Omit Sprinklers in Small Stadium Water Closets?

9/8/2023

I'm reviewing a stadium project. The maximum available open vertical distance from WC stalls to the ceiling is 11.8-inches (300mm).

According to NFPA 13, table 10.2.7.2.2 (2019 Edition), the horizontal distance allowed from stall to sprinkler is 14.8-inches to 17.7-inches (375mm to 450mm). The width of the WC cubicle is 33.5-inches (850mm), so sprinklers must be provided in each cubicle.

This will result in many sprinklers in a wet area that has non-combustible or limited combustibility materials. Therefore, I've suggested sealing the cubicles up to the ceiling to create small WC rooms less than 55 sqft (5.1 sqm) to eliminate sprinklers. To my knowledge, there are no references that support this option for such an occupancy.

Is my suggestion to omit sprinklers in these small compartments consistent with the spirit of NFPA 13?

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11 Comments

Pete H

9/8/2023 07:06:04 am

I'm sorry, but no.

What you're suggesting would work if these were bathrooms in an existing hotel/dormitory lodging/rooming houses and apartment buildings guest room bathrooms (NFPA 13 2016 D.1.1.3 - D1.1.8). But that doesn't apply to new structures, or common area bathrooms, or stadium occupancies.

If you made the toilet cubicles all separate rooms in a stadium, you'd need to sprinkler each one.

Chad

9/8/2023 07:21:21 am

Agreed. Even if you could, I would not skip coverage in a stadium, small or not if required.

Anthony

9/8/2023 07:58:41 am

As Pete says, that's not an acceptable interpretation of the code. you could "skip several stalls by placing the sprinkler directly over the divider and go every other stall.

Glenn Berger

9/8/2023 08:12:14 am

Concurring with the previous responses!

Dave Branson link

9/8/2023 08:32:32 am

One should not “game the codes” by closing the openings between stalls to make small compartments that would fall below room size minimums for requiring sprinklers. I recommend that you put the sprinklers in the currently-required locations. Placing them at the dividers to allow a sprinkler to cover two stalls would provide an economical solution.

Todd E Wyatt

9/8/2023 08:42:44 am

The scoping Code (e.g. 2021 IBC) determines the scoping requirements WHERE (903.2 Where Required) an automatic sprinkler system (ASPS) is required based on the building's Occupancy Classifications (OC) and/or based on "Specific Building Areas and Hazards" (e.g. Commercial Cooking Operations). The scoping Code references applicable standards, NFPA 13, NFPA 13D, or NFPA 13R, in HOW an ASPS is to be "designed and installed" (903.3.1 Standards).

"Exempt locations" per 2021 IBC for NFPA 13 Sprinkler Systems is listed in "903.3.1.1.1 Exempt Locations" and "903.3.1.1.2 Bathrooms". The only applicable "exempt location" that matches your description could be :

903.3.1.1.1 Exempt Locations
4. Rooms or areas that are of noncombustible construction with wholly noncombustible contents.

Because of the toilet paper and paper towel supply & waste storage, most AHJs would not consider a toilet room in a stadium "with wholly noncombustible contents".

The referenced NFPA 13 by 2021 IBC is the 2019 edition. NFPA 13-2019 includes "9.2 Allowable Sprinkler Omission Locations" and lists (18) rooms/areas that an ASPS can be omitted but the situation you described is NOT included.

9/8/2023 08:43:52 am

REFERENCES
2021 IBC
Chapter 9 Fire Protection and Life Safety Systems
Section 903 Automatic Sprinkler Systems
903.3 Installation Requirements
903.3.1 Standards
903.3.1.1 NFPA 13 Sprinkler Systems
Where the provisions of this code require that a building or portion thereof be equipped throughout with an automatic sprinkler system in accordance with this section, sprinklers shall be installed throughout in accordance with NFPA 13 except as provided in Sections 903.3.1.1.1 and 903.3.1.1.2.
903.3.1.1 NFPA 13 Sprinkler Systems
903.3.1.1.1 Exempt Locations
Automatic sprinklers shall not be required in the following rooms or areas where such rooms or areas are protected with an approved automatic fire detection system in accordance with Section 907.2 that will respond to visible or invisible particles of combustion. Sprinklers shall not be omitted from a room merely because it is damp, of fire-resistance-rated construction or contains electrical equipment.
1. A room where the application of water, or flame and water, constitutes a serious life or fire hazard.
2. A room or space where sprinklers are considered undesirable because of the nature of the contents, where approved by the fire code official.
3. Generator and transformer rooms separated from the remainder of the building by walls and floor/ceiling or roof/ceiling assemblies having a fire-resistance rating of not less than 2 hours.
4. Rooms or areas that are of noncombustible construction with wholly noncombustible contents.
5. Fire service access elevator machine rooms and machinery spaces.
6. Machine rooms, machinery spaces, control rooms and control spaces associated with occupant evacuation elevators designed in accordance with Section 3008.
903.3.1.1.2 Bathrooms
In Group R occupancies sprinklers shall not be required in bathrooms that do not exceed 55 square feet (5 m2) in area and are located within individual dwelling units or sleeping units, provided that walls and ceilings, including the walls and ceilings behind a shower enclosure or tub, are of noncombustible or limited-combustible materials with a 15-minute thermal barrier rating.

2019 NFPA 13
9.2 Allowable Sprinkler Omission Locations.

ENHANCED CONTENT
Section 9.2 contains a consolidated list of specific locations where sprinklers can be omitted. It was developed to consolidate all the specific allowances that were scattered throughout Chapter 8 of the 2016 edition.

Section 9.2 can be expected to be a very active part of NFPA 13 during future revision cycles. It is the one section where the basic principle of NFPA 13 — that sprinklers must be installed throughout the premises — is allowed to be altered. During each code development cycle, the Technical Committee on Sprinkler System Installation acts on inputs and comments seeking to “excuse” a specific portion of a building from the requirements of sprinkler protection due to a special situation. The case is typically made that, under certain conditions, the presence of sprinklers does not provide any greater protection, and the omission of sprinklers in these specific areas and spaces within a building should be permitted. (Section 9.3 identifies those spaces and conditions.)

It is important to note the following two points regarding Section 9.2:
1. It is imperative that when the elimination of sprinklers from a space based on this section is being considered, the space must comply exactly with the description and requirements found within the applicable paragraph(s). In other words, any deviation from the description in the applicable paragraph negates its application, and, as a result, the space must be sprinklered.
2. If a space is not specifically detailed in this section, it is intended to be protected by sprinklers under 9.1.1(1).

9.2.1* Concealed Spaces Not Requiring Sprinkler Protection.
9.2.2 Spaces Under Ground Floors, Exterior Docks, and Platforms.
9.2.3* Exterior Projections.
9.2.4 Dwelling Units.
9.2.5* Hospital Clothes Closets.
9.2.6* Sprinklers shall not be required in electrical equipment rooms where all of the following conditions are met ...
9.2.7 Cloud Ceilings.
9.2.8 Revolving Doors Enclosures.
9.2.10* Equipment Enclosures.
9.2.11 Noncombustible Vertical Shafts.
9.2.12 Noncombustible Stairways.
9.2.13 Elevator Hoistways and Machine Rooms.
9.2.14 Duct Protection.
9.2.15 Open-Grid Ceilings.
9.2.16 Drop-Out Ceilings.
9.2.17 Skylights.

Chris

9/8/2023 10:12:05 am

The omission of sprinklers in bathrooms under 55 ft² applies to bathrooms within dwelling units. In commercial spaced this does not apply, and 100% of the building is required to have protection, except where omissions are allowed per the standard. If the stalls are not full height, and you are attempting to protect each stall individually, at 33.5" wide per stall you would run into sprinklers being less than 6-0 on center, or floor mounted obstruction issues that would be almost impossible to protect with obstruction rules. NFPA 13(19) 12.1.10.2.3 SHADOW AREAS, takes into account situations like this. With allowable shadow areas up to 15 ft² per sprinkler. NFPA 13 does not require that 100% of the floor area must get protection, but does require that the building is 100% protected.

9/8/2023 10:57:17 am

To be clear, my above comment references a Residential section. In NFPA 13. There are many references to shadow areas in the standard, but are not quantified in size, with the exception of 13D and 13R. As you stated in the 'sprit of NFPA 13' in you question, the point I am making is there are situations in buildings that require quality knowledge of fire protection and common sense. Also, I am assuming that there is a gap from the floor to the bottom of the partitions that would allow water to cover the floor area freely without obstruction.

DAVE

9/8/2023 12:22:17 pm

If you have scrolled down this far... I also agree, that would be a mis-application of the standard. There are reasons that exception is limited in application.
Make sure you are measuring vertically from partition to deflector (B), not to ceiling.
Table 10.2.7.2.2 can be used A-to-B, or B-to-A but unless I mis-read the question (which is possible), I am getting a different result. And are you interpolating?
Horizontal Distance (A) tells the maximum range of sprinkler placement beyond which the sprinkler can no longer throw "over" the partition. (Like a "backwards upside-down" beam-rule)

I can usually get a sprinkler to cover stalls on both sides of a partition so half as many sprinklers are needed. And watch
out for minimum sprinkler-to-sprinkler distance.
We are starting to see architects design multiple very small gender-neutral stalls with partitions going full-height, so no escaping a sprinkler in every stall. In school situations I try to utilize concealed sprinklers, and smaller orifice for calc purposes.

Jesse

9/8/2023 03:00:15 pm

Ahhh gotta emphatically say "No" here. I think that's a pretty significant mis-interpretation of 13.

Omit Sprinklers in Small Stadium Water Closets?

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