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Concerning your email it is the committee’s opinion that the correct sprinkler standard would be NFPA 13R. The Live/Work occupancy is listed in the IBC as an R-2, along with apartment houses, boarding houses, convents, dormitories, fraternities, sororities, hotels, motels, monasteries and vacation time share properties.

A research of the IBC 2009-2015 commentaries was conducted. The 2009 IBC 419.5 commentary is wishy-washy, referring to all 3 standards and notes an exception in the IRC to use 13D, but then refers to 903.3.1.3 for single family, duplexes and townhouses. The 2012 IBC 419.5 commentary removes all comments regarding 13D, stating NFPA 13 or 13R applies to live/work occupancies.

Based on the above, Live/Work occupancies would not be considered to be covered by NFPA 13D, whose scope covers one and two-family homes and manufactured homes. However, NFPA 13R scope does cover residential occupancies up to 4 stories, not exceeding 60 feet in height.

Further, IBC (and IFC) Sections 903.3.1.2 and 903.3.1.3 state the same NFPA 13R and 13D scope requirements.

The above opinion assumes that the Live/work occupancy meets the requirements of IBC Section 419, including:

1. The unit can be no larger than 3000 sq ft; and
2. The nonresidential cannot exceed 50% of the unit.
3. A max of 5 nonresidential workers or employees.
4. No High Hazard or Storage occupancies are permitted to be live/work
5. Aggregate area of storage cannot exceed 10% of the nonresidential portion of the unit.

Please note that the exception in Section 419.1 states that if the work area is an office, and it is less than 10% of the dwelling unit, the occupancy would not be considered a Live/Work occupancy.Contact Illinois Fire Inspectors Association to inquire about volunteer opportunities and the application process.

When testing a Keltron or AES Private One-Way radio the best way of determining if the radio is properly communicating with other radios is to get a copy of the NetCon report from the operator of the radio network which shows the typical level of connectivity for the particular radio.  This connectivity may vary from minute to minute but on a robust, properly managed network there should not be a connectivity issue.  An issue can exist for the radio itself being able to transmit and receive signals based on its antenna location.  The provider of the radio should be able to provide a test (there is equipment for this) of the radio to verify that the antenna is located such that the radio’s signals can communicate with other radios on the network.  The receiving equipment and software for the radio network (located at the monitoring point/supervising station) should alert when any radio has less than the minimum connectivity level required.

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NFPA 13 is very clear that “drop out” (or melt away) ceilings must be specifically listed and subsequently installed in accordance with their listing (NFPA 13 2016 section 8.15.15)
So, the real question is: is this material UL listed for such?  If the answer is no, then a sprinkler is required. We did not note any evidence of a UL listing. You should see if they have additional information of the UL listing number. Further, it appears that the booth rotates which would make the installation of a sprinkler improbable.

Chapter 14 of NFPA 72 - 2016 standard requires both heat and smoke detectors to be tested annually. For fixed temperature nonrestorable type heat detectors, test functionality mechanically and electrically (not tested with a heat gun) and the loop resistance must be recorded and compared to acceptance test results. Changes from the acceptance test must be investigated. Shorting out a loop before the detectors does not satisfy this requirement for testing. 

You may reference Table 14.4.3.2(d)(2) of NFPA 72 (page 72-89). Also note that Table 14.4.3.2(d)(3), after 15 years requires fixed temperature spot type heat detectors to be replaced or have 2 of the detectors per 100 laboratory tested.”