National Fire Protection Association (NFPA)'s Blog, page 13

September is National Preparedness Month: Is Your Community Ready to Respond to a Severe Weather Event or Emergency?

While the warmer months of the year signal a time when we can indulge in vacations, beach days, and outdoor activities, the summer and fall are also when hurricanes, thunderstorms, wildfires, and other potential natural disasters make their impressive mark across many areas of the United States, often disrupting the rhythm of our daily lives. According to the National Hurricane Center, four systems are currently forming in the Atlantic: Hurricane Earl, expected to impact Bermuda in the coming days, Hurricane Danielle, and two tropical waves. Recent heavy rainfall in Rhode Island, Georgia, and Indiana caused deadly flash floods and thousands of power outages. Out West, excessive heat warnings and heat advisories are in effect across California, Nevada, Oregon, Idaho, Utah, and Arizona, prompting red flag warnings and the potential for more extreme fire behavior.Hurricane season began June 1 and ends in late November, but according to the National Weather Service, most storms peak in mid-September and October. And it’s not just hurricanes or wildfires that make the news; the Plains and Great Lakes regions often start their battle with freezing conditions and snowfall during the fall months, too.Ready, a national public service campaign, has earmarked September as National Preparedness Month and urges those of us tasked with protecting people and property from fire, electrical, and related hazards, to work together, help educate, and empower the public to prepare for, respond to, and mitigate emergencies before they become tragedies. The theme for this year’s campaign, “A Lasting Legacy,” reminds us that the life we’ve built is worth protecting. Preparing and planning ahead of disasters help keep families safe during emergencies and long after an event has passed.NFPA® has a wealth of information to help guide building owners and facility managers, first responders, health care facility managers, electrical professionals, and public educators, as they prepare ahead of weather events in their area and work closely with communities to develop emergency plans. These resources are free and can be easily shared.For facility managers and business owners: For answers to bigger emergency planning challenges and questions, NFPA 1600®, Standard on Continuity, Emergency, and Crisis Management, is a vital guide for the development, implementation, assessment, and maintenance of disaster/emergency management and continuity of operations programs. Business owners can also utilize the NFPA Emergency Preparedness Checklist, which helps people identify where to focus their emergency preparedness efforts. With the peak of hurricane and wildfire seasons upon us, government agencies and aid organizations may need to shelter potentially thousands of storm and fire evacuees. A recent episode of the NFPA Podcast, Disaster Planning During a Pandemic, introduces two emergency management experts who share lessons learned from responding to past incidents during the pandemic, including several new strategies that will likely remain in place long after the pandemic is over.For first responders: First responders face many hazards when working with vehicles that have been submerged in water, particularly with hybrid or electrical vehicles. The Submerged Hybrid/Electrical Vehicle Bulletin from NFPA breaks down the safety issues to help keep first responders safe when working in flooded areas. A free toolkit is also available for first responders, which provides the information and resources needed to help local residents prepare ahead of weather events.For electrical professionals: Electrical professionals are often tasked with equipment maintenance for electrical, electronic, and communication systems and equipment found in multifamily residential complexes, industrial plants, and commercial buildings to prevent equipment failures and worker injuries. The NFPA Natural Disaster Electrical Equipment Checklist builds off recommendations in Chapter 32 of the 2019 edition of NFPA 70B, Recommended Practice for Electrical Equipment Maintenance, and provides a useful framework for recovering electrical equipment and systems after a disaster.For health care providers: New criteria require health care providers to have extensive plans in place for numerous types of events including hurricanes as part of an emergency preparedness rule passed by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) in November 2017. Requirements for emergency and backup power supplies as well as consideration of other logistical needs for long-duration events are an important part of the rule. Find information that can help medical providers with their emergency preparedness needs. In September 2019, an NFPA white paper was introduced to help health care facilities meet the requirements of the CMS emergency preparedness rule.For the public: A fact sheet and related information provide residents and businesses with easy wildfire risk reduction steps they can do around their homes and buildings to make them safer from wildfire and blowing embers. An escape plan activity sheet helps families prepare and practice an escape plan in case of a fire in the home. An emergency supplies kit checklist provides a list of items a family may need in case of an evacuation due to an emergency weather event. A tip sheet provides the facts and steps homeowners can take to safely use portable generators in the event homes lose power after a storm.With so much severe weather happening across the country, the time to start preparing communities is now. Make Preparedness Month the jump start you need to put plans in place.For these and other related information sources, visit the NFPA emergency preparedness webpage.

Gambling on natural disasters is a losing strategy

As all of us in the world of fire and life safety know, being well prepared for fire and other emergencies plays a key role in reducing associated risks and losses. But when it comes to actually putting preparedness policies and systems into place, doing what’s needed doesn’t always happen.There are many reasons why: A lack of buy-in from the necessary groups and individuals to create plans and procedures; limited staffing and resources; and inadequate budgeting are just a few of the many shortfalls that contribute to inaction.Unfortunately, gambling on the likelihood of a disaster in the hopes that it might not occur is a bet most communities will eventually lose. And the outcomes that result from not preparing adequately can be devastating. Some of the unprecedented storms, hurricanes, flooding, extreme heat, and wildfires we’ve witnessed in recent years and the tragic losses they’ve incurred underscore this reality. These past incidents also highlight the fact that much work remains to truly ensure a full ecosystem of safety, incorporating all the elements needed to keep citizens safe and protected.Of course, no one individual can take on and implement this system of safety on their own. It requires robust coordination among a diverse team of safety advocates, fire and life safety officials, local business owners, organizations, and policymakers, among others, who come together to support these efforts and put them into motion. In fact, I firmly believe that fully utilizing the interdependencies of others helps strengthen the work and impact each of us delivers.National Preparedness Month, the annual campaign sponsored by FEMA each September, represents a timely opportunity for everyone who plays a safety role in their community to work collaboratively with appropriate partners to secure preparedness plans before incidents happen, so that the proper systems and procedures are in place to effectively mitigate and recover from them. While Preparedness Month focuses on natural disasters that most likely occur in the months ahead, any event that can cause catastrophe within a community year-round should be included in these plans as well. And while disasters impact all of us when they do occur, underserved regions tend to bear the brunt more than others. With the focus of this year’s Preparedness Month campaign on vulnerable populations, making sure those areas have the support and resources needed to remain protected and safe is critical.Community risk reduction (CRR), which works to identify the leading risks with a given community, can play a significant role in meeting these preparedness objectives. Access to data helps safety officials pinpoint where the greatest risks lie and among which neighborhoods, ensuring that the proper resources and guidance are directed at the groups and individuals who need the most assistance.In addition, there are countless tools and resources that can guide community and safety officials’ efforts, making preparedness planning more manageable and less daunting. Our CRR digital tool CRAIG 1300® serves as a powerful platform for identifying leading risks within a given area. NFPA also offers a wealth of natural disaster preparedness resources and information, including safety tips and checklists that can help reduce the risk of electrical fires, carbon monoxide poisoning, and other threats posed during thunderstorms, hurricanes, wildfires, floods, and other emergencies, which can be distributed directly to the public.At the end of the day, natural disasters are an inevitability in all our worlds. It’s not if they’re going to happen but when and we need to prepare in lock step with one another to be as ready for them as reasonably possible. The time to do this is now. Yes, the process can feel overwhelming, particularly with so many immediate day-to-day demands and priorities to tackle, but alternatively pushing aside natural disasters and other crises in the hope that they don’t happen is a losing strategy and risk none of us can afford to take. 

How does NFPA 101 categorize work in an existing building?

Under NFPA 101, Life Safety Code, once a building has been approved by the Authority Having Jurisdiction (AHJ) and a new version of the code is adopted, that building becomes an existing building. Any changes to an existing building, from as small as touching up paint to as large as gutting an entire building, are covered in Chapter 43. The first step in determining the requirements for a specific change is to categorize the work being done in one of the seven work categories. The work category will drive the code requirements for the work areas so selecting the correct one is important. This blog will review the categories and walk through some examples of different projects and the category or categories they could fall under.The seven work categories are as follows:Repair - The patching, restoration, or painting of materials, elements, equipment, or fixtures for the purpose of maintaining such materials, elements, equipment, or fixtures in good or sound condition (NFPA 101 - 43.2.2.1.1 2021 edition).Renovation - The replacement in kind, strengthening, or upgrading of building elements, materials, equipment, or fixtures, that does not result in a reconfiguration of the building spaces within (NFPA 101 – 43.2.2.1.2  2021 edition).Modification - The reconfiguration of any space; the addition, relocation, or elimination of any door or window; the addition or elimination of load-bearing elements; the reconfiguration or extension of any system; or the installation of any additional equipment (NFPA 101 – 43.2.2.1.3  2021 edition).Reconstruction - The reconfiguration of a space that affects an exit or a corridor shared by more than one occupant space; or the reconfiguration of a space such that the rehabilitation work area is not permitted to be occupied because existing means of egress and fire protection systems, or their equivalent, are not in place or continuously maintained. (NFPA 101 – 43.2.2.1.4  2021 edition).Addition - An increase in the building area, aggregate floor area, building height, or number of stories of a structure (NFPA 101 – 43.2.2.1.7  2021 edition).Change of Use - A change in the purpose or level of activity within a structure that involves a change in application of the requirements of the Code (NFPA 101 – 43.2.2.1.5  2021 edition).Change of Occupancy Classification - The change in the occupancy classification of a structure or portion of a structure (NFPA 101 – 43.2.2.1.6  2021 edition).To help identify the appropriate category the flow chart below is one way to walk through the decision points for a particular work area to arrive at the rehabilitation work category. Each work area should be considered separately to ensure all requirements are captured.See a larger view of this diagram.In this method, the initial decision point is whether the work will result in a change to how the building will be used or occupied. If the work being done creates a change to the occupancy classification it is a change of occupancy, if not, it is a change of use. Although these are their own rehabilitation categories, it’s important to continue to evaluate the work associated with this change to ensure it complies with all the code requirements as a change in use or occupancy often result in additional work being performed. The second decision point will be if the work will add any areas, height or increase the number of stories, in which that case it will be classified as an addition. If not an addition, will any space or system be reconfigured? If so, it will either be a modification or reconstruction based on the level and type of work being done. If not, then the classification will be a repair where nothing is replaced or a renovation if construction elements or systems are replaced in kind.Let’s walk through a few examples of how different projects would be classified. You own and operate a warehouse and need to hire a team to manage the warehouse. The team is new to your operation and no office space exists. To address this need, you plan to convert some of the warehouse space into offices. This type of work would change how the building or space is being utilized, specifically you’d be changing from a warehouse which is a storage occupancy to offices which is a business occupancy. The work project would be classified in the change of occupancy rehabilitation work category.  Since this work also include reconfiguring space, you’ll need to continue to evaluate to see if other rehabilitation categories apply. You won’t be adding any area, height, or stories to the building. If you’re impacting an exit, the fire protection systems cannot remain operational, or the area is more than 50% of the floor the work would also be classified as a reconstruction. Otherwise, the work would also be considered a modification.Another example would be reconfiguring the entire second floor of your office building to convert the space to better serve a new tenant. The old tenant had several small offices off a hallway that provided access to the exit stairs. The new tenant would like two open office areas separated by the original corridor on the second floor. They also need a large office on the first floor, so you plan to convert two small offices into a larger one. In this instance, the use and occupancy would remain the same and the project would not add any area, height, or increase the number of floors to the building. The work would involve reconfiguring space. It would not impact a corridor or exit that is shared by more than one occupant space, and the fire protection systems and egress systems could continue to function during the construction. The work would not encompass the entire building, but since the work would involve more than 50% of the building area, it would be classified as a reconstruction.After the work has been classified in the appropriate rehabilitation work category or categories the next step would be to determine the requirements from Chapter 43. Each rehabilitation work category has a section in Chapter 43 of NFPA 101, which outlines the requirements. It is possible to have multiple categories in a single work project, that under certain conditions can be considered independently, for example the reconfiguration of a second-floor office area and the renovation of the first-floor lobby. Each of these areas would need to comply with the requirements of their specific category. Historic buildings have their own section in Chapter 43. This is because sometimes special consideration is needed to balance historic perseveration and code compliance. To help address this, NFPA 101 allows three options for historic buildings, they can comply with: Section 43.10 for historic buildings, The applicable work category from chapter 43 or NFPA 914, Code for the Protection of Historic Structures. It may be best to investigate all three options to determine which best suits the historic structure being rehabilitated. When making changes to an existing building, whether as minor as replacing a ceiling in kind or as major as an addition NFPA 101 provides a roadmap for completing the work. The appropriate rehabilitation category will drive relevant requirements.  For more information on how to apply chapter 43 of NFPA 101 to a given building check out this blog How do I apply the provisions for rehabilitation to work at my building?, and for more on existing buildings check out this blog on Do all buildings have to comply with the latest code?

Now Issued, We Thank Those That Brought the 2023 NEC to the Top of the Mountain

It’s been a long climb to the top, but we made it – together! The NFPA Standards Council has voted to issue the 2023 National Electrical Code® (NEC®) with an effective date of September 1, 2022. With a pandemic overarching most of this revision cycle, we faced challenges never before seen in working through the NFPA Standards Development Process to create the 2023 NEC. A very special thanks goes out to the public for their valuable inputs and comments, the countless volunteer committee members for sharing their valuable time and knowledge, and NFPA staff for all of their hard work of governing the process and keeping everything on task through the challenges brought about by the pandemic. This truly has been an NEC cycle like none we have ever seen before.While there were new challenges along the way, it never delayed the development process which is rather inconceivable considering the way the world was being impacted by the pandemic. Not only did it not slow down, but it also increased. Every actionable item of the NFPA Standards Development Process increased in the 2023 NEC cycle versus the 2020 NEC cycle including: Public Inputs (PIs), First Revisions (FRs), First Correlating Revisions (FCRs), Correlating Notes (CNs), Public Comments (PCs), Second Revisions (SRs), Second Correlating Revisions (SCRs), and Certified Amending Motions (CAMs). After two years of not having our annual NFPA Conference & Expo in-person, 2022 allowed us to finally all get beck together in Boston for C&E in June where the Technical Meeting was held. During the meeting, the 55 CAMs for the 2023 NEC were presented and most were debated by membership on the meeting floor. The only CAMs that were not debated were those that were not pursued by the submitter, often due to the results of a previously debated CAM around the same topic failing to get the necessary votes from membership. In early August, the NFPA Standards Council heard fourteen appeals related to the 2023 NEC, which after the voting of the Council resulted in 18 amendments and four concurrently issuing Tentative Interim Amendments (TIAs). Some of the topics of the appeals that were heard dealt with optical fiber cable, copper-clad aluminum wiring, surge protection devices, GFCI protection, and swimming pool bonding. After all was considered, the preliminary minutes for the NFPA Standards Council Meeting concluded that the Council set an issuance date for the 2023 NEC as August 12, 2022, and the aforementioned effective date as September 1, 2022. After the thrill of climbing the mountain, and all that was overcome, every good climber sticks a flag in the ground to celebrate their accomplishments. The mountain that we all climbed to reach the pinnacle of the 2023 NEC should be commemorated as well. Our distinctive flag in the ground for the 2023 NEC comes by way of NFPA LiNK®, which is NFPA’s digital access to codes and standards, plus so much more. All previous NEC code cycles always had a delay between when it was issued and when it was available due to the time it took for printing, but the 2023 NEC will be different. The 2023 NEC will become available in NFPA LiNK® on September 1, 2022. That’s right, if you are a subscriber to NFPA LiNK®, the 2023 NEC will be available to you on the same day that it becomes effective. For individuals that still prefer the book version of the NEC, the softbound, spiral, and handbook versions are available for preorder now and will become available this fall. The best view always comes when you reach the peak of the mountain. From what I can see, our ability to make electrical installations around the world safer just improved with the addition of the 2023 NEC. A very special thank you goes out to all of you that helped us to climb the mountain!For more information on the features of NFPA LiNK®, including access to a 14-day risk-free trial for all new users, please visit www.nfpa.org/LiNK.

Register to attend the free Research Foundation webinar on “Influence of Door Gap Sizes Around and Under Swinging Fire Doors”

The Fire Protection Research Foundation, the research affiliate of NFPA®, will be hosting a webinar on September 15th that will present the findings from a recently completed experimental testing research study on “Influence of Door Gap Sizes Around and Under Swinging Fire Doors.” Register here to attend this free webinar. Fire doors have one job: to prevent a fire from spreading. For fire doors to perform their job, clearance gaps around and under swinging fire doors must resist the passage of smoke, gases, and flames. Fire development, smoke movement, and the ability of the fire door to meet the test standards are affected by the gap sizes around the perimeter of the door, within the frame, and between the bottom of the door and floor. Hence, these gap sizes are regulated. The current requirements for door clearances in NFPA 80, Standard for Fire Doors and Other Opening Protectives, are from information and data gathered several years ago. Door clearances are one of the most frequently cited deficiencies on swinging doors with builders hardware due to irregularities in flatness and levelness of concrete slab floors at and around door openings. To gain a deeper understanding of the impact of gap sizes on fire development and smoke movement, the FPRF undertook a research study. The goal of this phase of the research project was to determine, through experimental full-scale testing, the effect and influences clearance gap dimensions under swinging fire doors have on the performance of the assemblies to prevent a fire from spreading. Single swing and double egress pair doors were evaluated, for steel and composite doors with fire protection rating up to 90 mins and wood doors rated for 20 mins. Generic full-scale fire door testing was conducted with door assemblies having sill clearance requirements set at ¾” (19 mm) (the current maximum allowable gap in NFPA 80) and at an increased gap of 1” (25 mm) so that the effects of increased sill gaps could be evaluated. Additionally, one test was conducted with sill clearance dimensions ¼” (6 mm) as per NFPA 252, Standard Methods of Fire Tests of Door Assemblies. The acceptance criteria as specified in NFPA 252 were used to evaluate the experimental tests in this project. It was observed that only the double egress pair of steel doors tested with ¾” (19 mm) bottom gap dimensions met the acceptance criteria. The tests generally showed that larger gaps increase airflow rate and may make it more challenging to meet the acceptance criteria. Significant increase in air flow rate was observed when the sill clearance was increased from ¾” (19 mm) to 1” (25 mm). Wood and composite doors seem to be more impacted with flaming and burn through of doors observed sooner for doors with 1” (25 mm) sill clearance than for ¾” (19 mm). Total of 17 fire door assemblies were tested in this project and it is important to note that it represents only a very small sampling of swinging fire door assemblies. The door assembly components used in experimental tests were of known quality and had successfully passed fire door testing for the ratings (when intumescent materials were used for wood and composite doors tested under positive pressure). However, the experimental testing conducted in this study introduced non-standard conditions — door gap dimensions larger than those allowed in the fire door test standards (NFPA 252). The tests were representative of how older existing swinging fire door assemblies—those fire door assemblies tested under neutral pressure conditions—might perform when door gap clearances exceeded NFPA 80’s specifications. One reason for this testing method is that many older existing swinging fire doors have excessive door gap clearance dimensions because of poor installation and maintenance practices. The majority of these older existing swinging fire doors do not have built-in intumescent materials like their modern-day counterparts tested under positive pressure fire conditions. It is generally accepted that intumescent gasketing materials mitigate large door gap clearance dimensions by sealing the spaces between door leaves and door frames when exposed to elevated temperatures. However, since older existing swinging fire doors were not required to have intumescent gasketing materials, it is uncertain whether excessive door gap dimensions might impact their ability to perform as designed. The final report from this research study is available from the FPRF website. The webinar will review the results and observations from this experimental research along with the existing guidance of clearance sizes of door gaps around fire doors. Mike van Geyn, QAI Laboratories and Keith Pardoe, Pardoe Consulting, will lead this webinar discussion. Registration is free and required to attend. Visit www.nfpa.org/webinars for more upcoming FPRF webinars and watch on-demand archived research webinars.This webinar is supported by the Research Foundation 2022 Webinar Series Sponsors: American Wood Council, AXA XL Risk Consulting, FM Global, Reliable Automatic Sprinkler Co., Inc., Telgian Engineering and Consulting, The Zurich Services Corporation. The Research Foundation is celebrating its 40th year in existence in 2022. Learn more about this noteworthy milestone. 

Fire Extinguisher Ratings

Fire Extinguisher RatingsFire extinguishers are often the first line of defense when it comes to stopping fires while they are still small. A key component of successfully using an extinguisher is ensuring the type of extinguisher is a match for the type of fire. There is the risk of spreading a fire if you use the wrong extinguisher, this is one of the reasons we only recommend that only those who are trained use extinguishers. This blog addresses how extinguishers are classified to help make the right decision when both installing and using portable fire extinguishers. Extinguishers are given a letter rating and some also have a number designation, which come from being tested to UL 711, Rating and Fire Testing of Fire Extinguishers. The letter on an extinguisher rating corresponds to the type of fire that extinguisher can put out while the number correlates to the extinguishing potential.  Class A Fires    Fires in ordinary combustible materials, such as wood, cloth, paper, rubber, and many plastics.  Class B Fires  Fires in flammable liquids, combustible liquids, petroleum greases, tars, oils, oil-based paints, solvents, lacquers, alcohols, and flammable gases.  Class C Fires  Fires that involve energized electrical equipment.  Class D Fires  Fires in combustible metals, such as magnesium, titanium, zirconium, sodium, lithium, and potassium.   Class K Fires  Fires in cooking appliances that involve combustible cooking media (vegetable or animal oils and fats).  Class A firesClass A fires are those that involve ordinary combustible materials such as wood, cloth, paper, rubber, and many plastics. So, when you see a fire extinguisher with a class A rating then you know it can safely put out a fire made of ordinary combustibles.This then leads to the question, well, what size fire extinguisher do I need. Class A fire extinguishers don’t exactly come in sizes, instead they are given a number designation that reflects the extinguishing potential. The higher the number the greater the extinguishing potential. Class A extinguishers need to be able to extinguish varying sizes of wood panels or wooden cribs in order to geta Class A rating. The wooden crib is made of 1 ½ in by 1 ½ in (38 mm by 38 mm) or 1 ½ in by 3 ½ in (38 mm by 89 mm) pieces of dry wood that vary in length depending on the number rating the manufacturer is going for. These pieces of wood are stacked into a crib, lit on fire and if the operator is successful in extinguishing the fire using the portable fire extinguisher, then it gets a certain number as well as the “A” rating. To give you a feeling for what these numbers actually mean; A 3-A rated extinguisher needs to put out a fire made of 144 pieces of 1 ½ in by 1 ½ in by 29 in wood. Class A extinguishers range from 1-A to 40-AClass B firesExtinguishers with a Class B rating are designed to be used on fires that involve flammable liquids and gases (think oil-based paint, alcohol, gasoline etc.). Class B rated extinguishers also have a number associated with them. That number is given to an extinguisher after it has been proven to be able to extinguish a certain size heptane fire. Heptane being one of the main components of gasoline. As an example of what exactly this means. A 10-B rated extinguisher has to be able to put out a fire consisting of 31 gallons of heptane in a 25 ft2 square steel pan.Class C firesClass C rated extinguishers can put out fires that involve energized electrical equipment. There are no numerical components for Class C ratings of extinguishers, we only care about the conductivity of the fire extinguisher. Basically, are you at risk of being shocked when using this extinguisher on energized equipment. To get the C rating the extinguishers are tested to see if any electrical current flows through them as they are discharged on energized electrical equipment. You won’t see an extinguisher with only a C rating, they will always have an A and/or B rating as well. (When electrical equipment is de-energized, extinguishers rated for Class A or B fires are used.)Class D firesFires that involve combustible metals, such as magnesium, sodium, lithium, and potassium. There are no numbers associated with the Class D ratings of extinguishers. Extinguishers and agents for use on combustible metals fires are rated for the amount of agent and the method of application needed to control the fire.Class K fires Class K extinguishers are used on fires that involve cooking appliances that use cooking oils and fats (think deep fat fryer). There are no numerical components for Class K ratings because they are only tested on a single size fire source. This is tested by lighting a deep fat fryer fire and extinguishing it without any splashing of the oil or reignition.Fire extinguishers often can come with a combination of ratings, for example it’s pretty common to see an ABC rated fire extinguisher that is ok to use on ordinary combustibles, flammable liquids and energized electrical equipment. For more information on requirements related to portable fire extinguishers, check out NFPA 10, Standard for Portable Fire Extinguishers. Also, check out our other fire extinguisher related blogs: Fire Extinguisher Types Fire Extinguisher Placement Guide Fire Extinguisher Inspection Testing and Maintenance

Electrical Inspectors and Generators for Existing Dwellings

What is a generator and how do we inspect it on a residential application? Simply put, a generator is composed of two main parts, a prime mover, and an alternating-current or direct-current motor. The prime mover spins the motor causing an electromagnetic field to be induced onto the magnetic pole(s) of the motor. The number of poles the motor has, determines what the generator produces such as, single-, two-, or three-phase power. This is a very simple explanation. The generators can be permanently connected or portable. As inspectors we normally will not be looking at the internals of a generator since most are a permanently connected listed piece of equipment. Some gen sets use a combustion engine for prime mover or possibly a wind turbine, which could be fueled by natural gas or liquified petroleum gas (LPG). For this blog, we will discuss a permanently installed combustion engine type generator set being added to an existing residential dwelling. These installations are referred to in the NEC as optional standby systems and covered under article 702. The rating of most residential generators is not typically over 22 kilowatts (KW) and may be considered a gas fired appliance by the mechanical code. Frequently these installations require more than one inspector.When I was inspecting in the field, one of the initial items I requested was the installation instructions for the unit. This would provide additional information like clearances from buildings, windows, or doors, as well as specific wiring requirements. After proper clearances were verified, I would look for the disconnecting means required by the 2020 National Electrical Code® (NEC®), section 445.18 and they are: Emergency shutdown of prime mover – this disconnecting means is designed to disable the prime mover from inadvertently starting again and requires a mechanical reset to reengage the prime mover Remote emergency shutdown – this disconnecting means is applicable to generators over 15 KW rating and is located outside of the generator enclosure or equipment room, so this may affect larger one- or two-family dwellings. Emergency shutdown in one- and two-family dwelling units – this disconnecting means is for any generator at a one- or two-family dwelling and must be outside the dwelling in a readily accessible location.These disconnecting means should not be confused with the transfer switch, or the overcurrent protective device located within the generator housing for the feeder conductors running to the transfer switch. Being somewhat familiar with other codes I would frequently ask the installer or owner if they had contacted the utility company to determine if the current gas meter or regulator was sufficiently sized to handle the increased gas consumption created by the generator. Often, they had not. This may not seem important but asking this question may have saved them from being without the generator or heat when it was needed. Gas meters and regulators are typically sized for a specific cubic feet per minute flow at the time of installation, based on the amount of British Thermal Units (BTUs) required by the appliances in the dwelling. By adding additional BTUs to an existing gas meter without being upgraded could mean the gas fired appliances will not have sufficient gas flow to function properly. Inspectors asking questions, even when it is not within the area of your expertise, can almost always help avoid future problems for the customer. Moving to the transfer switch, I would determine if there was as an integral main overcurrent protective device (OCPD) and then inspect clearances around the switch. When a transfer switch contains an OCPD it frequently means the switch is an automatic transfer switch and is the service disconnecting means. For our scenario this is the case. I then would request a load calculation or provisions to automatically manage the load, sometimes called “load shedding.” Once that information was gathered, I would verify that the switch had a “suitable for use as service equipment” (SUSE) label, and that it had proper capacity, ratings, listing, and labeling. Since the transfer switch is the service disconnect it may also be serving as the emergency disconnect required in the 2020 NEC, section 230.85. Because the transfer switch is being used for both the service disconnect and the emergency disconnect, it must be marked as: EMERGENCY DISCONNECT, SERVICE DISCONNECT. Those markings should be on the exterior of the enclosure and comply with section 110.21(B). Adding emergency disconnects to the exterior of a dwelling is a way that the NEC allows first responders to safely disconnect all power within the structure, which will save time and lives in the event of a fire. Within the automatic transfer switch, I would also be verifying conductor sizes from meter, generator, grounding electrodes and new feeder to the old service panel as well as properly torqued terminations. The old service panel, typically inside the dwelling, new or existing, now has feeder conductors providing it with power instead of service conductors. Therefore, all neutral conductors must terminate on separate terminal bars from the equipment grounding conductors and the main bonding jumper between the neutral conductor and the panel enclosure must be removed if the panel is existing. If everything checks out, then I would have the installer initiate a power outage scenario to make sure all systems were functioning properly. This was not an overly deep dive into residential generator and optional standby system inspections, but a good overview of what to look for when conducting them. When on the job do not be afraid to ask questions; they can often lead to the discovery of a potential problem. Catching such issues early in the process allows us to readily address and fix the problem before it has the potential to harm us and others. To learn more about this and other related topics, go to the NFPA electrical inspection webpage and join us on NFPA Xchange where you can collaborate with other industry professionals, ask questions, and network with like-minded individuals We look forward to hearing from you!

Proper Use of Ladders on Jobsites Can Help Workers to Mitigate Personal Risk

Jobsites are a hazardous place on their own accord. That is before we start adding people, and their associated decision making, into the equation, which has the potential to make the jobsite even more dangerous. Add in working on or around electricity and the risks can compound even more. With so many things that can be out of our control on jobsites, such as someone making a decision that puts another person in harm’s way, we would be foolish to not mitigate risk by controlling the things that we can control. One thing that we can control individually on the job is ladder usage. Ladders are typically handled by a single person, which makes him/her solely responsible for how safely they use one. Aside from maintaining personal safety, proper ladder use is also necessary to avoid any potential citations from the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), which may result in financial penalties.Data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) shows that by far the two highest categories of nonfatal ladder injuries in 2020 were “Installation, maintenance, and repair” and “Construction and extraction.” Combined, these two categories totaled more than 11,000 injuries, resulting in at least one day away from work, which was over 49 percent of the total number of nonfatal ladder injuries in 2020. It is important to note that this data is based on the recorded injuries and does not incorporate any other ladder injuries that may have gone as undocumented. While it could be argued that construction and maintenance workers use ladders more than other occupations, making injury a higher probability, a counterpoint could also be made that individuals working in construction and maintenance should also have a better understanding of how to use ladders based on their experience and training. While the user is responsible for their own safety while using the ladder, employers have the responsibility of making sure that the employee is properly trained to do so. There are several key areas that should be considered when using a ladder on the jobsite, to help mitigate any associated safety risks.The most common ladders used on the jobsite are typically stepladders and extension ladders. Each ladder should be utilized in the capacity that it was designed for. As an example, it can be common for workers to lean a stepladder against a wall to perform their work however stepladders were not designed for this use, as they are required to have the metal spreaders built into the ladder in the fully extended, locked position prior to using the ladder. If a stepladder is leaned against a wall, essentially being used as a single ladder, it is not possible to have the metal arms extended as required. This is an example of where it is necessary to choose the proper ladder for the specific task and then use it correctly. Another common misuse of ladders on the job is standing on the top of a ladder that is not designed for the purpose. Ladder manufacturers put clear labels on ladders that specifically tell you not to stand above a certain point on the ladder, which should be strictly adhered to. Ladders are also rated for specific loads, that should not be exceeded, due to the potential for the ladder buckling because of overloading. When considering the load that will be imposed on the ladder, users should consider both their personal bodyweight but also the weight of any additional tools or materials that the will be carrying up the ladder. Another key consideration for selecting the proper ladder is the material that the ladder is made from. The sheer nature of an electrician working with electricity while using a ladder makes it clear that a conductive aluminum ladder is not a good choice for their line of work. But what about a painter that is working near a power line? A metal ladder is not a good choice in that application either. Choosing the proper ladder for the proper task and environment, and using it properly, is a key first step in ladder injury prevention.Ladders should always be visually checked before each use. Due to improper usage, ladders that were visually checked and okay for use this morning, may not be okay in the afternoon. For example, if someone were to stand on one of the supports of a ladder that does fully rated steps on the backside, the supports could become damaging making the ladder unsafe for use. When performing visual inspections on ladders, some key areas to check are: Structural damage Split or bent side rails Missing or damaged steps and spreaders Grease, dirt, or other contaminants that could cause a slip or fallWhile climbing or descending a ladder, it is also critical to maintain 3-points of contact at all times. This can be accomplished by maintaining two hands and one foot or by one hand and two feet. Ensuring that 3-points of contact are maintained at all times will limit any potential imbalance on the ladder that could result in a devastating fall injury. Falls from ladders are likely to have attributed to many of the 161 fatal ladder injuries that were reported in 2020. Even a fall from a relatively low height can prove to be deadly if an individual were to hit their head or fall on a sharp object below. Continuing to maintain 3-points of contact whenever climbing or descending a ladder will help workers to remain safe and avoid becoming a statistic.Personal safety is just that – personal. Deciding to use a ladder, or not to use a ladder, along with the how the ladder is utilized while working, is a personal decision. For those of us who work on construction jobsites every day, the activities by others on the job that we cannot control already puts our wellbeing and lives at risk. So, why wouldn’t we want to control the things we can to help mitigate any additional risk, such as utilizing ladders safely? It is a sure guarantee that the BLS will produce a ladder injury report next year and every year that follows, but we can all play a key role in whether those numbers are climbing up the ladder or down the ladder. I hope to see you all safely at ground level.For more information on how NFPA can help electrical professionals to stay safe on the jobsite, please visit our Electrical Safety Solutions page.

New Semester, New Responsibilities: A Reminder about Campus Fire Safety as Students Head into the New School Year

As the new school year draws closer, college students across the country are gearing up to return to campus, especially with in-person learning in full swing again. No matter if they are new or returning students, the journey back to campus marks new experiences and a new chapter in their lives. However, with new experiences and chapters, comes a set of new responsibilities. Now that they’re living on their own (or with a friendly roommate or two) students will be in charge of taking care of themselves, their living space, and their safety. It’s not nearly as bad or as hard as it sounds though, as there is an abundance of resources dedicated to helping them through this process, such as the annual Campus Fire Safety for Students campaign from NFPA and The Center for Campus Fire Safety (CCFS).NFPA and CCFS work together every September for Campus Fire Safety Month to raise awareness about the threat of fires in both on- and off-campus housing. By putting relevant information in the hands of the students, their parents, and campus housing staff and administrators, the hope is to encourage everyone to share this life-saving information and take proactive measures to protect students from fires and make their living spaces as safe as possible upon their return to school. Data from NFPA research shows that from 2015 to 2019, US fire departments responded to an estimated annual average of 3,840 structure fires in dormitories, fraternities, sororities, and other related properties, causing a yearly average of 29 civilian injuries and $11 million in direct damages. The first two months of the school year (September and October) were the peak months for these fires, especially during the evenings between 5:00 p.m. and 9:00 p.m., with 87 percent caused by cooking equipment.Lorraine Carli, vice president of Outreach and Advocacy for NFPA, and CCFS Advisory Council member, says, “It is important for [students] to review fire safety tips to learn how to prevent fires. The more prepared students are, the more we can do to reduce fire risk. Campus Fire Safety Month provides a great opportunity to share materials and action steps and foster a culture of awareness and preparedness about fire safety on our college campuses.” Here are some quick tips from NFPA and CCFS to help students reduce the risk of fires and save lives: Know and practice the building’s evacuation plan, as well as alternate routes. Cook in intended areas only, and never leave cooking equipment unattended when in use, even briefly. Test smoke alarms monthly in an apartment or a house. Ensure smoke alarms are installed in all sleeping areas, outside of all sleeping areas, and on every level of the apartment or house. NEVER remove or disable smoke alarms. Keep combustible items away from heat sources and never overload electrical outlets, extension cords, or power strips. Many fires are caused by portable light and heat sources, like space heaters and halogen lamps. Keep common areas and hallways free of possessions and debris. Never block exit routes.As part of its continuing education about fire safety on college campuses, CCFS will host an in-person Campus Fire Forum, “A Look Back and Forward to the Future of Fire Safety,” from November 1 - 3, 2022. As part of the Forum, a special panel will examine the Boland Hall Fire, a fatal fire that took place in a freshman residence on the Seton Hall University campus in January 2002 and named one of the deadliest college fires in recent U.S. history. It took the lives of three students and injured 58. During the panel discussions, participants will explore and learn about the progression of fire safety education over the last 20 years, including research, advanced technologies, legislation, and more. Learn about the Forum and register to attend today.  Find shareable videos, checklists, infographics, and additional information about the Campus Fire Safety for Students campaign at nfpa.org/campus or on the CCFS website and its Share! For Students webpage. Photo by Parker Gibbons on Unsplash

NFPA and IBC Occupancy Classifications when Hazardous Materials are Present

Hazardous materials are those chemicals or substances that are classified as a physical hazard material or a health hazard material (see this blog for more information). There's often some confusion around what the appropriate occupancy classification is when hazardous materials are present. Unfortunately, there isn't a straight answer. It is going to depend on what code is applicable in your particular situation. This blog is going to take a closer look at the differences in occupancy classification when using NFPA Codes and the International Building Code (IBC). For some basic information regarding the differences in occupancy classification check out this blog. Before digging into the actual differences between the codes it's helpful to understand the concepts of maximum allowable quantity (MAQ) and control areas. Although NFPA Codes and the IBC both address these concepts in their own documents, the overall approach is similar. For a closer look at how to determine a MAQ using NFPA 1, Fire Code, be sure to look at this blog. NFPA ApproachOne of the major differences between the way the IBC and NFPA codes address occupancy classification for spaces using hazardous materials, is the actual creation of a unique occupancy classification within the IBC. NFPA codes do not create a separate occupancy classification specific to hazardous materials. Instead, regardless of whether they contain hazardous materials or not, all buildings are given an occupancy classification(s) based on how the space is being used and the expected characteristics of the occupants. Then, if the building contains hazardous materials additional provisions must be met. If the hazardous materials in a given control area exceed the MAQ, additional protections are required. These are called Protection Levels and they range from Protection Level 1 to Protection Level 5. It is important to note that although a building must comply with the additional protection levels, the occupancy classification itself does not change. This means when the MAQ is exceeded and NFPA documents apply, you are required to comply with both the requirements specific to that occupancy as well as the appropriate protection level requirements for that hazardous material. NFPA Approach- Protection LevelsFeatures for Protection Level 1 through Protection Level 3 are intended primarily to provide protection from physical hazards.Protection Level 1 is the highest level of protection. This protection level is required when high hazard Level 1 contents exceed the MAQ. These materials are unstable and can pose a detonation hazard. Examples of high hazard level 1 contents include Class 4 oxidizers; detonable pyrophoric solids or liquids; Class 3 detonable and Class 4 unstable (reactive) solids, liquids, or gases; and detonable organic peroxides. This protection level requires that the materials be stored in a one story in height, detached building that is used for no other purpose.Protection Level 2 is designed to limit the spread of fire from materials that deflagrate or accelerate burning. Additionally, the protection features are designed to limit the potential for fire to spread from an outside source and affect the hazardous materials in the building. This protection level is required when high hazard Level 2 contents exceed the MAQ. These materials present a deflagration hazard or a hazard from accelerated burning. Examples of high hazard Level 2 contents include Combustible dusts that are stored, used, or generated in a manner that creates a severe fire or explosion hazard; Class I organic peroxides; flammable gases; nondetonable pyrophoric solids, liquids, or gases; and Class 3 water-reactive solids and liquids.Protection Level 3 is one of the most common protection levels encountered in the general inspection of storage and industrial operations that use hazardous materials. These types of operations and storage facilities normally operate with amounts of hazardous materials greater than the MAQ while conducting business. This protection level is required when high hazard Level 3 contents exceed the MAQ. These materials readily support combustion or present a physical hazard. Examples of high hazard level 3 contents include Class IIA, Class IIB, and Class III organic peroxides; Class 2 solid or liquid oxidizers; Class 2 unstable (reactive) materials; and oxidizing gases.Protection Level 4 is intended to mitigate the acute health hazards resulting from the storage, use, or handling of high hazard Level 4 materials. These contents include corrosives, highly toxic materials, and toxic materials. The objective is to protect evacuating occupants and arriving first responders from being injured by these hazardous materials.Protection Level 5 applies to semiconductor fabrication facilities. Buildings that require Protection Level 5 must comply with NFPA 318, Standard for the Protection of Semiconductor Fabrication Facilities.IBC ApproachThe IBC uses a High-Hazard Group H, occupancy classification for buildings that, among others, manufacture, process, generate, or store hazardous materials in excess of the MAQ in a control area. There are 5 sub-categories within the High Hazard Group H occupancy, H-1 through H-5 which closely resemble the protection levels in NFPA documents.IBC Approach- Occupancy Subclassifications H-1 is the subclassification for buildings that contain hazardous materials that pose a detonation hazard. H-2 is the subclassification for buildings that contain hazardous materials that pose a deflagration hazard or a hazard from accelerated burning. H-3 is the subclassification for buildings that contain hazardous materials that readily support combustion or that pose a physical hazard. H-4 is the subclassification for buildings that contain hazardous materials that are health hazards. H-5 is the subclassification for semiconductor fabrication facilities and comparable research and development areas.Although at first glance it seems like NFPA and the IBC handle things extremely different, the overall concepts are actually not all that different. The IBC creates an entirely separate occupancy classification while NFPA uses protection levels. In both cases, compliance with additional provisions is going to be required to minimize the risk associated with the presence of hazardous materials in those quantities.