HomeMy WebLinkAbout401.013 - Clean Agent System Plan SpecificationsEffective Date: October 2016 Justin H. Beal, Fire Prevention Engineer
Current Revision Date: 6/26/2025 Section 401.013
Next Revision Date: 6/26/2028 Page 1 of 7
Fresno City Fire Department
400 Prevention Manual
SECTION 401.013 CLEAN AGENT SYSTEM SPECIFICATIONS
PURPOSE
The purpose of this policy is to clarify the Fresno Fire Department’s (FFD or
Department) requirements regarding the preparation and submission of all clean
agent system construction documents.
APPLICATION
This policy applies to all clean agent (and similar style) fire extinguishing and
suppression system construction documents submitted to FFD for review and approval
within the City of Fresno (COF) and contract service areas. These requirements apply
to both required and voluntarily installed clean agent (and similar style) fire
extinguishing and suppression systems.
OPERATIONAL POLICY
Based upon the need for uniformity in application across the Department’s diverse
service delivery area, and after careful deliberation, the Department has determined
the following:
1. Clean agent system construction documents must be drawn with care by a
trained person who is skilled in clean agent fire-extinguishing-system
technology, and who meets all of the requirements found within the applicable
law, code, ordinance, or adopted referenced standard.
2. Construction documents must be drawn on a minimum of twenty-four (24”) inch
by thirty-six (36”) inch paper and must be drawn to an indicated scale of not
less than one-eighth (1/8”) inch = one (1’) foot.
3. All notes and information on each plan sheet must be a minimum of twelve (12)
pt. font or larger. Fonts must be Engineers font, Architects font, Arial font or
Calibri font. Construction documents using unusual or difficult to read fonts will
not be accepted. The Fire Marshal (or designee) will make the determination
of acceptability, and the determination will be final.
Effective Date: October 2016 Justin H. Beal, Fire Prevention Engineer
Current Revision Date: 6/26/2025 Section 401.013
Next Revision Date: 6/26/2028 Page 2 of 7
4. An area of no less than four (4”) inches by six (6”) inches, located in the bottom
right-hand corner of each plan sheet (excluding the title block), must be left free
of any text, mark, etc., to facilitate the marking of construction documents by
Department staff.
5. Drawings are required to generally be organized based upon the United States
Department of Energy, Fundamentals Handbook for Engineering Symbology,
Prints, and Drawings (Vols. 1 & 2) (1993 ed., 2015 upd.). Available for
download at:
https://www.standards.doe.gov/standards-documents/1000/1016-bhdbk-
1993-v1
6. Drawing line weights, matchlines (where used) and legibility (including printed
pages) will be in accordance with either the United States Department of
Energy, Fundamentals Handbook for Engineering Symbology, Prints, and
Drawings (Vols. 1 & 2) (1993 ed., 2015 upd.), or the latest edition of the
American Institute of Architects design guidelines.
7. All fire protection symbols must be in accordance with NFPA 170 – Standard
for Fire Safety and Emergency Symbols where a symbol is provided. Other
symbols are not permitted by FFD. For each type of nozzle to be installed, a
different symbol will be used.
8. Bells are not permitted to be used as notification appliances for any clean agent
(or similar) of extinguishing systems, except fire sprinkler systems.
9. At a minimum, each of the following items must be included on the construction
documents. Construction documents that omit any of these items will be
returned for revision:
A. Each of the 28 separate items noted in NFPA 2001, Standard on Clean
Agent Extinguishing Systems, regarding system design.
B. The room use (different than occupancy noted above), the total square
footage, the room dimensions, and the finished ceiling height.
C. A detailed scope of work for the project including a description sufficient
to clearly indicate the location, nature and extent of the work. A scope
of work indicating “installation of a clean agent system”, or similar non-
descript scoping is inadequate, and the construction documents will be
returned to be updated.
D. Location of the project, including the COF officially assigned address,
and the COF building permit number (if applicable).
Effective Date: October 2016 Justin H. Beal, Fire Prevention Engineer
Current Revision Date: 6/26/2025 Section 401.013
Next Revision Date: 6/26/2028 Page 3 of 7
E. An estimated value of the work for which the permit is being issued. The
estimated valuation shall include the total value of work, including
materials and labor, for which the permit is being issued.
NOTE: Where, in the opinion of the Fire Marshal (or designee) the
valuation appears to be underestimated, the permit will be denied unless
the permit applicant can show detailed estimates acceptable to the Fire
Marshal (or designee). The Fire Marshal (or designee) has the authority
to adjust the final valuation for permit fees, regardless of valuation
proposed by the permit applicant.
F. A site plan of the location. A site plan will show the layout of the building
relative to public streets and private drives. A location pin from mapping
software does not meet the requirements of a site plan.
G. Name of the installing contractor, address, phone number, type of
license and license number, with wet stamp and signature on each plan
sheet.
H. The California Building Code (CBC) occupancy group of the building and
an indication of whether the building is equipped with an automatic fire
sprinkler system.
Unsprinklered buildings are required to have a reserve agent tank of a
volume equal to or greater than the design concentration required for
the system installed as a condition of permit issuance.
I. Concentration calculations. These are permitted to be in the submittal
book in lieu of being located on plan sheets.
J. Clean agent sequence of operation matrix. Matrices will be prepared in
the format shown on the sample matrix at the end of this policy and
include signal transmission for all signals. Signal transmission must be
in accordance with NFPA 72, National Fire Alarm and Signaling Code.
K. Equipment legend. Equipment legends will be prepared in the format
shown on the sample legend at the end of this policy. All equipment
must be shown including: Horns, strobes, abort switches, activation
mechanisms, solenoids, signage, etc.
L. HVAC system and/or damper interconnection and location of equipment
(See: Fire Prevention Manual, Section 407.004, HVAC Shut Off).
M. Voltage drop calculations using a starting voltage of 20.4V.
Effective Date: October 2016 Justin H. Beal, Fire Prevention Engineer
Current Revision Date: 6/26/2025 Section 401.013
Next Revision Date: 6/26/2028 Page 4 of 7
N. If using an exception found in NFPA 72, NFPA 2001, or the California
Fire Code (CFC), it is the designer/contractor’s responsibility to provide
adequate and necessary documentation to use the exception per the
CFC.
Alternate detector spacing, etc. must be noted in a sufficient manner.
The Fire Marshal, or designee will make the determination of
acceptability, and the determination will be final.
O. Complete riser diagram.
10. The following standard notes must be applied (verbatim) to the first sheet of the
construction document:
A. It is the contractor’s responsibility to make all work available for
inspection.
B. A full-sized copy of the approved construction documents, submittal
booklets, etc. is required to be on site during any fire department
inspection.
C. Contractors are required to provide a decibel meter during final
acceptance testing to field verify audible characteristics. No final will be
given by the Department unless the required audibility is field verified.
D. Installation must comply with California Electrical Code (CEC) regarding
penetrations through fire resistive assemblies to prevent the spread of
fire and toxic products of combustion.
E. All other extinguishing systems (i.e., clean agent systems, etc.) must
be/or are interconnected to the master fire alarm control unit including
on the sequence of operation, where a building fire alarm system is
present.
F. Exterior components must be mounted in a weather tight manner.
G. All existing equipment is required to be noted with an (E) on all
construction documents (if applicable).
H. Designer has verified that all new fire alarm equipment to be installed is
backward compatible with existing fire alarm equipment (if applicable).
I. All applicable code and adopted referenced standards must be noted on
the construction documents.
Effective Date: October 2016 Justin H. Beal, Fire Prevention Engineer
Current Revision Date: 6/26/2025 Section 401.013
Next Revision Date: 6/26/2028 Page 5 of 7
OPERATIONAL GUIDELINE
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PROCESS
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INFORMATION
As noted in the CFC, the fire code official has the authority to formulate policies they
deem necessary based upon local conditions related to construction documents for all
systems and applications.
DEFINITIONS
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CROSS-REFERENCES
United States Department of Energy, Fundamentals Handbook for Engineering
Symbology, Prints, and Drawings (Vols. 1 & 2) (1993 ed., 2015 upd.)
NFPA 170, currently adopted edition
NFPA 2001, currently adopted edition w/ California Amendments
California Building Code, currently adopted edition
NFPA 72, National Fire Alarm and Signaling Code, currently adopted edition
Fire Prevention Manual
Section 407.004, HVAC Shut Off
California Fire Code, currently adopted edition
California Electrical Code, currently adopted edition
Effective Date: October 2016 Justin H. Beal, Fire Prevention Engineer
Current Revision Date: 6/26/2025 Section 401.013
Next Revision Date: 6/26/2028 Page 6 of 7
Effective Date: October 2016 Justin H. Beal, Fire Prevention Engineer
Current Revision Date: 6/26/2025 Section 401.013
Next Revision Date: 6/26/2028 Page 7 of 7