Grill Safety and Regulations for

Apartments & Condominiums

By: Christopher J. Weir EFO

Division Chief/Fire Marshal

What are the dangers of using gas and charcoal type barbeque grills, and similar devices if I live in an apartment building, condo or other multi-family residence with a balcony?

According to 2003 NFPA 1, Chapter 10, section 10.11.7 from the 2004 Florida Fire Prevention Code, here is an explanation:

1.     No liquefied petroleum gas-fired grills, charcoal grills, smokers, and/or hibachis shall be stored, used, or ignited on balconies or spaces under balconies of multi-family dwellings, nor in a similar manner in any occupancy.

  1. Electric grills and hibachis are permitted; however, as with any cooking device, caution should be used.
  2. Charcoal grills, hibachis, smokers, any liquefied petroleum gas-fired grills or similar devices should be used safely and not less than 10 feet from any structure. Electric grills are exempt from this distance requirement.
  3. The management of multi-family dwellings having balconies shall notify their tenants in writing, preferably placed as an item in the lease agreement detailing this requirement prior to the prospective tenant occupying the apartment.  Those who violate the agreement may be issued a warning notice by the apartment manager or condominium association to remove such items within a specific time frame.  Pursuant to Florida Statute §83 regarding the rights of the Landlord and Tenant, the manager may proceed with eviction of the lessee.  Under the provision of Florida Statute §162, the lessee cannot be taken to the Code Enforcement Board since the property owner is responsible for the violation of the lessee.
  4. Those tenants who own their respective apartments and ignore warnings by the association or property management, and furthermore do not to take the notice seriously, the association and/or said property manager may contact the Port Orange Fire Marshal where enforcement proceedings may include taking the owner of the apartment to the City of Port Orange Code Enforcement Board pursuant to the enforcement and punitive fines as outlined in Florida Statute §162.  This action does not preclude the punitive fines issued by the condominium association independent of fines levied under §162.

What are some of the rules and restrictions that may be applied if I am the property manager, registered agent, or owner for an apartment, condominium, or other multi-family residences?

  1. No amount of flammable liquids in any type container should be kept in tenant storerooms.  This includes the parking of motorcycles within the confines of an apartment.
  2. Amounts required for maintenance operations may be kept by the management if they are stored in their proper containers. 
  3. If an amount greater than five gallons is required, it must be kept in a proper container in an exterior storage room preferably remote from the living areas. If storage exceeds 20 gallons of flammable/combustible liquid, an approved flammable storage safety cabinet is required.  The storage room should be of 1 hour fire resistive construction, proper explosion proof electrical installation within the confines of the room, and well vented.
  4. Fire doors must not be blocked open. This includes doors opening onto stairwells, fire doors dividing basements and other sections of the building, furnace doors, storage room doors, access to trash chute rooms, and similar locations. It is strongly recommended such doors be marked with an appropriate sign, such as "FIRE DOOR, DO NOT BLOCK OPEN." This could be either a sign attached to the door or painted directly on the door. Such signs will be required where continued violations are found.
  5. No storage of any kind is permitted in stairwells and exit ways. This includes but not limited to bicycles, tricycles and baby carriages in particular.
  6. No storage of any type is permitted in electrical, heating and air conditioning rooms, which includes individual apartment or condominium units.
  7. Storage rooms must be kept in a neat and orderly condition. Old newspapers, rubbish, and trash shall not be stored unless in covered metal containers.
  8. Lint from dryers is also a possible fire hazard. Commercial dryers must have a vent from the drying chamber directly to the outside. When ordinary home dryers are used and lint is not properly disposed, outside venting will be required.
  9. Apartment building numbers must be clearly posted and visible from the street.

10.      Make sure all smoke detectors are tested at least bi-annually.

11.      Fire extinguishers shall be tagged and inspected by an approved fire safety equipment company annually.

12.      In addition to the fire extinguishers, fire alarms too shall be tested and certified once per year by an approved fire alarm service.

13.      If your building is equipped with an automatic fire sprinkler system this too shall be tested, inspected, and tagged annually by a licensed fire sprinkler company.

MAINTENANCE

The owner/occupant shall be responsible for the safe and proper maintenance of the building, structure, premises, or lot at all times. In all new and existing buildings and structures, the fire protection equipment, means of egress, fire and smoke alarms, devices and safeguards required by the fire prevention code and other jurisdictional ordinances, shall be maintained in a safe and proper operating condition.

OCCUPANT RESPONSIBILITY

If an occupant of a building creates conditions in violation of the fire prevention code by virtue of improper storage, handling and use of substances, materials, devices and appliances, the occupant can be held responsible for the abatement or removal of such conditions.

 

Office of the Fire Marshal

Department of Fire & Rescue

1090 City Center Blvd.

Port Orange, Florida 32129

(386) 506-5905

(386) 756-5405