Int. No. 1000-A

By Council Member Ignizio, the Speaker (Council Member Quinn), and Council Members Fidler, Gentile, Gonzalez, James, Koppell, Liu, Nelson, Sanders Jr., Weprin, Baez , White Jr., Gerson, Oddo, Recchia Jr., Dilan, Garodnick, Katz, Lappin,, Vallone Jr. and Mitchell (in conjunction with the Mayor)

A Local Law to amend the administrative code of the city of New York and the New York city building code, in relation to cutting and capping of standpipes and sprinklers.

Be it enacted by the Council as follows:

Section 1. Items 1 and 2 of section 3303.8 of section 3303 of the New York city building code, as added by local law number 33 for the year 2007, are amended to read as follows:

1.  When work reaches a height greater than 75 feet (22 860 mm) in a building for which a standpipe system will be required, a permanent or temporary standpipe meeting the requirements of Section 905 shall be kept in a state of readiness at all times for use by fire fighting personnel.  No standpipe shall be considered to be in a state of readiness unless it is painted red in accordance with the provisions of Section 905.11 of this code.  The system shall be a dry system when freezing conditions may be encountered.

2.  Existing standpipe systems in structures undergoing demolition shall be maintained as dry standpipes. At the commencement of demolition, the standpipe risers shall be capped above the outlet on the floor immediately below the floor being demolished so as to maintain the standpipe system on all lower floors for Fire Department use. Cutting and capping of standpipes during demolition work shall be performed only by a licensed master plumber or licensed master fire suppression piping contractor who has obtained a permit for such work.  Standpipe hose, nozzles and spanners are not required to be maintained and may be removed at any time. Siamese hose connections shall be kept free from obstruction and shall be marked by a metal sign reading, "Standpipe Siamese Connection" and by a red light at night.  The red paint required pursuant to Section 905.11 of this code shall be maintained during any demolition operations. All existing house check valves shall remain in place until completion of the demolition work.

§2.  Subsection 3306.9.6 of section 3306 of the New York city building code, as added by local law number 33 for the year 2007, is amended and a new section 3306.9.6.1 is added to read as follows.

3306.9.6 Sprinkler systems. When existing sprinkler systems with siamese hose connections are present in structures undergoing full or partial demolition, such systems shall be maintained as a non-automatic sprinkler system, except as provided in Section 3306.9.6.1. When demolition starts, the sprinkler risers shall be capped immediately below the floor being demolished so as to maintain the sprinkler system on all lower floors for Fire Department use.  Cutting and capping of sprinklers during demolition work shall be performed only by a licensed master plumber or licensed master fire suppression piping contractor who has obtained a permit for such work.  Siamese hose connections shall be kept free from obstruction and shall be marked by a metal sign reading "Sprinkler Siamese Connection" and by a red light at night. The red paint required pursuant to Section 903.6 of this code shall be maintained during any demolition operations.

3306.9.6.1 Removal of damaged sprinklers. Requests for a variance from the sprinkler requirements of this section shall be limited to requests to remove a damaged or inoperable sprinkler system or a portion of such system in connection with demolitions or gut rehabilitations. Applications for construction document approvals for such requests shall be filed with the department by a registered design professional in accordance with the following procedure:

1.                     The filed application shall include a complete report prepared by the professional describing the extent of the damage and attesting as to why the system cannot be restored; and

2.                     The variance shall not be approved by the department without the concurrence of the Fire Department as follows:

2.1.  The applicant shall file the request for variance with the Fire Department;

2.2.                     The Fire Department shall review and recommend any necessary safety measures required as a condition of granting the variance; and

2.3.                     The applicant shall submit the Fire Department's recommendation to the department along with proof of satisfactory implementation of such safety measures.

§3.  This local law shall take effect one hundred eighty days after enactment except that the commissioner of buildings shall take such actions as are necessary for its implementation, including the promulgation of rules, prior to such effective date. 

8/18/2009 7:00 PM