TECHNICAL

CHAPTER 7: COMMUNICATION ELEMENTS AND FEATURES

CHAPTER 7: COMMUNICATION ELEMENTS AND FEATURES

701 General

701.1 Scope.

The provisions of Chapter 7 shall apply where required by Chapter 2 or where referenced

by a requirement in this document.

702 Fire Alarm Systems

702.1 General.

Fire alarm systems shall have permanently installed audible and visible alarms

complying with NFPA 72 (1999 or 2002 edition) (incorporated by reference, see “Referenced Standards”

in Chapter 1), except that the maximum allowable sound level of audible notification appliances

complying with section 4-3.2.1 of NFPA 72 (1999 edition) shall have a sound level no more than 110 dB

at the minimum hearing distance from the audible appliance.

In addition, alarms in guest rooms required

to provide communication features shall comply with sections 4-3 and 4-4 of NFPA 72 (1999 edition) or

sections 7.4 and 7.5 of NFPA 72 (2002 edition).

EXCEPTION:

Fire alarm systems in medical care

facilities

shall be permitted to be provided in

accordance with industry practice.

703 Signs

703.1 General.

Signs shall comply with 703.

Where both visual and

tactile

characters

are required,

either one sign with both visual and

tactile

characters

, or two separate signs, one with visual, and one

with

tactile

characters

, shall be provided.

703.2 Raised Characters.

Raised

characters

shall comply with 703.2 and shall be duplicated in braille

complying with 703.3.

Raised

characters

shall be installed in accordance with 703.4.

703.2.1 Depth.

Raised

characters

shall be 1/32 inch (0.8 mm) minimum above their background.

703.2.2 Case.

Characters

shall be uppercase.

703.2.3 Style.

Characters

shall be sans serif.

Characters

shall not be italic, oblique, script, highly

decorative, or of other unusual forms.

703.2.4 Character Proportions

.

Characters

shall be selected from fonts where the width of the

uppercase letter “O” is 55 percent minimum and 110 percent maximum of the height of the

uppercase letter “I”.

703.2.5 Character Height.

Character

height measured vertically from the baseline of the

character

shall be 5/8 inch (16 mm) minimum and 2 inches (51 mm) maximum based on the height of the

uppercase letter “I”.

Advisory 703.2 Raised Characters.

Signs that are designed to be read by touch should

not have sharp or abrasive edges.

186

2010 Standards: Titles II and III

Department of Justice