Section 905.4 of the International Fire Code is hereby amended to read as follows:

905.4 Location of Class I standpipe hose connections. Class I standpipe hose connections shall be provided in all of the following locations:

a. In every required interior exit stairway, a hose connection shall be provided for each floor level above or below grade. Hose connections shall be located at an intermediate floor level landing between floors. Where stairs are required to provide roof access, the standpipe roof connections shall be located adjacent to the stair opening on the roof.

Exception: A single hose connection shall be permitted to be installed in the open corridor or open breezeway between open stairs that are not greater than 75 feet (22,860 mm) apart.

b. On each side of the wall adjacent to the exit opening of a horizontal exit.

Exceptions:

1. Where floor areas adjacent to a horizontal exit are reachable from an interior exit stairway hose connections by a 30-foot (9,144 mm) hose stream from a nozzle attached to 100 feet (30,480 mm) of hose, a hose connection shall not be required at the horizontal exit.

2. When the Fire code official determines that standpipe connection is not needed.

3. In every exit passageway, at the entrance from the exit passageway to other areas of a building.

Exception: Where floor areas adjacent to an exit passageway are reachable from an interior exit stairway hose connections by a 30-foot (9,144 mm) hose stream from a nozzle attached to 100 feet (30,480 mm) of hose, a hose connection shall not be required at the entrance from the exit passageway to other areas of the building.

4. In covered and open mall buildings, adjacent to each exterior public entrance to the mall, adjacent to each entrance from an exit passageway or exit corridor to the mall, at each intermediate landing within required enclosed stairways, and at other locations as necessary so that the distance to reach all portions of a tenant space does not exceed 200 feet (60,960 mm) from a hose connection.

5. Where the roof has a slope less than four units vertical in 12 units horizontal (33.3-percent slope), at least one standpipe shall be provided with a 2 1/2 in. hose connection located on the roof. Additional hose connections shall be provided so that all portions of the roof are within 200 feet of hose travel distance from a standpipe hose connection. The hose connection(s) shall be at least 10 feet (3,048 mm) from the roof edge, skylight, light well or other similar openings, unless protected by a 42-inch-high (1,067 mm) guardrail or equivalent. All roof hose connections shall be arranged to be operable without entering the building. Roof connections in high-rise buildings are allowed to be located at the highest landing of a stairway with stair access to the roof. An additional hose connection shall be provided at the top of the most hydraulically remote standpipe for testing purposes.

6. Where the most remote portion of a nonsprinklered floor or story is more than 150 feet (45,720 mm) of hose travel distance from a hose connection or the most remote portion of a sprinklered floor or story is more than 200 feet (60,960 mm) of hose travel distance from a hose connection, additional hose connections shall be provided in interior exit stairway or protected locations that are accessed through protected enclosures. The protected enclosure shall be a corridor constructed as a smoke barrier from the exit enclosure to the standpipe connection.

Exception: Hose connections in parking garages must be located in interior exit stair, protected locations, immediately adjacent to exterior exit doors, loading docks or other areas as approved by the fire code official. Subject to the approval of the fire code official the travel distance may also be increased to a maximum distance of 240 feet.

Point of Information

Chapter 10 of this code outlines the requirements for stairways to the roof and roof access. This section (905.4), identifies the locations of standpipes and hose connections, but does not dictate the need for additional stairways to the roof or roof access.