Gem Carts & Forklifts Allowed in Mech Rooms?

10/1/2020

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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12 Comments

Jonathan Sullivan

10/1/2020 10:07:56 am

How are the vehicles powered?

Jonathan Sullivan

10/1/2020 10:13:12 am

I ask because IFC 315.3.3 prevents combustible storage in these types of rooms.

Daniel Garcia

10/1/2020 12:09:16 pm

Electric (cart) and lpg (forklift)

Jonathan Sullivan link

10/1/2020 12:50:56 pm

What codes are locally adopted?

Daniel Garcia

10/1/2020 01:30:18 pm

Jonathan - IFC 2015 version is adopted. I haven't seen anything saying it's ok to store this type of equipment in a non-warehouse location but just looking for the "smoking gun" to show the people who want to do this. I may have to settle for the code excerpt you mentioned.

Jonathan Sullivan

10/2/2020 04:10:43 pm

Daniel -

IFC Chapter 61 directs you to use sections 11.13 and 11.14 of NFPA 58 for LP gas containers on vehicles. Hopefully these sections will be helpful.

10/1/2020 11:03:37 am

NFPA 505 via NFPA 1:10.17 & 34.6.

Daniel Garcia

10/1/2020 12:41:17 pm

Thanks. So I suppose industrial trucks also can apply for a forklift? I did a word search for forklift in the document but nothing came up in the code. I'm also thinking a small person only (non-industrial) mobile vehicle like a Gem cart would not meet the definition of an industrial truck?

10/1/2020 01:36:05 pm

The definitions has lpg powered vehilces and E for electric powered vehicles.

10/1/2020 01:40:24 pm

forklifts are covered in the standard.
It does not appear that electrical carts are under the scope.

Michael Major

10/1/2020 02:36:50 pm

Also IFC 309 on industrial powered trucks and carts is a great section for fire safety requirements.

Bruce Verhei

11/2/2020 02:44:37 pm

https://youtu.be/vq8uuAKEVZg

A mobility scooter fire in a hallway, courtesy of our Rotterdam colleagues.

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