§ 4-13 Construction and Installation of Gas Shut-Off Valves.
RCNY § 4-13
(a)General.
(1)Gas shut-off valves and accessory appliances shall include valves approved as such by the Bureau of Standards, Washington, D.C., by the Underwriters' Laboratories, Inc., Chicago, Ill., by the Associated Factory Mutual Laboratories of Boston, or other recognized standard laboratory; and all valves shall be approved and meet the test prescribed by the Board of Standards and Appeals.
(2)Gas shut-off valves shall be installed only by corporations, firms or individuals who shall furnish evidence of their qualifications under the Code of Ordinances, to the Fire Commissioner or the Tenement House Commissioner in their respective jurisdictions.
(3)Such corporations, firms, or individuals shall maintain a service station which shall be in direct communication with the Fire Department by telephone or telegraph. Location of service station and means of communication shall be on file with the Fire Commissioner in order that the Fire Department may insure immediate service when the gas is turned off by the members of the Fire Department or from any other cause. The Fire Department shall have exclusive use of gas shut-off valves to be operated in the event of fire or other emergencies.
(4)All gas shut-off valves to be installed must be made of the best quality of standard materials.
(b)Protection of valves.
(c)Installation.
(5)Casing of the valve on gas intake shall be kept locked to protect valve from interference and make it accessible only to authorized persons. Perforations, to allow circulation of air around fusible link, shall be provided and so arranged as to prevent tampering with valve when casing is locked.
(d)Control box.
(6)The control box shall be located on the outside of the building wall, facing the street, whenever possible. When the control box is installed on an alley face of a building, or in a similar place where the control box is subject to injury from passing vehicles, etc., the control box must be thoroughly protected. This may be done by having the control box recessed, marked by waterproof red paint ring and waterproof white paint ring on the wall, or, when such protection is not available, protected by heavy iron channels or angles secured to the wall by through bolts, expansion bolts, or toggle bolts.
(e)Control handles. Control handles shall be of standard construction, arranged to fit the control boxes so that they may be locked without difficulty, and cable connections shall be securely made in an approved manner, according to the design of the handle.
(f)Cable.
(g)Conduit.
(h)Bends and offsets.
(i)Roller fittings. For turns in the conduit greater than those mentioned above, approved roller fittings shall be used. No roller fittings turning more than 90 degrees from a straight line shall be used.
(j)Automatic control. The fusible link which controls actuation of the valve in the event of direct heat, shall melt at not less than 225 degrees F. and shall be so arranged as to in no way interfere with the manual means of shutting off the gas which is controlled by the handle in box placed on the face of the building. Only approved fusible links shall be used. Automatic control shall in no way depend upon electric current for its operation.
(k)Production tests at factory. Valves must be tight under the following tests: (1) Valves shall be mounted in the position in which they are designed to operate. Normal city gas pressure or equivalent air pressure shall be applied to the inlet side and the valve shall completely shut off the gas or air when closed as in normal operation.
(7)Manufacturers of gas shut-off valves must submit the name or names of said laboratories or agencies to the Fire Commissioner or the Tenement House Department Commissioner, in their respective jurisdictions, with satisfactory evidence of their ability and facilities to properly carry out said tests.
(8)Valves and operating mechanism shall be so designed and constructed that they will withstand deteriorating effects or corrosion, as evidenced by operating tests.
(l)Installation and inspection tests.
(m)Inspection. Gas shut-off valves and installations shall be inspected at least once a year by members of the Fire Department or the Tenement House Department, in their respective jurisdictions, or by corporations, firms or individuals authorized to install gas shut-off valves, as determined by the Fire Commissioner or the Tenement House Department Commissioner, in their respective jurisdictions. (Renumbered City Record 4/4/2019, eff. 5/5/2019)
