NFPA Fire Code - 2012 Changes
Written by Steve Hudgik
Known as the "Fire Code", NFPA 1 covers all aspects of fire protection and prevention, including inspection requirements and protection of firefighters. The NFPA 1 Fire Code has 60 chapters, plus seven annexes, that provide the standards for specifying, constructing and maintaining fire protection systems.
Changes and updates to the NFPA 1 Fire Code are issued every three years. The last NFPA 1 Fire Code changes were issued in the fall of 2011 and are identified as the "NFPA 1 Fire Code 2012" changes.
The NFPA 1 Fire Code is a large document and the 2012 edition has a significant number of changes. To make it easy to see the changes are marked. Technical changes in the NFPA 1 Fire Code 2012 are marked in the code by a vertical rule next to the paragraph, table or figure in which there is a change. When a complete paragraph has been deleted, that is indicated by a bullet placed between the remaining paragraphs.
The NFPA web sites lists the major NFPA 1 Fire Code 2012 changes as including:
Major changes reflect important safety code updates. New requirements in this edition mandate:
- A mandate for sprinklers in all new buildings with three or more stories
- A mandate for CO detection in new residential buildings reflecting the requirements of the NFPA 101 Life Safety Code
- A mandate to include floor fire protection for new non-sprinklered one- and two-family residences
- Two-way radio communication enhancement systems may be required by the AHJ per the NFPA 72 National Fire Alarm and Signaling Code.
The NFPA makes a copy of the NFPA 1 Fire Code available online where it may be freely read. You can review the chapters of interest online to identify changes in the 2012 version.
