An Introduction to NFPA 72
The National Fire Protection Association (NFPA), founded in 1896, is an international nonprofit membership organization known for its focus on minimizing the worldwide burden of fire and other hazards on the quality of life. Made up of more than 50,000 individual members, the NFPA helps fire service professionals minimize loss of life and property through a range of training, education, and certification efforts that can be tracked back to 1896.
Perhaps one of the best-known activities of the NFPA is the development of the most widely used standards in the world for fire prevention, standards that are developed by the NFPA Standards Council. The NFPA develops and publishes these standards through a consensus process that incorporates input from many disciplinary areas and from thousands of individuals around the world. Among these standards is the NFPA 72, National Fire Alarm and Signaling Code.
The NFPA 72 standard establishes guidelines and protocols for the arrangement, placement and use of notification appliances in fire safety management systems. NFPA 72 applies to all fire alarm systems, including emergency voice/alarm communications and mass notification systems (MNS). These standards apply to the design, installation, and testing of alarm notification systems for fire-related emergencies or situations . The NFPA codes and standards, including the NFPA 72, are outsourced to the SFPE Recording Secretary for technical editing, till ready for publication.
The NFPA 72 sets forth guidelines and protocols for the arrangement, placement and use of notification appliances and their effect upon people within the protected premises or area to avoid confusion and convey the appropriate reaction to the signals being given. The guidelines apply to all fire alarm systems, and emergency voice/alarm communications and mass notification systems (MNS). Such notification appliances include alarm notification devices, such as components that alert occupants via text messages, audible signals or visual alarm signals. These standards apply to the design, installation and testing of alarm notification systems for fire-related emergencies or situations.
NFPA 72 applies to maintenance procedures for systems and equipment, Inspection, testing, maintenance, and revision of emergency communication signals and systems, inspection and acceptance testing of fire alarm systems and emergency communications systems, and single- and multiple- message emergency voice/alarm communications systems with one or more circuits and multiple outputs. The NFPA 72 covers a wide range of potential scenarios, including both audible and visual indicators and signals to be applied in a number of circumstances.
Overview of Notification Requirements of NFPA 72
Within the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) guidelines, Notification is a critical element in commercial and residential fire protection systems. The NFPA 72: National Fire Alarm and Signaling Code specifies key notification requirements that designate the types of notifications necessary for either an alarm or a supervisory signal, and where these signals must be produced in the context of the overall fire protection system.
Section 24.3 of the NFPA specifies nine different types of supervisory signal alarms, which need to comply with their own notifications requirements, including:
Alarm signals must meet a variety of requirements as well. Per section 10.4.5 of the NFPA, all alarm signals need to be configured to other requirements beyond the functional requirements. First, alarm signals have to be distinguished from supervisory signals in terms of their volume. Both types of signals need to be capable of being heard over ambient sound levels of 65 dB or greater.
The signals also require temporal separation according to section 10.4.4.4, meaning that the alarm signals must have a specific time separation from supervisory signals to reduce the chance of confusion. In the case of a supervisory signal, that time delay can be 30 seconds, while alarms need to be saved for when there is a fire situation.
All fire protection systems require notification capabilities. Fire is a dangerous reality for which everyone needs to be prepared, and the NFPA has worked to put a variety of requirements into place to mandate how and when building managers notify people of emergency situations.
Various Types of Alarm Notification Appliances
NFPA 72 specifies three categories of fire alarm notification appliances that are suitable for different application types. These categories are an audible alarm signal or tone, a visible alarm signal (i.e., strobe light), and a visible tactile alarm (i.e., vibrating pillow). In some cases, the audible alarm signal relies on a natural voice message, which is typically orchestrated through a fire alarm control panel that connects wired intercom-style microphones located in key locations throughout buildings, such as the main lobby to get messages out to all areas as quickly as possible.
Audible alarms is the devices designed to alert people by the sense of hearing, such as bells, horns, sirens, and voice alarms. In addition, strobe lights, in various colors and intensity, can be placed on walls and ceilings to alert occupants to the fire alarm. The need for these fire alarm notification appliances is prescribed under NFPA 72 Section 24. However, the Codes and Standards corner in the FSSA Bulletin further elaborates on the following five categories of alarm notification appliances:
Visible alarm signals: Alarm notification appliances that rely on the sense of sight fall into this category. Examples include strobe lights, LED lights in various color, and similar devices. The appliance enables a warning to be communicated to occupants without the need for sound. When utilizing these alarm notification appliances, they must be properly located per NFPA 72 Installation Requirement table 24.5.2.3.2.1, which provides install heights, sconce mounting, open air spacing, wall mount, and ceiling mount specifications for various visible alarm signals.
Visible tactile alarm signals: Also known as "tactile alarm notification appliances," these devices communicate an alert via physical means by shaking or vibrating a person. This is often accomplished through alarm pillows or mats. This enables the fire alarm system to alert people who may not be able to hear the alarms. Common applications are in dorms or hotel/motels that house hearing impaired people. When utilizing visual tactile alarm notification appliances, NFPA 72 section 18.6.2.3 requires these devices to be utilized in conjunction with other alarm notification appliances, such as audible alarms and/or visible alarms.
Alarm notification appliances for sleeping rooms: While NFPA 72 section 18.4.4 states that sleeping rooms do not require alarm notification appliances in single-family homes, townhouses, and other one- and two-family dwellings, the requirement applies in most other situations, including occupancies such as hotels, motels, long-term care facilities, places of detention, and healthcare facilities, where sleeping rooms are required to have audible alarm signals and visual alarm signals such as strobe lights per NFPA 72 section 18.4.4.3.
Alarm notification appliances in emergency communications systems [ECS]: An ECS must have an alarm notification appliance as part of the system. NFPA 72 section 24.3.1.2.2 notes that the required description of the system must include the functions that the system will serve.
Installation Standards and Guidelines
Section 24.3 of NFPA 72 lays out the Installation Standards for notification appliances. It outlines where and how an alarm should be properly placed making sure it is both audible and visible.
- 3.1 states that ‘Notification appliances shall be installed at a minimum in accordance with Section 24.3.1.1 or 24.3.1.2.’
- 3.1.1 adds that ‘The minimum sound level measured at the protected location shall produce a sound level of at least 15 dBA above the maximum ambient sound level for the space or 5 dBA above the maximum sound level produced by any other noise producing equipment in the space, whichever is greater.’ When indoors, the installer must make sure that the sound from these alarms reach 75 dba at the protected location. If there is any sort of noise within the premises then the above measurement needs to be repeated making sure that the alarm still reaches 15dba above the ambient noise.
- 3.1.2 includes that ‘The sound level output shall be 75 dBA as measured at 10 ft from the device.’
As for the visible alarm outputs, 24.3.2 has a comprehensive guideline for where these strobe lights should be placed.
- 3.2.1 states that ‘Where visual notification appliances are required in dwelling units, they shall be located so that they are visible and identifiable when entering each sleeping room or area and in each corridor in the direction of the nearest exit or exits, unless the sleeping room has an exit door that opens directly to the outside and the outside lighting level provides sufficient illumination to reveal the presence of the visual notification appliances.’
- 3.2.2 adds that ‘In dwelling units, visual notification appliances shall be installed and located so that they are visible in each sleeping area, corridor, and living area of the unit or occupant space; and shall be located and positioned so that those in the sleeping area will be notified of an emergency even if the door to sleeping area is closed.’
- 3.2.3 (a) mentions that ‘Visual notification appliances in corridors shall be spaced and located at intervals not to exceed 100 ft measured along the corridor.’
- 3.2.3 (b) adds that ‘When visual notification appliances are spaced along a corridor at intervals greater than 50 ft, no fewer than one visual notification appliance shall be located in each corridor that is more than 50 ft from the nearest visual notification appliance.’
- 3.2.3 (c) continues, ‘Visual notification appliances for bifold, sliding, revolving, and swinging doors, and doors leading to corridors or other large spaces, such as auditoriums, shall be located and positioned to ensure notification to occupants within the space behind or beyond the door.’
- 3.2.3 (d) continues, ‘Visual notification appliances shall be installed on both sides of the door to ensure notification of occupants within the space behind or beyond the door. Visual notification appliances are not required to be installed on both sides of the door if the door opens into the exterior of the building or into an atrium.’
- 3.2.3 (e) continues, ‘Visual notification appliances that are mounted to doors to provide notification to different spaces shall be clearly marked to indicate which space they are intended to provide notification for; or shall be capable of being switched or programmed to provide the proper notification.’
- 3.2.3 (f) continues, ‘In long corridors where the application of 24.3.2.3 [above] would result in unsightly or excessive visible signaling devices, the fire alarm signal may be transmitted to a single visual notification appliance or set of visual notification appliances spaced at intervals not to exceed [100] ft along the length of the corridor, unless otherwise permitted by the authority having jurisdiction.’
There are also provisions in Section 24.3 that allow for the AHJ be able to determine that these areas need more than the code minimums in order to help those with hearing issues during an emergency evacuation.
Considerations for Occupied Sites
For NFPA 72 (2016), there are special considerations for occupied facilities like schools, universities, dormitories, hospitals, and office buildings due to the unique population and nature of these spaces. According to Annex M, "Occupied spaces often include situations with significant population density, such as schools and tall buildings, and situations where the population might include some individuals unable to evacuate in a timely manner, such as hospitals, mental institutions, and prisons." Because all of the occupants may be located within the facility during an emergency, evacuation notification requirements are more stringent.
Facilities that have high-occupant density or reference a high noise environment need to transition to an evacuation notification system that has a lower threshold, with the recommended sound level being 85 dBA measured at the location of an occupant. The notification appliances must also be installed in a spaced configuration that ensures full wall coverage in addition to providing well-distributed illumination and be free of ambient light that could interfere with occupant recognition (on the ADJ-R setting).
If an occupied facility is one in which evacuation is impractical and mobility impaired occupants exist , timely evacuation notification must be provided that includes a clear voice message that describes the action to be taken by the occupant, such as the following: If mobility impaired occupants exist and the action to be taken by the occupants is not evacuation, you are not required to show the strobe unless certain conditions are present that would require visual notification under NFPA 72 (2016), such as beds being occupied for a period of time for treatment. Evacuation plans for high-rise buildings must incorporate a phased evacuation plan that is used to notify the building of a situation at a higher level that requires a response by building and fire personnel. If the building is 270 feet or more in height, the fire alarm system used for evacuation notification must be a low frequency fire alarm system or one that the authorities having jurisdiction approve. This requirement only applies to sleeping areas, assembly areas, and patient care areas.
How to Comply with NFPA 72
Employing a comprehensive strategy for adhering to the notification requirements under Code 72 is essential for ensuring that notification occurs in both locations in a manner that is both timely and effective. Regular inspection of notification appliances is critical for determining whether notification is actually occurring to all locations and whether an alarm transmission is being properly received by the intended third party receiving center. For some older systems, it may be necessary to add new notification devices to the premises to redirect properly the notification signal to the town house alarm receiving center. In addition, it may also be necessary to install new or upgraded alarm transmission devices in order to ensure that notification is being properly received at the town house. Compliance with the testing, verification, maintenance, and repair requirements per NFPA 72 is essential for ensuring that alarm notifications will continue to work properly over time.
NFPA 72 Updates and Revisions
NFPA 72 underwent its last update in 2017. The new requirements now mandate that Building owners obtain annual inspection and testing by fire alarm contractors with experience in the systems they are servicing, and the qualifications are noted in the rules. Building owners will be required to keep records of the service history, and to provide the contractor with a written service agreement that outlines the scope of work performed, coordination with the building owner, and the need to notify the owner of any impairments that last more than 10 hours, among other things. Further, under the new update, the requirements have changed with regard to when fire alarm systems must be modified or replaced . For example, any buildings that undergoes renovations valued at over $100,000 for one floor, or over $50.000 for a significant renovation involving fire safety systems must have their fire alarm systems updated if they are more than 10 years old (at the time of the notification to the contractor). Also, any fire alarm system that is not on the approved list must be upgraded (whether by replacement or modification) if the system is more than 10 years old. If a system is upgraded or modified, and it was sufficient and compliant under the old rules, it must be updated to comply with the new standards if the repairs cost more than $500.00. If it is less than that, the amendment allows teams to perform a test that ensures the system still complies with the requirements of the 2017 update.