Short title

        1. These regulations may be cited as the Fire Prevention Smoke and Fire Alarm Regulations.

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Definitions

        2. In these regulations

             (a)  "agency" means a self?employed person, partnership, corporation, association or other organization;

             (b)  "approved" means acceptable to the fire commissioner;

             (c)  "dwelling unit" means a room or suite of rooms operated or intended to be used as a domicile, by one or more persons and usually containing cooking, eating, living, sleeping and sanitary facilities;

             (d)  "owner" means a person, firm or corporation controlling the property under consideration;

             (e)  "referenced standards" means the latest edition of

                      (i)  National Standards of Canada , Standard CAN 4-S 524-M "Standard for the Installation of Fire Alarm Systems",

                     (ii)  National Standards of Canada , Standard CAN 4-S 536 "Standard Testing, Inspection and Maintenance of existing Fire Alarm Systems",

                    (iii)  National Standards of Canada , Standard CAN 4-S 537 (ULC) "Standard for the Verification of Fire Alarm Systems",

                    (iv)  Underwriters' Laboratories of Canada (ULC) Standard S-531 "Standard for Smoke Alarms",

                     (v)  Underwriters' Laboratories of Canada (ULC) Standard S-529 "Smoke Detectors for Alarm Systems",

                    (vi)  National Building Code of Canada ,

                   (vii)  National Fire Code of Canada ,

                  (viii)  Life Safety Code National Fire Protection Association No. 101, and

                    (ix)  National Fire Protection Association "Standard for the Installation, Maintenance and Use of Household Fire Warning Equipment", N.F.P.A. No. 74, including appendices A, B and C;

              (f)  "residential occupancy" means the occupancy or use of a building or part of it by persons for whom sleeping accommodation is provided but who are not harboured or detained to receive medial care or treatment or who are not involuntarily detained; and

             (g)  "smoke alarm" means a combined smoke detector and audible alarm device designed to sound an alarm within the room or suite in which it is located upon the detection of smoke within that room or suite.

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Application

        3. (1) The installation of approved smoke alarms applies to

             (a)  all new dwelling units constructed as of the date of these regulations;

             (b)  all existing designated sleeping rooms or areas in the vicinity of sleeping areas;

             (c)  residential group C occupancies; and

             (d)  others that may be determined by the fire commissioner.

             (2)  Notwithstanding paragraph (1)(b), the installation of approved smoke alarms does not apply to existing one or 2 family dwelling units.

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Non-application

        4. The installation of smoke alarms does not apply to

             (a)  tents;

             (b)  recreational vehicles;

             (c)  newly constructed institutional buildings as covered by the National Building Code of Canada;

             (d)  existing one and 2 family dwelling units, owner occupied or rented, unless governed by a municipal by-law;

             (e)  privately owned and occupied summer cottages and summer homes; and

              (f)  existing institutional occupancies except as may be determined by the fire commissioner.

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Compliance with codes and standards

        5. The installation, testing and maintenance of approved smoke alarms shall comply with all applicable reference codes and standards or those standards that may be determined by the fire commissioner.

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Requirements

        6. (1) The requirements for approved automatic fire alarm and detection systems in new or existing buildings shall be as required by the National Building Code of Canada, or as determined by the fire commissioner for the safety of the occupants in them.

             (2)  Fire alarm systems shall be designed only by competent persons and all components of fire alarm systems shall be tested, listed and labelled by a recognized national testing laboratory or as otherwise approved by the fire commissioner.

             (3)  The installation and verification of all newly installed fire alarm and detection systems and voice communication systems used in conjunction with fire alarm systems shall comply with all applicable reference standards, or those standards that may be determined by the fire commissioner.

             (4)  The testing and maintenance of fire alarm and detection systems in buildings, other than those designated by the National Building Code of Canada as "high buildings", shall be performed annually, and fire alarm and detection systems, with and without voice communication in designated "high buildings", shall be tested and maintained semi?annually.

             (5)  Qualified personnel performing these annual and semi-annual tests and maintenance referred to in subsection (4) shall follow the requirements of the National Standards of Canada CAN 4-S 536, and in the case of "high?rise buildings" the additional requirements as outlined in the National Fire Code of Canada.

             (6)  An agency shall not perform maintenance, repair, inspection, testing or verification of an installed fire system until, in the opinion of the fire commissioner, the agency

             (a)  has sufficient knowledge of fire alarm systems;

             (b)  possesses the necessary testing equipment; and

             (c)  has received a permit to that effect.

             (7)  A permit issued under subsection (6) shall remain in force until cancelled, suspended or surrendered.

             (8)  A fire alarm system shall not be temporarily inoperative in an occupied building required to have a fire alarm system, unless special precautions are taken by the owners to assure that the occupants can be otherwise alerted to a fire condition.

             (9)  Inoperative fire alarm systems referred to in subsection (8) shall be given high priority in regard to repairs or adjustments that may be required to restore them to full operation.

           (10)  All emergency powered generating systems for fire alarm systems and other emergency equipment shall

             (a)  be designed to start automatically and reach full load capacity in approximately 10 seconds after normal power failure; and

             (b)  be tested and maintained in accordance with the provisions of the National Fire Code of Canada.

           (11)  Where an installed sprinkler system functions as a fire detection system or part of a fire detection system,

             (a)  approved manual pull stations shall be installed by each exit and fire alarm bells on each floor;

             (b)  both the manual pull stations and fire alarm bells shall be electrically connected to the installed fire alarm panel; and

             (c)  the operation of one pull station shall cause the activation of all installed fire alarm bells in the building.

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Conflict

        7. Whenever a conflict exists between these regulations and a referenced standard, these regulations or the decision of the fire commissioner shall apply.

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Repeal

        8. The Fire Prevention (Smoke and Fire Alarm) Regulations, 1984, Newfoundland Regulation 276/84, are repealed.

ŠEarl G. Tucker, Queen's Printer