(1) Unless
otherwise provided by applicable law or the provisions of this chapter, the
required minimum standards for fire prevention, fire protection, and building
construction safety in the state of Tennessee shall be those prescribed in the
following publications:
(a) The International
Building Code (IBC), 2021 edition, published by the International Code Council
(ICC), except for the following changes:
1.
Remove Chapter 11 Accessibility.
2.
The requirements of Section 423 Storm Shelters shall not be required.
3. Section 903.3.1.2 NFPA 13R sprinkler
systems shall be replaced with the following:
Automatic sprinkler systems in Group R occupancies may be
installed throughout in accordance with NFPA 13R where the Group R occupancy
meets all of the following conditions:
(i) Four stories or less above grade
plane.
(ii) For occupancies other
than Group R-2, the floor level of the highest story is 30 feet (9144 mm) or
less above the lowest level of fire department vehicle access.
For Group R-2 occupancies, the roof assembly is less than 45
feet (13716 mm) above the lowest level of fire department vehicle access. The
height of the roof assembly shall be determined by measuring the distance from
the lowest required fire vehicle access road surface adjacent to the building
to the eave of the highest pitched roof, the intersection of the highest roof
to the exterior wall, or the top of the highest parapet, whichever yields the
greatest distance.
(iii)
The floor level of the lowest story is 30 feet (9144 mm) or less below the
lowest level of fire department vehicle access.
The number of stories of Group R occupancies constructed in
accordance with Sections 510.2 and 510.4 of the International Building Code
shall be measured from grade plane.
4. For Group E occupancies in all
jurisdictions in Tennessee, local education agencies, public charter schools,
and non-public schools may allow classroom doors to be locked to prevent
unwanted entry provided that the locking means meets the requirements in the
National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) (2021) Section
15.2.2.2.4.1.
5. For college and
university instructional buildings in all jurisdictions in Tennessee, college
and university administrators may allow classroom doors to be locked to prevent
unwanted entry provided that the locking means meets the requirements in the
NFPA (2021) Section 39.2.2.2.2.
6.
Dwellings licensed by the Department of Human Services (DHS) as Family Home
Daycares shall use Appendix AM of the 2021 International Residential
Code.
7. Where ASCE 7-16 is
referenced for seismic design or mapped ground accelerations, ASCE 7-22 mapped
ground accelerations may be used to determine the S1 and Ss values.
8. The requirements for flammable gas shall
be those found in the International Building Code (IBC), 2024 edition,
published by the International Code Council (ICC), and shall include the
following:
(i) For Chapter 2, the definition
for Flammable Gas shall be replaced with the definition found in the 2024
International Building Code.
(ii)
For flammable gases, Table 307.1(1) shall be replaced with Table 307.1(1) of
the 2024 International Building Code.
(iii) For flammable gases, Section 307.4
High-Hazard Group H-2 shall be replaced with Section 307.4 High-Hazard Group
H-2 of the 2024 International Building Code.
(iv) For flammable gases, Section 307.5
High-Hazard Group H-3 shall be replaced with Section 307.5 High-Hazard Group
H-3 of the 2024 International Building Code.
(v) For flammable gases, Section 414.2.5
shall be replaced with Section 414.2.5 of the 2024 International Building
Code.
(vi) For flammable gases,
Table 414.5.1 shall be replaced with Table 414.5.1 of the 2024 International
Building Code.
(b) The International Fuel Gas Code (IFGC),
2021 edition, published by the International Code Council (ICC).
(c) The International Mechanical Code (IMC),
2021 edition, published by the International Code Council (ICC).
(d) The International Plumbing Code (IPC),
2021 edition, published by the International Code Council (ICC).
(e) The International Property Maintenance
Code (IPMC), 2021 edition, published by the International Code Council (ICC),
except the following sections shall be removed: 302.4 Weeds, 302.8 Motor
Vehicles, 302.9 Defacement of Property, 304.2 Protective Treatment, 304.8
Decorative Features, 304.14 Insect Screens, and 308 Rubbish and
Garbage.
(f) The International Fire
Code (IFC), 2021 edition, published by the International Code Council (ICC),
except for the following changes:
1. Section
510.1 Exception 2 shall be replaced with the following:
Where it is determined by the local fire chief in
coordination with local law enforcement and EMS that the radio coverage system
is not needed.
2. Section
903.3.1.2 NFPA 13R sprinkler systems shall be replaced with the following:
Automatic sprinkler systems in Group R occupancies may be
installed throughout in accordance with NFPA 13R where the Group R occupancy
meets all of the following conditions:
(i) Four stories or less above grade
plane.
(ii) For other than Group
R-2 occupancies, the floor level of the highest story is 30 feet (9144 mm) or
less above the lowest level of fire department vehicle access.
For Group R-2 occupancies, the roof assembly is less than 45
feet (13716 mm) above the lowest level of fire department vehicle access. The
height of the roof assembly shall be determined by measuring the distance from
the lowest required fire vehicle access road surface adjacent to the building
to the eave of the highest pitched roof, the intersection of the highest roof
to the exterior wall, or the top of the highest parapet, whichever yields the
greatest distance.
(iii)
The floor level of the lowest story is 30 feet (9144 mm) or less below the
lowest level of fire department vehicle access. The number of stories of Group
R occupancies constructed in accordance with Sections 510.2 and 510.4 of the
International Building Code shall be measured from grade plane.
3. Appendix L (Requirements for
Fire Fighter Air Replenishment Systems) shall be optional.
4. For Group E occupancies in all
jurisdictions in Tennessee, local education agencies, public charter schools,
and non-public schools may allow classroom doors to be locked to prevent
unwanted entry provided that the locking means meets the requirements in the
National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) (2021) Section
15.2.2.2.4.1.
5. For college and
university instructional buildings in all jurisdictions in Tennessee, college
and university administrators may allow classroom doors to be locked to prevent
unwanted entry provided that the locking means meets the requirements in the
NFPA (2021) Section 39.2.2.2.2.
6.
The requirements for flammable gas shall be those found in the International
Fire Code (IFC), 2024 edition, published by the International Code Council
(ICC), and shall include the following:
(i)
For Chapter 2, the definition for Flammable Gas shall be replaced with the
definition found in the 2024 International Fire Code.
(ii) For flammable gases, Table 911.1 shall
be replaced with Table 911.1 of the 2024 International Fire Code.
(iii) For flammable gases, Table 5003.1.1(1)
shall be replaced with Table 5003.1.1(1) of the 2024 International Fire
Code.
(iv) For flammable gases,
Table 5003.1.1(3) shall be replaced with Table 5003.1.1(3) of the 2024
International Fire Code.
(v) For
flammable gases, Section 5003.8.3.5 shall be replaced with Section 5003.8.3.5
of the 2024 International Fire Code.
(vi) For flammable gases, Section 5003.11
shall be replaced with Section 5003.11 of the 2024 International Fire
Code.
(g) The
International Energy Conservation Code (IECC), 2021 edition, published by the
International Code Council (ICC), except for the following changes:
1. Remove C405.11 Automatic Receptacle
Control, C405.12 Energy Monitoring, and C408 Commissioning.
2. The 2006 edition shall apply to the
following occupancy classifications as defined by the International Building
Code (IBC), 2021 edition:
(i) Moderate-hazard
factory industrial, Group F-1;
(ii)
Low-hazard factory industrial, Group F-2;
(iii) Moderate-hazard storage, Group S-1;
and
(iv) Low-hazard storage, Group
S-2.
3. For daycares
licensed by DHS not located in a dwelling unit, the 2015 edition shall apply,
except C408 System Commissioning shall be removed.
(h) The International Existing Building Code
(IEBC), 2021 edition, published by the International Code Council (ICC), except
for the following changes:
1. Remove Chapter 3
Section 306 Accessibility for existing buildings.
2. Replace Section 405.2.3.3 Extent of repair
for noncompliant buildings with the following:
If the evaluation does not establish that the building in its
predamaged condition complies with the provisions of Section 405.2.3.1, then
the building, including its foundation, shall be retrofitted to comply with the
provisions of this section. The wind loads for the repair and retrofit shall be
those required by the building code in effect at the time of original
construction, unless the damage was caused by wind, in which case the wind
loads shall be in accordance with the International Building Code. The seismic
loads for this retrofit design shall be those required by the building code in
effect at the time of original construction, but not less than the reduced
seismic forces.
3. Replace
405.2.4 Substantial structural damage to gravity load-carrying components with
the following:
Gravity load-carrying components that have sustained
substantial structural damage shall be rehabilitated to comply with the
applicable provisions for dead, live, and snow loads in the International
Building Code. Undamaged gravity load-carrying components, including undamaged
foundation components, that receive dead, live, or snow loads from
rehabilitated components shall also be rehabilitated if required to comply with
the design loads of the rehabilitation design.
4. The requirements of Section 303 Storm
Shelters are not required.
(i) NFPA 101 Life Safety Code, 2021 edition,
published by the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA), shall govern new
Small Residential Board and Care facilities that:
1. Are a change of occupancy from either a
residential occupancy or a health care occupancy; and
2. House eight (8) or fewer residents, and
all residents have and maintain the ability to move reliably and escape to a
point of safety as a group within three (3) minutes.
(j) No provision of the preceding cited
publications shall be adopted that conflicts with:
1. The installation and service standards of
portable fire extinguishers and fixed fire extinguisher systems in Tenn. Comp.
R. & Regs.
0780-02-14-.02; and
2. The standards for engaging in the
liquefied petroleum gas business in Tenn. Comp. R. & Regs.
0780-02-17-.02.
(2) Paragraph (1) of this rule shall not be
construed as adopting any provision of the cited publications which
establishes:
(a) An optional or recommended,
rather than mandatory, standard or practice;
(b) Any agency, procedure, fees, or penalties
for administration or enforcement purposes inconsistent with the statute or
rules; or
(c) Any permits, fees, or
inspections that are inconsistent with Tenn. Comp. R. & Regs.
0780-02-03 or
other rules of the Department of Commerce and Insurance.
