Pull station

From The Fire Panel

A pull station is a device that transmits a signal when it is pulled. Pull stations are most commonly used as initiating devices on fire alarm systems, but pull stations also exist for other purposes such as door release.

Operation

Conventional Pull Stations are very simple in the way they work. Conventional Panels will simply activate when they detect a short circuit on the IDC (Zone). Because of this, Conventional Pull Stations work like a simple light switch. When activated, a switch inside the device causes a short circuit, activating the panel. The pull station is designed to be locked in activation mode and cannot be reset with out a screw or key.

Intelligent pull stations might sound more complicated than they really are, however the overall concept is the same to that in conventional applications. The reason is that though they connect to the SLC and communicate digitally with the panel, this is really just a monitor module doing the work. The pull station itself is still just using a switch and short circuit. That switch is supervised by a resistor, and if the module in the pull station cannot see it's resistor, it causes a trouble. Upon a short circuit, it causes an alarm. These only require SLC power to operate.

Required locations

NFPA 72 section 17.15.9 requires pull stations to be located within 5 feet of each exit doorway (17.15.9.4), within 5 feet of grouped openings over 40 feet in width on both sides (17.15.9.6), and anywhere else needed so that occupants are always within 200 feet of travel distance from a pull station (17.15.9.5).

NFPA 101 section 9.6.2 states that if pull stations are required, they must be located within 5 feet of each exit doorway or in the natural exit path for existing buildings (9.6.2.3), within 5 feet of grouped openings over 40 feet in width on both sides (9.6.2.4), and anywhere else needed so that occupants are always within 200 feet of travel distance from a pull station (9.6.2.5). Additionally, under section 9.6.2.6, at least one pull station must always be provided in such areas, even if others are permitted to be eliminated due to the presence of automatic detection.

  • Sections 12.3.4.2.1 and 13.3.4.2.1 require pull stations in assembly occupancies unless the building is equipped with a sprinkler or detection system.
  • Sections 12.4.9.4.2.1 and 13.4.9.4.2.1 require a pull station to be installed in a constantly attended location in Class A/B special amusement buildings.
  • Sections 14.3.4.2.1 and 15.3.4.2.1 require pull stations to be installed in educational occupancies, but three exceptions exist:
    • Sections 14.3.4.2.3.1 and 15.3.4.2.3.1 allow pull stations to be eliminated if interior corridors are protected with smoke detectors, assembly areas and shops/laboratories are protected with heat detectors or approved alternatives, and the system can be manually activated at a central point.
    • Sections 14.3.4.2.3.2 and 15.3.4.2.3.2 allow pull stations to be eliminated if the entire building is protected with a sprinkler system and the fire alarm system can be manually activated at a central point.
    • In existing buildings, section 15.3.4.2.1 allows AHJs to waive the pull station requirement if a two-way communication system is provided in all normally occupied areas.
  • Sections 16.3.4.2 and 17.3.4.2 require pull stations in day care occupancies.
  • Sections 18.3.4.2.1 and 19.3.4.2.1 require pull stations in health care occupancies, but sections 18.3.4.2.2 and 19.3.4.2.2 waive this requirement for exits of patient sleeping areas, provided that the 200 foot requirement is still met and pull stations are provided at constantly attended locations.
  • Sections 20.3.4.2 and 21.3.4.2 require pull stations in ambulatory health care occupancies.
  • Sections 22.3.4.2 and 23.3.4.2 require pull stations in detention and correctional occupancies, but they may be locked if staff are provided with the necessary keys, and they may be kept exclusively in constantly attended staff locations if staff in those locations can directly supervise the sleeping areas.
  • Section 26.3.4.1.2 allows existing lodging or rooming houses to omit a fire alarm system if they provide at least one pull station on each floor that activates the smoke alarms.
  • Section 26.3.4.2 requires pull stations in lodging or rooming houses that do not have sprinkler systems.
  • Sections 28.3.4.2 and 29.3.4.2 require pull stations throughout hotels and dormitories, as well as one in a constantly attended location. Existing hotels and dormitories with sprinkler/detection systems may omit the pull stations if they have complete automatic detection.
  • Sections 30.3.4.2 and 31.3.4.2 require pull stations in apartments, except sprinklered apartments with up to 16 dwelling units and up to 4 stories.
  • Sections 32.2.3.4.2, 32.3.3.4.2, 33.2.3.4.2, and 33.3.3.4.2 require pull stations throughout residential board and care occupancies, but existing occupancies with automatic detection are exempt from this requirement. Additionally, facilities with more than 16 residents must provide a pull station in a constantly attended location (even if automatic detection is provided).
  • Section 33.2.3.4.1 allows a fire alarm system to be omitted from an existing residential board and care occupancy if a pull station or other manual mechanism is provided on each floor to activate the smoke alarms.
  • Sections 36.3.4.2 and 37.3.4.2 require pull stations or automatic detection in mercantile occupancies.
  • Sections 38.3.4.2 and 39.3.4.2 require pull stations or automatic detection in business occupancies.
  • Section 40.3.4.2 requires pull stations or automatic detection in industrial occupancies.
  • Sections 42.3.4.2 and 42.8.3.4.2 require pull stations or automatic detection in storage occupancies.

IBC/IFC section 907.2 similarly requires at least one pull station in every fire alarm system, except dedicated function fire alarm systems and group R-2 occupancies. If pull stations are required throughout a building, then under section 907.4.2.1, they must be installed within 5 feet of the entrance to each exit, and in unsprinklered buildings, pull stations must be arranged such that occupants are always within 200 feet of travel distance from the nearest pull station.

  • Section 907.2.1 requires pull stations in Group A occupancies unless a sprinkler system is provided.
  • Section 907.2.2 requires pull stations in Group B occupancies unless a sprinkler system is provided.
  • Section 907.2.3 requires pull stations in Group E occupancies, with two exceptions:
    • Pull stations are not required if interior corridors are protected by smoke detectors, assembly areas and shops/laboratories are protected by heat detectors or approved alternatives, and the fire alarm system can be manually activated from a central point.
    • Pull stations are not required if the entire building is protected by a sprinkler system and the fire alarm system can be manually activated from a central point.
  • Section 907.2.4 requires pull stations in Group F occupancies unless a sprinkler system is provided.
  • Section 907.2.5 requires pull stations in Group H-5 occupancies.
  • Section 907.2.6 requires pull stations in Group I occupancies, except sleeping units of Group I-1 and I-2 occupancies where the 200 foot requirement is met and pull stations are provided at constantly attended staff locations.
  • Section 907.2.6.3.2 allows pull stations in detainee areas of Group I-3 occupancies to be locked if staff have access to the necessary keys, or omitted if staff can directly supervise the areas from constantly attended locations with pull stations.
  • Section 907.2.7.1 requires pull stations in Group M occupancies unless a sprinkler system is provided.
  • Section 907.2.8.1 requires pull stations in Group R-1 occupancies unless a sprinkler system is provided.
  • Section 907.2.9.1 requires pull stations in Group R-2 occupancies unless a sprinkler system is provided.
  • Section 907.2.10.1 requires pull stations in public storage and self-storage occupancies unless a sprinkler system is provided.
  • Section 907.2.16 requires pull stations in aerosol product rooms and warehouses where required by IFC.
  • Section 907.2.17 requires pull stations in lumber, wood structural panel, and veneer mills.
  • Section 907.2.19 requires pull stations in deep underground buildings.
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