BOSTON FIRE PREVENTION CODE

1 BOSTON FIRE PREVENTION CODE ORDINANCES OF 1979 CHAPTER 28 EFFECTIVE DATE, AUGUST 7, 1979 2 [Document 69 1979 ORDINANCES OF 1979, CHAPTER 28 ADOPTING THE BOSTON FIRE PREVENTION CODE OF 1979 In the Year Nineteen Hundred and Seventy-nine Be it ordained by the City Council of BOSTON as follows: SECTION 1. The City of BOSTON Code, Ordinances, Title 11, chapter 3, is hereby amended by inserting after section 81, the following section: Section 82. ( BOSTON Fire PREVENTION Code of 1979, attached hereto and incorporated herein.) SECTION 2. Chapter 3 of the Ordinances of 1959 is hereby repealed. 3 BOSTON FIRE PREVENTION CODE TABLE OF CONTENTS Page ARTICLE I. GENERAL PROVISIONS Section Title 11 Section Purpose 11 Section Definitions 11 Section Organization 12 Section Duties of the Head of the Fire Department 13 Section Duties of the Fire Marshal 12 Section Investigation of Harmful Fires 14 Section Investigation of Suspicious Fires 14 Section License for Hazardous Materials and Operations 15 Section Certificate of Registration 16 Section Revocation of License 16 Section Replacement and Alteration in Construction 16 Section Right of Persons Aggrieved by the Grant of a License 16 Section Permits 17 Section Revocation of Permit 18 Section Fees 18 Section Failure to Secure a Permit 18 Section Right of Person Aggrieved by Grant of a Permit 18 Section Approval of License]

2 Applications 18 Section Determination of Flammability 19 Section Right to Inspect 19 Section Investigation and Removal of Fire and Explosion Hazards 19 Section Division Records 20 Section Frequency of Inspections 20 Section Reports to Other City Departments 21 Section Penalties 21 Section Amendments and Reference Standards 21 ARTICLE II. AUTOMOBILE TIRE REBUILDING PLANTS Section General 22 Section Permit Required 22 Section Construction and Protection Requirements 22 Section Dust Collection System 22 Section Ventilation 22 ARTICLE III. AUTOMOBILE WRECKING YARDS, JUNK YARDS, SALVAGE YARDS, AND WASTE MATERIAL HANDLING PLANTS Section General 22 4 Page Section Permit Required 22 Section Location 23 Section Fencing 23 Section Roadways 23 Section Motor Vehicle Fuel Tanks 23 Section Construction and Protection Requirements 23 ARTICLE IV.

3 BOWLING ESTSBLISHMENTS Section General 23 Section Permit Required 24 Section Lane Resurfacing Operations 24 Section Pin Refinishing 24 Section Requirements for All Finishing Operations 24 ARTICLE V. COMBUSTIBLE FIBERS STORAGE AND HANDLING OF Section definition , Combustible Fibers 24 Section Permit Required 25 Section Loose Storage 25 Section Baled Storage Indoors 25 Section Baled Storage Outdoors 26 ARTICLE VI. COMBUSTIBLE METALS Section Scope 26 Section Permit 26 Section Outdoor Storage 26 Section Storage in Buildings 27 Section Processing Operations 27 Section Conflicting Requirements 27 ARTICLE VII. CONSTRUCTION AND DEMOLITION OPERATIONS Section Scope 27 Section Permit Required 27 Section Public Hydrant Service 28 Section Fire Extinguishing Service 28 Section Public and Private fire Alarm Service 28 Section Fire Alarm Services 28 Section Portable Fire Extinguishing Service 28 Section Guard Service 28 Section Access for Fire Department Apparatus and Personnel 29 Section Fire Doors and Opening Protectives 29 Section Temporary Heating Equipment 29 Section Temporary Construction 30 Section Waste Materials and Debris 30 ARTICLE VIII.

4 WELDING AND CUTTING Section Scope 30 Section Permit for Welding and Cutting 30 Section Certificate of Competency Required 30 5 Page Section Individual Job Authorizations 31 Section Where Fire Watchers are Required 31 Section Cutting and Welding Operations 31 Section Cutting and Welding Not Allowed 32 Section Storage of Cylinders and Containers 32 Section Manifolding of Cylinders 33 Section Service Piping Systems 33 Section Acetylene Generators 33 Section Electric Arc Welding and Cutting 34 ARTICLE IX. DECORATIONS, FURNISHINGS AND INTERIOR FINISHES Section Definitions 34 Section Permit Required 34 Section General Requirements 35 Section Classification 35 ARTICLE X. DUST EXPLOSIONS, PREVENTION OF Section Scope 36 Section definition 36 Section Permit 36 Section General Requirements 36 ARTICLE XI.

5 EXITS Section Scope of Requirements 36 Section Definitions 37 Section Means of Egress to be Maintained 37 Section Number of Means of Egress 37 Section Marked Means of Egress 37 Section Exit Doors 37 Section Obstruction to Means of Egress 38 Section Blocking and Barring Windows 38 Section Lighting as Means of Egress 38 Section Fire Exit Drills 38 Section Equipment and Systems Maintenance 39 ARTICLE XII. FIRE ALARM SYSTEMS Section Definitions 39 Section Fire Marshal to Survey Premises and Specify Equipment to be Provided 40 Section Permit to Install, Repair, or Alter Fire Alarm Systems 40 Section Certificate of Competency Required 41 Section Certificate of Completion 41 Section Permit for Fire Alarm 41 Section System Requirements 41 Section Alarm Initiating Systems 42 Section Supervisory System 42 Section Systems for Annunciation of Alarms 43 6 Page Section Monitoring Systems 44 Section Systems for Mechanical Control 44 Section Fire Alarm Service 45 Section Tests 45 Section Orders or Rules 45 Section Maintenance of Equipment 46 XIII.

6 FIRE EXTINGUISHERS Section Definitions 46 Section Certificate of Competency Required 46 Section Installation 47 Section Maintenance 47 Section Fire Extinguisher Cylinder Test 47 Section Inspection and Regulation 47 Section Survey and Specification 47 ARTICLE IV. FIRE EXTINGUISHING SYSTEMS Section Definitions 48 Section Permit Required to Install, Alter or Repair 48 Section Tests 48 Section Certificate of Completion 48 Section System Requirements 49 Section Water Supplies 49 Section Yards and Private Hydrant Systems 49 Section Standpipe Systems 50 Section Automatic Sprinkle System 51 Section Special Extinguishing Systems 51 Section Connections from the Public Water System 52 Section Fire Marshal to Survey Premises and Specify Equipment to be Provided 52 Section Maintenance of Fire Extinguishing Systems 52 ARTICLE XV.

7 FIRE IN THE OPEN Section Permit Required 53 Section Class I Permits Open Burning for Cooking Purposes 53 Section Class II Permits Flame Making Implements 53 Section Class III Permits Open Burning of Combustible Materials 54 Section Class IV Permits Incinerators in the Open 54 ARTICLE XVI. FLAMMABLE AND COMBUSTIBLE LIQUIDS Section Scope 54 Section Definitions 55 Section Licenses and permits Required 55 Section General Provisions 56 Section Stationary Tank Storage 56 7 Page Section Piping Systems 57 Section Container and Portable Tank Storage 57 Section Industrial Plants 58 Section Bulk Plants 59 Section Service Stations 59 Section Processing Plants 60 Section Refineries, Chemical Plants and Distilleries 60 Section Tank Vehicles for Transportation 61 Section Oil Burning Equipment 61 Section Dry Cleaning Equipment 62 Section Stationary Combustion Engines 62 Section Removal of Underground Tanks 62 ARTICLE XVII.

8 FLAMMABLE FINISHES, APPLICATION OF Section Scope 62 Section Permit Required 63 Section General Provisions 63 Section Spraying Operations 63 Section Operations Involving Dip Tanks 63 Section Operations Which Involve Organic Peroxides 64 ARTICLE XVIII. FUMIGATION AND FOGGING Section Scope 64 Section Definitions 64 Section Permit Required 64 Section Prohibition 65 Section Exemption 65 Section Certificate of Competency Required 65 Section Notification of Fumigation 65 Section Watchman Required 65 Section Confinement of Fumigation Agent 66 Section Protective Gear Required 66 Section Fire and Explosion PREVENTION 66 ARTICLE XIX. GASES Section Scope 66 Section Definitions 66 Section Licenses and Permits Required 67 Section General Provisions 67 Section Stationary Container Storage 69 Section Portable Containers 69 Section Piping Systems 70 Section Vaporizing Systems 70 Section Bulk Gas Transfer Facilities 70 Section Portable Container Filling Facilities 71 Section Vehicles for Highway Transportation 71 8 Page Section Gas Burning Equipment 71 Section Gas Therapy Facilities 72 Section Stationary Combustion Engines 72 ARTICLE XX.

9 HAZARDOUS MATERIALS Section Scope 72 Section Definitions 72 Section Permit Required 73 Section General Requirements 74 Section Corrosive Materials 74 Section Flammable Materials 74 Section Oxidizing Materials 74 Section radioactive Materials 75 Section Toxic materials 75 Section Poisonous Materials 76 Section Reactive Materials 76 Section Unstable Materials 76 ARTICLE XXI. HAZARDOUS OCCUPANCIES IN BUILDINGS USED FOR HABITATION Section Permit Required 76 Section Location and Separation 77 Section Vertical Openings 77 Section Fire Protection 77 Section Hazardous Materials 77 Section Means of Egress 77 ARTICLE XXII. INCINERATORS Section Permit Required 77 Section Incinerator Requirements 78 Section Incinerator Charging Equipment 78 Section Incinerator Rooms 78 ARTICLE XXIII.

10 LUMBER AND BUILDING MATERIALS STORAGE AND WOODWORKING PLANTS Section Permit Required 79 Section Location 79 Section Fencing 79 Section Roadways 79 Section Outdoor Piles 79 Section Waste Material and Debris 79 Section Weeds and Brush 80 Section Buildings 80 Section Blower and Exhaust Systems 80 Section Fire Extinguishers 80 Section Hydrant Service 80 Section Fire Alarm 80 9 Page ARTICLE XXIV. MATCHES Section Permit Required 80 Section Storage 80 Section Dangerous Matches 81 ARTICLE XXV. OPEN AIR PARKING SPACE Section Definitions 81 Section License or Permit Required 81 Section Terms and Conditions for Approval 81 Section Revocation of a License 82 ARTICLE XXVI. OVENS AND FURNACES Section Scope 82 Section Permits Required 82 Section Requirements 82 ARTICLE XXVII.