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BALANCED FIRE PROTECTION:

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Title: BALANCED FIRE PROTECTION:


1
BALANCED FIRE PROTECTION ARE SMOKE/HEAT VENTS
NECESSARY FOR OCCUPANT AND FIREFIGHTER SAFETY IN
ONE-STORY INDUSTRIAL AND STORAGE BUILDINGS
PROTECTED BY STANDARD SPRAY SPRINKLERS?
  • Presented to
  •  
  • ICC Code Technology Committee
  • Cincinnati, Ohio
  • June 20, 2007

2
CODE CHANGE F124-06/07FIRE CODE COMMITTEE
DISAPPROVAL REASON
  • There was no definitive information presented
    that smoke and heat vents do not contribute to
    fire control.
  • In cases where the sprinkler system does not
    suppress the fire but, rather, controls it, smoke
    continues to be generated.
  •  
  • The discussions have focused on everything but
    the safety of the occupants, including
    firefighters.

3
CODE CHANGE F124-06/07FIRE CODE COMMITTEE
DISAPPROVAL REASON
  • Smoke and heat vents provide the fire
    department with an important tool to remove the
    smoke for occupant safety and enhanced fire
    attack access, especially in very large area
    buildings where access from the exterior is
    limited at best.
  • Firefighter safety is also improved by
    providing a faster, safer method of fire
    ventilation than cutting one or more holes in the
    roof.
  •  
  • The current text presents a balanced approach
    between firefighter safety and building safety.

4
ORIGINAL PURPOSE OF SMOKE/HEAT VENT PROVISIONS
  • What was the original intended purpose for
    requiring automatic smoke/heat vents and draft
    curtains in one story industrial and storage
    buildings (including buildings containing high-
    piled storage) protected by a sprinkler system as
    required by the UBC/UFC?
  • Assist with manual interior firefighting (in
    both sprinkler control and sprinkler failure fire
    scenarios).
  •  
  • Reduce property damage (building and contents).

5
EXPECTED PERFORMANCE OF SMOKE/HEAT VENTS
  • What was/is the expected performance of
    automatic smoke/heat vent installations complying
    with the UBC/UFC and IBC/IFC provisions for
    smoke/heat vents and draft curtains?
  • Unknown. Neither the UBC/UFC or IBC/IFC contain
    any performance criteria for smoke/heat vent
    installations. (UBC/UFC IBC/IFC)
  •  
  • A fire in a bulk retail building in Tempe,
    Arizona suggests the UBC/UFC roof vent/draft
    curtain provisions are inadequate where the
    sprinkler system is operational, but inadequate
    for the hazard. (NFPA Fire Investigation)

6
INTERACTION OF STANDARD SPRAY SPRINKLERS AND
DRAFT CURTAINS
  • Do draft curtains interfere with the operation
    of standard spray sprinklers?
  • Draft curtains may increase the number of
    sprinklers which operate. FMRC Research 1994
    NFPRF Research 1997/1998
  •  
  • Draft curtains may cause a distortion in the
    sprinklers which operate. NFPRF Research
    1997/1998
  •  
  • Draft curtains may interfere with pre-wetting
    of combustibles. FMRC Research 1994 NFPRF
    Research 1997/1998

7
DELETION OF DRAFT CURTAIN PROVISIONS IN THE
IBC/IFC 
  • Was the expected performance of automatic
    smoke/heat vent installations adversely affected
    when the requirement for draft curtains was
    removed from the UBC/UFC provisions for
    smoke/heat vents during the drafting of the
    IBC/IFC?
  • Smoke/heat vents and draft curtains are a team
    the rate of venting through open vents is
    dependent upon the temperature and the depth of
    smoke layer. NFPA 204
  •  
  • Not providing draft curtains (per the UBC/UFC)
    will reduce both the temperature and depth of the
    smoke layer.
  •  
  • There is a movement to use smoke vents without
    draft curtains There is no RD basis for this
    approach Dr. Craig Beyler, Hughes Associates,
    Inc.

8
OPERATION OF VENTS IN SPRINKLERED BUILDINGS
  • How many smoke/heat vents will automatically
    open in buildings protected by standard spray
    sprinklers if the sprinkler system operates and
    controls the fire (as expected by NFPA 13)?
  • . . . . .current design practices are likely to
    limit the number of vents operated to one and
    vents may in fact not operate at all in very
    successful sprinkler operations. Dr. Craig
    Beyler, Hughes Associates, Inc.
  •  
  • Not only is the fear of early operation not
    founded, current design practice will likely lead
    to 0-1 vents operating Dr. Craig Beyler,
    Hughes Associates, Inc.

9
PROTECTION OF BUILDING STRUCTUREBY STANDARD
SPRAY SPRINKLERS
  • Will standard spray sprinklers protect the
    building structure from damage without smoke/heat
    vents (assuming that the sprinkler system is
    operational and adequate for the hazard being
    protected)?
  • The listing criteria for standard (spray)
    sprinklers specifically tests the ability of
    sprinklers to protect the building structure. UL
    199
  •  
  • Fires that occur in rack storage occupancies
    are likely to be controlled within the limits
    outlined in B-1.1, since no significant building
    damage is expected. NFPA 13

10
PERFORMANCE CAPABILITIES OF STANDARD SPRAY
SPRINKLERS
  • Will standard spray sprinklers control and
    extinguish a fire without intervention by
    firefighters (assuming the sprinkler system is
    operational and adequate for the hazard being
    protected)?
  • Sprinkler protection installed as required in
    this standard is expected to protect the building
    occupancy without supplemental fire department
    activity. NFPA 13

11
PERFORMANCE CAPABILITIES OF STANDARD SPRAY
SPRINKLERS
  • Will standard spray sprinklers reduce the
    temperature within the building without
    intervention by firefighters (assuming the
    sprinkler system is operational and adequate for
    the hazard)?
  • During the testing program, the installed
    automatic extinguishing system was capable of
    controlling the fire and reducing all
    temperatures to ambient within 30 minutes of
    ignition. NFPA 13

12
IMPACT OF SPRINKLER OPERATION ON VENTING
  • Will the operation of standard spray sprinklers
    adversely impact the venting rate of smoke/heat
    vents?
  •  
  • The operation of standard spray sprinklers
    rapidly reduces ceiling temperatures. UL 199
    NFPRF Research 1997/1998
  •  
  • A reduction in the ceiling temperature caused by
    the operation of sprinklers will reduce the
    venting rate through open vents. NFPA 204

13
ALTERNATIVES TO ROOF VENTS
  • Is it essential for firefighting operations to
    open smoke/heat vents (provided per the IBC/IFC
    in buildings protected by standard spray
    sprinklers) if the sprinkler system operates and
    controls the fire or can the venting of smoke be
    accomplished in some other manner (i.e. opening
    large exterior doors)?
  • Sprinkler protection installed as required in
    this standard is expected to protect the building
    occupancy without supplemental fire department
    activity. NFPA 13
  •  
  • During the testing program, the installed
    automatic extinguishing system was capable of
    controlling the fire and reducing all
    temperatures to ambient within 30 minutes of
    ignition. NFPA 13

14
ROOF VENT OPERATION IN THE EVENT OF SPRINKLER
SYSTEM FAILURE TO CONTROL FIRE
  • Will automatic smoke/heat vents provided per the
    IBC/IFC automatically open in buildings protected
    by standard spray sprinklers if the sprinkler
    system operates, but fails to control the fire?
  • Bulk Retail Facility Fire, Tempe, Arizona, March
    19, 1998
  •  
  • Sprinkler design based on a maximum of 29
    sprinklers operating 66 sprinklers actually
    operated. 29 smoke/heat vents provided in
    building 3 smoke/heat vents actually operated.
  •   
  • Building filled with smoke from floor to ceiling
    when Phoenix Fire Department arrived.
  • NFPA Fire Investigation Report

15
MANUAL OPENING OF ROOF VENTS IN THE EVENT OF
SPRINKLER SYSTEM FAILURE TO CONTROL FIRE
  • Should firefighters manually open smoke/heat
    vents which do not open in buildings protected by
    standard spray sprinklers if the sprinkler system
    operates, but fails to control the fire?
  •  
  • Steel trusses are also prone to failure under
    fire conditions and may fail in less time than a
    wooden truss under the same conditions.
  •  
  • Lives will continue to be lost unless fire
    departments make appropriate fundamental changes
    in firefighting tactics involving trusses.
  • NIOSH recommends that fire departments, fire
    fighters, building owners and managers take steps
    to minimize the risk of injury and death to fire
    fighters during fire fighting operations
    involving structures with truss roof and floor
    systems.
  • NIOSH 2005-132

16
ROOF VENT OPERATION IN THE EVENT OF SPRINKLER
SYSTEM FAILURE TO DISCHARGE WATER
  • Will automatic smoke/heat vents provided per the
    IBC/IFC automatically open in buildings protected
    by standard spray sprinklers if the sprinkler
    system fails to operate (i.e. closed water supply
    valve, broken supply piping or pump failure)?
  •  
  • Yes.

17
FIREFIGHTER SAFETY
  • From a firefighter safety standpoint, should
    firefighters conduct interior manual firefighting
    operations in the event the sprinkler system
    operates, but fails to control the fire?
  • Steel trusses are also prone to failure under
    fire conditions and may fail in less time than a
    wooden truss under the same conditions
  •  
  • Fire fighters should be discouraged from
    risking their lives solely for property
    protection activities.
  •  
  • "Use defensive strategies whenever trusses have
    been exposed to fire or whenever structural
    integrity cannot be verified. Unless life-saving
    operations are under way, evacuate fire fighters
    and use an exterior attack Brannigan 1999 Dunn
    2001.
  • NIOSH 2005-132

18
FIREFIGHTER SAFETY
  • From a firefighter safety standpoint, should
    firefighters conduct interior manual firefighting
    operations in the event the sprinkler system
    fails to operate (i.e. closed water supply valve,
    broken supply piping or pump failure)?
  • Steel trusses are also prone to failure under
    fire conditions and may fail in less time than a
    wooden truss under the same conditions
  •  
  • Fire fighters should be discouraged from
    risking their lives solely for property
    protection activities.
  •  
  • "Use defensive strategies whenever trusses have
    been exposed to fire or whenever structural
    integrity cannot be verified. Unless life-saving
    operations are under way, evacuate fire fighters
    and use an exterior attack Brannigan 1999 Dunn
    2001.
  • NIOSH 2005-132

19
VOLUNTEER FIRE DEPARTMENT PERSONNEL CAPABILITIES
  • Do most volunteer fire departments have
    sufficient personnel capabilities to conduct
    interior manual firefighting operations in large
    industrial or storage buildings in the event the
    sprinkler system operates, but fails to control
    the fire, or when the system fails to operate?
  • In communities with less than 2,500 population,
    21 of fire departments, nearly all of them
    all-or mostly-volunteer departments, deliver an
    average of 4 or fewer volunteer firefighters to a
    mid-day house fire. . . it is likely that most of
    these departments often fail to deliver the
    minimum of 4 firefighters recognized by national
    standards as the necessary minimum for interior
    fire attack
  •  
  • An estimated 128,000 firefighters, most of them
    volunteers serving in communities with less than
    2,500 population, serve in departments that are
    involved in structural firefighting but have not
    certified any firefighters to Firefighter Level I
    or II.
  • USFA- 303, October 2006

20
PAID FIRE DEPARTMENT PERSONNEL CAPABILITIES
  • Do most career (paid) fire departments have
    sufficient personnel capabilities to conduct
    interior manual firefighting operations in large
    industrial or storage buildings with the first
    arriving engine company in the event the
    sprinkler system operates, but fails to control
    the fire, or when the system fails to operate?
  •  
  • Sufficient resources required to provide safe
    manual fire suppression activities are not
    currently available in most municipalities
    defended by full time firefighting personnel.
    IRC Code Change RB4-06/07
  •  
  • An estimated 79,000 firefighters serve in fire
    departments that protect communities of at least
    50,000 population and have fewer than 4 career
    firefighters assigned to first-due engine
    companies. It is likely that, for many of these
    departments, the first arriving complement of
    firefighters often falls short of the minimum of
    4 firefighters needed to initiate an interior
    attack on a structure fire, thereby requiring the
    first-arriving firefighters to wait until the
    rest of the first-alarm responders arrive.
    USFA-303, October 2006

21
OCCUPANT FIRE SAFETY RISK-INDUSTRIAL AND STORAGE
BUILDINGS
  • Are large single-story industrial or storage
    buildings protected by a sprinkler system
    (standard spray sprinklers) without roof vents a
    high risk occupancy from an occupant fire safety
    standpoint?
  • The NFPA estimates that 50 fire fatalities
    occurred in U.S. commercial (non-residential)
    occupancies in 2005. NFPA fire statistics-2005
  •  
  • Commercial occupancies include assembly,
    business, educational, institutional and
    mercantile occupancies, as well as industrial and
    storage buildings.

22
FIRE INSURANCE CARRIER REQUIREMENTS FOR ROOF
VENTS IN SPRINKLERED BUILDINGS
  • Do any fire insurers mandate the installation of
    smoke/heat vents in buildings protected by a
    sprinkler system?
  • No.
  • Reduces Heat and Smoke Damage? Unknown Dr.
    Craig Beyler, Hughes Associates, Inc.

23
FIRE INSURANCE PREMIUM CREDITS FOR ROOF VENTS IN
SPRINKLERED BUILDINGS
  • Do any fire insurers offer premium reductions
    for the installation of smoke/heat vents in
    industrial or storage buildings protected by a
    sprinkler system?
  • No.
  •  
  • Reduces Heat and Smoke Damage? Unknown Dr.
    Craig Beyler, Hughes Associates, Inc.

24
RESEARCH ON PROPERTY PROTECTION CAPABILITIES OF
ROOF VENTS IN SPRINKLERED BUILDINGS
  • Is there any research that indicates that
    smoke/heat vents actually reduce property damage
    in buildings protected by a sprinkler system when
    the sprinkler system operates or when the
    sprinkler protection is impaired?
  • Reduces Heat and Smoke Damage? Unknown Dr.
    Craig Beyler, Hughes Associates, Inc.

25
CODE CHANGE F124-06/07FIRE CODE COMMITTEE
DISAPPROVAL REASON
  • There was no definitive information presented
    that smoke and heat vents do not contribute to
    fire control. NFPRF Research-1997/1998 Bulk
    Retail Facility Fire, Tempe, Arizona-1998
  • In cases where the sprinkler system does not
    suppress the fire but, rather, controls it, smoke
    continues to be generated. NFPRF
    Research-1997/1998 Bulk Retail Facility Fire,
    Tempe, Arizona-1998 NFPA 204
  •  
  • The discussions have focused on everything but
    the safety of the occupants, including
    firefighters. NFPA Fire Statistics-2005 NIOSH
    2005-132

26
CODE CHANGE F124-06/07FIRE CODE COMMITTEE
DISAPPROVAL REASON
  • Smoke and heat vents provide the fire
    department with an important tool to remove the
    smoke for occupant safety and enhanced fire
    attack access, especially in very large area
    buildings where access from the exterior is
    limited at best. NIOSH 2005-132 USFA-303
    (2006)
  • Firefighter safety is also improved by
    providing a faster, safer method of fire
    ventilation than cutting one or more holes in the
    roof. NIOSH 2005-132 USFA-303 (2006)
  •  
  • The current text presents a balanced approach
    between firefighter safety and building safety.
    NFPA 13 NIOSH 2005-132

27
CONCLUSIONS
  • Sprinkler protection is the primary means of
    protecting large one-story industrial and storage
    buildings.
  • Draft curtains may have an adverse impact on the
    ability of standard sprinklers to control a fire.
    (NFPRF Research-1997/1998 FMRC Research-1994)
  •  
  • No building feature which has been shown to
    potentially interfere with the successful
    operation of the sprinkler system should be
    required by the IBC/IFC (i.e. draft curtains).

28
CONCLUSIONS(CONTINUED)
  • The use of roof vents without draft curtains
    will adversely affect the venting capability of
    smoke/heat vents which open. (NFPA 204 Dr.
    Craig Beyler)
  • The activation of standard sprinklers will
    adversely affect the venting capability of any
    smoke/heat vents which open. (NFPA 204)
  •  
  • The NFPRF research clearly demonstrated that the
    maximum number of smoke/heat vents which will
    automatically open in a building protected by
    standard (spray) sprinklers (if the sprinkler
    system is operational and adequate for the hazard
    protected) is one. (NFPRF Research-1997/1998
    Dr. Craig Beyler)

29
CONCLUSIONS(CONTINUED)
  • If the sprinkler protection is adequate for the
    hazard protected and is functional, the use of
    interior manual firefighting in large single
    industrial and storage story buildings is
    unnecessary. (NFPA 13)
  • If the sprinkler protection is operational, but
    inadequate for the hazard protected, or is not
    functional, interior manual firefighting should
    not be utilized. (NIOSH 2005-132)

30
CONCLUSIONS(CONTINUED)
  • The occupant fire safety risk presented by large
    one-story industrial or storage occupancies
    protected by a sprinkler system is minimal.
    (NFPA Fire Statistics-2005)
  •  
  • Providing automatic smoke/heat vents in large
    one-story industrial or storage occupancies
    protected by a sprinkler system will provide
    little or no additional occupant fire safety
    since the occupant fire safety risk is already
    minimal and since it has been demonstrated that
    smoke/heat vents may not operate in buildings
    protected by standard (spray) sprinklers. (NFPA
    Fire Statistics-2005 NFPRF Research 1997/1998)

31
CONCLUSIONS(CONTINUED)
  • From the above, it can be concluded that
    automatic smoke/heat vents provide no significant
    increase in the level of fire protection and fire
    safety, including firefighter safety, provided
    for large single-story buildings containing
    industrial or storage occupancies protected by
    standard (spray) sprinklers.

32
RECOMMENDED CODE CHANGE PROPOSAL ACTION
  • A code change proposal which eliminates the
    mandatory requirements for smoke/heat vents in
    single-story industrial and storage buildings
    protected by standard spray sprinklers should be
    developed.
  • The code change proposal should include
    mandatory requirements for some means of
    ventilating the building. Several design
    alternatives for providing venting (including
    manual smoke/heat vents) should be included in
    this proposal.
  •  
  • The purpose of providing some means of
    ventilating the building should be to assist
    firefighters in removing smoke from the building
    after the fire has been controlled and
    extinguished by the sprinkler system.

33
  • END OF STORY
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