I'm having trouble finding a definitive code section (in IFC or NFPA 101) about prohibiting open flames in biosafety (BSC) cabinets.

I have a position paper from the Institutional Biosafety Committee which references a lot of well-known organizations (such as WHO, NIH, CDC, etc.) and some manufacturers who strongly discourage the use of open flames in biosafety cabinets saying there are better alternatives to sanitize biological samples. 

I've also seen many college ESH references saying the same thing. 

The hazard is catching the HEPA filter on fire and in general I've read that an open flame is not good for maintaining the laminar air flow through the cabinet. However, finding something in code or selwhere prohibiting the use has proven elusive.

Anyone have any thoughts or references that would help here?

Unfortunately, it may take something directly from code to get the practice prohibited at my place of work.

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We have a project with a comment from the AHJ stating that the dryer vent cannot terminate to the exterior condominium wall, which is the egress wall for the condominium exit exterior breezeway on that floor.

We're under NFPA 101 (regarding Section 30-3.6.3 for Unprotected Openings).

Is a duct penetration considered an unprotected opening?

Dry vents cannot have fire/smoke dampers, so can it just be a metal duct?

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We have a building that used to be a business occupancy but the new occupant wants to now use the occupancy as a church (assembly).

The building is not sprinklered and has no fire alarm system. The new occupant load is 279 people.

The problem is the main entrance is on ground level but the second rear exit is below ground level to exit the building. Is the second rear exit below ground level acceptable?

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I have a question about protection of sprinklers in windows specifically for a connection of a basement parking garage and a first level mall commercial space.

NFPA 101 accepts that there is a connection between both occupancies, but there must be compartmentalization of 3-hours without automatic sprinklers and 2-hours with automatic sprinklers. In this case, we have an escalator from the basement up to level 1, as shown below:

Can we consider this to be compartmentalized with glass and sprinklers on both sides of the glass?

Do the access doors have to be 1-1/2 hour, our could they not have any fire resistance if I have sprinklers on both sides?

This project is under NFPA 101 (specifically Table 6.1.14.4.1 for separation between occupancies), NFPA 5000, and NFPA 13 (9.3.5/19.4.3 for sprinkler protection of windows).

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Who has dealt with the question of egress from the vault of a linear accelerator (used to treat patients)?

The vault can only be opened from the inside by a button which can be disabled from the outside! The only manual opener is a crank on the outside!

I realize the patient could be incapacitated but what about maintenance and cleaning crews? Any recommendations, especially from those with experience, would be appreciated.

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I have a double fire wall (two masonry walls next to each other with small air gap in-between). I need to have a door in each wall.

The doors would have to swing opposite directions, I think, which means a double Firewall could not be used in an egress condition where doors both have to open in the direction of travel to the exit.

It sounds like I need a tied or cantilevered Firewall instead of a double Firewall. Is this correct, or are there any other approaches to a door within a double Firewall?

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We have a project where the general contractor is stating that the vertical penetration in the stairwell landing, where the standpipes are located, need to be sealed.

They are not asking for it to be a fire-rated seal, but they say some sort of seal will be required. I know on past projects this typically was never a requirement. I have searched NFPA and the IBC with no luck on finding something that would insinuate that no seal is required for the vertical standpipes openings within the rated stair.

Is a seal required for these stair landing penetrations?

Any input is much appreciated.

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A theater has aisles serving its main seating area. One of the aisles has a stair 51 inches wide, with a wall and handrail on one side and fixed seating on the other. If the handrail has a center-line of 4 inches from the wall, what is the effective width of the stair?
a. 37.5 in.
b. 43.5 in.
c. 45 in.
d. 47 in.

Solution | Posted 10/23/20

Which of the following occupancies have no difference in maximum permitted travel distance for sprinklered versus unsprinklered buildings?
a. Existing Day Care
b. Residential Lodging
c. Existing Mercantile
d. New Business

Solution | Posted 10/22/20

An opening within a smoke partition for air transfer requires what type of protective device?
a. fire/smoke damper, minimum 45 minute rating
b. fire/smoke damper, minimum 1.5 hour rating
c. smoke damper, minimum 250 F rated
d. smoke damper, minimum 350 F rated

Solution | Posted 10/15/20

Have a four-story project that is under 2015 IBC and NFPA 101. NFPA 101, for fully-sprinklered buildings with accessible floor levels (floors 2-4 included) - designates the entire floor level as accessible and an area of refuge. Reference NFPA 101 7.2.12 and NFPA 72 24.10.

Along with that designation includes a requirement for a two-way communication system generally next to the elevator bank for the building. There's not much detail out of NFPA 101, and I'm finding very few people are familiar with these systems.

Who typically specifies and provides details/locations on these systems?

It is not tied into the fire alarm system - yet is related to life safety - so we're getting some feedback that these systems should be shown on fire alarm plans. However, the fire alarm subcontractors have nothing to do with these systems. Low voltage / specialty consultants are stating that the systems are code mandated and aren't looking to coordinate these locations with fire marshals and plan review.

It's not a cost item and no one is pointing fingers - but I am trying to understand going forward where these systems are typically shown on plans and who should be specifying them? 

Thanks in advance.

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In which of the following scenarios is neither explosion protection nor suppression system required? 
a. Flammable paint warehouse mixing rooms where open transfer of paint occurs
b. Dust ventilator equipment where the dust density can be above its lower flammability limit
c. Mechanical room where service equipment is subject to explosion
d. All of the above require either explosion protection or suppression systems

Solution | Posted 10/05/20

At our site I'm dealing with personnel wanting to park small vehicles (Gem carts and forklifts) inside the building.

I know this is clearly not allowed in an egress corridor (where it was) but I'm having trouble finding parts of the code addressing storage in mechanical rooms or similar space. I know NFPA 101 has rules for high hazard contents but not sure if I can make that argument for the vehicles.

Any thoughts or suggestions?

Thanks in advance.

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​An elementary school must perform a fire drill at least:
a. Once per month
b. Once every other month
c. Once per semester (twice each year)
d. Once per year

Solution | Posted 10/01/20

A stair is 59 inches wide, with a handrail on one side with a centerline of 1.5 inches from the edge of the stair. The other side of the stair is a wall. For the purposes of calculating a speci􀃎c 􀃏ow, what is the effective width of the stair?
a. 47 in.
b. 48 in.
c. 53 in.
d. 59 in.

Solution | Posted 09/25/20

​A continuous membrane with a fire protection rating constructed to limit the spread of fire is which of the following?
a. smoke partition
b. fire compartment
c. fire barrier
d. proscenium wall

Solution | Posted 09/24/20

If, during a fire, a total occupant load of 185 people are exiting through a building's main entry (a 7-foot double door with an effective width of 6.5 ft) and the density near the main exit door results in about 0.25 persons/sqft, the time (in minutes) it would take for all of these occupants to exit the main doors is most
nearly:
a. 1.3 min
b. 1.4 min
c. 2.0 min
d. 5.7 min

Solution | Posted 09/22/20

An existing warehouse storing flammable and combustible liquids, considered high-hazard storage, has a ramp at the back of the building used for egress. If the ramp serves an egress load of 79 persons, what is the required minimum ramp width?
a. 30 inches
b. 31.6 inches
c. 39.5 inches
d. 40 inches

Solution | Posted 09/14/20

A new healthcare building is being designed with a suite with no sleeping areas and full smoke detection. What is the required construction for the corridor walls?
a. smoke partition only
b. smoke barrier only
c. 1-hour fire resistance and smoke barrier
d. none of the above

Solution | Posted 09/03/20

A new community college building contains 26,000 sqft of small instructional classrooms, an entry lobby, restrooms, offices, and a 15,000 sqft auditorium is considered what type of occupancy?
a. Group A, Assembly
b. Group B, Business
c. Group E, Education
d. Mixed Use

Solution | Posted 09/02/20

An open, unobstructed space connects an entry level lobby with a balcony on the level above in a fully sprinklered residential building while separated from the remainder of the building with a smoke barrier. If the space only has low hazard contents and meets egress requirements, what type of space does it qualify as?
a. Atrium
b. Communicating Space
c. Convenience Opening
d. Two-Story Opening with Partial Enclosure

Solution | Posted 08/26/20

If Element A is a 45-minute interior door, B is a corridor, C is a 2-hour rated stair, and D is a non-rated exterior door, which element identified would be considered an exit?

​a. 45-minute Interior Door A
b. Corridor B
c. 2-hour Rated Stair
d. Non-Rated Exterior Door

Solution | Posted 08/20/20

Considering all potential components in a building, which of the following occupancies have the most restrictive requirements for material flame spread and smoke development
a. new day-care centers
b. existing duplex home
c. existing Class B department store
d. new large warehouse

Solution | Posted 08/12/20

Does anyone have much experience with fire pins/plugs as part of a fire door?

I came across some during a project to replace fire doors. There's a male and female component but ultimately a pin/plug is released at high temperature and goes into a hole to secure a pair of fire rated double doors.

My question is: are the pins just a substitute for a lower latch or is there some special code or regulatory driver for them?

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A building addition is to connect two existing buildings of different construction types. Which of the following construction type arrangements is always permissible?
a. Provide the least fire-resistive construction type of the connected portions with no fire barrier separation
b. Provide 1-hour vertically aligned fire wall is installed between them to create separate buildings
c. Provide any construction type for the connection portion with 2-hour fire barrier between buildings
d. none of the above

Solution | Posted 07/22/20