Albany, N.Y., Code of Ordinances ch. 231 § 231-80
Air-conditioning safety controls
Operative Text
A. Manually operated controls shall be provided to stop the operation of all central fan equipment. Such controls shall be conspicuously identified and in readily accessible locations outside the fan room. B. Every system using recirculated air and serving an assembly space or more than one fire area or more than one story of a building shall be provided with controls arranged so that under abnormal rise in temperature of the air in the system the fans causing normal circulation shall stop and require manual restart. C. Every system for ventilating an assembly space shall be provided with an emergency switch conveniently located and with a durable sign giving instructions for shutting down the system in case of fire.
Albany, N.Y., Code of Ordinances ch. 231 § 231-80 establishes safety requirements for central air-conditioning and ventilation systems in buildings. It requires that manual shutoff controls be placed in accessible, clearly marked locations outside fan rooms, and that systems serving multiple fire areas or stories automatically stop circulation fans when abnormal temperatures are detected. Assembly spaces must also have an emergency shutoff switch with posted instructions for use during a fire.
Plain English — not legal advice.
Under Albany, N.Y., Code of Ordinances ch. 231 § 231-80, compliant building operators ensure that manual fan-stop controls are conspicuously labeled and positioned outside fan rooms where they can be reached quickly. For systems serving multiple stories or fire areas, operators verify that automatic temperature-triggered shutoffs are functional and that fans require a manual restart after activation. In assembly spaces, a clearly signed emergency shutoff switch with fire-shutdown instructions is installed and maintained in a convenient location.
General guidance for property managers — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult an attorney for advice on your case.
Albany, N.Y., Code of Ordinances ch. 231 § 231-80 is primarily a building-safety and equipment standard, but tenants in affected buildings benefit from the protections it creates. If you observe that emergency shutoff controls in common areas are missing, unmarked, or inaccessible, that may indicate a code compliance issue worth reporting to the appropriate local building or fire code enforcement authority. Tenant-rights organizations or local housing agencies can help you understand how to raise such concerns through the proper channels.
General guidance for tenants — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult a tenant-rights organization or attorney for advice on your case.
Generated November 7, 2026 — auto-generated, not yet human-reviewed. See /transparency for methodology.
Effective Timeline
References Out
No outbound references recorded yet for this provision.
References In
No inbound references recorded yet for this provision.