AHJ / Authority Having Jurisdiction Tutorial

By: Brian Rhodes, Published on Aug 06, 2020

One of the most powerful yet often underappreciated characters in all physical security is the Authority Having Jurisdiction (AHJ).

IPVM Image

Often, these authorities get involved only when problems arise, and they frequently leave a flood of delays, redesigns, and cost increases in their wake.

Inside we examine:

  • Who AHJs Are
  • What Job Titles They Typically Hold
  • What Qualifications They Have
  • Why Video Surveillance Does Not Typically Concern AHJs
  • But Why Access Control Systems Typically Do
  • Why Initiating Contact With AHJs Is Prudent

This tutorial will help security installers improve their AHJ interactions in security projects.

AHJs *******

'********* ****** ************' ** an ******** *********** **** in **** *************, ********* governments, ********, ************, *** a ******* ** ******. The **** ********** ******** people ** ************* *********** for ******** *** **** is *********.

*** ***** ** '**********' varies ********* ** *** the ********* ***********. *** access *******, *** *** is **** ***** ********** in ********** *** ****** will *** ******** **** safety ****** ** *********.

*******, **** ***** ********* other ********* ******** ********** do *** ********* ******** - *** ******** ********** of *** *********, ************ of ********* (**: ******** trees), *** ** *** security ****** ******* ********** with ******* ******** ******.

******* ********** '*************' ****, the ****** *** ****** of **** *** *******. However, ******* *********, **** represent *** ********* ** overarching ***********, *****, ** local *********. **** *** direction ** *** ********** or *******, *** ******** impacting ******** *** ******* drive ***** *** ******, as ******* ******* **** in****** ******* *** **********.

Who *** ****?

*** **** ***** ****** depending ** *** **** of **** *** *** performing, *** *** **** intrusion ***** *** ****** control ****, **** *** found ** *** ***** authorities:

**** ********:**** ****** *** '**** Inspector', **** ****** ** tasked **** ********* **** codes. *** ***** ** enforcement ******** ***** ******* of ************ ****, *** may **** ******* ******* plan ********* ********.

******** **********:**** ********* ******* **** all **** ** ********* within *** *********** ** written ******** *****. *** only *** **** ****** with ************ ******** *****, but **** **** *** local ********** *** *******.

***** **** ******, *** potentially ***********, ************* **** have **** *** ***** in:

  • ****** ***********
  • *********/**********
  • ****** **********
  • ******* *********
  • ******** ************ **********
  • ********* *********

** *******, *** **** method ** *********** *** AHJs *** * ******* is ** ***** ** asking *** *****'* ************** and *** ***** **** Chief *** ******* ***** in *** **** ** your ****. *** **** of ****** *** ******* will ***** **** ** expectations ** *** ****** or ******* *** ***** of *********** *** *** an ****. ** **** areas, ***** ***** ** a ****** *** ** get ******** ****, ***** there *** ** * disjointed ****** ** **** in ***** *****.

**********, ******* *** ***** individuals ***, *** *** prerogative **** *** ******** your **** ****, ******* an ********** **** ** getting **** *** **** right, ** ****, *** within ******.

Why **** ******

***** ** *****, **** play * **** **** in *** ******* ** security ********. *** *********** are ***** ********* ** stop **** ***** ** their *********, *** **** wield **** ********* *****. Where **** **** ********* come ****, *** *** do **** **** **?

  • **** *** ********:***** **** *** *** be ********* ******* ** alarm ****** ** **** access ******* ******, **** have ********* ********* ** specific ***** ** *********** that ********* ******** ****. They ****** **** ******* a **** *******, *** instead, **** ******** **** passages ** **** **** objecting ** * **** element.
  • **** *** ***********: **** *** ***** elevated ** ***** ********* after ***** ** ******-*****, in-the-trenches **********. **** **** do ***** * ****** opinion, ** ** ********** tempered ** '****** **** it ******'. **** **** take *** ******* ******* from ***** ******* ******** and ***** **** *******.
  • *** *** ****, **** of *** ******: *****, ** ** not * ****** ** agreeing ** *********** **** their *****, ******* ***** determination ** *****. **** are ***** ** ***** decisions ** *****, ****, and ******* ***********. **** a ****** ** **** or *********, ** *** 'wins' ** ***** ***********, and **** **** * disaster ****** **** **** AHJs **** ** **********.

AHJs ** ***** ************

***** ********* ** ******** operations, **** ***** ************ systems **** ******* *** oversight ** ****. ******* video **** *** ********* or ****** **** ****** for **********, *** *** is *** ******* ** the **** *********** ** fire ****** *** ****** control *******.

*******, ** **** *** involved ** *****, ** is ** ******* *** UL *********** ** ******* and ******* ******* ** that ******** ************** *** not ***********. *** ********** UL ******* ****, *** common **** *** ***** are:

  • ********** *****: ** *** **** common *** *******, *** applies ** *** ******* safety (**: ***-**************)
  • ********** ****: ******* **** ****** mounting *** ******* *********

AHJs ** ****** *******

*******, *** ***********, ********, and ******* *** ****** systems ** * *** concern. ***** **** ****** can ***** ******, ****, and **** ***** ** building ********* ** ********* improperly, **** ********* ******** their ********* *** ********** of *** ******* * core **************.

** ********* ** *********** ********* ***** *** Access ******* ********,*** ***** ****** ****** Control, ************* ****, *** *** Access ************, *** **** ** the *** ** ********** code ********** ** ***** requires ******** *** ********* access ******* *************.

Practical ********

*** ********** ** *********** has ****** ** * variety ** **** ******** to ********** ****, *********:

  • **** *****:**** ****** ***** ****/****** determinations ** *** ***** fire *******, *** ** some ***** ***** **** be *** ***-******* ***** fireman ** *** '**** Chief'. *** ***** ** '****-**** **. ****-******' ** ******** ** many ** ***** ************.
  • ********** ******* ** ******:*** **** ********, *** flight **** ** *** hub ** ********, *** any ********* **** ******* flight ********** ** ***********. For *******, **** ***** often **** * **** restriction ** * ***** of ********* ********* ****** than *', ******* ** could ********* **** ******** movement ** *** ****** line.
  • ******** ** ***********:***** ********* *********** **** relevant ***** ** * facility. ******* '***-***' **** the **** ** *********** often **** ****** ** ease, ******* *** '***** AHJ' ********.
  • ******* *********:*** * ********* ******* facility, *** ******** ********* the ******* ** *********** (regardless ** *******) ******** explicit ******** **** *** commander, *** ******** * defined **** **** ** equipment ******, ******* ********** checks, *** ****** ********* before ********** ****.
  • ********* ***** *********: **** *** **** Chief, *** **** ********* often ******** ************** ** signing *** ** ********* systems ** **** ** their ***. ******* *** local *********, *** ******* code ************** ** *** course ** ****** ************* can ***** ***** *** understanding ****** *** ****** of **** *************.

Take *** ***** ****

*** **** ******** ** working **** **** ** to ** *** ***** to ***** *** *** approval.

**** *** ********** ********** by *** ****** ** work **** ****** ** monitoring, *** **** *** not ****** ******* ** understanding **** **** *** indirectly ******** ** **** project.

** *** ******** ** 'asking *** **********, ****** than ***********', ******** ********* and ********** *** *** the *********** ** ** AHJ ****** ********** ****, rather **** ******** *** matter *** ***** '******' later.

*** **** **** *** basis ** *** ************ be '*********' ****** **** 'reactive', *** *** *** can **** ***** *********** or ******** **** ******* the ********* ** ****** efforts.

[****: **** **** *** substantially ******* ** **** after *** ******** *********** in ****.]

Comments (6)

Avatar

Jerry Wilkins

08/06/20 03:06pm

** **** ***** ** the *** ** ******* future ** **** *** the *** ** **** taking ************** *** ****-****.

Undisclosed Manufacturer #1

08/06/20 05:17pm

**, ****’* *** *** joke ** *** ***. I **** ***** ******* I ******* *** **** with **** ** * recommend ****** **.

***** *** ************.

“****’* *** ********** ******* an *** *** ***? One ** **** ***** they *** ***, *** other *** **** **** it.”

Avatar

Brian Rhodes

IPVMU Certified | In reply to Undisclosed Manufacturer #1 | 08/06/20 08:04pm

**** **** *** ** expletives ****** '***' ** I'd ******...

Avatar

Norm Lanum

IPVMU Certified | 08/11/20 05:46pm

* ****** *** ** my *****...."...*** ** *** satisfaction ** *** ********* having ************."

*********, **** **** **** is ******** ** *** letter, ** *** *** still ** *******.

Undisclosed Manufacturer #1

In reply to Norm Lanum | 08/11/20 06:27pm

***** **** **** ** “anyone *** ** *** AHJ” ** * ********** project. ** *** *** user ******* ** ** (Factory ******).

* *** * *** years *** *** ** automotive *****. *** ** draw *** ***** ******* in ** *** ** FM *********, *** ******** by ** ***.

*** ** *** *** FM ****** ********, ****** the ************ ** *** FD ***.

*** ******* ** ******* the ********* ******* ** a ***** **** ********* monitoring ******? * ***.

Avatar

Brian Rhodes

IPVMU Certified | In reply to Undisclosed Manufacturer #1 | 08/11/20 06:39pm

*** ******* ** ******* the ********* ******* ** a ***** **** ********* monitoring ******? * ***.

** ** **********, **** is ********** **** ** the ******** *** ***** a ***** ******* *** specific *******/******.

********* ********* ****** **** to ********* ****** *******/******, so **** **** ***** have **** ***** ** add ** ******/******** *******.

Read this IPVM report for free.

This article is part of IPVM's 6,538 reports, 881 tests and is only available to members. To get a one-time preview of our work, enter your work email to access the full article.

Already a member? Login here | Join now

Related Reports

Exit Devices For Access Control Tutorial on Aug 25, 2020
Exit Devices, also called 'Panic Bars' or 'Crash Bars' are required by safety...
Drain Wire For Access Control Reader Tutorial on Sep 23, 2020
An easy-to-miss cabling specification plays a key role in access control, yet...
Access Visitor Management Systems Guide on Jul 22, 2020
"Who are you, and why are you here?" Facilities that implement Visitor...
Free Online NFPA, IBC, and ADA Codes and Standards 2020 on Sep 03, 2020
Finding applicable codes for security work can be a costly task, with printed...
Forced Door Alarms For Access Control Tutorial on Aug 17, 2020
One of the most important access control alarms is also often ignored....
Verkada Falsely Claims "First Native Cloud-based Access Control and Video Security Solution" on Jun 18, 2020
Verkada's false claims continue, this time to be the first native cloud-based...
Door Fundamentals For Access Control Guide on Aug 24, 2020
Doors vary greatly in how difficult and costly it is to add electronic access...
Keypads For Access Control Tutorial on Jul 28, 2020
Keypad readers present huge risks to even the best access systems. If...
Dedicated Vs Converged IP Video Networks Statistics 2020 on Sep 10, 2020
Running one's video system on a converged network with other devices can save...
JCI / Tyco Security Products Layoffs on Jun 05, 2020
Johnson Controls / Tyco Security Products has confirmed COVID-19 related...
Verkada Disruptive Embedded Live Help on Sep 24, 2020
Call up your integrator? Have someone come by the next day? Verkada is...
Costar Technologies / Arecont H1 2020 Financials Examined on Sep 16, 2020
Costar's financial results have been hit by the coronavirus with the company...
Gait Recognition Examined on Sep 14, 2020
Facial recognition faces increasing ethical and political criticisms while...
TVT Temperature Measurement Terminal Tested on Jul 23, 2020
While Dahua and Hikvision get the most attention for China temp products,...
U.S. Government Accountability Office Urges Facial Recognition Regulation on Aug 27, 2020
The US Government Accountability Office (GAO) is urging facial recognition...

Recent Reports

Hanwha AI Object Detection Tested on Sep 28, 2020
Hanwha has added detection and classification of people, cars, clothing...
Favorite Access Control Manufacturers 2020 on Sep 28, 2020
200+ Integrators told IPVM "What is your favorite access control management...
New Products Show Fall 2020 Starts Tomorrow! on Sep 27, 2020
Tomorrow, IPVM's sixth online show will feature New Products from over 25...
OnTech Smart Services Partners With Google and Amazon To Compete With Integrators on Sep 25, 2020
A pain point for many homeowners to use consumer security and surveillance is...
The Future of Metalens For Video Surveillance Cameras - MIT / UMass / Immervision on Sep 25, 2020
Panoramic cameras using 'fisheye' lens have become commonplace in video...
Hikvision Sues Over Brazilian Airport Loss on Sep 24, 2020
Hikvision was excluded from a Brazilian airport project because it is owned...
China General Chamber of Commerce Calls Out US Politics on Sep 24, 2020
While US-China relations are at an all-time low, optimism about relations...
Verkada Disruptive Embedded Live Help on Sep 24, 2020
Call up your integrator? Have someone come by the next day? Verkada is...
IP Networking Course Fall 2020 - Last Chance - Register Now on Sep 23, 2020
Today is the last chance to register for the only IP networking course...
Drain Wire For Access Control Reader Tutorial on Sep 23, 2020
An easy-to-miss cabling specification plays a key role in access control, yet...
Norway Council of Ethics Finds Hikvision Human Rights Abuses "Ongoing" on Sep 23, 2020
Hikvision's involvement in "serious human rights abuse" in Xinjiang is...
IPVM Camera Calculator User Manual / Guide on Sep 23, 2020
Learn how to use the IPVM Camera Calculator (updated for Version 3.1). The...
Installation Course Fall 2020 - Save $50 - Last Chance on Sep 22, 2020
This is a unique installation course in a market where little practical...
SimpliSafe Business Security Launched Examined on Sep 22, 2020
SimpliSafe has launched "SimpliSafe Business Security" that the company...
FLIR CEO: Many New Fever Entrants "Making Claims That The Science Just Won't Support" on Sep 22, 2020
FLIR's CEO joins a growing number calling out risks with fever / screening...