LOS ANGELES FIRE DEPARTMENT
FIRE PREVENTION BUREAU
REQUIREMENTS FOR VACATED NON-OCCUPIED HIGH-RISE BUILDINGS
With respect to high-rise buildings, the owner or responsible party must ensure the following:
1. No person shall occupy any portion of the building without the approval of the Departments of Fire and Building and Safety.
2. No accumulation of any hazardous refuse will be allowed in the building. (LAMC 57.311.3).
3. The owner or person having charge or control shall lock, barricade or otherwise secure all windows, doors and other openings which may allow entry into the building by unauthorized persons.(LAMC 57.311.2.1).
4. All fire doors are to be maintained in operating condition. (LAMC 57.311.2.2 and UBC 4306).
5. An access key to the building shall be provided. The key shall be maintained in an approved keybox that can be secured by a Fire Department padlock. The location of the keybox will be determined by the Fire Inspector.
6. All elevator service shall be discontinued.
7. Except for building fire pumps and supervised automatic sprinkler systems, electric power shall be discontinued in the building.
8. An automatic sprinkler system installed within any building shall be supervised and shall be automatically transmitted to an approved central station, remote station, or proprietary station which will give an audible signal at a constantly attended location when the number of sprinklers is:
A. 20 or more Group I, Division 1 occupancies.
B. 100 or more in other occupancies.
Note: This applies only to buildings so equipped at the time of vacancy. (UBC 3803/NFPA 72-3-4).
9. The building fire pumps, standpipe and sprinkler systems shall be properly maintained on all floor levels and tested as required by Chief’s Regulations No.4, if so equipped.
10. Fire Department inlets will remain accessible and available for Fire Department connection.
11. A request acknowledging these conditions shall be submitted to the Departments of Fire and Building and Safety for approval.
Note: If the building is vacant over 6 months, the building will lose its Certificate of Occupancy. If the building is reoccupied, the owner will have to apply for a new Certificate of Occupancy.
Rev. 05/27/03