FST Fire Safety Codes & Regulatory Compliance 4 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: A 'means of egress' under NFPA 101 consists of three components. Which of the following is NOT one of those components?
- Exit access
- Exit
- Exit discharge
- Exit passageway (Correct answer)
Correct answer: Exit passageway
The three components of a means of egress under NFPA 101 are exit access, exit, and exit discharge; an exit passageway is a type of exit, not a separate component.
Question 2: Under the IBC, a fire barrier wall must extend from:
- Floor to ceiling tile
- Floor to the underside of the roof deck or floor deck above (Correct answer)
- Floor to 8 feet above the finished floor
- Floor to the top of the wall framing
Correct answer: Floor to the underside of the roof deck or floor deck above
IBC fire barriers must extend from the floor to the underside of the floor or roof deck above to prevent fire spread through concealed ceiling spaces.
Question 3: Which NFPA standard governs the design and installation of carbon dioxide (CO2) fire extinguishing systems?
- NFPA 11
- NFPA 12 (Correct answer)
- NFPA 15
- NFPA 16
Correct answer: NFPA 12
NFPA 12, Standard on Carbon Dioxide Extinguishing Systems, covers requirements for CO2 total flooding and local application systems.
Question 4: When a fire code official issues a 'Notice of Violation,' the property owner typically has how long to correct a non-imminent hazard before further enforcement action is taken?
- 24 hours
- 72 hours
- A reasonable time period specified by the code official (Correct answer)
- 30 days by federal law
Correct answer: A reasonable time period specified by the code official
Fire codes generally grant the code official discretion to specify a reasonable compliance timeframe based on the nature of the hazard, rather than a fixed federal deadline.
Question 5: Under NFPA 72, the minimum audible alarm signal level in a sleeping area must be at least how many decibels measured at pillow height?
- 55 dB
- 65 dB
- 75 dB (Correct answer)
- 85 dB
Correct answer: 75 dB
NFPA 72 requires that audible alarm signals in sleeping areas produce a minimum of 75 dB at pillow height to awaken occupants during sleep.
Question 6: The 'grandfathering' concept in fire code enforcement generally means that:
- All existing buildings must immediately comply with current codes
- Existing buildings may retain pre-code features unless a change of occupancy or major renovation occurs (Correct answer)
- New buildings are exempt from fire suppression requirements for 5 years
- Older buildings receive more frequent inspections than new ones
Correct answer: Existing buildings may retain pre-code features unless a change of occupancy or major renovation occurs
Grandfathering allows existing buildings to remain in compliance with the code in effect at the time of construction unless a trigger event (change of use, renovation, etc.) requires upgrading.
Question 7: Which organization publishes the Uniform Fire Code (UFC), an alternative model fire code used primarily in Western states?
- NFPA
- ICC
- Western Fire Chiefs Association and IAFC (now NFPA 1) (Correct answer)
- SFPE
Correct answer: Western Fire Chiefs Association and IAFC (now NFPA 1)
The Uniform Fire Code was originally published by the Western Fire Chiefs Association and the International Fire Code Institute; it has since been consolidated into NFPA 1.
FST Fire Safety Codes & Regulatory Compliance 4
A 'means of egress' under NFPA 101 consists of three components.
Which of the following is NOT one of those components?