This bill establishes new fire safety standards and protocols specifically for light frame residential construction, which includes buildings classified as Residential Group R under the International Building Code that contain more than two dwelling or sleeping units. Key requirements include the installation of an automatic sprinkler system, specific fire-resistance ratings for fire partitions and horizontal separations, and limitations on the number of stories based on whether the light framing is protected. Additionally, the bill mandates the presence of a fire watch warden during non-working hours throughout the construction process, or the use of comparable technology to monitor the site for fire hazards.

Furthermore, the bill requires that identifying emblems be affixed to the exterior entrances of structures with light frame or truss construction to indicate their fire hazard status, expanding the current law that only mandates emblems for truss construction. It also stipulates that placards identifying the primary structural system of the building must be placed near the fire alarm control panel and on an exterior wall close to the main entrance. The Commissioner of Community Affairs is tasked with reviewing the implementation of these provisions and reporting on their effectiveness within a year of the bill's enactment.

Statutes affected:
Introduced: 52:27D-198.4