BILL 93

An Act to Amend the Fire Prevention Act

Her Majesty, by and with the advice and consent of the Legislative Assembly of New Brunswick, enacts as follows:

1 Section 1 of the Fire Prevention Act, chapter F-13 of the Revised Statutes, 1973, is amended

(a)  by repealing paragraph (h) of the definition “sleeping accommodations” and substituting the following:

(h)  any building used for residential occupancy in which is contained three or more self-contained units above the ground floor.

(b)  in the French version in the definition « rez-de-chaussée » by striking out the period at the end of the definition and substituting a semi-colon;

(c)  by adding the following definition in alphabetical order:

“automatic sprinkler system” means an integrated system of high pressure or low pressure pipeline networks, including overhead and underground piping, that is designed to automatically distribute water, foam, gas, air or any other fire suppression or extinguishing agent for the purpose of extinguishing a fire; (système d’extinction automatique)

2 Paragraph 2(3)(a) of the Act is amended by striking out “adopted by the N.B. Association Fire & Arson Investigators Inc.” and substituting “specified in the New Brunswick Fire Investigation Handbook”.

3 Section 4 of the Act is amended

(a)  in subsection (2)

( i) in paragraph (a) of the English version by striking out “him” and substituting “the fire marshal”;

( ii) in paragraph (b) of the English version by striking out “he” and substituting “the fire marshal”;

( iii) by repealing paragraph (c) and substituting the following:

(c)  may from time to time inspect hotels, buildings used for residential occupancy, hospital facilities, schools, churches, theatres, halls, factories and other places, in which numbers of persons work, live or congregate for any purpose, with a view of determining whether precautions against fire and the spread of fire, and the means of exit in case of fire, are adequate and satisfactorily maintained, and to directing any alterations be made and any precautions be taken that the fire marshal considers necessary for the safeguarding of persons and property;

(b)  in subsection (3) by adding after paragraph (c) the following:

(c.1)  the installation and maintenance of automatic sprinkler systems;

4 Subsection 12(1) of the Act is amended

(a)  in the English version in the portion preceding paragraph (a) by striking out “he may order” and substituting “they may order”;

(b)  in paragraph (c) by striking out “fire alarms and other devices” and substituting “fire alarms, automatic sprinkler systems and other devices”.

5 The heading “Order respecting building or fire prevention standards” preceding section 13 of the Act is repealed and the following is substituted:

Order re building, fire prevention or automatic sprinkler system standards

6 Section 13 of the Act is amended

(a)  in subsection (1) by striking out “building standards or fire prevention standards” and substituting “building standards, fire prevention standards or automatic sprinkler system standards”;

(b)  in subsection (2) by striking out “building standards or fire prevention standards” and substituting “building standards, fire prevention standards or automatic sprinkler system standards”.

7 Section 15 of the Act is amended by striking out “fire alarms, or other devices” and substituting “fire alarms, automatic sprinkler systems or other devices”.

8 Subsection 18(4) of the Act is amended by striking out “an apartment house” and substituting “a building used for residential occupancy”.

9 Section 23 of the Act is amended

(a)  in paragraph (a) of the English version by striking out “his” and substituting “their”;

(b)  in paragraph a.1) of the French version by striking out “installations d’arrosage automatique” and substituting “systèmes d’extinction automatique”.

10 Subsection 30(1) of the Act is amended by adding after paragraph (c.5) the following:

(c.6)  respecting the servicing and maintenance of an automatic sprinkler system;

(c.61)  respecting the inspection of an automatic sprinkler system and prescribing fees for the inspection;

(c.62)  respecting the review of a plan for an automatic sprinkler system and prescribing fees for the review;

(c.7)  respecting the issuance and cancellation of permits for the installation of automatic sprinkler systems;

(c.71)  prescribing fees for the issuance of permits for the installation of automatic sprinkler systems;

(c.72)  respecting the issuance, renewal, suspension and cancellation of licences for persons involved in the planning, design, installation, maintenance, servicing or alteration of automatic sprinkler systems;

(c.8)  prescribing fees for the issuance and renewal of licences referred to in paragraph (c.72);

(c.81)  respecting appeals of decisions to refuse to issue or renew a licence referred to in paragraph (c.72) or to refuse to issue a permit for the installation of automatic sprinkler systems;

(c.9)  respecting appeals of decisions to suspend or cancel a licence referred to in paragraph (c.72) or to cancel a permit for the installation of automatic sprinkler systems;

(c.91)  adopting or incorporating by reference, in whole or in part, any standard or code with respect to automatic sprinkler systems as they are amended from time to time, whether before or after the adoption or incorporation by reference, or as they read at a fixed time and requiring compliance with that standard or code;

Commencement

11 This Act or any provision of this Act comes into force on a day or days to be fixed by proclamation.