4.14 Retroactive Sprinkler Requirements for Existing High-Rise Buildings

Reference: 2007 San Francisco Building Code Section 403.24.1, 2007 CBC Section 403 Ordinance 938-93

403.24.1 General.
Regardless of any other provisions of this code, every existing high-rise building as defined in the 2007 CBC Section 403shall be provided with an approved automatic fire sprinkler system conforming to Chapter 9.
Existing high-rise buildings that are also qualified historical buildings as defined in California Health and Safety Code Section 18950 shall be provided with an approved automatic fire sprinkler system when and as required by the State Historical Building Code.

EXCEPTIONS:
1. An apartment house, condominium or other building used for  R-1 occupancies as defined in this code excluding tourist hotels as defined in Section 41.4(r) of the San Francisco Administrative Code.
2. A mixed-use occupancy building containing an R-1 occupancy.

403.24.2 Additional.
The following additional requirements shall also apply:
403.24.2.1 Valves and devices.
A sprinkler control valve and a water-flow detecting device shall be provided at the lateral connection to the riser for each floor.
403.24.2.2 Signals.
A separate and distinct supervisory signal shall be provided to indicate a condition that will impair the satisfactory operation of the sprinkler system. This shall include, but not be limited to, monitoring control valves, fire pump power supplies, and pump running conditions. Such supervisory signals shall be annunciated at a constantly attended building security control center; when that location is not under constant supervision by qualified personnel, the signals shall be transmitted to a remote monitoring station in accordance with NFPA 72.
403.24.2.3 Water supply.
The minimum water supply requirement for the sprinkler shall be determined without regard to inside hose stream demand.
403.24.2.4 Standpipe conversion.
Existing standpipes may be converted to sprinkler risers, provided that they are hydrostatically tested for 2 hours at not less than 50 psi in excess of the maximum pressure to be maintained in the system.
403.24.2.5 Supports.
Additional hangers, braces, or other attachments for support of existing standpipes which have been converted in accordance with Section 403.24.2.4 shall be provided if they are necessary to meet the requirements of NATIONAL FIRE PROTECTION ASSOCIATION 13. The installation of additional flexible fittings in such risers is not required.
403.24.2.6 Pipe material.
Any type pipe which has been listed by an approved testing agency for use in automatic sprinkler installations may be used when installed in accordance with its listing limitations.

403.24.3 Permissible omissions.
The following features required in new high-rise buildings are not required in systems installed under the provisions of this section:
1. Redundant fire pump;
2. Secondary on-site supply of water;
3. More than one fire department connection;
4. Connection of the system to two risers on each floor. Hydraulic calculations may consider all risers in service;
5. In an R-1 occupancy building, sprinklers in bathrooms and closets.
See Section 904.4 for additional permissible sprinkler omissions.

403.24.4 Effective date.
The effective date of this ordinance was February 15, 1994.

403.24.5 Notification.
Not later than 60 days following the effective date of this ordinance, the Director shall notify in writing by certified mail the owner of each building within the scope of this section. The notice shall contain a copy of this section, a commentary on it, and a notice of intent form. The notice of intent shall be designed to elicit information regarding proposed water supply connections, pumps, risers, and existing partial sprinkler systems. The notice of intent shall include a tentative schedule for phasing the installation of the complete sprinkler system.
403.24.5.1 Deferred notice.
If a building within the scope of this section is not discovered by the Director until after the deadline for notification, the building owner shall be notified within 30 days of such discovery.
Failure to receive notification does not exempt a building owner from compliance with this section.

403.24.6 Authority of Director.
For the purpose of applying the provisions of this section, the Director, in consultation with the Chief of the Division of Fire Prevention and Investigation, shall have the authority to be flexible in the event of extenuating circumstances that may exist in an individual case and do the following, but only when it is clearly evident that a reasonable degree of fire safety consistent with the public interest is provided:
1. Consider alternative protection based on nationally recognized standards, principles and tests, and generally recognized and well-established methods of fire protection.
2. Waive specific individual requirements if it can be shown that such requirements are not physically possible, requires disproportionate effort, or pose an undue hardship with little increase in life safety and that a practical alternate cannot be provided; and
3. Grant necessary extensions of time when it can be shown that the specific time periods are not physically practical or pose an undue hardship. The granting of an extension of time for compliance shall be based on the showing of good cause and subject to the filing of an acceptable, systematic, progressive plan of correction with the Director.

403.24.7 Appeal; Board of Examiners – High-Rise Sprinklers.
There is hereby created a Board of Examiners – High-Rise Sprinklers ( Board ) consisting of nine members. The Board shall hear and determine appeals concerning the application of the requirements of this section filed by the owner or the authorized agent of the owner of a building subject to the provisions of this section.
403.24.7.1 Members.
Six of the nine members of the Board shall be the same persons and with the same terms as those appointed to the Board of Examiners pursuant to Section 105.1 of this code. One member of the Board shall be a licensed plumbing contractor, and shall be the same person and with the same term as the plumbing contractor member of the Board of Examiners – Plumbing, appointed pursuant to Section 105.1 of the San Francisco Plumbing Code. The two additional members of the Board shall be a registered fire protection engineer and a representative of owners of buildings subject to the requirements of this section and shall be appointed by the Building Inspection Commission pursuant to the provisions of Section 105.1 of this code. The following shall constitute ex officio members of the Board, without vote and without compensation: the Chief of the Bureau of Fire Prevention and Investigation, and the Director of the Department of Building Inspection who shall act as Secretary of the Board.
To the extent they reasonably apply, the procedures also set forth in Section 105.1 of this code shall govern the proceedings of the Board.

403.24.8 Implementation.
The requirements stated in Section 403.24.2 shall be accomplished by the following steps. Failure to complete any step within the required time frame is a violation of this code, and the Director shall have the power to abate the building in accordance with Section 102.
403.24.8.1 Step 1.
Notice of intent. The owner shall submit a properly completed Department-provided notice of intent to the Director not later than three years after the effective date.
EXCEPTION: No notice of intent is required if an approved sprinkler system is completed prior to the deadline above.
403.24.8.2 Step 2. Water supply.
The owner shall install the system riser, including floor-control valves, and shall connect it to the approved automatic water supply not later than five years after the effective date of this ordinance. For purposes of this section, an automatic water supply shall consist of a connection to the public water works system and, if required by hydraulic analysis, installation of a fire pump.
403.24.8.3 Step 3. Piping and sprinklers.
The owner shall complete the sprinkler system, including required electrical monitoring, not later than twelve years after the effective date of this ordinance.