Purpose of the Bill

This bill aims to establish fire life safety damper testing and inspection procedures in Minnesota. It provides a framework for ensuring these systems are in working order to prevent the spread of fire and smoke in buildings, thus enhancing public safety.

Main Provisions

• Inspection Program: Building owners are required to establish a fire life safety damper and smoke control system inspection verification program.
• Testing Requirements:
  • Fire life safety dampers must be inspected visually after installation and periodically—at least once in the first year and then every four years. In hospitals, inspections occur every six years.
  • Smoke control systems must be inspected semiannually for dedicated systems and annually for nondedicated systems.
• Inspector Qualifications: Inspections must be conducted by qualified individuals, such as certified technicians or authorized fire department personnel.
• Certificates and Reports: Inspectors must provide certificates of operation if systems pass inspections or deficiency reports if they fail.
• Compliance and Enforcement: Building owners must address deficiencies within 30 days, and the state fire marshal will enforce compliance through regular inspections and penalties.
• Rulemaking: The commissioner of public safety is tasked with adopting rules to implement these provisions.

Significant Changes

• Mandatory Inspections: This bill introduces mandatory periodic inspections of fire life safety dampers and smoke control systems, which were not previously standardized.
• Certification and Penalties: Establishes a certification process for inspectors and enforces compliance with civil penalties for noncompliance.

Relevant Terms

fire life safety dampers, smoke control system, inspection verification program, NFPA standards, qualified inspector, certificate of operation, deficiency report, HVAC system, state fire marshal, building owner responsibility, public safety, compliance penalties.