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Fire staff and board discuss special inspections and alarm/sprinkler changes for battery storage
Summary
The board heard that the 2024 code increases testing and inspection requirements for lithium-ion and lithium-metal battery installations and expands alarm and sprinkler design requirements; members raised concerns about local inspection capacity.
Fire and building staff told the Board that the newest model-code editions add alarm, detection and sprinkler requirements tailored to battery storage and require special fire-testing for systems that include lithium batteries. "Special fire testing must be done for the design of sprinkler systems required for areas containing lithium ion or lithium metal batteries," Kimberly said.
Board members and staff discussed whether the city currently has access to qualified special inspectors for some of the new risk categories and whether the board should consider local amendments to address enforcement or outsourcing. A board member noted that larger jurisdictions typically have such inspectors, and the group asked staff to identify local providers or propose a plan for compliance.
