Our University is currently in design of an Applied Research Center which is configured as two lineal building bars separated by an atrium space. One bar will house our shipping and receiving area for chemicals, flammables, and hazardous waste storage. The other building bar will contain the majority of wet and dry labs for research.

The only pathway for transport of these chemicals, flammables and hazardous waste is designed to occur through the atrium space. Also, the only way to transport these items to second floor labs is by a passenger elevator located in the atrium. I can find no references in NFPA that prohibits utilizing the atrium for transporting these items.

Does anyone have any information on whether this process is acceptable or not? Thank you!

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Solution | Posted 06/21/19

My clients are wanting to store a small amount of Class IIIB liquid (cooking oil) in a Group S storage mezzanine that is part of a larger Group F-1 commercial cooking facility. I've done the larger FP scheme for when this product becomes a full-scaled production with its own designated processing plant, and that has a rack protection scheme for Intermediate Bulk Container storage.

This smaller-scale renovation is a mock-up of the larger scale production in an existing plant- intended to get product to the customers for test marketing. The quantity stored will be a single pallet of (60) 5 gal plastic jug in box containers. The overhead system is Ordinary Hazard Group 2, although if I source calculated I could probably get a .6 x 3000 +500. 

Because the quantity is so low, nothing in NFPA 30 seems to really pertain to the storage. The jurisdiction is on the 2012 IFC, and I think that §5704.3.4.4 applies. It basically says that flammable and combustible equipment for maintenance and the operation of equipment in excess of 10 gal shall be stored in liquid storage cabinets (the equipment of course being the searing/frying equipment in the other area of operation). 

My question arises from never having to have specified protection criteria for storage quantities so small. I want to get the client to unload the pallets into 3- cabinets, following all of the separation criteria. 

Does use of the cabinets mean that the fire-rating requirements for "control areas" do not need to be followed?

Or does the standard want the storage cabinets inside a burn-rated area?

If it is the latter, I am planning to ask the fire marshal for an exemption for the 1-hr burn rating required by NFPA 30 Table 9.7.2. 

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