STANDARD FOR CONTROL UNITS FOR FIRE ALARM SYSTEMS

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Standards Development Organisation:
ULC Standards
Contact Information:
ULC Standards Normes ULC
Working Program:
View the ULC work program
Designation Number:
CAN/ULC-S527
Standard Type:
National Standard of Canada - Domestic
Standard Sub-Type
Bi-National
Standard Development Activity:
New Edition
ICS code(s):
13.220.20; 13.320
Status:
Proceeding to development
SDO Comment Period Start Date:
SDO Comment Period End Date:
Posted On:

Scope:

1  Scope

1.1  This Standard covers control units, fire alarm systems and control unit accessories for use in accordance with the Standard for the Installation of Fire Alarm Systems, CAN/ULC-S524, in accordance with CSA-C22.1, Safety Standard for Electrical Installations, Canadian Electrical Code, Part I; and the National Building Code of Canada.

1.2  This Standard also covers smoke control features, releasing device service and standalone power supplies.

1.3  Where a fire alarm system is shared by other systems for other than fire alarm operation, the non-fire functions shall not interfere with the required operation of the fire alarm system.

1.4  This Standard does not cover replacement parts for fire alarm systems that consist of products or subassemblies of complete products manufactured in accordance with previous editions of ULC-S527. Replacement parts that do not comply with the current edition of this Standard shall be manufactured in accordance with the edition of this Standard that they were previously in compliance with and shall be marked “For Replacement Only – Complies with ULC-S527-xx” (where xx represents the edition of the Standard that they were previously in compliance with).

1.5  If a fire alarm system incorporates the features and functions of a proprietary fire alarm system or fire signal receiving centre, then the requirements of CAN/ULC-S559, Equipment for Fire Signal Receiving Centres and Systems, shall apply.

1.6  Transponders of distributed type systems are classified as control units and the requirements of this Standard shall apply.

1.7  These requirements apply to control units and control unit accessories for ordinary (non-hazardous) indoor and outdoor locations.

1.8  These requirements do not apply to field devices unless the device is used as a component of a control unit or control unit accessory.

1.9  Test, service, and other software and programming methods, including software compare program, intended for use with the control unit shall be evaluated with the control units.

1.10  Changes or additions to the products covered by this Standard shall be tested according to the relevant sections of this Standard. Examples of changes and additions may be:

a) Firmware;

b) Change or additional features to system operation (e.g. voice alarm);

c) Electrical/electronic or mechanical components; and

d) Other software temporarily or permanently installed in a control unit, such as for test or maintenance.

NOTE: The Authority Having Jurisdiction (AHJ) may require that these changes be reviewed to verify conformance by a nationally recognized certification laboratory.

1.11  The term "product" as used in this Standard refers to all items of equipment covered by the Scope.

1.12  Unless otherwise indicated, all voltage and current values stated in this Standard are root-mean-square (rms).

1.13  The requirements of this Standard apply uniformly to all equipment regardless of whether used as a component of a control unit or separately enclosed and referred to as a control unit accessory.

Project need:

The proposal for the development of the Bi-National Standard CAN/ULC-S527 & ANSI/UL 864, Standard for Control Units and Accessories for Fire Alarm Systems, has been developed and put forth by the Working Group on Control Units from NEMA, who wishes to have one technical standard in both Canada and US. This will alleviate concerns and confusions of other stakeholders, due to they only need to refer to one document rather than two. The working group consisting of consumer groups, life safety experts, technicians, engineers, manufactures, and other groups interested. This Standard is written in a form suitable for adoption as part of Codes and regulations (NBC, NRC, NEC, Health Canada) by the authorities having jurisdiction; therefore, it will contribute to the protection of the public. This Standard also contains requirements that consider the health and safety of the installers, inspectors and verifiers of life safety systems. The requirements are developed with the view to achieve Canadian recognition and acceptability; to ensure that the requirements are reproducible and repeatable; and to establish consistent criteria for industry and regulation. This is a new Edition of the current Canadian National Standard that is intended for continuous maintenance and is written in a form that allows for technological advancement and product innovation.

Note: The information provided above was obtained by the Standards Council of Canada (SCC) and is provided as part of a centralized, transparent notification system for new standards development. The system allows SCC-accredited Standards Development Organizations (SDOs), and members of the public, to be informed of new work in Canadian standards development, and allows SCC-accredited SDOs to identify and resolve potential duplication of standards and effort.

Individual SDOs are responsible for the content and accuracy of the information presented here. The text is presented in the language in which it was provided to SCC.