The provisions of this chapter shall govern maintenance of the
materials, systems and assemblies used for structural fire resistance
and fire-resistance-rated construction separation of adjacent spaces
to safeguard against the spread of fire and smoke within a building
and the spread of fire to or from buildings.
Where any components are not maintained and do not function
as intended or do not have the fire resistance required by the code
under which the building was constructed or altered, such components
or portions thereof shall be deemed unsafe conditions. Components
or portions thereof determined to be unsafe shall be repaired or replaced
to conform to that code under which the building was constructed or
altered.
The required fire-resistance rating of fire-resistance-rated
construction, including walls, firestops, shaft enclosures, partitions,
smoke barriers, floors, fire-resistive coatings and sprayed fire-resistant
materials applied to structural members and joint systems, shall be
maintained. Openings made therein for the passage of pipes, electrical
conduits, wires, ducts, air transfer and any other reason shall be
protected with approved methods capable of resisting
the passage of smoke and fire. Openings through fire-resistance-rated
assemblies shall be protected by self- or automatic-closing doors
or approved construction meeting the fire protection
requirements for the assembly.
703.3.1 Fire blocking and draft stopping.
Required fire blocking and draft stopping in combustible concealed
spaces shall be maintained to provide continuity and integrity of
the construction.
703.3.2 Smoke barriers and smoke partitions.
Required smoke barriers and smoke partitions shall be maintained
to prevent the passage of smoke. Openings protected with approved smoke barrier doors or smoke dampers shall be maintained in accordance
with NFPA 105.
703.3.3 Fire walls, fire barriers, and fire partitions.
Required fire walls, fire barriers, and fire partitions shall
be maintained to prevent the passage of fire. Openings protected with approved doors or fire dampers shall be maintained in accordance
with NFPA 80.
Opening protectives shall be maintained in an operative condition
in accordance with NFPA 80. The application of field-applied labels
associated with the maintenance of opening protectives shall follow
the requirements of the approved third-party certification
organization accredited for listing the opening protective. Fire doors
and smoke barrier doors shall not be blocked or obstructed, or otherwise
made inoperable. Fusible links shall be replaced whenever fused or
damaged. Fire door assemblies shall not be modified.
703.4.1 Hold-open devices and closers.
Hold-open devices and automatic closers shall be maintained.
During the period that such a device is out of service for repairs,
the door it operates shall remain in the closed position.
703.4.2 Door operation.
Swinging fire doors shall close from the full-open position
and latch automatically. The door closer shall exert enough force
to close and latch the door from any partially open position.
The hanging and displaying of salable goods and other decorative
materials from acoustical ceiling systems that are part of a fire-resistance-rated
horizontal assembly shall be prohibited.
Interior vertical shafts, including stairways, elevator hoistways
and service and utility shafts, which connect two or more stories
of a building shall be enclosed or protected. New floor openings in
existing buildings shall comply with the International Building
Code.
Where openings are required to be protected, opening protectives
shall be maintained self-closing or automatic-closing by smoke detection.
Existing building area currently protected by automatic fire
sprinkler systems shall be separated from an adjacent building area
which is not protected by a fire sprinkler system by constructing
an approved 2-hour fire-resistive rated fire barrier
assembly(ies) and/or horizontal assembly(ies) in accordance with the
Fire Barrier requirements in the currently adopted International
Building Code. More restrictive requirements shall apply
as required by the International Building Code.