October 7, 2002

Dear Architectural, Engineering, and Landscape Architectural Firms:

Enclosed is a minimum Standard of Care for the design and submittal of Fire Protection Sprinkler Systems and associated systems/components which was enacted by the State Board of Architectural and Engineering Examiners, September 20, 2002 to become effective April 1, 2003.  This is a minimum standard and does not restrict the registrant from designing a more complete system.

If you or your firm is offering or decides to offer Fire Protection Sprinkler System design, the Board requests that you use this Standard of Care.  Previously, a noticeable lack of design information in Fire Protection Sprinkler System design submittals by or through professional engineers had created many design gaps, which affected the public’s health, safety, and welfare and may have led to unexpected, costly field changes after a bidding process.  The “Responsible Managing Employee” via his/her contractor/employer will continue to play an important role in the preparation of “shop drawings”, which must first be reviewed by the engineer of record, to ascertain compliance with the engineer’s design intent and criteria, before submittal to the “Authority Having Jurisdiction” for review and documentation.

This Standard of Care considers comments received by the Board and addresses concerns of the parties who were represented on the continuing task force established by the Board of Architectural and Engineering Examiners.  With the agreement of the State Fire Marshal’s Office in the adoption of this Standard, this segment of engineering practice is being restored to the level of responsibility the Board expects the design professional to have over the design of fire protection sprinkler systems.  If you are offering or desire to offer Fire Protection Sprinkler System design services, you will need to maintain the necessary level of competence to assume this crucial responsibility.

Please feel free to contact the Board office at the address(es) or phone numbers listed above should you have any questions.

For the Board,

/s/ Barbara L. Bowling

Executive Director

Review the new

 Standard of Care

Read Design Line

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