Required Clearance Around a Fire Pump Skid?

12/1/2020

Do you know of any specific guidelines for space around a fire pump skid to leave in a fire pump room?

I have always worked off the notion of "enough clearance to get around and work on a pump" but that is very subjective. So, I have a self-imposed 3-foot clearance around the edges of a skid.

Is there anything more specific in generally adopted codes or standards?

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4 Comments

Justin Milne

12/1/2020 10:12:34 am

I’ve also had a question about this. Do you require the 3 foot clearance around all four sides of the pump, or will just three sides suffice?

Keith A Heckler

12/1/2020 10:19:27 am

2018 NFPA 1, Section 13.1.5 A minimum 36 in. (915 mm) of clear space shall be maintained to permit access to and operation of fire protection equipment, fire department inlet connections, or fire protection system control valves. The fire department shall not be
deterred or hindered from gaining immediate access to fire
protection equipment.

2018 International Fire Code 901.4.6 Pump and riser room size. Where provided, fire pump rooms and automatic sprinkler system riser rooms shall be designed with adequate space for all equipment necessary for the installation, as defined by the manufacturer, with sufficient working space around the stationary equipment. Clearances around equipment to elements of permanent construction, including other installed equipment and appliances, shall be sufficient to allow inspection, service, repair or replacement without removing such elements of permanent construction or disabling the function of a required fire-resistance-rated assembly. Fire pump and automatic sprinkler system riser rooms shall be provided
with doors and unobstructed passageways large enough to
allow removal of the largest piece of equipment.

Pete D.

12/1/2020 08:52:35 pm

I wanted to comment that clearance to operate can be on the valve-facing side only. I've seen many pump installations with the valves facing one direction. Add to that, the pump is not operated at the pump, rather from the pump controller.
The IFC citation only applies to newly constructed pump rooms. Often we have to get a pump into an existing space or worse, a space planned by an architect. (low blow) If there's not enough room, employ tricks. Use a vertical in line pump. Make the discharged follow a corner and bypass on diagonal. Hit them with a change order to install the city cross-connection in a pit.

Franck

12/2/2020 08:23:16 am

From the practical side, acces to pump components is desirable during tests.

I made a lot of fire pump tests and we need to check the water coming out the packing glands, to register the rotational speed of the pump (most of the time with a tachometer and using refctor tape on the shaft), read correctly pressure on pressure gages (suction/discharge)...
In addition, when arriving at a new facility I need to collect information from the pump nameplate (nominal flow/pressure/speed, serial number...).

And as indicated by Pete, when the pumphouse is very small, then access to this is sometimes impractical... And being able to read the nameplate is just impossible...

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