes devices installed in air conditioning systems to control the movement of smoke. A smoke damper shall also include a combination fire and smoke damper system.

Article 2. Periodic Testing

13275.

(a) All owners of a building shall be responsible for ensuring that fire dampers, smoke dampers, and combination fire and smoke dampers required to be installed in buildings pursuant to the California Building Standards Code are inspected and tested as required by the applicable NFPA standards referenced in the California Building Standards Code or as set forth in regulations adopted by the State Fire Marshal. Fire dampers, smoke dampers, and combination fire and smoke dampers shall be periodically inspected and tested no less than once after the first year of installation and once every four years thereafter.

(b) All owners of hospitals shall be responsible for ensuring that fire dampers, smoke dampers, and combination fire and smoke dampers required to be installed pursuant to the California Building Standards Code are inspected and tested as required by the applicable NFPA standards referenced in the California Building Standards Code or as set forth in regulations adopted by the State Fire Marshal or the Office of Statewide Health Planning and Development. Fire dampers, smoke dampers, and combination fire and smoke dampers shall be periodically inspected and tested no less than once after the first year of installation and once every six years thereafter.

(c) All owners of hospitals and buildings shall be responsible for ensuring that smoke control systems required to be installed pursuant to the California Building Standards Code are periodically tested. Dedicated smoke control systems shall be tested at least semiannually. Nondedicated smoke control systems shall be tested at least annually. Testing of smoke control systems shall include tests to determine airflow quantities and the pressure differences at each of the following locations:

(1) Across smoke barrier openings.

(2) The air makeup supply sources.

(3) The smoke exhaust equipment.

(d) Inspections and tests under this section shall be performed by a qualified inspector.

Article 3. Compliance Certification

13280.

(a) If the smoke dampers, fire dampers, combination fire and smoke dampers, and smoke control systems pass the applicable inspections and tests, the person or persons performing the inspection or test shall execute a compliance certification that verifies compliance and provides the name of any person conducting the inspection or test and their employer, the name of the building owner, the address of the property, the location of all smoke dampers, fire dampers, combination fire and smoke dampers, and smoke control systems inspected or tested, and the date of the inspection or test. The building owner shall maintain a copy of the compliance certification on the premises of the building and make the certification available for inspection upon request.

(b) In the event an inspection or test reveals deficiencies in smoke dampers, fire dampers, combination fire and smoke dampers, or smoke control systems, the person or persons conducting the inspection or test shall prepare a deficiency report for the building owner identifying the nature of any deficiency and all reasons for noncompliance. The deficiency report shall also provide the name of all persons conducting the inspection or test and their employer, the name of the building owner and the address of the property, the location of all fire dampers, smoke dampers, combination fire and smoke dampers, and smoke control systems inspected or tested, and the date of the inspection or test. The building owner shall, without delay, take the necessary steps to ensure the defective equipment is replaced or repaired and that compliance with the applicable inspection and testing requirements is achieved. A building that does not achieve compliance within 60 days is in violation of this section.

(c) The building owner shall post a notice of verification of the inspection and testing of fire dampers, smoke dampers, combination fire and smoke dampers, and smoke control systems in the outside lobby window of the building or another area clearly visible to the public. The verification shall state the address of the building, the date of the last fire damper inspection and testing, smoke damper inspection and testing, and smoke control system inspection and testing, whether the building was determined to be in compliance or noncompliance, the name or names of each qualified inspector, and the date that each inspection and testing expires.