NFPA specifications

A 723/A 723M-02 Copper Tube Handbook (latest NFPA Specifications... 

Class B incidents, equipment and delivery, application, NFPA specifications, pre-incident planning, first response, fire fighting tactics, foam compatibilities, and problems with HAZMAT foams. Emergency Film Group Preview 35 Rental 150 Purchase 325... 

Numerous tests covering flame retardancy and related matters are available. The requirements most often specified for fire resistance of a textile materials are that it must pass either Federal Specification Method 5903 or NFPA 701. 

Automobile and marine fuel handling is covered in NFPA 30A. This section addresses specific operations in which static electricity has caused fires and injury. Relevance to the CPI includes employee safety programs and company-owned gasoline fueling depots. 

Under certain situations, for specific equipment configurations, it may be possible to safely operate above the NFPA limit of 60% of the LFL. If this method of operation is to be considered, system-specific test data should be generated which demonstrates dial the combusdble concentradon can be controlled in a safe manner, and only then in consultadon with appropriate company and (where required) regulatory authorities. 

NFPA 30 (2000), Section 5.10, applies to vapor recovery (vent manifold) and vapor processing systems where the vapor sonrce operates at pressnres from vacnnm np to and inclnding 1 psig. Snhsection 5.10.7.6 is concerned with flame propagation hazards, hnt is not specific ahont installing flame arresters. It states as follows ... 

NFPA-70 Article 510—Hazardous (Classified) Locations—Specific... 

Sensors/Detectors UL, CSA, NFPA Fuel specifications CGA. SAE, API, ASTM Weights/Measures NIST API, ASME Dispensers NFPA. SAE.CSA. UL, API Non-vehicle Dispensing CGA Codes for Built Environment ICC. NFPA. CGA, ASHRAE... 

There are various fire classes that require different sprinkler designs. The detailed descriptions of these classes and sprinkler specifications are given in NFPA 13.12 An average chemical plant is classified as an ordinary hazard (Group 3) area. Various sprinkler specifications for this type of area are given in Table 7-7. 

The amount of chemicals stored in each laboratory should be limited to a short term supply (e.g., enough for one week or month). This supply by it s nature will be facility dependent. In order to allow for the storage of larger amounts of chemicals, a specifically designed area should be used. The size and building materials are specified in the OSHA Standards, NFPA 30, and NFPA 45. 

In 1967, the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) issued NFPA 493-1967 which defined specific tests and construction techniques to be employed. Today, the current standard is NFPA 493-1978. 

Class I, II and III are also used by NFPA to define the range of certain materials in categories based mainly on flash points. Class II and III materials generally do not provide sufficient vapors to require specification of an electrically classified area, so areas are only defined by Class I flammable materials. 

Fixed systems are classified in the manner they are stored. Low pressure 2,068 kPa (300 psi) or high pressure 5,860 kPa (850 psi) systems can be specified. Low pressure systems are normally provided when the quantity of agent required exceeds 907 kgs (2,000 lbs ). Protection of electronic or electrical hazards usually requires a design concentration of 50% by volume. NFPA 12 provides a table specifying the exact concentration requirements for specific hazards. As a guide, 0.45 kgs (1 lb.) of CO2 liquid may be considered to produce 0.23 cubic meters (8 cu. ft. ) of free gas at atmospheric pressure. 

Coverage confirmation, time to provide full foam coverage, leaks, blockages, rupture disk function, age of foam, portioning calibration mechanisms, performance of delivery pumps or bladder tanks, foam drain times, etc. should be verified for each unique system. NFPA 11 provides guidance in the specific test requirements for several characterisitic foam systems. 

References on incompatibilities, such as Bretherick s Handbook of Reactive Chemical Hazards (Urben 1999), Sax s Dangerous Properties of Industrial Materials (Lewis and Irving 2000) and NFPA 491, Hazardous Chemical Reactions (NFPA 2002), summarize published literature and incidents on incompatibilities. They may give more detailed information on what to expect when specific materials are combined. 

NFPA developed Standard 704 as a tool for identification and evaluation of potential hazards during emergency response, not for application to chemical process safety. The instability rating is a part of this standard. It was not intended to be used to measure reactivity, but rather to measure the inherent instability of a pure substance or product under conditions expected for product storage. The instability rating does not measure the tendency of a substance or compound to react with other substances or any other process-specific factors, such as operating temperature, pressure, quantity handled, chemical concentration, impurities with catalytic effects, and compatibility with other chemicals onsite. 

The National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) NFPA is non-profit organization that publishes the National Electrical Code , the Life Safety Code , the Fire Prevention Code , the National Fuel Gas Code , and the National Fire Alarm Code . The mission of NFPA is to reduce the worldwide burden of fire and other hazards on the quality of life by providing and advocating scientifically based consensus codes and standards, research, training, and education. NFPA is developing a fuel cell specific code, NFPA 853, which will cover the installation of stationary fuel cells of at least 50 kW output. Publication is expected to occur in 2000. 

NFPA 70 National Fire Protection Association 70 is also known as the National Electric Code (NEC). Revisions and addendum s to the code are currently being developed that specifically address fuel cells. Article 690 - Solar Photovoltaic Systems has been targeted for revision to include fuel cells and alternate energy sources systems. This proposal is not expected to be approved since the technological and operational differences between fuel cells and photovoltaic systems is considerable. A new article, currently identified and Article 691, has been proposed and applies to fuel cells for buildings or residential dwellings. This standard addresses the electrical interface between the fuel cell system and a building s electrical distribution panel. 

The fuel cell specific standard is not likely to be identified as Article 691 and is expected to be approved and published in 2001. NFPA Article 705 - Interconnected Electrical Power Production Sources is also being revised to address fuel cell power sources. 

Beyond perfonnance optimization, issues relative to packaging and the need for compliance with certain safety and electronics regulatory codes are cited as reasons for a customized solution. In the latter case, a systems approach is required, especially when attempting to meet the code or performance requirements for compliance with European Certification (CE) mark or electrical and fire safety codes such as National Eire Prevention Association (NFPA) and CENELEC (European Committee for Electrotechiucal Standardization). Off-the-shelf electronics may provide the necessary performance characteristics for generic applications, and their use eliminates large expenses related to product development, plus the associated time delays. Photonics-related components are solely addressed in this section because they are used to customize instruments for application-specific systems. 

Additional resources include the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA), the Society for Fire Protection Engineers (SFPE), Fire Suppression Systems Association (FSSA), and the American Petroleum Institute (API). Refer to the References section of this Guideline for specific resources. 

A controller should be provided for each fire water pump. The controller should be designed and installed in accordance with NFPA 20 specifications. An example fire water pump controller is shown in Figure 7-16. 

A deluge sprinkler system is a sprinkler system designed to NFPA 13 with open sprinkler heads. A water spray system is hydraulically designed with open spray heads to protect a specific hazard. Water spray systems are discussed in Section 7.4.8. 

In addition to the requirements of NFPA 11, the following, where applicable, should be included in the specification prepared for purchasing foam equipment and systems ... 

NFPA 214 provides specific guidance regarding fire protection of cooling towers including recommended water spray application rates. The detailed design of fixed fire protection systems for cooling towers should follow the requirements of NFPA 13 or NFPA 15. 

Fire pumps should have a weekly and annual inspection and test. Specific requirements for fire pump inspection, testing, and maintenance are contained in NFPA 25. 

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