Legislature(2021 - 2022)GRUENBERG 120
03/10/2022 03:00 PM House STATE AFFAIRS
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| Audio | Topic |
|---|---|
| Start | |
| HB396 | |
| HB218 | |
| Adjourn |
* first hearing in first committee of referral
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
| *+ | HB 396 | TELECONFERENCED | |
| *+ | HB 218 | TELECONFERENCED | |
| + | TELECONFERENCED | ||
HB 218-SMOKE/FIRE DAMPERS & SMOKE CTRL SYSTEMS
4:37:37 PM
CHAIR KREISS-TOMKINS announced that the final order of business
would be SPONSOR SUBSTITUTE FOR HOUSE BILL NO. 218, "An Act
relating to the inspection and testing of fire dampers, smoke
dampers, combination fire and smoke dampers, and smoke control
systems; and providing for an effective date."
4:38:53 PM
JENS SCHURIG, Organizer, Sheet Metal Workers Local 23, provided
a PowerPoint presentation on ventilation verification and energy
optimization during the hearing on SSHB 218. He began on slide
2, which read as follows [original punctuation provided]:
What is the Fire & Life Safety Ecosystem?
The Fire & Life Safety Ecosystem has 8 components;
each plays a critical role in protecting people and
property.
MR SCHURIG noted that the 8 components were government
responsibility, development and use of current codes, referenced
standards, investment in safety, skilled workforce, code
compliance, preparedness and emergency response, and informed
public. Essentially, he said, SSHB 218 would raise the standard
for those who test and inspect fire smoke dampers and smoke
control systems to include special training, a proctor exam, and
certifications by the American National Standards Institute. He
noted that currently, the break in the Fire and Life Safety
Ecosystem illustrated on slide 2 was an untrained workforce.
4:42:51 PM
MR. SCHURIG proceeded to describe the photos on slides 3-14,
which depicted various examples of faulty inspections.
4:46:02 PM
MR. SCHURIG continued to slide 15, which read as follows
[original punctuation provided]:
But we have Sprinklers
• According to the National Fire Protection
Association (NFPA), smoke travels at 120-420 feet
per minute (fpm) during an active fire.
• Statistics show that approximately 70 percent of
all building-related deaths are associated with
smoke inhalation.
• Most victims are not located in the same room as
the fire's origin.
MR. SCHURIG turned to slide 16, which read as follows [original
punctuation provided]:
What does HVAC have to do with Fire Life Safety?
• HVAC systems penetrate every occupied space in a
building
• Potentially could convey fire, lethal smoke,
toxic gasses throughout structure
• Operation of dampers within HVAC system to
control flow and movement of these items is
critical to the safety of occupants within any
structure.
• Can water put out smoke?
• Fire sprinklers save property.
MR. SCHURIG continued to slide 19 and deferred to Mr. Hammond to
expound on the extent of the problem.
4:47:35 PM
SCOTT HAMMOND, Director of Research, National Energy Management
Institute Committee, explained that last year, NEMIC worked in
collaboration with the University of Maryland to oversee a
research project that determined the reliability of fire and
smoke dampers. The research indicated that 1,401 buildings
containing 170,354 fire or smoke dampers of which 81,038, or
47.5 percent, were in need of repair; further, there were over
3,000 dampers were completely inoperable.
4:49:31 PM
MR. SCHURIG resumed the presentation on slide 23, which
addressed local code. International Fire Code (IFC) code called
for an inspection one year after the initial acceptance testing,
and every four years in buildings with the exception of
hospitals, which called for every six years. He noted that many
people were in violation of these codes due to a lack of
knowledge.
4:50:43 PM
MR. SCHURIG turned to slide 25, which read as follows [original
punctuation provided]:
Juneau, AK
Adopts the 2012 International Fire Code
• Chapter 19.10 - FIRE CODE
• 19.10.010 - International Fire Code (IFC)
adopted.
• For the purpose of regulating the storage,
handling and use of hazardous substances,
materials and devices and other conditions
hazardous to life or property in the use or
occupancy of buildings or premises or portions
thereof in the City and Borough, there is adopted
by reference as the fire code of the City and
Borough that certain compilation of rules and
regulations jointly prepared and published by the
International Code Council, a nationally
recognized professional and trade organization,
which compilation is entitled "International Fire
Code, 2012 Edition," (IFC) and once copy which
has been filed in the office of the municipal
clerk of the City and Borough or such other
places as designated by the municipal clerk for
public use, inspection and examination and which
compilation is made a part of this chapter as if
fully set forth in this section, subject only to
the enumerated additions, deletions and changes
in this chapter.
MR. SHURIG continued to slide 26, noting that Anchorage, Alaska
had adopted the 2018 IFC.
4:51:13 PM
CHAIR KREISS-TOMKINS sought to confirm that Mr. Schurig was
suggesting that there were existing rules and regulations;
however, there was a high failure rate in terms of those
standard being met.
MR. SCHURIG answered yes.
4:51:49 PM
MR. SCHURIG jumped to slide 33 and touched on the topic of
access, noting that, often times, it was insufficient. He
turned to slide 37, which addressed labeling requirements, and
emphasized the importance of labeling during testing and
inspection. He discussed quality control on slide 38, which
read as follows [original punctuation provided]:
For inspection and testing of fire and Smoke Dampers,
employ only persons who are certified to inspect and
test fire and Smoke Dampers and hold certification
from the International Certification Board as a HVAC
Fire Life Safety Technician through a program
accredited by ANSI under the ISO/IEC 17024 standard.
4:53:31 PM
MR. SCHURIG concluded the presentation by briefly summarizing
slides 39-44 and welcoming questions from the committee.
4:54:09 PM
REPRESENTATIVE VANCE asked why the requirements for hospitals
differed from regular buildings [6-year inspections instead of
4-year].
MR. SCHURIG explained that hospitals were required to have
inspections on file to maintain Medicare and Medicaid funding;
therefore, they were given a break due to their stringent
inspection policy.
REPRESENTATIVE VANCE inquired about the buildings under a 4-year
cycle and asked whether there was any leverage to requiring
inspections.
MR. SCHURIG said the leverage was code.
4:56:17 PM
CHAIR KREISS-TOMKINS asked what the bill would do.
4:57:00 PM
MIKE MASON, Staff, Representative Chris Tuck, Alaska State
Legislature, provided an explanation of changes [hard copy
included in the committee packet] in the proposed CS, ("Version
W"), for SSHB 218, which read as follows [original punctuation
provided]:
Page 2, lines 19-20: Following the word "program" on
line 19, the CS inserts "a mechanical engineer
registered under AS 08.48, a fire protection engineer
registered under AS 08.48."
The addition of this language adds properly registered
mechanical engineers and properly registered fire
protection engineers to the list of persons that can
conduct the inspection and testing of fire dampers,
smoke dampers, combination fire and smoke dampers, and
smoke control systems in Alaska.
4:58:08 PM
REPRESENTATIVE TARR moved to adopt the proposed CS for SSHB 218,
labeled 32-LS0931\W, Bannister, 3/7/22, as working document.
There being no objection, Version W was adopted.
4:58:31 PM
MR. MASON provided an overview of the bill, paraphrasing the
sponsor statement [included in the committee packet], which read
as follows [original punctuation provided]:
As a result of Alaska's cold climate, nearly every
commercial, industrial, and public building must be
heated. The goal of House Bill 218 is to ensure that
the fire life safety components as part of the HVAC
systems in these buildings are functioning as
designed. These components include fire dampers, smoke
dampers, and smoke control systems. House Bill 218
requires technicians and contractors to obtain a
certification recognized by the American National
Standards Institute (ANSI) under the ISO/IEC 17024
standard to perform inspections and testing of fire
dampers, smoke dampers, and smoke control systems.
Alaska law follows the International Fire Code by
requiring the HVAC fire life safety components within
the commercial, industrial, and public buildings to be
inspected and tested consistent with the developed
standards of the National Fire Protection Association
(NFPA). Currently, sprinkler systems, fire alarms, and
fire extinguishers in Alaska are inspected by a
technician and/or contractor that must be certified.
House Bill 218 would create a similar requirement for
a technician and/or contractor to perform periodic
inspections of fire dampers, smoke dampers, and smoke
control systems.
NFPA standards 80 and 105 require fire and smoke
dampers to be inspected within one year of initial
installation and every four years thereafter, except
for hospitals which must be inspected once every six
years. NFPA standard 92 requires dedicated smoke
control systems to be tested every six months and non-
dedicated smoke control systems to be tested annually.
House Bill 218 is a public safety bill that will help
ensure that the heating, ventilation, and air
conditioning fire life safety components utilized and
installed in commercial, industrial, and public
structures in Alaska are safe and in good working
order.
5:03:28 PM
CHAIR KREISS-TOMKINS announced that SSHB 218, Version W, was
held over.