N.Y.C. Admin. Code § BC 915: Section BC 915: Carbon Monoxide Detection

915.1 Carbon monoxide alarms and detectors.

Carbon monoxide alarms and detectors shall be provided and installed in accordance with Sections 915.1.1 through 915.7.

915.1.1 Group I-1 and R occupancies.

Listed carbon monoxide alarms or detectors shall be installed as follows:

1. Group I-1, Group R-1, and Group R-2 where the main use or dominant occupancy of a building is classified as Group R-2 student apartments. Carbon monoxide detectors and audible notification appliances shall be installed in affected dwelling units in accordance with Section 915.1.1.1 and shall be annunciated by dwelling unit at a constantly attended location from which the fire alarm system is capable of being manually activated.

2. Groups R-2 (other than occupancies covered by Item 1) and R-3. Carbon monoxide alarms shall be installed in affected dwelling units in accordance with Section 915.1.1.1.

915.1.1.1 Affected dwelling units.

Carbon monoxide alarms or detectors shall be required within the following dwelling units:

1. Units on the same story where carbon monoxide-producing equipment or enclosed parking is located.

2. Units on the stories immediately above and below the floor where carbon monoxide-producing equipment or enclosed parking is located.

3. Units in a building containing a carbon monoxide-producing furnace, boiler, or water heater as part of a central system.

4. Units in a building served by a carbon monoxide-producing furnace, boiler, or water heater as part of a central system that is located in an adjoining or attached building.

915.1.1.1.1 Required locations within dwelling units.

Carbon monoxide alarms or detectors shall be located within dwelling units as follows:

1. Outside of any room used for sleeping purposes, within 15 feet (4572 mm) of the entrance to such room.

2. In any room used for sleeping purposes.

3. On any story within a dwelling unit, including below-grade stories and penthouses of any area, but not including crawl spaces and uninhabitable attics.

915.1.1.1.2 Exhaust of carbon monoxide in Group R-3 occupancies (one- and two-family dwellings and townhouses).

Means of exhausting carbon monoxide from garages shall be provided when a carbon monoxide alarm or detector is activated in a Group R-3 occupancy, provided such garage is attached within the Group R-3 occupancy. Such exhaust system shall be arranged to operate automatically upon detection of a concentration of carbon monoxide of 35 parts per million (ppm) or greater by approved automatic detection device. The system shall be capable of producing an exhaust rate of 1.5 cfm per square foot of floor area of the garage. Removal of sensor, interruption of power or cut wires shall cause the relay circuit to open and start fan. The relay contact shall close and the fan may shut off when the carbon monoxide level is below 35 ppm. Carbon monoxide exhausting means shall be connected to a separate circuit and provided with a lock and identified at the power source. Such circuit shall not be connected to a power source through an arc-fault or Ground Fault Circuit Interrupter (GFCI) devices. Additionally, when the carbon monoxide exhausting means is connected to the plug-in-type overcurrent protection device, such device shall be secured in place by an additional fastener.

915.1.2 Buildings that are equipped with a fire alarm system and that contain Group A-1, A-2, A-3, Group B or Group M occupancies.

Listed carbon monoxide detectors shall be installed in buildings that are equipped with a fire alarm system and that contain Group A-1, A-2 or A-3, Group B or Group M occupancies. Such carbon monoxide detectors installed pursuant to this section shall have built-in sounder bases, shall transmit a carbon monoxide alarm signal to a central supervising station and shall be permitted to initiate an audible and visual supervisory signal at a constantly attended location. The department shall adopt rules and/or reference standards governing the installation and location of carbon monoxide detectors provided such detectors shall be required within rooms containing carbon monoxide-producing equipment and addressing the installation of such detectors or any alternative means of compliance in existing buildings.

915.1.2.1 Retroactive provisions for existing buildings.

Notwithstanding any other provision of law, listed carbon monoxide detectors shall be installed in existing buildings that are equipped with a fire alarm system and that contain group A-1, A-2, A-3, Group B or Group M occupancies in accordance with Section 915.1.2 by July 1, 2021.

915.2 Group E, I-2 and I-4 occupancies.

Listed carbon monoxide detectors with built-in sounder bases shall transmit a carbon monoxide alarm signal to a central supervising station and shall be permitted to initiate an audible and visual supervisory signal at a constantly attended location.

1. Carbon monoxide detectors with built-in sounder bases shall be installed within any room containing carbon monoxide-producing equipment.

2. Carbon monoxide detectors with built-in sounder bases shall be installed in corridors on the story where carbon monoxide-producing equipment unit is located, as well as one story above and one story below.

3. Carbon monoxide detectors with built-in sounder bases shall be installed in all corridors on the story where enclosed parking or a loading dock is located, as well as one story above and one story below.

915.3 Installation requirement for all occupancies.

Where a fire alarm system is required or provided, carbon monoxide detectors with sounder bases shall be installed within any room containing carbon monoxide-producing equipment.

915.3.1 Equipment shutdown.

Activation of a carbon monoxide detector located at the source of carbon monoxide-producing equipment shall shut down that source.

Exception: This provision does not apply where the source is a generator.

915.4 Detection equipment.

Carbon monoxide detection required by Sections 915.1 through 915.2 shall be provided by carbon monoxide alarms complying with Section 915.5 or carbon monoxide detection systems complying with Section 915.6, unless otherwise specified in this code.

915.5 Carbon monoxide alarms.

Carbon monoxide alarms shall comply with Sections 915.5.1 through 915.5.4.

915.5.1 Power source.

Carbon monoxide alarms shall receive their primary power from the building wiring where such wiring is served from a commercial source, and when primary power is interrupted, shall receive power from a battery. Wiring shall be permanent and without a disconnecting switch other than that required for overcurrent protection.

Exception: Where installed in buildings without commercial power, battery-powered carbon monoxide alarms shall be an acceptable alternative.

915.5.2 Listings.

Carbon monoxide alarms shall be listed in accordance with UL 2034.

915.5.3 Combination alarms.

Combination carbon monoxide/smoke alarms shall be an acceptable alternative to carbon monoxide alarms. Combination carbon monoxide/smoke alarms shall be listed in accordance with UL 2034 and UL 217.

915.5.4 Interconnection of alarms.

When two or more alarms are installed, they shall be interconnected in accordance with NFPA 720.

915.6 Carbon monoxide detection systems.

Carbon monoxide detection systems shall be an acceptable alternative to carbon monoxide alarms and shall comply with Sections 915.6.1 through 915.6.4.

915.6.1 General.

Carbon monoxide detection systems shall comply with NFPA 720. Carbon monoxide detectors shall be listed in accordance with UL 2075.

915.6.2 Locations.

Carbon monoxide detectors shall be installed in the locations specified in Section 915.2. These locations supersede the locations specified in NFPA 720.

915.6.3 Combination detectors.

Combination carbon monoxide/smoke detectors installed in carbon monoxide detection systems shall be an acceptable alternative to carbon monoxide detectors, provided they are listed in accordance with UL 2075 and UL 268.

915.6.4 Wiring and power supply.

Wiring and power supply for carbon monoxide detectors shall comply with Sections 907.6.1 and 907.6.2, respectively.

915.7 Inspection, testing and maintenance.

Carbon monoxide alarms and carbon monoxide detection systems shall be inspected, tested and maintained in accordance with NFPA 720 and the New York City Fire Code.