CHAPTER
Referenced Publications 2
that the provisions of Chapter 7, Means of Egress, are mandated.
2.1 General Regardless of whether a requirement actually resides within the
Code or is mandatorily referenced and appears only in the refer-
The documents referenced in this chapter, or portions of such documents,
are referenced within this Code, shall be considered part of the require- enced publication, the requirement must be met to achieve
ments of this Code, and the following shall also apply: compliance with the Code. Annex D lists the nonmandatory ref-
erenced publications that appear in the advisory text of
(1)* Documents referenced in this chapter, or portion of such docu- Annexes A, B, and C.
ments, shall only be applicable to the extent called for within other The reasons for locating all mandatory references in a single
chapters of this Code.
chapter are, first, to simplify use of the Code and, second, to
(2) Where the requirements of a referenced code or standard differ
make it easier for adopting jurisdictions to update the references
from the requirements of this Code, the requirements of this Code
shall govern. in only one location rather than throughout the Code. The edi-
(3)* Existing buildings or installations that do not comply with the tions of the referenced publications listed in Chapter 2 are legally
provisions of the codes or standards referenced in this chapter referenced editions, unless the jurisdiction, when adopting the
shall be permitted to be continued in service, provided that the Code, has updated the list of codes and standards.
lack of conformity with these documents does not present a serious The Life Safety Code achieves its intended level of occupant
hazard to the occupants as determined by the authority having safety by mandating the installation of various building features
jurisdiction. and systems. Where specific equipment and systems are
∆ A.2.1(1) For example, NFPA 10 is referenced in Chapter 2. This does
required, their proper installation and maintenance are impor-
not mean that all buildings must have portable fire extinguishers. Por- tant. Rather than develop its own installation criteria, the Code
table fire extinguishers are mandatory only to the extent called for else- mandates the use of expert documents. The referenced docu-
where in the Code. ment becomes a legally enforceable part of NFPA 101.
The Code user is cautioned not to browse Chapter 2 for pur-
A.2.1(3) The Committee on Safety to Life recognizes that it is impracti- poses of identifying which documents must be used for comply-
cal to continually upgrade existing buildings or installations to comply
ing with the Code. Instead, the user should locate the applicable
with all the requirements of the referenced publications included in
Code provision that mandates the use of a particular publication
Chapter 2.
in order to understand the extent to which the referenced publi-
The provisions of Section 2.1 deviate from the boilerplate text or cation must be followed.
template used at the beginning of Chapter 2 of most NFPA codes The level of reference to a particular document varies. For
and standards. The standard template does not provide the example, although NFPA 72®, National Fire Alarm and Signaling
information needed for the user to understand to what degree Code®,1 permits numerous occupant notification measures,
the referenced publications are to be followed and whether it is NFPA 101 might limit the options that can be used for an occu-
intended that existing systems be upgraded to the requirements pancy. Paragraphs 14.3.4.3.1.3 and 15.3.4.3.1.3 permit positive
of the edition of the document cited. The revised provisions of alarm sequence notification for new and existing educational
Section 2.1 include 2.1(3), which in earlier editions had been rel- occupancies; however, rather than specifying the role of positive
egated to, and lost within, the general provisions of Chapter 4. alarm sequence, those paragraphs refer to 9.6.3.4. Para-
All text relevant to mandatory referenced publications resides in graph 9.6.3.4 points the user to NFPA 72 for the detailed criteria
one place at the beginning of Chapter 2. applicable to positive alarm sequence, provided that the occu-
Chapter 2 lists mandatory referenced publications. It pro- pancy chapter permits its use.
vides the full title and edition year for documents referenced Another occupant notification method, the presignal sys-
mandatorily by other Code sections. The references interspersed tem, as described in NFPA 72, is addressed by the Code. Once
throughout the Code might include only an identifier, for exam- again, however, an occupancy chapter must permit the presig-
ple NFPA 13, without providing a title. The Code user is presented nal system as detailed in 9.6.3.3. A presignal system is not per-
with a complete list of publications needed for effective use of mitted for use in educational occupancies. Therefore, even
the Code. The provisions of the publications that are mandated though it is recognized in NFPA 72, this occupant notification
by the Code are also requirements in the same way, for example, method is not permitted for schools. Thus, not all of the options
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