S*0732(Rat #0522, Act #0467)  General Bill, By Holland
 A Bill to amend Section 23-45-30(5), Code of Laws of South Carolina, 1976,
 relating to the definition of sprinkler contractor's license, so as to require
 that the certificate holder be a full-time employee in a responsible
 management position; to amend Section 23-45-140, relating to fees for
 sprinkler plan and specification review, so as to update codes and standards
 to the latest editions, to add codes and standards, and to delete language
 authorizing the State Fire Marshal to charge a fee for sprinkler plan and
 specification review; and to amend the Code by adding Sections 23-45-145 and
 23-45-147, so as to include in the "Fire Protection Sprinkler Systems Act"
 provisions of law for a fire sprinkler system specification sheet and
 provisions regulating shop drawings in connection with a fire protection
 sprinkler system, authorize the acceptance of a plan review of an insurance
 underwriter under certain circumstances, and provide for the delivery of the
 certificate of compliance.-amended title

   04/27/93  Senate Introduced and read first time SJ-12
   04/27/93  Senate Referred to Committee on General SJ-12
   04/14/94  Senate Committee report: Favorable with amendment
                     General SJ-21
   04/19/94  Senate Amended SJ-36
   04/19/94  Senate Read second time SJ-36
   04/20/94  Senate Read third time and sent to House SJ-10
   04/21/94  House  Introduced and read first time HJ-16
   04/21/94  House  Referred to Committee on Labor, Commerce and
                     Industry HJ-16
   05/18/94  House  Committee report: Favorable Labor, Commerce and
                     Industry HJ-12
   05/26/94  House  Read second time HJ-52
   05/31/94  House  Read third time and enrolled HJ-35
   06/02/94         Ratified R 522
   07/14/94         Signed By Governor
   07/27/94         Effective date 07/14/94
   07/27/94         Copies available

AN ACT TO AMEND SECTION 23-45-30(5), AS AMENDED, CODE OF LAWS OF SOUTH CAROLINA, 1976, RELATING TO THE DEFINITION OF SPRINKLER CONTRACTOR'S LICENSE, SO AS TO REQUIRE THAT THE CERTIFICATE HOLDER BE A FULL-TIME EMPLOYEE IN A RESPONSIBLE MANAGEMENT POSITION; TO AMEND SECTION 23-45-140, AS AMENDED, RELATING TO FEES FOR SPRINKLER PLAN AND SPECIFICATION REVIEW, SO AS TO UPDATE CODES AND STANDARDS TO THE LATEST EDITIONS, TO ADD CODES AND STANDARDS, AND TO DELETE LANGUAGE AUTHORIZING THE STATE FIRE MARSHAL TO CHARGE A FEE FOR SPRINKLER PLAN AND SPECIFICATION REVIEW; AND TO AMEND THE 1976 CODE BY ADDING SECTIONS 23-45-145 AND 23-45-147, SO AS TO INCLUDE IN THE "FIRE PROTECTION SPRINKLER SYSTEMS ACT" PROVISIONS OF LAW FOR A FIRE SPRINKLER SYSTEM SPECIFICATION SHEET AND PROVISIONS REGULATING SHOP DRAWINGS IN CONNECTION WITH A FIRE PROTECTION SPRINKLER SYSTEM, AUTHORIZE THE ACCEPTANCE OF A PLAN REVIEW OF AN INSURANCE UNDERWRITER UNDER CERTAIN CIRCUMSTANCES, AND PROVIDE FOR THE DELIVERY OF THE CERTIFICATE OF COMPLIANCE.

Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the State of South Carolina:

Definition

SECTION 1. Section 23-45-30(5) of the 1976 Code, as last amended by Act 528 of 1990, is further amended to read:

"(5) `Sprinkler contractor's license' means the license issued by the South Carolina Licensing Board for Contractors to a fire protection sprinkler contractor who has submitted (a) an application which is approved; (b) the fee; (c) proof of insurance in an amount and of the type required by this chapter; and (d) proof that the contractor has in its employ a certificate holder who is a full-time employee in a responsible management position. The license is issued in the name of the fire protection sprinkler contractor with the name of the certificate holder on the license."

Standards

SECTION 2. Section 23-45-140 of the 1976 Code, as last amended by Act 528 of 1990, is further amended to read:

"Section 23-45-140. Fire protection sprinkler systems as defined in Section 23-45-30(6) must be designed and installed according to National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) Chapter 13, 1991 Edition; NFPA 13A, 1987 Edition; NFPA 13D, 1991 Edition; NFPA 13R, 1991 Edition; NFPA 14, 1993 Edition; NFPA 20, 1993 Edition; and NFPA 24, 1992 Edition, and all pamphlets referenced in them. In addition the following codes and standards must be followed when applicable: NFPA 1, 1993 Edition; NFPA 10, 1990 Edition; NFPA 14A, 1989 Edition; NFPA 22, 1993 Edition; NFPA 25, 1992 Edition; NFPA 101, 1991 Edition; NFPA 231, 1990 Edition; NFPA 231(C), 1991 Edition; NFPA 231(D), 1989 Edition; and NFPA 409, 1990 Edition. Within thirty calendar days from the date of submission to the Division of the State Fire Marshal, the review of sprinkler plans for compliance with the above codes must be completed and a letter issued either approving the plans or listing the corrective action necessary for approval. If no letter is issued within thirty calendar days, the plans are deemed to be approved."

Fire sprinkler system specification sheet; shop drawings

SECTION 3. The 1976 Code is amended by adding:

"Section 23-45-145. A `Fire Sprinkler System Specification Sheet' must be completed for every fire protection sprinkler system, as defined in Section 23-45-30(6), to be installed in South Carolina, in the following manner:

(A) A form approved by the State Fire Marshal must be used and must contain the following minimum information:

(1) available static and residual water pressure;

(2) available water flow in gallons per minute and duration;

(3) source of water supply;

(4) classifications of hazards;

(5) occupancy use of the building (or area to be sprinkled);

(6) type of system to be installed;

(7) applicable National Fire Protection Association standards to be followed for each component of the system;

(8) other state and local statutes, regulations, codes, or ordinances that must be followed;

(9) name, address, and phone number of the author.

(B) The form must be completed by and bear the stamp and signature of:

(1) a professional engineer registered in South Carolina if the services of a registered professional engineer are required by a specific statute or ordinance; otherwise it may be prepared by the person described in subitem (2) of this item (B);

(2) a fire sprinkler contractor holding a valid South Carolina fire sprinkler license.

(C) The form must be submitted to the authority having jurisdiction, as follows:

(1) New construction: if a fire protection sprinkler system, as defined in Section 23-45-30(6), is required by code or called for in the bid specifications, the Fire Sprinkler System Specification Sheet must be made part of the bid specifications and must be submitted to the authority having jurisdiction, along with the architectural and/or engineering drawings and specifications when applying for building and/or other required permits. The Fire Sprinkler System Specification Sheet also must accompany the shop drawings when they are submitted for review;

(2) Existing structures: if permits are required by the authority having jurisdiction, the Fire Sprinkler System Specification Sheet must accompany the permit applications; it also must accompany the shop drawings when they are submitted for review.

Section 23-45-147. (A) Shop drawings must be prepared for every fire protection sprinkler system, as defined in Section 23-45-30(6), to be installed in South Carolina and must meet the following requirements:

(1) shop drawings, along with any attached specification sheets, must contain sufficient information to show compliance with the National Fire Protection Association standards called for in the Fire Sprinkler System Specification Sheet to the degree required by the regulations of the State Fire Marshal;

(2) shop drawings must bear the stamp, authorized signature, and license number of the fire sprinkler contractor licensed in South Carolina who prepared them.

(B) shop drawings must be submitted to the registered professional engineer who prepared the Fire Sprinkler System Specification Sheet, if applicable, to determine compliance with the Fire Sprinkler System Specification Sheet. Otherwise, the shop drawings must be submitted, to determine compliance with the Fire Sprinkler System Specification Sheet, to one of the following:

(1) the local authority having jurisdiction;

(2) the South Carolina State Fire Marshal's office; or

(3) the engineering/review department of the owner's insurance underwriter or its designee.

(C) The local authority having jurisdiction, the awarding authority, or the state agency having jurisdiction over the project may also require the submission of fire protection sprinkler system shop drawings for review, in addition to the requirements stated above, or may require their submission to the State Fire Marshal's office or other designee for review, but in no case may the stamp or seal of a registered professional engineer be required on shop drawings.

(D) In lieu of performing its own plan review on plans submitted, the State Fire Marshal's office may accept the plan review of an insurance underwriter or its designee if it meets the standards established by the regulations of the State Fire Marshal's office.

(E) A Certificate of Compliance certifying that the fire protection sprinkler system was designed and installed in accordance with the `Fire Sprinkler System Specification Sheet' must be delivered to the owner of the building, the authority having jurisdiction, and the State Fire Marshal's office on a form approved by the State Fire Marshal's office before a certificate of occupancy may be issued."

Time effective

SECTION 4. This act takes effect upon approval by the Governor.

Approved the 14th day of July, 1994.