Amendments have been issued for the National Fire Protection Association’s (NFPA) two key safety codes. Precipitated by recent nightclub tragedies in both Rhode Island and Chicago, NPFA says the amendments institute requirements are believed at this time to be among the nation’s most stringent.

Effective in less than one month, the new requirements will be included in NFPA 101, Life Safety Code(r), and NFPA 5000(tm), Building Construction and Safety Code(tm). The requirements call for fire sprinklers in all new nightclub-type facilities, and for existing nightclubs with occupancies exceeding 100.

Also issued were restrictions to festival seating when occupancies exceed 250 (unless a life-safety evaluation is performed), a requirement for crowd managers for all places of assembly, and requirements for regular egress inspection and record-keeping for existing nightclubs.

“History will show the importance of these code changes,” said James Shannon, NFPA president and CEO. “Once again, we see the NFPA codes and standards system being responsive to these kinds of terrible tragedies.”

The Standard Council for NFPA issued the amendments. The council is a 13-member body charged with overseeing the association’s codes and standards development activities and regulations.

Go go to www.nfpa.org to learn more about the Standards Council decision.

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