PRINTER'S NO. 54
No. 52 Session of 1979
INTRODUCED BY GALLEN, ANDERSON, DAVIES AND FRYER, FEBRUARY 5, 1979
REFERRED TO COMMITTEE ON STATE GOVERNMENT, FEBRUARY 5, 1979
AN ACT 1 Amending the act of April 27, 1927 (P.L.465, No.299), entitled, 2 as amended, "An act to provide for the safety of persons 3 employed, housed, or assembled in certain buildings and 4 structures not in cities of the first class, second class, 5 and second class A, by requiring certain construction and 6 ways of egress, equipment, and maintenance; providing for the 7 licensing of projectionists, except in cities of the first 8 class and second class; requiring the submission of plans for 9 examination and approval; providing for the promulgation of 10 rules and regulations for the enforcement of this act; 11 providing for the enforcement of this act by the Department 12 of Labor and Industry and, in certain cases, by the chiefs of 13 fire departments in cities of the third class; providing 14 penalties for violations of the provisions of this act; and 15 repealing certain acts," authorizing the installation of an 16 electronic smoke detector system in lieu of an automatic 17 water sprinkler system in certain Class I buildings. 18 The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania 19 hereby enacts as follows: 20 Section 1. Section 1, act of April 27, 1927 (P.L.465, 21 No.299), referred to as the Fire and Panic Act, amended May 28, 22 1937 (P.L.1016, No.281), is amended to read: 23 Section 1. Be it enacted, &c., That, 24 General Requirement.--Every building enumerated in this act, 25 erected or adapted for any of the purposes of the several
1 classes of buildings covered by this act, shall be so 2 constructed, equipped, operated, and maintained, with respect to 3 type of construction and materials used, fireproofing, number 4 and type of ways of egress, aisles and passageways, stairs and 5 fire escapes, wall openings, exits and exit signs, doors and 6 doorways, shaftways and other vertical openings, emergency 7 lighting, automatic sprinkler systems or electronic smoke 8 detector systems, fire alarm systems, fire drills, electrical 9 equipment, inflammable and explosive materials, heating 10 apparatus and fuel storage, number of occupants, ventilation, 11 arrangement of seating and standing space, construction and 12 equipment of stages, projection rooms, and dressing rooms, and 13 all other fire and panic protection as to provide for the safety 14 and health of all persons employed, accommodated, housed, or 15 assembled therein. Whenever any building designated in this act 16 shall, in the opinion of the Department of Labor and Industry, 17 become dangerous to further occupancy because of structural or 18 other defects, it shall immediately be closed to further 19 occupancy, and a sign posted thereon to that effect. Such 20 building shall not again be occupied until all recommendations 21 of the department to eliminate hazardous conditions are complied 22 with. 23 The Department of Labor and Industry shall have the power, 24 and its duty shall be, to make, alter, amend, or repeal rules 25 and regulations for carrying into effect all of the provisions 26 of this act, applying such provisions to specific conditions, 27 and prescribing means, methods and practices to make effective 28 such provisions. 29 Section 2. Section 3 of the act, amended April 11, 1939 30 (P.L.18, No.17), is amended to read: 19790H0052B0054 - 2 -
1 Section 3. Special Requirements.--There shall be installed 2 such emergency lighting systems, sprinkler systems, and fire 3 alarm systems, in such of the buildings enumerated in this act 4 as the Department of Labor and Industry may specify and which in 5 its judgment are necessary to give proper protection from fire 6 and panic to those employed, assembled, lodged or housed 7 therein. No such systems shall be installed unless they are of a 8 type approved by the Department of Labor and Industry. 9 Any school building included in Class I shall be given the 10 option by the Department of Labor and Industry to install an 11 electronic smoke detector system in lieu of an automatic water 12 sprinkler system whenever the Department of Labor and Industry 13 deems an automatic water sprinkler system necessary. 14 Section 3. This act shall take effect immediately. A8L32RZ/19790H0052B0054 - 3 -