Los Angeles County Municipal Code § 1207.6 Electrochemical ESS Technology-Specific Protection
Los Angeles County Municipal Code · 2026-09 edition · updated 2026-10-04 · Los Angeles County
Cite as: Los Angeles County Municipal Code § 1207.6 · Text as of 2026-10-04
TABLE 1207.6 ELECTROCHEMICAL ESS TECHNOLOGY-SPECIFIC REQUIREMENTS
COMPLIANCE REQUIRED b BATTERY TECHNOLOGY OTHER ESS AND BATTERY TECHNOLOGIES b CAPACITOR ESS b Feature Section Lead-acid Ni-Cd and Ni-MH Lithium-ion Flow
| Exhaust ventilation | 1207.6.1 | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Explosion control | 1207.6.3 | Yes a | Yes a | Yes | No f | Yes | Yes |
| Safety caps | 1207.6.4 | Yes | Yes | No | No f | Yes | Yes |
| Spill control and neutralization | 1207.6.2 | Yes c | Yes c | No f | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Thermal runaway | 1207.6.5 | Yes d | Yes | Yes e | No f | Yes e | Yes |
Not required for lead-acid and nickel-cadmium batteries at facilities under the exclusive control of communications utilities that comply with NFPA 76 and operate at less than 50 VAC and 60 VDC.
b
Protection shall be provided unless documentation acceptable to the fire code official is provided in accordance with Section 104.8.2 that provides justification why the protection is not necessary based on the technology used.
c
Applicable to vented-type (i.e., flooded) nickel-cadmium and lead-acid batteries.
d
Not required for vented-type (i.e., flooded) lead-acid batteries.
e
The thermal runaway protection is permitted to be part of a battery management system that has been evaluated with the battery as part of the evaluation to UL 1973.
f
May be required by the fire code official where determined necessary based upon hazards inherent to the chemistry and/or technology involved.
1207.6.1.1 - Ventilation based on LFL.¶
The exhaust ventilation system shall be designed to limit the maximum concentration of flammable gas to 10 percent of the lower flammable limit (LFL) of the total volume of the room, area or walk-in unit during the worst-case event of simultaneous charging of batteries at the maximum charge rate, in accordance with nationally recognized standards.
1207.6.1.2 - Ventilation based on exhaust rate.¶
Mechanical exhaust ventilation shall be provided at a rate of not less than 1 ft 3 /min/ft 2 (5.1 L/sec/m 2 ) of floor area of the room, area or walk-in unit. The ventilation shall be either continuous or shall be activated by a gas detection system in accordance with Section 1207.6.1.6.
1207.6.1.3 - Standby power.¶
Mechanical exhaust ventilation shall be provided with a minimum of 6 hours of standby power in accordance with Section 1203.2.5, and shall be provided by a source other than the ESS served by the ventilation.
1207.6.1.4 - Installation instructions and controls.¶
Required mechanical exhaust ventilation systems shall be installed in accordance with the manufacturer's installation instructions and the California Mechanical Code. Clearly identified separate switches shall be provided both to activate the mechanical exhaust ventilation system, and to shut off the ventilation system.
1207.6.1.5 - Supervision.¶
Required mechanical exhaust ventilation systems shall be supervised by an approved central station, proprietary or remote station service in accordance with NFPA 72, and shall initiate an audible and visible signal at an approved constantly attended on-site location.
1207.6.1.6 - Gas detection system.¶
Where required by Section 1207.6.1.2, and where necessary for compliance with other requirements of Section 1207, rooms, areas and walk-in units containing ESS shall be protected by an approved continuous gas detection system that complies with Section 916 and with the following:
The gas detection system shall be designed to activate the mechanical ventilation system when the level of flammable gas in the room, area or walk-in unit exceeds 10 percent of the LFL, and/or, where determined necessary by the fire code official, when the level of toxic or highly toxic gas exceeds one-half of the IDLH.
The mechanical ventilation system shall remain on until the flammable gas detected is less than 10 percent of the LFL, and/or, where determined necessary by the fire code official, when the level of toxic or highly toxic gas detected is less than one-half of the IDLH.
The gas detection system shall be provided with a minimum of 6 hours of standby power in accordance with Section 1203.2.5.
Failure of the gas detection system shall annunciate a trouble signal at an approved central station, proprietary or remote station service in accordance with NFPA 72, and shall initiate an audible and visible trouble signal at an approved constantly attended on-site location.
Activation of the gas detection system shall result in all the following:
5.1.
Initiation of distinct audible and visible alarms in the battery storage room.
5.2.
Transmission of an alarm to an approved location.
5.3.
De-energizing of the battery charger.
1207.6.3 - Explosion control.¶
Where required by Table 1207.6 or elsewhere in this code, explosion control complying with Section 911 shall be provided for rooms, areas or walk-in units containing electrochemical ESS technologies.
Exceptions:
Where approved, explosion control is permitted to be waived by the fire code official based on large-scale fire testing complying with Section 1207.1.5 that demonstrates that flammable gases are not liberated from electrochemical ESS cells or modules where tested in accordance with UL 9540A.
Where approved, explosion control is permitted to be waived by the fire code official based on documentation provided in accordance with Section 104.8 that demonstrates that the electrochemical ESS technology to be used does not have the potential to release flammable gas concentrations in excess of 25 percent of the LFL anywhere in the room, area, walk-in unit or structure under thermal runaway or other fault conditions.
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