Preface

First Printing
Publication Date: December 1999
ISBN # 1-892395-30-4
COPYRIGHT © 1999
by
INTERNATIONAL CODE COUNCIL, INC.
ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.This2000International Fire Code is a copyrighted work owned by the International Code Council,Inc. Without advance written permission from the copyright owner,no part of this book may be reproduced,distributed,or transmitted in any form or by any means,including,without limitation,electronic,optical or mechanical means(by way of example and not limita-tion,photocopying,or recording by or in an information storage retrieval system).For information on permission to copy material exceeding fair use,please contact:President,International Code Council,5203Leesburg Pike,Suite708,Falls Church,Virginia 22041-3401. (Phone 703-931-4533).
Trademarks:“International Code Council,”the“International Code Council”logo and the“2000International Fire Code”are trademarks of the International Code Council,Inc.The“BOCA”logo is a trademark of Building Officials and Code Administrators International,Inc.The“ICBO”logo is a trademark of the International Conference of Building Officials.The“SBCCI”logo is a trademark of the Southern Building Code Congress International, Inc.
Published in cooperation with:
BUILDING OFFICIALS AND CODE ADMINISTRATORS INTERNATIONAL, INC.
4051 West Flossmoor Road•Country Club Hills, Illinois 60478-5795
(800) 214-4321
INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE OF BUILDING OFFICIALS
5360 Workman Mill Road•Whittier, California 90601-2298
(800) 284-4406
SOUTHERN BUILDING CODE CONGRESS INTERNATIONAL, INC.
900Montclair Road•Birmingham, Alabama 35213-1206
(205) 591-1853
PRINTED IN THE U.S.A.
First Printing
Publication Date: December 1999
ISBN # 1-892395-29-0
COPYRIGHT © 1999
by
INTERNATIONAL CODE COUNCIL, INC.
ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.This2000International Fire Code is a copyrighted work owned by the International Code Council,Inc. Without advance written permission from the copyright owner,no part of this book may be reproduced,distributed,or transmitted in any form or by any means,including,without limitation,electronic,optical or mechanical means(by way of example and not limita-tion,photocopying,or recording by or in an information storage retrieval system).For information on permission to copy material exceeding fair use,please contact:President,International Code Council,5203Leesburg Pike,Suite708,Falls Church,Virginia 22041-3401. (Phone 703-931-4533).
Trademarks:“International Code Council,”the“International Code Council”logo and the“2000International Fire Code”are trademarks of the International Code Council,Inc.The“BOCA”logo is a trademark of Building Officials and Code Administrators International,Inc.The“ICBO”logo is a trademark of the International Conference of Building Officials.The“SBCCI”logo is a trademark of the Southern Building Code Congress International, Inc.
Published in cooperation with:
BUILDING OFFICIALS AND CODE ADMINISTRATORS INTERNATIONAL, INC.
4051 West Flossmoor Road•Country Club Hills, Illinois 60478-5795
(800) 214-4321
INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE OF BUILDING OFFICIALS
5360 Workman Mill Road•Whittier, California 90601-2298
(800) 284-4406
SOUTHERN BUILDING CODE CONGRESS INTERNATIONAL, INC.
900Montclair Road•Birmingham, Alabama 35213-1206
(205) 591-1853
PRINTED IN THE U.S.A.
PREFACE
Introduction
Internationally,code officials recognize the need for a modern,up-to-date fire code addressing conditions hazardous to life and property from fire explosion,hazardous materials storage,handling or use and the use and occupancy of buildings and premises. The International Fire Code®,in this2000edition,is designed to meet these needs through model code regulations that safeguard the public health and safety in all communities,large and small.This2000edition is fully compatible with all of the International Codes,including the International Building Code,International Energy Conservation Code,International Fuel Gas Code,Interna-tional Mechanical Code,International Plumbing Code,International Property Maintenance Code,International Private Sewage Disposal Code,International Residential Code,International Zoning Code, and the ICC Electrical Code.
The International Fire Code provides many benefits,among which is the model code development process that offers an interna-tional forum for fire safety professionals to discuss performance-based and prescriptive code requirements.This forum provides an ex-cellent arena to debate proposed revisions.This model code also encourages international consistency in the application of provisions. Development
The production of the International Fire Code began in1997with the development of a first draft by a development committee con-sisting of representatives of Building Officials and Code Administrators International,Inc.(BOCA),International Conference of Building Officials(ICBO),and Southern Building Code Congress International,Inc.(SBCCI).The committee drafted a compre-hensive set of fire safety regulations that was consistent with existing model fire codes at the time.Those codes were the then-current editions of the BOCA National Fire Prevention Code,the Uniform Fire Code and the Standard Fire Prevention Code.The2000edi-tion of the International Fire Code was developed by utilizing the formal ICC Code Development Process for two successive annual code change cycles.During each cycle,public hearings were held to consider proposed changes in conjunction with hearings on proposed changes to other International Codes and in accordance with the ICC Code Development Procedures.
Letter Designations in Front of Section Numbers
In each code development cycle,proposed changes to this code are considered at the First Public Hearing by the International Fire Code Development Committee,whose action constitutes a recommendation to the voting membership for final action on the pro-posed change.Proposed changes to a code section whose number begins with a letter in brackets are considered by a different code development committee.For instance,proposed changes to code sections which have the letter[B]in front(e.g.,[B]909.1),are con-sidered by the International Building Code Development Committee at the First Public Hearing.Where this designation is applica-ble to the entire content of a main section of the code,the designation appears at the main section number and title and is not repeated at every subsection in that section.
The content of sections in this code which begin with a letter designation are maintained by another code development committee in accordance with the following:[B]=International Building Code Development Committee;[M]=International Mechanical Code Development Committee;[PM]=International Property Maintenance Code Development Committee;[P]=International Plumbing Code Development Committee;[RBE]=International Residential Code Building and Energy Development Committee; [RMP]=International Residential Code Mechanical/Plumbing Development Committee;[E]=International Energy Conservation Code Development Committee; and [EL] = ICC Electrical Code Development Committee.
Adoption
The International Fire Code is available for adoption and use by jurisdictions internationally.Its use within a governmental jurisdic-tion is intended to be accomplished through adoption by reference in accordance with proceedings establishing the jurisdiction’s laws.At the time of adoption,jurisdictions should insert the appropriate information in provisions requiring specific local informa-tion,such as the name of the adopting jurisdiction.These locations are shown in bracketed words in small capital letters in the code and in the sample adoption ordinance.The sample adoption ordinance on page v addresses several key elements of a code adoption ordinance, including the information required for insertion into the code text.
Maintenance
The International Fire Code is kept up to date through the review of proposed changes submitted by code enforcement officials,in-dustry representatives,design professionals and other interested parties.Proposed changes are carefully considered through an open code development process in which all interested and affected parties may participate.The contents of this work are subject to change both through the Code Development Cycles and the governmental body that enacts the code into law.For more information regarding the code development process, contact: BOCA, ICBO or SBCCI.
While the development procedure of the International Fire Code assures the highest degree of care,BOCA,ICBO,SBCCI,their members and those participating in the development of this code do not accept any liability resulting from compliance or noncom-pliance with the provisions because BOCA,ICBO and SBCCI do not have the power or authority to police or enforce compliance with the contents of this code. Only the governmental body that enacts the code into law has such authority.
2000 INTERNATIONAL FIRE CODE® iii
iv2000 INTERNATIONAL FIRE CODE®
SAMPLE ORDINANCE FOR ADOPTION OF THE
INTERNATIONAL FIRE CODE
ORDINANCE NO. ___________
An ordinance of the[JURISDICTION]adopting the2000edition of the International Fire Code,regulating and governing the safe-
guarding of life and property from fire and explosion hazards arising from the storage,handling and use of hazardous substances,
materials and devices,and from conditions hazardous to life or property in the occupancy of buildings and premises in the [JURISDICTION];providing for the issuance of permits for hazardous uses or operations;repealing Ordinance No.______of the [JURISDICTION]and all other ordinances and parts of the ordinances in conflict therewith.
The[GOVERNING BODY]of the[JURISDICTION]does ordain as follows:
Section1.That a certain document,three(3)copies of which are on file in the office of the[TITLE OF JURISDICTION’S KEEPER OF RECORDS]of[NAME OF JURISDICTION],being marked and designated as the International Fire Code,including Appendix Chapters [FILL IN THE APPENDIX CHAPTERS BEING ADOPTED](see International Fire Code Section101.2.1,2000edition),as published by the In-ternational Code Council,be and is hereby adopted as the code of the[JURISDICTION]for regulating and governing the safeguarding
of life and property from fire and explosion hazards arising from the storage,handling and use of hazardous substances,materials
and devices,and from conditions hazardous to life or property in the occupancy of buildings and premises in the[JURISDICTION]
and providing for the issuance of permits for hazardous uses or operations;and each and all of the regulations,provisions,condi-
tions and terms of such International Fire Code,2000edition,published by the International Code Council,on file in the office of
the[JURISDICTION]are hereby referred to, adopted and made a part hereof as if fully set out in this ordinance.
Section 2.That the following sections are hereby revised:
Section101.1Insert:[NAME OF JURISDICTION]
Section109.3.Insert:[OFFENSE,DOLLAR AMOUNT,NUMBER OF DAYS]
Section111.4.Insert:[DOLLAR AMOUNT IN TWO LOCATIONS]
Section 3.That the limits referred to in certain sections of the 2000International Fire Code are hereby established as follows: Section3204.3.1.1(limits in which the storage of flammable cryogenic fluids in stationary containers is prohibited):[JURIS-DICTION TO SPECIFY]
Section3404.2.9.5.2(limits in which the storage of Class I and Class II liquids in above-ground tanks outside of buildings is prohibited):[JURISDICTION TO SPECIFY]
Section3406.2.4.4(limits in which the storage of Class I and Class II liquids in above-ground tanks is prohibited):[JURISDIC-TION TO SPECIFY]
Section3804.2(limits in which the storage of liquefied petroleum gas is restricted for the protection of heavily populated or congested areas):[JURISDICTION TO SPECIFY]
Section4.That Ordinance No.______of[JURISDICTION]entitled[FILL IN HERE THE COMPLETE TITLE OF THE PRESENT FIRE PREVENTION ORDINANCE OR ORDINANCES IN EFFECT AT THE PRESENT TIME SO THAT THEY WILL BE REPEALED BY DEFINITE MENTION]and all other ordi-nances or parts of ordinances in conflict herewith are hereby repealed.
Section5.That if any section,subsection,sentence,clause or phrase of this ordinance is,for any reason,held to be unconstitu-
tional,such decision shall not affect the validity of the remaining portions of this ordinance.The[GOVERNING BODY]hereby declares
that it would have passed this ordinance,and each section,subsection,clause or phrase thereof,irrespective of the fact that any one
or more sections, subsections, sentences, clauses and phrases be declared unconstitutional.
Section6.That the[JURISDICTION’S KEEPER OF RECORDS]is hereby ordered and directed to cause this ordinance to be published.(An
additional provision may be required to direct the number of times the ordinance is to be published and to specify that it is to be in a
newspaper in general circulation. Posting may also be required.)
Section7.That this ordinance and the rules,regulations,provisions,requirements,orders and matters established and adopted
hereby shall take effect and be in full force and effect[TIME PERIOD]from and after the date of its final passage and adoption. 2000 INTERNATIONAL FIRE CODE®v
vi2000 INTERNATIONAL FIRE CODE®。