Design of Fire Suppression Systems

PURPOSE: This rule requires fire suppression systems to be designed and sealed by, or under the immediate personal supervision of, a qualified professional engineer. (1) Pursuant to section 327.181, RSMo, the design of fire suppression systems is engineering and therefore the plans for those systems must be designed and sealed by, or under the immediate personal supervision of, a qualified professional engineer. This can be accomplished by either of two (2) ways: (A) A qualified professional engineer seals construction documents that specify the design and performance criteria for the fire suppression system, including sprinklers, fire alarm systems, and other fire suppression systems. The layout and sizing of these systems may be done by a Level III Technician certified by the National Institute for Certification in Engineering Technologies (NICET). The resulting plans may be submitted to the qualified professional engineer as shop drawings. The qualified professional engineer issuing construction documents specifying design and performance criteria must review and approve the submitted shop drawings for compliance with the design and specifications shown on the construction documents; or (B) The plans for the sprinklers, fire alarm systems, and other fire suppression systems must be designed and sealed by, or under the immediate personal supervision of, a qualified professional engineer. (2) Nothing in this section prohibits the qualified professional engineer issuing construction documents specifying design and performance criteria, at his/her discretion, to specify and require submitted shop drawings to be designed and sealed, by, or under the immediate personal supervision of, a qualified professional engineer. (3) The design of fire suppression systems for dwelling units as defined in the National Fire Protection Association’s Standard for the Installation of Sprinkler Systems (NFPA 13D) is exempt and is not required to be designed by a qualified professional engineer so long as the layout and sizing of these systems are done by a Level III Technician certified in the Fire Suppression System Layout by the NICET. Engineering decisions needed when the scope of the project is not clearly addressed in NFPA 13D shall be done by a qualified professional engineer. (4) The term “qualified professional engineer” used in 20 CSR 2030–21.010 means a professional engineer, as defined under section 327.181, RSMo, who has specific sprinkler, fire alarm system, or other fire suppression system education, training, and experience, as determined by the board, necessary to protect the health, safety, and welfare of the public. AUTHORITY: section 327.041, RSMo 2016.* This rule originally filed as 4 CSR 30-21.010. Original rule filed May 13, 2005, effective Nov. 30, 2005. Moved to 20 CSR 203021.010, effective Aug. 28, 2006. Amended: Filed July 22, 2009, effective Jan. 30, 2010. Non-substantive change filed Oct. 21, 2015, published Dec. 31, 2015. Amended: Filed May 30, 2018, effective Dec. 30, 2018. *Original authority: 327.041, RSMo 1969, amended 1981, 1986, 1989, 1993, 1995, 1999, 2001, 2010, 2014.