From: "Janet Baum"Date: Thu, 11 Sep 2003 14:19:36 -0500 Organization: HERA, Inc Dear Mary, Yes, state building codes require sprinklers in many laboratory buildings. It depends on the fire resistive construction of the building, the occupancy of the building and other zoning and building adjacency considerations. Please contact a fire protection engineer to evaluate your laboratory and the building in which it is located. Good luck. Janet Baum, Laboratory Architect === From: "Zipf, Jr. Karl (DelDOT)" Date: Thu, 11 Sep 2003 15:36:26 -0400 Your local zoning board will dictate the fire codes. They usually rely on BOCA and NFPA 45 codes. Your architect should know the codes since a lot of it depends on the size of the lab and the amount of flammable solvents in use. Karl Zipf === From: "Skarda, Jay" Date: Thu, 11 Sep 2003 13:47:22 -0600 Obviously, the building/fire codes for new construction should be your guide, which are dependant on what type of occupancy this will be. But from a practical standpoint, putting in sprinklers changes everything (for the better) when it comes to your requirements for fire code issues, not to mention insurance costs. Jay T. Skarda Manager of Safety National Jewish Medical & Research Center 1400 Jackson St. Denver, CO 80206 303 398-1028 === Date: Thu, 11 Sep 2003 15:55:48 -0400 From: "Novodoff, Jack" Mary, Local and State building codes will probably insist on the installation of a sprinkler system, especially in a new lab. Normally any renovated or new construction is required to meet the current building codes which include a fire protection. Thanks Jack Jack Novodoff, PhD Phone: (734) 764-7316 Director of Laboratories and Facilities Fax: (734) 647-4865 University of Michigan Department of Chemistry 930 N. University Ann Arbor, MI 48109-1055 === Date: Thu, 11 Sep 2003 16:02:22 -0400 From: ILPI NFPA 13 addresses sprinkler systems. See http://www.nfpa.org/Codes/NFPA_Codes_and_Standards/List_of_NFPA_documents/NFPA_13.asp Check with your local or state fire marshal's office. Local and state codes may have different requirements than NFPA or federal standards. If your concern is instrumentation protection (I saw the aftermath of a severe fire on a top floor of Case Western's chemistry building...the entire place flooded clear down to the basement and soaked their NMR laboratory), there are all kinds of non-water based extinguishing systems (Halon equivalents, CO2 etc.). These have additional special precautions and codes to prevent, for example, asphyxiation of the occupants. A study conducted by NIST for NIH modeled laboratory fire situations with and without water sprinklers. It concluded "Both standard and quick response sprinklers were effective in controlling the fires, reducing temperatures and reducing carbon monoxide and carbon dioxide levels. The conditions in the laboratory without sprinklers would be considered lethal, while the conditions away from the immediate fire area, in laboratories with sprinklers would generally be considered nonlethal...these test have provided some limited evidence that sprinklers can substantially improve life safety and property protection in chemical laboratories as compared to laboratories without sprinklers." See http://fire.nist.gov/bfrlpubs/fire89/PDF/f89002.pdf As life safety should be the primary concern, the short answer is install them whether they are required or not. Besides, it is a lot easier (cheaper) to install them in new construction than in a retrofit. Rob Toreki === Date: Thu, 11 Sep 2003 15:16:18 -0500 From: "Ashbrook, Peter" If you are building a new lab, you should have an architect. The architect should be familiar with code requirements. Code requirements and code interpretations are not usually handled well via the internet. You might also consider asking your local Fire Department. Peter Ashbrook === Date: Thu, 11 Sep 2003 13:45:57 -0700 (PDT) From: sean riley Subject: Re: [DCHAS-L] laboratory sprinkler systems Start with NFPA regulations and then contact you insurane carrier. === Date: Thu, 11 Sep 2003 19:18:15 -0500 From: Harry Elston Mary, You need to speak with a qualified architect that knows the building codes in your area. I can hardly believe that any new construction would be without sprinklers, but that is left to the building code where you are located. Good luck! Harry === From: CIHSHOO**At_Symbol_Here**aol.com Date: Fri, 12 Sep 2003 03:55:31 EDT Hi Suggest you check the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) Life Safety Code, specifically NFPA 13 Fire Sprinkler Code. There are lots of different sprinkler types designed for specific fire threats and environmental conditions. Fire suppression systems can dispense a variety of suppression agents examples are: Dry Chemical as in cooking hoods, Carbon Dioxide as in computer rooms, Halon (rare now but still available) aqueous film forming foam, deluge systems and high pressure fog as well as plain old water. The suppression system should be designed by an experienced Fire Safety Engineer who is familiar with all types of suppression system, their abilities and limitations, the fire threat in the area to be protected, and life safety code. The selection and design of an appropriate system will save lives and property.
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