Is New Paint in Paint Booth Properly Protected?

1/19/2021

We have been asked if a 20+ year old wet pipe sprinkler system we installed into a paint application room is the correct method of protection for a specific paint product that is currently being used.

The MSDS sheets for a few of the products they now use indicate protection with dry chemical, foam, or water fog.

I have been told that the MSDS sheets typically refer to the product as its being stored and not necessarily as its being applied. The storage is not happening in this room of course, but in approved fire-rated storage cabinets outside the area. None of the typical requirements for alternate protection are met per NFPA 33.

Basically other than the product data sheets, this is a run of the mill paint application area. Nothing automated or fancy.

Anyone have any experience with a similar situation?

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11 Comments

Dan Wilder

1/19/2021 08:09:25 am

The paint booth will have limited quantities of the liquids so other than verifying design criteria per current NFPA requirements (if needed), I don't see an issue with the booth itself.

The mixing/storage room is a larger question (I know you stated cabinets) and would need to be evaluated for current inventory, quantities, and the appropriate extinguishment (and possibly containment).

Jesse

1/19/2021 09:16:12 am

Agree with Dan here. and it depends on the paint. Let's presume its a Class I Flammable Liquid. The application in the paint booth is your question, so this is EH-2 requiring a density of 0.40 / 2,500 with 500 hose. If your wet pipe automatic sprinkler system can achieve that density then I'd submit its adequately protected.

Note that your storage and mixing room(s) is / are a different story altogether and protected under NFPA 30. Again, assuming Class I Flammable Liquid for the product.

Taylor Jenkins

2/1/2021 09:14:14 am

Keep in mind that with the EH-II protection you need K11.2 heads because of the 0.4 gpm/sf density requirement. Most older protection in paint booths don't have K11 heads installed.

We typically add a control valve at the base of the drop within reach from the floor as well when doing new protection but rarely see them installed in older applications..

Casey Milhorn

2/1/2021 09:39:02 am

Thanks Taylor. Yeah, my 25 year old self knew enough to use 11.2Ks 20 years ago for hydraulic purposes at the very least. Sometimes I cringe when I have to go back and look at what I did in the early years, but usually I find that I did okay. My 45 year old self would probably give the 25 year old me a B- on most of my stuff... lol.

Glenn Berger

1/19/2021 09:47:32 am

For the Paint Booth (Spray Room), I would check the condition of the sprinkler(s) provided within.

I would recommend having the correct type of fire extinguisher adjacent to the room for manual extinguishment.

Sarah Swan link

1/19/2021 10:27:42 am

This will likely require a review by a fire protection engineer or code consultant to ensure that the existing system is adequate for the hazard. In addition, my company has observed reduced water supplies across the country as municipalities try to cope with aging infrastructure. If you are an installer, assuming your company does not have the qualifications to perform this analysis, and you would like some assistance in reviewing the existing sprinkler system for adequacy, please feel free to contact me at sarah@the-fpi.com.

Casey Milhorn

1/20/2021 12:17:49 pm

Thanks Sarah! I actually deal with one of your cohorts here locally, Corey Kinsman. He helps out on some things from time to time.

Jesse

1/19/2021 10:34:04 am

I think all we need to do to judge adequacy is a calc. We know that EH-2 applies requiring 0.40 / 2,500 w/ 250-hose. If we have a flow test we can calc this system to see if we get that density. Before our fancy-schmancy 3D design software we have now there were a lot of software products that would easily run a quick calc. As an insurance HPR engineer, we calc'd EVERYTHING. I used an ancient MS-DOS software called Hypercalc. It was a little keystroke intense for a tree system, which is probably what you've got there, but once we determined the end head pressure available it was quick and easy to find the overall density.

CJ Bonczyk

1/19/2021 11:04:59 am

Questions I would ask are what was the paint booth used and calculated for previously 20+ years ago?
Is the paint booth current usage the same since it was built or has the spray applications, paints, etc, changed since then?
Or is the code for the same application 20 years ago changed for today’s standards?

If the booth and application with the paints has not changed and only code has been updated then there is no need for any changes outside of NFPA 13 requirements.

If the owner or insurance agent is asking to see if they need to change their protection scheme because the paint booth has changed spray application/ paint type/ chemicals etc. then a reevaluation of the paint booth itself is required to determine if the existing system will meeting NFPA 13, 33, insurance & AHJ requirements hydraulically.

It is safe to say that the paint booth can be protected per 13 & 33 where applicable if nothing is stored within the booth itself.

Current storage in cabinets or a cut off room of the solvents, chemicals, paints etc. will need to be evaluated to ensure quantities, separation distances, containment, etc. are met. Additionally, any mixing room (if fire rated) will need to be reevaluated to ensure that the occupancy, storage and quantities are complying as well. The proper extinguishing agent can be determined (i.e. dry chem, foam,) with supplemental water protection at the ceiling.

Franck

1/19/2021 11:49:08 am

The MSDS data sheet is to fight a fire with manual firefighting means (i.e. portable fire extinguishers). This is why it is not refered to sprinkler protection.
But it is indicated that you can use water fog portable fire extinguishers which means that you can normally use water to control a fire.
If the product is a combustible/flammable liquid (depending on its flashpoint), then the storage should be protected according to NFPA 30.
If limited quantities stored inside approved safety cabinets, then this is normally fine (but you will still probably need a sprinkler proetction as you may mix/use the liquids inside the storage room), as well as adequate ventilation.

In addition to the design density (should be considered as EH Gr 2, as indicated above), don't forget the following requirements/good practices for the paint spray booth (that may not be available if the installation is old):
- The sprinkler spacing should be 1 head / 100 sq ft maximum.
- To prevent collection of paint on the sprinkler heads, which would delay activation, the heads should be covered with a cellophane bag having a thickness of 0.003 in. or less or a thin paper bag.
- The sprinkler system should be controlled by a separate, dedicated, listed indicating valve, accessible and operable from the floor level.
- The activation of the automatic fire protection should be system should be interlocked with the spray booth and shut down all spray application operations.
In addition, the sprinkler alarm should be relayed to a permanently attended location (guard house, main control room, outside central station).

You may also need a sprinkler protection inside ducts.
Any portion of a piping/exhaust system having the potential for combustible residue buildup on the inside, where the duct sectional area is greater than or equal to 75 in.2 - i.e. for pipes with a 10 in. diameter or larger - should be provided with an automatic extinguishing system inside the duct.

The good news if your building is protected by sprinklers (in addition to the paint spray booth) is that it is not anticipated that both the building ceiling and spray area systems will operate simultaneously if installed in accordance with NFPA standards, so a total demand including both the ceiling system and the spray area systems is not required for hydraulic calculations and sizing of the water supply.

Casey Milhorn

1/20/2021 12:25:30 pm

Thank you everyone for the comments. That's what I needed. The request came from a local AHJ inspection and only the paint application room has the existing EH 2 system. The only comment was verify that the existing system is okay to cover the paint product being used due to the MSDS sheets saying wet protection might not be advisable.
I did the design 20 years ago myself and don't remember the circumstances of only the app room needing coverage, but I remember it being a little strange. I think I will suggest that the system appears to be adequate for application of paint products, per NFPA 33, but additional manual protection might be wise for fire fighting of stored or concentrated quantities, especially since no sprinkler protection existing outside the paint application room. Thanks again.

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