FLSD Building Systems Oversight 5 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: An FLSD notices that several smoke dampers in the HVAC ductwork have been propped open with wooden wedges by HVAC maintenance personnel. What immediate action is required?
- Allow the condition temporarily if the HVAC work is documented
- Remove the wedges immediately and restore dampers to operational status, then document the violation (Correct answer)
- Notify the building owner and wait for written authorization before acting
- Install bypass switches to keep the HVAC running around the open dampers
Correct answer: Remove the wedges immediately and restore dampers to operational status, then document the violation
Wedged-open smoke dampers defeat fire compartmentalization and must be restored immediately; the violation must be documented per fire safety plan requirements.
Question 2: A high-rise office building's fire alarm control panel displays a 'supervisory' signal from the sprinkler system's water flow valve. What does a supervisory signal indicate versus an alarm signal?
- A supervisory signal indicates the system has activated; an alarm signal means a fault
- A supervisory signal indicates an abnormal condition (e.g., closed valve) requiring attention; an alarm signal indicates water flow or smoke (Correct answer)
- Both signals are equivalent and require full evacuation
- A supervisory signal is informational only and requires no response from the FLSD
Correct answer: A supervisory signal indicates an abnormal condition (e.g., closed valve) requiring attention; an alarm signal indicates water flow or smoke
Supervisory signals warn of conditions that could impair system operation (like a partially closed valve) and require investigation, while alarm signals indicate fire or water flow.
Question 3: Under NYC Building Code, what is the minimum fire resistance rating required for ductwork penetrations through a 2-hour fire-rated floor/ceiling assembly without a fire damper?
- The penetration is never permitted without a fire damper
- 1-hour rating for the duct itself
- The duct must be wrapped with 2-hour rated enclosure (Correct answer)
- HVAC ducts are exempt from fire rating requirements at floor penetrations
Correct answer: The duct must be wrapped with 2-hour rated enclosure
Where fire dampers are not provided, ductwork penetrating rated assemblies must be enclosed in a shaft or wrapped with materials providing equivalent fire resistance.
Question 4: What does the term 'common path of travel' mean in the context of building egress design that an FLSD must understand?
- The main lobby corridor that connects all elevators
- The portion of exit access where occupants must travel in a single direction before reaching a choice of two exits (Correct answer)
- The designated evacuation route posted on each floor
- The path from the street to the FDNY command station
Correct answer: The portion of exit access where occupants must travel in a single direction before reaching a choice of two exits
Common path of travel is the distance occupants must walk before having a choice of two separate exits; building codes limit this distance to reduce risk.
Question 5: A building's wet-pipe sprinkler system in an unheated parking garage begins discharging water in winter despite no fire. What is the most likely cause?
- The fire alarm panel triggered the system incorrectly
- A frozen and burst sprinkler pipe due to temperatures below 40°F (Correct answer)
- The dry-pipe valve failed open
- Water pressure exceeded the system's pressure relief setting
Correct answer: A frozen and burst sprinkler pipe due to temperatures below 40°F
Wet-pipe systems in unheated spaces are vulnerable to freezing; water in the pipes freezes, expands, and can rupture pipes or heads causing accidental discharge.
Question 6: When testing emergency lighting in a high-rise building, the FLSD finds that lights in one stairwell extinguish after 60 minutes. NYC FC requires emergency lighting to operate for a minimum of how long?
- 30 minutes
- 60 minutes
- 90 minutes (Correct answer)
- 120 minutes
Correct answer: 90 minutes
NYC FC and NFPA 101 require emergency lighting systems to provide illumination for a minimum of 90 minutes upon loss of normal power.
Question 7: An FLSD conducting a building systems inspection notices the fire command station (FCS) panel has a zone in 'trouble' status. What is the correct protocol?
- Reset the panel and document if the trouble condition clears
- Investigate and correct the trouble condition; notify FDNY if the impairment affects life safety systems (Correct answer)
- Immediately evacuate all floors on that zone
- Cover the trouble indicator until the next scheduled inspection
Correct answer: Investigate and correct the trouble condition; notify FDNY if the impairment affects life safety systems
A trouble signal at the FCS indicates a fault in the fire alarm system that must be investigated and corrected, with FDNY notification required if life safety systems are impaired.
FLSD Building Systems Oversight 5
An FLSD notices that several smoke dampers in the HVAC ductwork have been propped open with wooden wedges by HVAC maintenance personnel.
What immediate action is required?