Other Rooms Allowed Off Fire Pump Corridor?

10/21/2021

For Fire Pump rooms located in a basement, that is accessed through a common corridor, is it acceptable to have other rooms (like plantrooms, storage, etc) off the same corridor coming from the staircase to the Fire Pump Room door?

We would provide the required fire resistance rating for the stair, the corridor, and the fire pump room. I'm assuming no storage would be allowed within the corridor itself.

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10 Comments

Alex

10/21/2021 07:24:19 am

Hi Anonymous,

The IBC states that fire pump rooms must be enclosed in a fire-resistant barrier or meets separation requirements. Those requirements vary depending on building height and if the building is fully sprinklered. Refer to NFPA 20 regarding the minimum fire resistance rating your room needs to be.

As far as the access goes for the fire pump room, it needs to be pre-planned with the fire department. The fire department will want no impeded access during an emergency (no storage within the corridor). For new construction, I typically see exterior doors on fire pump rooms. If this is not possible, access can be through a fire-rated passageway with a rating to match the fire pump room enclosure. I don’t know of any requirements or code sections that state that you are not allowed to have rooms off of the corridor. I would simply ensure that the rating is still meet (doors on automatic closers?) and that the fire department has clear access in the case of an emergency.

Thanks!
Alex

franck

10/21/2021 09:13:03 am

It is possible
It is anyway recommended (good practice) to protect (sprinklers) these adjacent rooms.

From a more global point of view, a fire pump in a basement is not the best place as the pump room is not easily accessible from the outside and the pump room is potentially exposed to flood (including surface water flooding).

Jack G

10/21/2021 09:24:40 am

The room must have the proper fire resistance rating and correctly required design density.
Signage must be provided, labeling the room. As it is in a corridor in the basement, I would provide signs, arrows from the stair to the room, or a series of red/white “ trail signs” for the floor , leading firemen to the pump room. As the cost for these things are minimal, and if approved by the owner, why not try to do the best job possible.

Brian Cockburn

10/21/2021 09:43:46 am

As far as I'm aware there's nothing wrong with it, as long as the fire resistance requirements are met. Definitely no storage or anything else obstructing the corridor.

Todd Wyatt

10/21/2021 10:20:24 am

The 2021 IBC (Section 902 Fire Pump and Riser Room Size & Section 913 Fire Pumps) does not require the corridor accessing the fire pump room (FPR) to be protected with fire-resistance rated (FRR) assemblies unless required by the building's occupancy classification, the occupant load served by the coridor, and if the building is protected by an autmomatic sprinkler system as indicated by Table 1020.2. The FRR of the FPR is required to be 2-Hour Fire Barriers (2FB) or 2-Hour Horizontal Assemblies (2HA) unless the non-High-Rise Building is protected by an automatic sprinkler system and then the ratings can be reduced to 1-Hour FRR.

Jay

10/27/2021 03:41:49 pm

IBC section 913 requires fire pumps to be installed in accordance with NFPA 20. NFPA 20 requires fire pump rooms to be directly accessed from the exterior of the building or via a FRR passageway from a FRR stairway.

Anthony

11/3/2021 08:28:39 am

Where does 20 say the pump must be accessible from the exterior?

NFPA 20-2020 4.14.1.1 and the subsequent relating code doesn't require this?
4.14.2 also doesn't require the room to have a door to the exterior just a pathway ?

Jessica Lutz

10/21/2021 12:23:38 pm

I've see this issue many times.

I attribute the oversight to my area allowing "deferred" sprinkler Construction Documents...meaning, the "design build" contractor gets to deal with the last-minute headache, along with 100s of others.
(just say NO to defered sprinkler submittals! or bring the sprinkler contractor on earlier...)

Mike

10/21/2021 06:59:26 pm

Consult with the AHJ. Many that I've worked with don't allow a pump in a basement, especially a diesel, because of problems with access to the fuel tank and refueling.

How are you getting the pump into the basement?

sean

12/31/2021 06:54:24 pm

is it really the AHJ or the owner/designer/contractors not wanting to pay the extra costs those involved.

Other Rooms Allowed Off Fire Pump Corridor?

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