8.1 Visible Alarms and Assistive Listening Systems
Key Takeaways
Visible alarm notification appliances are required in public use and common use areas; employee work areas with audible coverage need notification circuits with 20 percent spare capacity (IBC 907.5.2.3.1).
Group I-1 and R-1 facilities provide visible alarms in a number of units set by Table 907.5.2.3.2, activated by both the in-room smoke alarm and the building fire alarm system.
A117.1 702.1 requires alarms to be installed per NFPA 72, powered by commercial light and power, permanently wired and permanently installed.
Assembly spaces where audible communication is integral to the use need an assistive listening system, except where there is no audio amplification system (courtrooms always need one).
Receivers follow Table 1109.2.7.1 (for example, 2 plus 1 per 25 seats over 50 for 51 to 500 seats), with 1 per 4 hearing-aid compatible above 200 seats, and receivers have 1/8-inch monaural jacks.
8.1 Visible Alarms and Assistive Listening Systems
The Communication Elements domain is 6% of the exam: Alarms and Signs (4%), Telephones, Assistive Listening Systems and ATMs (1%) and Detectable Warnings (1%). Alarm scoping lives in IBC Chapter 9 because it was "mainstreamed" out of Chapter 11; the technical criteria are in A117.1 Section 702 and NFPA 72.
Visible Alarms (IBC 907.5.2.3)
Where a fire alarm system is required or provided with audible notification, visible notification follows these rules:
| Section | Location | Requirement |
|---|---|---|
| 907.5.2.3.1 | Public use areas and common use areas | Visible alarm notification appliances required (corridors, lobbies, meeting rooms, toilet rooms, classrooms and similar) |
| 907.5.2.3.1 Exception | Employee work areas with audible coverage | Notification appliance circuits designed with at least 20 percent spare capacity so visible appliances can be added for an employee with a hearing loss |
| 907.5.2.3.2 | Group I-1 and R-1 dwelling and sleeping units | Visible alarms in the number of units required by Table 907.5.2.3.2, activated by both the in-room smoke alarm and the building fire alarm system |
| 907.5.2.3.3 | Group R-2 with a required fire alarm system | All units have the capability to support visible notification appliances per A117.1 Section 1106 (wiring or equivalent) |
General exceptions include alterations (visible alarms not required unless the existing system is upgraded or replaced, or a new system installed), exits, and elevator cars.
Table 907.5.2.3.2: Units With Visible Alarms (I-1 and R-1)
| Aggregate dwelling and sleeping units | Units with visible alarms |
|---|---|
| 6 to 25 | 2 |
| 26 to 50 | 4 |
| 51 to 75 | 7 |
| 76 to 100 | 9 |
| 101 to 150 | 12 |
| 151 to 200 | 14 |
| 201 to 300 | 17 |
| 301 to 400 | 20 |
| 401 to 500 | 22 |
| 501 to 1,000 | 5% of total |
| 1,001 and over | 50, plus 3 for each 100 over 1,000 |
These units are the units with communication features discussed in Section 11.5; A117.1 Section 1106 sets their technical criteria.
A117.1 Section 702
Audible and visible alarms and notification appliances that are part of a building fire alarm system are installed per NFPA 72, powered by a commercial light and power source, permanently connected to the premises wiring and permanently installed. Appliances inside dwelling or sleeping units follow A117.1 1106.2 through 1106.4. A battery-powered plug-in strobe does not satisfy 702 for a required building alarm appliance.
Assistive Listening Systems (IBC 1109.2.7)
Each building, room or space used for assembly purposes where audible communications are integral to the use of the space shall have an assistive listening system.
Exception: other than in courtrooms, an assistive listening system is not required where there is no audio amplification system. A courtroom needs one regardless.
Table 1109.2.7.1: Receivers
| Seating capacity | Minimum receivers | Hearing-aid compatible |
|---|---|---|
| 50 or less | 2 | 2 |
| 51 to 200 | 2, plus 1 per 25 seats over 50 (or fraction) | 2 |
| 201 to 500 | 2, plus 1 per 25 seats over 50 | 1 per 4 receivers |
| 501 to 1,000 | 20, plus 1 per 33 seats over 500 | 1 per 4 receivers |
| 1,001 to 2,000 | 35, plus 1 per 50 seats over 1,000 | 1 per 4 receivers |
| Over 2,000 | 55, plus 1 per 100 seats over 2,000 | 1 per 4 receivers |
Exceptions: a building with several assembly spaces under one management may calculate receivers on the total seats if all receivers work with all systems; and where all seats are served by an induction loop, the hearing-aid-compatible minimum does not apply.
Other provisions: at least one ticket window at each location in stadiums and arenas has an assistive listening system (1109.2.7.2); stadiums, arenas and grandstands with 15,000 or more fixed seats that make audible public announcements provide captions of those announcements (1109.2.7.3).
Worked Calculation
A 380-seat auditorium with an amplified sound system:
- Receivers: 2 + (380 - 50)/25 = 2 + 13.2, rounded up to 14, so 2 + 14 = 16 receivers.
- Hearing-aid compatible: 1 per 4 receivers = 16/4 = 4.
Signs (IBC 1112.4 Item 1)
Each assembly area required to have an assistive listening system has a sign notifying patrons of its availability, with A117.1 visual characters and the International Symbol of Access for Hearing Loss (A117.1 703.6.3.3). Where ticket offices or windows are provided, signs at each ticket office may replace signs at each assembly area.
A117.1 Section 706 Technical Criteria
| Section | Requirement |
|---|---|
| 706.2 Receiver jacks | 1/8-in. standard monaural jack |
| 706.3 Induction loops | Comply with IEC 60118-4 |
| 706.4 Hearing-aid compatibility | Interface with telecoils through neck loops |
| 706.5 Sound pressure level | 110 to 118 dB, with a 50 dB volume control dynamic range |
| 706.6 Signal-to-noise | 18 dB minimum |
| 706.7 Peak clipping | 18 dB maximum relative to speech peaks |
A new 260-seat lecture hall has an amplified sound system. How many assistive listening receivers does IBC Table 1109.2.7.1 require, and how many must be hearing-aid compatible?
11 receivers, 2 hearing-aid compatible
11 receivers, 3 hearing-aid compatible
13 receivers, 4 hearing-aid compatible
9 receivers, 2 hearing-aid compatible
A new 120-room Group R-1 hotel has a building fire alarm system. How many sleeping units must have visible alarm notification under IBC Table 907.5.2.3.2?
6
9
12
14
A small courtroom has no audio amplification system. Under IBC 1109.2.7, is an assistive listening system required?
No, because there is no audio amplification system
No, because courtrooms are judicial facilities scoped elsewhere
Only if the courtroom seats more than 50
Yes, because the no-amplification exception does not apply to courtrooms
Sections you finish are checked off in the contents.