​I am in the process of bidding an existing building.

Here is the rundown: the ground level has parking. Above that is a 3-hour horizontal separation between the parking and the first floor. Then there are three stories of apartments above the separation.

I’m looking at this as two separate buildings and am proposing NFPA 13 for the parking and NFPA 13R for the apartments above.

If a stair structure is supporting the fire barriers that enclose the exit enclosure, does the stair structure have to be fire rated as well?

Looking specifically at IBC 2018 Section 707.5.1 and NFPA 101 (2018) Section 7.1.3.2.

If there is a fire inside a stair, the means of egress is no longer usable and at that point are you protecting the interior of the building from the fire inside the exit enclosure?

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Water curtain using automatic sprinklers to avoid providing opening protectives - there's a lot of confusion on this.

Exception stated under Section 705.8.2 of 2021 International Building Code (OBC) states that Opening protectives are not required where the building is equipped through an automatic sprinkler system in accordance with Section 903.1.1 and the exterior openings are protected by a water curtain using automatic sprinkler systems approved for that use.

Can we use this exception and provide a water curtain using automatic sprinklers to avoid fire rated doors in the loading dock of a building?

Is there anything else that I need to be concerned about while designing these sprinklers for the water curtain?

Need more clarity here before recommending an approach. Thanks in advance. 

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What code or standard prescribes the location and/or number of heat / smoke / gas detectors needed for an industrial / chemical plant?

We have an open steel structure with processing equipment on most floors, which are essentially grating – no roof and no walls – containing flammable and toxic chemicals. 

We’ve planned to place some detection in strategic spots downwind of the flare (southmost) and tankfarm (same flammables) and there are some single-story buildings and other outside equipment like a cooling tower, nitrogen generation, boiler – all downwind of the tankfarm and open structure mentioned. 

So, some of all types where personnel could be in any area especially the lab/control room and electrical building mentioned above.  The modular building supplier may have those taken care of but I need to check behind them. 

The majority are outside and in the nine-story structure.  I plan to have flame and gas detectors throughout depending on the correct guidance.  Thanks in advance for your take!

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UL designs discuss loading-bearing and non-load bearing walls.

I haven't seem many where they discuss when, say, electrical, fire pump, fire alarm panels or other equipment are mounted on the walls.

At what point do you have to consider the objects on the wall and consider the wall as load-bearing?

It may just be a structural question, but my structural contacts have said not to worry but I wanted to hear others opinions. Thank you in advance!

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Is there an egress requirement for a garage structure that only houses the car stacker, with 10 bays and 3 levels?

What would a code path be for or against such a requirement?

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I am overseeing an NFPA 101, Chapter 43 reconstruction project in an existing storage occupancy that is changing to an industrial/high hazard occupancy.

I am trying to coordinate the means of egress during construction.

Other parts of the building are currently occupied and the new area is less than 50% of the building.

Section 43.7.2.3 requires that the area comply with the applicable new construction chapters of the occupancy. The hazard category per table 43.7.3 leads me to believe this would be a hazard category 1.

The question is: when is the construction area considered to be high hazard?

The contents of the hazardous occupancy will not be present through the entirety of the construction and will only be put in place after the space is ready to be occupied and compliant with all means of egress requirements. During construction, the "high hazard contents room" is just a small room with nothing located inside.

Even with no high hazard contents present until the space is ready to be occupied, does it need to meet the egress requirements of new industrial/high hazard or can it meet the egress requirements of existing for storage?

Thanks.

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I have a new construction 5-story residential (dormitory) being constructed under UFC.

The architect inquired if lobbies need to be provided for the elevators, and, if not, do smoke protection (draft-curtains) need to be provided?

My immediate thought was of course, something needs to be provided. However, when I follow the code track of NFPA 101, it is not exactly clear in comparison to IBC.

The IBC is very clear, Section 3006 regarding the protection of hoistway openings.

Without going through the entire NFPA 101 code-track here, we end up back at NFPA 101 Chapter 8. Section 8.5.3 states a fire barrier can be used as a smoke barrier, provided it meets the requirements of Section 8.5. Hoistway openings, specifically elevator doors are not specifically mentioned in NFPA 101 Section 8.5. The only thing I can point to is Section 8.5.2 Continuity and Section 8.3.5.2 Joint Systems for Fire Barriers.

Other items: The hoistway is to be protected with a 2-hour fire rating, which requires the elevator door to be 1.5 hour rated (Section 8.6.5), and the building is protected throughout with automatic fire sprinklers, including the elevator shaft.

By definition, the building is not considered a high-rise. The hoistway height is ~57 feet.

​What are everyone's thoughts on this?

Thanks in advance.

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I understand that Chapter 7 of NFPA 101 applies to stairs on the means of egress.

However, in the case of a feature stair, does the same dimensional requirements and handrails on both sides still apply?

In theory, should a person be on the feature stair when the fire alarm activates, they would need to traverse the stair to escape and it therefore forms part of the means of egress?

Thanks in advance.

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I’ve been reviewing standards to determine the equivalency between fireproofing thickness and the fire resistance rating.

This is for an industrial plant structure. I realize there are many factors but at some point I need a reference to determine what the rating is required to be.

What is the process to determine what the required fire-resistance-rating of a component needs to be?

In this case, it is for structural steel supporting columns of the open structure. The structure is composed of the main support columns and those supporting vessels, etc. The structure is about 5-6 levels tall.  For simplicity I wanted to address the main columns starting on floor 1 where a pool fire may start.  If I could find the standard / guidance for this then I can adapt for vessel supports, etc.  

I’ve been through calculations and information from API 2218 to determine the fireproofing thickness for a certain hour rating. However, I have yet to determine or find the hourly rating requirement.

I’m assuming it will be 1-3 hours, for example, using API 2510 (LPG) as a guide with reference to UL 1709. It does specify a 1½ hour time rating which then gives a fireproofing thickness. Further, the fire protection requirements will come from a risk assessment of the system. I have to be able to give guidance to the risk team to help them come to suitable answers.

What can I use to provide a best answer to an hourly rating, hopefully, chapter and verse?

Thank you for your help in advance.

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I have a highrise that exceeds 400-ft in height. The engineer designed a combination riser with all of the floor control assemblies coming from one riser, and not alternating as is in code. 

I'm wondering if there's something I'm missing - any way around alternating the floor control assemblies, like upper-level pumps being considered separate systems or something of the like?

​Looking for better understanding here and being sure I'm not missing something bigger picture. Thanks in advance.

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​In the corridors of an apartment building (wrap) there are fire doors that are double-egress pairs that are left-hand-reverse by left-hand reverse which follows the natural traffic pattern within the corridor.

However, there are also several right-hand-reverse by right-hand-reverse in the same corridor.

Is there a requirement one way or another on which direction these are supposed to be?

​I informed the project manager that the egress needs to follow the natural traffic pattern. I was curious about the different flow patterns of the doors so I researched the code but was unable to locate anything in the code regarding whether it was code or not, except for the AHJ. The county where I live also agreed with me but if someone out there knows if this is code please respond.

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A business occupancy we're working on has 550 occupants, and requires three means of egress per Section 7.4.1.2 (NFPA 101, 2018 Edition).

Section 7.5.1.1.1 indicates that egress shall be arranged such that each occupant has access to not less than two means of egress.

When the three means of egress are required per Section 7.4.1.2, does access to all three means of egress need to be provided to each occupant?

Or will providing access for each occupant to a minimum of two means of egress satisfy the code requirement?

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NFPA 101, Section 39.2.2.2.2* Door Locking to Prevent Unwanted Entry. Where approved, doors, other than those complying with 39.2.11.2, shall be permitted to be locked to prevent unwanted entry provided that all of the following conditions are met:

1. The locking means shall be capable of being engaged without opening the door.
2. The unlocking and unlatching operation from the egress side of the door shall be accomplished without the use of a key, tool, or special knowledge or effort.
3. Egress shall require not more than one releasing operation.

​Question on Item (3) above: Is a knob on a (exit) door considered a 'one releasing operation' or two releasing operations (i.e., turning the knob to unlatch and push it to open the door)?

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If a material has a Class A flame spread rating, can I assume that it does not diminish the rating of a fire-rated assembly?

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We have a building that was designed with exit width and stair width per occupant using the exception CBC 1005.3.1 for a sprinklered building with EVACS (emergency voice/alarm communication system), however, the fire alarm design drawings show horns/strobes.

Found out through the fire alarm deferred submittal corrections.

Changing the width of stairs and exit doors is not an option as the shell is already built.

The EVACS option will cause delays, cost impacts, and material procurement challenges and not advised by FD because building has inherent ambient noise associated with building operations.

What options do we have?

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We are working on a 20-story apartment building where the corridors are open with parapet walls on either side. These serve as an exit access corridor. The project is under NFPA 101.

In Chapter 7 of NFPA 101, the exist access corridor is supposed to have a minimum fire resistance rating of 1-hour.  However, I can't seem to find any provision in the code regarding open corridors.

Will these corridors be required to have a fire resistance rating? What about the doors of the dwelling units?

I'm assuming if the corridor is not fire rated, then we wouldn't need opening protection through these partitions/walls. 

Thanks in advance.

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Is there a situation, other than a fire pump room, where a sprinkler riser room would be required to have direct access to the exterior?

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Are there any code requirements, or restrictions, to using spray-applied cementitious fireproofing on a steel structure in the space above the ceiling of a building when it is being used as a return air plenum?

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Can two electrical boxes be placed in the same stud cavity?

If so, are there restrictions by code?

Thanks in advance.

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In the base IBC/NFPA 101 are there any requirements for "interview rooms" in buildings that aren't I occupancies or detention centers?

I'm reviewing a building design that has a small police suite with 3 "interview" rooms; the designer said the intent is that each room is capable of holding one detainee who will be chained to the table at and in the company of at least one officer at all times.

This doesn't qualify as a Group I occupancy per IBC and NPFA 101 Ch 22 doesn't apply to non-sleeping areas. I feel like there is something I'm overlooking but I'm having trouble finding information.

Thanks in advance.

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​If NFPA 75 isn't an explicitly adopted code by the AHJ or not referenced by any of the other applicable codes is smoke detection required in a raised floor area?

NFPA 72 provides location guidance but other than that I can't find in NFPA 101/IBC where smoke detection would be required in the raise floor space. Not every jurisdiction/client adopts NFPA 75, I'm unsure what other code or standard would require below floor smoke detection.

Thanks in advance.

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What are you all seeing or specifying for firestop identification labels?

Masterspec calls for metal or plastic labels.

I found an FCIA (Firestop Contractors International Association) article that speaks to stamped metal tags or ceramic fiber tags (Google is failing on what that actually would look like).

It seems the firestop manufacturers all have stickers.

I have always specified the metal or plastic labels using the Masterspec language. If I get anything at all installed, it is the manufacturer stickers. I have concerns about the longevity of the stickers.

I’m curious what others are calling for, what your AHJs or clients ask for, and what is actually getting installed. Thanks in advance.

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How is it determined whether a steel structure will have spray-applied fire resistant materials?

I'm creating performance specification for a bid-set on a project, so I don't yet have input from a structural engineer. The project is a warehouse with large fire loads and exposed steel.

Recently, a project out for bid is a low-rise office building, 100% sprinklered with a wet-pipe system that is concealed by a suspended ceiling. On that project, all of the structural steel has spray-applied fire resistant materials.

What drives the issue of spray-applied fire resistive materials?

Thanks in advance.

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I have an existing business that is approximately 4,000 sqft. It's a single-story building being renovated into an infusion center with (14) IV patient rooms.

I would consider this type of occupancy to be an Ambulatory Care occupancy because of (4) or more care recipients to be incapable of self preservation at any time. Under Ambulatory Care, this building would need to be sprinkler protected under the International Fire Code.

Are these type of centers considered to fall under Ambulatory Care, or just a doctor's out patient Business occupancy?

​Thanks in advance.

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