By Jess Sinerius
For most students, college is just around the corner. Young adults will be moving out of their childhood homes for the first time and with that comes new responsibilities and experiences. For some of these students, this will be their first-time cooking, maintaining a living space, and relying solely on themselves. With that being said, lets discuss Residential Group R-2 occupancies (dormitories, fraternities, sororities).
North Dakota has 27 active colleges and universities, and the new academic year is about to begin! While out doing inspections at college dorms, here are a few issues I’ve seen, and you should keep in mind:
- Cooking:
- Cooking appliances (toasters, pizza makers, …) are not on non-combustible surfaces
- Not adequate clearance of combustible materials (paper, cardboard, plastic, cloth)
- Failure to use an approved permanently installed receptacle
- Cooking appliances (toasters, pizza makers, …) are not on non-combustible surfaces
- Curtains/Decorations:
- Excessive wall coverings and curtains
- Doors and windows are not easily distinguishable and accessible
- Ceiling decorations impede sprinkler heads, initiating devices (pull station, heat/smoke/co detectors), or notification devices (horns, strobes, speakers)
- Excessive wall coverings and curtains
- Storage:
- Sports equipment in hallways
Specific code requirements for dormitories are as follows:
Fire Protection and Life Safety Systems – Chapter 9
Section 907 - Fire Alarm Requirements
- Fire alarms and smoke alarms are required in R-2 occupancies
- Manual fire alarm system that activates the occupant notification system is required if the building contains more that 16 dwelling units or sleeping units
- Automatic smoke detection system that activates the occupant notification system is required in the following locations:
- Common spaces outside of dwelling units and sleeping units
- Laundry rooms, mechanical, and storage rooms
- All interior corridors serving sleeping units or dwelling units
- Single and multiple station smoke alarms are required to be installed and maintained regardless of occupant load
- On ceiling or wall outside of each separate sleeping area
- In each room used for sleeping
- Where more than one smoke alarm is required within an individual dwelling unit or sleeping unit, the smoke alarms are required to be interconnected
Section 915 - Carbon Monoxide
- If fuel burning appliances or fuel burning forced-air furnaces are being used, carbon monoxide detection is required in the following locations
- In dwelling units and sleeping units and on the outside of each unit
Section 903 – Automatic Sprinkler System Requirements
- Automatic sprinkler systems are required in new R-2 occupancies
Section 906 – Portable Fire Extinguisher Requirements
- A portable fire extinguisher with a minimum rating of 1-A; 10-B:C is required to be within 30 feet of domestic cooking in R-2 occupancies
Once school is back in session, for most of us summer is over. I hope you all had a fantastic summer and I wish you all a great school/sports season! If you have any questions or concerns reach out to our office for assistance.