During construction, alteration or demolition operations, standpipe systems shall comply with the following:
- When, during the course of the construction of a new building the working deck reaches a height of 75 feet (22 860 mm) or greater above the ground in a building for which a standpipe system will be required, a permanent or temporary standpipe system meeting the requirements of Section 905 shall be kept in a state of readiness at all times for use by fire-fighting personnel. The standpipe system shall serve all floors where the permanent stairs are required per Section 3303.11. No standpipe shall be considered to be in a state of readiness unless it is painted red in accordance with the provisions of Section 905.11 of this code. When freezing conditions may be encountered, the system in whole, or the part of the system subject to freezing conditions, shall be maintained as a dry system.
- Existing standpipe systems in structures undergoing a full demolition shall be maintained as dry standpipes. At the commencement of demolition, the standpipe risers shall be capped above the outlet on the floor immediately below the floor being demolished so as to maintain the standpipe system on all lower floors for Fire Department use. Cutting and capping of standpipes during demolition work shall be performed only by a licensed master plumber or licensed master fire suppression piping contractor who has obtained a permit for such work. Standpipe hose, nozzles and spanners are not required to be maintained and may be removed at any time. The red paint required pursuant to Section 905.11 of this code shall be maintained during any demolition operations. All existing house check valves shall remain in place until completion of the demolition work.
- When, during the course of the construction of a new building which will have a occupiable space at a depth of 75 feet (22 860 mm) or greater below the level of the ground in a building for which a standpipe system will be required, a permanent or temporary standpipe system meeting the requirements of Section 905 shall be installed and shall be kept in a state of readiness at all times for use by fire-fighting personnel. The standpipe system shall serve all stories below grade and shall be installed as soon as a temporary or permanent stair is installed below grade. No standpipe shall be considered to be in a state of readiness unless it is painted red in accordance with the provisions of Section 905.11 of this code. When freezing conditions may be encountered, the system in whole, or the part of the system subject to freezing conditions, shall be maintained as a dry system.
- When, during the course of alteration or partial demolition operations in a building for which a standpipe system is required, the standpipe system shall be maintained in accordance with Section 3303.9. In an unoccupied building, an existing wet standpipe system may be maintained as a dry system subject to the approval of the commissioner and the commissioner of the fire department, and also provided the standpipe system is equipped with an air pressurized alarm system meeting the requirements of Section 3303.8.1. No standpipe shall be considered to be in a state of readiness unless it is painted red in accordance with the provisions of Section 905.11 of this code.
- If the alteration work results in the addition of new stories to the structure at a height of 75 feet (22 860 mm) or greater above the level of the ground, the requirements of Item 1 of this section shall apply to such new stories during the course of the alteration operation.
- If the alteration work results in the addition of new occupiable space at a depth of 75 feet (22 860 mm) or greater below the level of the ground, the requirements of Item 3 of this section shall apply to such new occupiable space below grade during the course of the alteration operation.
Dry standpipe systems utilized during construction or demolition operations shall be provided with an air pressurized alarm system as set forth in Items 1 through 5 below. The provisions of NFPA 14, Chapter 12, as modified in Appendix Q, shall also apply.
- Full demolitions. In buildings and structures undergoing a full demolition, all existing standpipes shall be maintained in a state of readiness as a dry system in accordance with Item 2 of Section 3303.8 and shall be provided with an air pressurized alarm system.
- New construction, alteration, and partial demolition. Where a dry standpipe system is utilized during new construction, alteration, or partial demolition operations, such standpipe system shall be provided with an air pressurized alarm system.
- Submission of application. An application to install an air pressurized alarm system shall be filed by a registered design professional and a permit obtained by a licensed master plumber or licensed master fire suppression piping contractor. A licensed electrician shall obtain all required electrical permits in accordance with Chapter 3 of Title 27 of the Administrative Code.
- Specifications. The following provisions shall apply to the air pressurized alarm system:
- Pressure. Pressure shall be maintained in the standpipe and cross connections at all times and shall not exceed 25 psig (172 kPag) by utilizing nitrogen or an air compressor with an air dryer. The supervisory pressure shall be as determined by a registered design professional.
- Automatic air pressurized alarm activation. The alarm shall be automatically activated when the pressure drops below the supervisory pressure or rises above the maximum pressure of 25 psig (172 kPag). When the alarm is activated, notification shall be made to the Fire Department in accordance with the New York City Fire Code, all work at the site shall cease, except as provided in Item 4.2.1, and an investigation of the entire standpipe system and air compressor shall be immediately performed to determine the cause of the alarm. Unless authorized by the Fire Department, no construction or demolition work shall resume until the standpipe system is repaired and the appropriate pressure is restored, except that any repairs to the standpipe system needed to restore the required pressure shall be undertaken immediately and the standpipe system restored as soon as possible. There shall be compliance with the requirements of the New York City Fire Code while the standpipe system is out of service. Upon completion of repairs to the standpipe system a full inspection of such system shall be performed, which shall include, among other things, visually tracing the standpipe, including risers, cross connections and fire department connections to verify that no breach exists and checking all gauges of the standpipe system to ensure the standpipe system has been restored to a state of readiness.
- Notwithstanding the provisions of Item 4.2, the activation of the alarm shall not require the cessation of work necessary for the completion of concrete pouring operations in progress at the time of alarm activation, where such cessation would cause a cold joint that would impair the structural integrity of the finished construction. The continuation of such operations shall be permitted only until an orderly termination of such operations can be effectuated. The site safety manager or coordinator shall record the names and locations of any employees necessary for the completion of the concrete pouring operations and provide them to the Fire Department personnel who arrive on the scene.
- Air compressor. The air compressor shall be designed to automatically cut in and cut out at the supervisory pressure and shall be tied into the standpipe system between the fire department connections and the house check valves. The air compressor shall utilize an air dryer during times when freezing conditions exist to condition the air entering the dry standpipe system.
- Alarm. The standpipe alarm system shall utilize pressure switches and control equipment to annunciate a local audible alarm on site that can be heard during working and non-working hours. The audible signal of the horn shall be at least 15 dBA above the ambient noise level but no more than 110 dBA.
- Power supply. The standpipe alarm system shall be connected to an active, dedicated power supply at all times.
- Check valves. Check valves shall be installed to prevent water from entering the air compressor.
- Locks and caps. All control valves shall be chained and locked in the appropriate position and shall be provided with capped outlets. All hose valves shall also be provided with capped outlets.
- Fire Department connections. Three inch (76 mm) iron hose plugs with gaskets in Fire Department connection swivels shall be provided.
- Drainage. Provisions shall be made to drain water in any trapped sections of the dry standpipe system that are subject to freezing.
- Manual air release connection. A minimum 2.5-inch (64 mm) connection located immediately downstream of the fire department connection check valve shall be provided and piped to a location immediately adjacent to the fire department connections. This line shall be fitted with a 2.5-inch (64 mm) hose valve and shall allow for release of the pressurized air from the dry standpipe system. The number of air release valves provided shall be such that the air pressure shall be released in no more than 3 minutes, which shall be verifiable by an actual air release test performed at the time of the initial installation.
- Construction documents. Plans shall identify all standpipe risers, cross connections, fire department connections, any intermediate check valves that have to be removed, proposed location of the air release connections, designation of the supervisory pressure, complete information regarding the alarm system, and procedures for the safe pressurization and depressurization of the system.
- Signage. Signage shall be provided at all fire department connections indicating that the dry standpipe system is pressurized and showing the location of the manual air release.
- Pressure gauges. A system of pressure gauges shall be installed at the compressor and at the most remote points of the system from the compressor.
- Planned removal from service of standpipe system and standpipe air pressurized alarm. Whenever the standpipe system is to be placed out of service for the addition of a new section to the system, removal of an existing section as demolition operations progress, or other planned event, the standpipe alarm may be temporarily deactivated subject to compliance with the requirements of the New York City Fire Code. Where a site safety manager or coordinator is required by this code, all alarm activations, inspections, and repairs shall be logged into the log book maintained by such site safety manager or coordinator. If the standpipe system is not returned to a state of readiness and the alarm reactivated within 2 hours of such planned removal from service, all construction or demolition work at the site shall cease, unless otherwise approved by the Fire Department.
Fire department hose connections shall be kept free from obstruction and shall be marked by a metal sign reading, "Standpipe Connection" and by a red light at night.
Standpipes may be used for a purpose other than to supply water for firefighting operations, including but not limited to supplying water or compressed air for construction or demolition operations, subject to the approval of the Fire Department and provided at least one standpipe riser is maintained at all times for firefighting operations. Where the standpipe is used to supply water for construction or demolition operations and freezing conditions may occur, the standpipe shall be completely drained after use to prevent freezing.