Compliance Standards for Sale of Burglar Bars

[LOGO] MIKE CHANEY Commissioner of Insurance State Fire Marshal MARK HAIRE Deputy Commissioner of Insurance RICKY DAVIS State Chief Deputy Fire Marshal # MISSISSIPPI INSURANCE DEPARTMENT 501 N. WEST STREET, SUITE 1001 WOOLFOLK BUILDING JACKSON, MISSISSIPPI 39201 www.mid.ms.gov MAILING ADDRESS Post Office Box 79 Jackson, Mississippi 39205-0079 TELEPHONE: (601) 359-3569 FAX: (601) 359-2474 # BULLETIN 2014-5 MISSISSIPPI INSURANCE DEPARTMENT # COMPLIANCE STANDARDS FOR SALE OF BURGLAR BARS # I. Purpose and Scope The Mississippi Code “Fire Protection Regulations, Fire Protection and Fire Safety in Buildings” lists the statutory requirements and duties of the Mississippi Insurance Commissioner in his position as the State Fire Marshal. The purpose of the above code section is to foster, promote and develop ways and means of protecting life and property from fire and related perils. Miss. Code Ann. § 45-11-1 (Revised 2011). The “Sale of Burglar Bars” law directs the State Fire Marshal to “promulgate rules and regulations as necessary to carry out” this law which adopts the Standard Building Code of the Southern Building Code Congress International. Miss. Code Ann. § 45-11-73 (Revised 2011). As of 1994, the Southern Building Code Congress International, Inc. became the International Code Council. The Mississippi Fire Prevention Code adopted the International Fire Code as published by the International Code Council effective November 21, 2012. Therefore the “Sale of Burglar Bars” law incorporates the 2012 edition of the International Code Council as revised or amended. 19 Miss. Admin. Code, Part 7, Chapter 7, Rules and Regulations for the Mississippi Fire Prevention Code (11/21/2012). # II. Standards. In accordance with current law, any burglar bars offered for sale or installation to the public in the state of Mississippi shall meet the following minimum specifications in the International Code Council (ICC), Chapter 3, Section R310 Emergency Escape and Rescue Openings and incorporated into the Mississippi Code Annotated as stated below. # Section R310 Emergency Escape and Rescue Openings a. R310.4 Bars, grilles, covers and screens. Bars, grilles, covers, screens or similar devices are permitted to be placed over emergency escape and rescue openings, bulkhead enclosures, or window wells that serve such openings, provided the minimum net clear opening size complies with Sections R310.1.1 to R310.1.3, and such devices shall be releasable or removable from the inside without the use of a key, tool, special knowledge or force greater than that which is required for normal operation of the escape and rescue opening. i. R310.1.1 Minimum opening area. All emergency escape and rescue openings shall have a minimum net clear opening of 5.7 square feet (0.530 m²). ii. R310.1.3 Minimum opening width. The minimum net clear opening width shall be 20 inches (508 mm). ### III. Enforcement Any person violating these provisions, upon conviction, “shall be fined in an amount not to exceed One Thousand Dollars ($1,000.00), and in the case of continuing violations without reasonable effort on the part of the defendant to correct such violation, each day of violation thereafter shall be a separate offense.” Miss. Code Ann. § 45-11-75 (Rev. 2011). The Fire Code Enforcement and Inspection Division of the State Fire Marshal's Office shall enforce the provisions of this bulletin in their respective jurisdictions in accordance with the Mississippi Fire Prevention Code. In any county or municipality that has adopted a fire prevention code with standards not less stringent than the Mississippi Fire Prevention Code, the provisions and enforcement mechanism thereof shall apply instead of the Mississippi Fire Prevention Code. Questions may be directed to the State Fire Marshal’s office at (601) 359-1061. MIKE CHANEY COMMISSIONER OF INSURANCE