NFPA 72, 2016 Edition uses the phrase "2-hour fire-rated construction" in a few places; what does this refer to?

It's confusing to me since a variety of elements within the building could be 2-hour rated. For example, NFPA 72-2016 Section 24.3.13.7 states:

"Two-way in-building wired emergency communication systems shall have a pathway survivability of Level 2 or Level 3. Exception: Level 1 shall be permitted where the building is less than 2-hour fire-rated construction."

Buildings are not designated with a fire-rating, elements are. How do you interpret this?

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Do large LED screens in auditorium/lecture hall setting need to achieve particular flame spread/smoke development performance?

Are these considered part of the wall interior finish?

Thanks in advance.

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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 are designing a clean agent system for electrical rooms located within a high-rise building. We are proposing having dedicated clean agent releasing control panels for the electrical rooms, and a separate building Fire Alarm Control Panel.

Is it mandatory to connect fire/smoke dampers (and other shutdown devices) in the electrical room with the clean agent releasing panel, or can these be connected to the building fire alarm system?

Thanks in advance.

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We are working on a project where a feed main is running through an unsprinklered space to get to a sprinklered area. I've heard that sprinkler pipe needs to be protected by sprinklers so we are trying to figure out if this is an actual requirement or not.

We are talking about putting uprights on the feed main in the unsprinklered area to protect the pipe but I can't find anything in NFPA 13 that actually requires the pipe to be protected.

Does anyone know if this is a requirement or not?

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Do liquid nitrogen storage rooms need to be fire-resistance rated?

According to NFPA 55 (2016 Edition) Section 6.4.4, gas storage rooms need to be 1-hour fire rated, but it just seems odd since nitrogen can be used as an extinguishing agent.

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I was looking through the International Building Code and have not found a requirement for a fire sprinkler riser room to be enclosed by a fire-rated wall.

Are there any requirements other than clearances to service the equipment for this room?

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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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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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I'm an AHJ and I know many plan reviewers and inspectors in my area are new to the trade. 

Does anyone have recommendation(s) for good plan review checklists or tools for plan review that would be helpful to rookie and intermediate-level plan reviewers?

Thanks in advance.

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A building owner has an existing mixed-use building which has approximately 6,000 sqft of storage space (S-1 Occupancy) and offices (larger than 6,000 sqft). The offices and storage appear to have a rated separation (steel studs, 2x gypsum on at least one side of the wall) in-between them.

The owner is looking to store new product in the warehouse, but would like for it to be sprinkler protected. This building, if new, would be under the 2015 International Building Code. 

As the building currently stands, it is a code-compliant mixed-use separated, non-sprinklered occupancy. 

Can the owner voluntarily provide a sprinkler system above code, but only for the warehouse portion?

If so, does anything with the fire barrier between the warehouse and office need to change?

As this is only a voluntary improvement to the property and life safety systems, I could see it being an alternative design method and seek approval from the AHJ under IBC Section 104.11 as a partially-protected building - I just wasn't sure if it even needed to come to that. Would be interested in other opinions, thank you in advance!

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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 existing F1 occupancy with no high-piled storage is getting an addition, resulting in the total square footage for the entire F-1 area (all open) being over 50,000 ft sq, thus requiring smoke and heat vents per the 2012 IBC and IFC.

The question was asked if smoke and heat vents can just be added to the new addition and install a draft curtain to separate the existing from new, so smoke and heat vents will not be required in the existing space.

My question is, would a draft curtain be sufficient for creating a divided area in this regard?

There is no true definition of a divided area in either the building or fire codes. I wouldn’t think it would necessarily need to have a fire barrier or partition. I would assume a properly sized trap curtain would be sufficient?

Does anybody have any experience with this unique type of issue, or have any comments or suggestions?

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A four-story low-rise senior retirement living facility is being designed without the need for health support services. Which of the following areas which each serve the entire floor level require a minimum of one-hour fire resistance rating?
a. A 300 sqft laundry room
b. A 50 sqft trash room
c. A 100 sqft storage room
d. All of the above

Solution | Posted 08/17/20

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

Solution | Posted 07/31/20

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

I recently investigated some fire doors at one of our older buildings and saw they have an FM Approved label on them instead of a common UL Listing. I'm used to the UL listing label which clearly states the fire rating in minutes or hours. The FM label I saw gives some outdated ASTM standards and references a CABO report but doesn't clearly state the fire rating.

Does anyone have experience with the FM Approved fire door labels?

Based on my research, FM stopped approving fire doors a while ago. Thanks in advance.

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Which of the following arrangements is not permitted for a new prison, under NFPA standards?
a. Sprinkler Protected, Type II (222) Construction, High-Rise Building
b. Sprinkler Protected, Type II (000) Construction, 3-Story Building
c. Sprinkler Protected, Type IV (2HH) Construction, 2-Story Building
d. Sprinkler Protected, Type V (000) Construction, 1-Story Building

Solution | Posted 07/15/20

Solution | Posted 07/09/20

I am working on a project with male and female restrooms in separate structures located near a park. The structures are roughly 500 sqft. The structures must comply with NFPA 101 for means of egress. I am trying to figure out travel distance requirements.

What occupancy would you classify the restrooms as? And in turn what would be the maximum travel distance if there is only a single door?

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This building is an H-1 occupancy. There is an area of refuge on the 4th floor. The shelter-in-place Class 3 area of refuge is protected from interior and exterior hazards. There are vertical openings through all 4 floors. The UFC is governing.

Based on this, do the stairwells need to be intertied directly to the shelter-in-place area of refuge for an exit enclosure that is a direct accessible means of egress (we are providing accessibility provisions)? Does the shelter-in-place area need to be a smoke enclosure as well as the interconnected stairwell system?

Based on this will both the stairwell and the shelter-in-place need to be pressurized to meet design intent?

Both exterior and interior air is hazardous and a scrubber would be needed to inject air for stairwell pressurization.

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I am dealing with a Military building. It is an H-1 occupancy. The building is currently 4 stories high.

This is not allowed per IBC based on means of egress.

Has anyone made an argument based on UFC referring to NFPA 101 for means of egress related items to make an H-1 occupancy allowed to be more than 1 story?

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