Chapter 1.8. Automatic Fire Extinguisher Systems of California Health And Safety Code >> Division 12. >> Part 2. >> Chapter 1.8.

The State Fire Marshal shall adopt and administer the regulations and building standards he or she deems necessary in order to (1) establish and control a program for servicing, testing, and maintaining all automatic fire extinguishing systems, including but not limited to, fire sprinkler systems, engineered and preengineered fixed extinguishing systems, standpipe systems, and water flow alarm devices and (2) establish minimum frequencies of service, inspection, and testing for the various types of automatic fire extinguishing systems. All tests of automatic sprinkler systems shall include a test of all supervisory signaling equipment that is provided to determine whether a condition exists that will impair the satisfactory operation of the system. The regulations and building standards established by the State Fire Marshal for servicing, testing, and maintaining automatic fire extinguishing systems shall consider the requirements of the applicable standards of the National Fire Protection Association and the voluntary standards published by the State Fire Marshal entitled the "California Voluntary Standards for Residential Sprinkler Systems," dated January 1982.

Every automatic fire extinguishing system, including, but not limited to, fire sprinkler systems, engineered and preengineered fixed extinguishing systems, standpipe systems, and alarm and supervisory equipment attached to those systems shall be serviced, tested, and maintained in accordance with the regulations and building standards adopted by the State Fire Marshal pursuant to Section 13195.

The regulations and building standards adopted pursuant to Section 13195 shall be enforced pursuant to Sections 13145 and 13146.

(a) Except as provided in subdivisions (b), (c), and (d), no person shall engage in the business of servicing or testing automatic fire extinguishing systems without a license issued by the State Fire Marshal pursuant to this chapter.
  (b) Persons who engage in the business of servicing or testing fire alarm devices, water flow alarm devices, or the supervisory signaling components of automatic fire extinguishing systems shall not be subject to the licensing requirements contained in this chapter.
  (c) Industrial systems may be serviced or tested by, or under the supervision of, an engineer employed by a private entity who shall not be subject to the licensing requirements contained in this chapter unless he or she performs the service or testing for a fee outside of the employment relationship.
  (d) Any specialty contractor, as defined in subdivision (b) of Section 7058 of the Business and Professions Code, shall not be subject to the licensing requirements contained in this chapter.

The State Fire Marshal shall adopt regulations to establish and maintain the licensing program required by this chapter. To the extent the State Fire Marshal determines is necessary to carry out the provisions of this chapter, the regulations may provide for, but need not be limited to, requirements that the applicant for a license pass an examination or possess the qualifications necessary to perform the prescribed service, maintenance, and testing, or both.

A license may be denied or revoked by the State Fire Marshal for either of the following reasons:
  (a) The applicant made a material misrepresentation or false statement in the application.
  (b) Violation of any provision of this chapter or any regulation adopted by the State Fire Marshal pursuant to this chapter.

(a) If the State Fire Marshal or his or her designee determines that the public interest and public welfare will be adequately served by permitting a person licensed under this chapter to pay a monetary penalty to the State Fire Marshal in lieu of an actual license suspension, the State Fire Marshal or his or her designee may stay the execution of all or part of the suspension if all of the following conditions are met:
  (1) The violation that is the cause for the suspension did not pose, or have the potential to pose, a significant threat or risk of harm to the public.
  (2) The licensee pays a monetary penalty.
  (3) The licensee does not incur any other cause for disciplinary action within a period of time specified by the State Fire Marshal or his or her designee. In making the determination, the State Fire Marshal or his or her designee shall consider the seriousness of the violation, the violator's record of compliance with the law, the impact of the determination on the licensee, the licensee's employees or customers, and other relevant factors.
  (b) The State Fire Marshal or his or her designee may exercise the discretion granted under this section either with respect to a suspension ordered by a decision after a contested hearing on an accusation against the licensee or by stipulation with the licensee after the filing of an accusation, but prior to the rendering of a decision based upon the accusation. In either case, the terms and conditions of the disciplinary action against the licensee shall be made part of a formal decision of the State Fire Marshal or his or her designee.
  (c) If a licensee fails to pay the monetary penalty in accordance with the terms and conditions of the decision of the State Fire Marshal or his or her designee, the State Fire Marshal or his or her designee may, without a hearing, order the immediate execution of all or any part of the stayed suspension in which event the licensee shall not be entitled to any repayment nor credit, prorated or otherwise, for money paid to the State Fire Marshal under the terms of the decision.
  (d) The amount of the monetary penalty payable under this section shall not exceed two hundred fifty dollars ($250) for each day of suspension stayed nor a total of ten thousand dollars ($10,000) per decision regardless of the number of days of suspension stayed under the decision.
  (e) Any monetary penalty received pursuant to this section shall be deposited in the State Fire Marshal Licensing and Certification Fund.
  (f) On or before March 1 of each year, the State Fire Marshal shall make available to the public data showing the percentage of enforcement actions taken that resulted in license suspension or the assessment of monetary penalties pursuant to this section.

The State Fire Marshal shall adopt a schedule of fees to be paid by licensees in an amount which is necessary to cover the cost of administering and enforcing the provisions of this chapter by the State Fire Marshal. Any city or county fire department, or any district providing fire protection services may adopt a schedule of fees as required to cover the cost of enforcing the provisions of this chapter. The annual and renewal license shall be valid for the period from January 1, to December 31. The annual license fee renewal period shall begin on September 1 and end on November 1 preceding the license year for which the renewal is requested. A penalty of 50 percent of the license fee shall be assessed in all cases where the renewal fees are not paid on or before November 1, preceding the license year for which renewal is requested.

It is the legislative intention in enacting this chapter that the provisions of this chapter and the regulations and building standards adopted by the State Fire Marshal pursuant to Section 13195 shall apply uniformly throughout the State of California, and no state agency, county, city and county, or district shall adopt or enforce any ordinance or rule or regulation regarding automatic fire extinguishing systems which is inconsistent with the provisions of this chapter or the regulations and standards adopted by the State Fire Marshal.

Any person who violates any provisions of this chapter or any regulation or building standard adopted by the State Fire Marshal pursuant to Section 13195 is guilty of a misdemeanor punishable by a fine of not more than ten thousand dollars ($10,000), or by imprisonment for not more than six months, or by both such fine and imprisonment. A person is guilty of a separate offense each day during which he or she commits, continues, or permits a violation of this chapter or any regulation or building standards adopted pursuant to this chapter.