Fire alarm horn/strobes required in warehouse?
Fire alarm horn/strobes required in warehouse?
(OP)
I am looking at another engineer's design drawings for a warehouse facility and do not see any horn/strobes anywhere in the building. Is fire alarm notification not required in warehouses? From looking in the IBC I did not see any exceptions in section 907.9 for this type of building?





RE: Fire alarm horn/strobes required in warehouse?
- your warehouse is clssified as a Group S-1 occupancy
- the warehouse is used for high-piled combustible storage and has an area > 12K square feet
- the building is equipped with an automatic sprinkler system
- you are reviewing the 2006 IFC.
Based on these assumptions IFC Section 907.2 (same section in the IBC) does not require a manual fire alarm system nor does it require alarm signaling devices.
If your warehouse is a mixed use occupancy (e.g., B/F-1/S-1) or its a Group H, or its not sprinklered and being used for high piled combustible storage, advise me because the fire alarm and detection system requirements will be different.
RE: Fire alarm horn/strobes required in warehouse?
Don Phillips
http://worthingtonengineering.com
RE: Fire alarm horn/strobes required in warehouse?
And I question a lot of architects on a lot of things. His question is valid since the codes do a pretty poor job of saying "its not required." It would be nice if a design professional could open up the IFC, look up fire alarms in Group S occupancies and see the phrase "no requirement for a fire alarm."
I wonder how many consultants would be unemployed with such simple, concise language?
RE: Fire alarm horn/strobes required in warehouse?
In light of those facts, section 907.10.2 Audible Alarms in the IFC, states that audible alarms are required. I don't see anywhere in the IFC that gives an exception to this requirement (except that visuals may be used in lie of audible alarms).
RE: Fire alarm horn/strobes required in warehouse?
s-1: not required
f-1 Not required till over 500
H: required for H-5
So unless the building meets the above or system required for other reasons besides monitoring nor a/v inside is required.
Read the entire chapter do not skip
RE: Fire alarm horn/strobes required in warehouse?
I am going to do some research (i have been working in the fire sprinkler field lately) so I will that this as a good opportunity to brush up on some of my fire alarm knowledge.