09.F First Response Fire Protection.
09.F.01 Portable fire extinguishers must be provided where needed as specified in Table 9-4.
| Occupancy | |||||||
| Low Hazard | Medium Hazard | High Hazard | |||||
| Class A | Class B | Class A | Class B | Class A | Class B | ||
| Minimum rating for single extinguisher | 2-A | 5-B or 10-B(1) |
2-A | 10-B or 20-B |
4-A | 40-B or 80-B(2) |
|
| Maximum coverage (floor area) per unit of A-rating | 3,000 ft2 | n/a | 1,500 ft2 | n/a | 1,000 ft2 | n/a | |
| Maximum floor area for extinguisher | for extinguisher 11,250 ft2 | n/a | 11,250 ft2 | n/a | 11,250 ft2 | n/a | |
| Maximum travel distance to extinguisher | 75 ft | 30 ft for 5-B 50 ft for 10-B | 75 ft | 30 ft for 10-B 50 ft for 20-B | 75 ft | 30 ft for 40-B 50 ft for 80-B | |
- 1) Up to 3 foam extinguishers of at least 2 1/2 gal (9.5 L) capacities may be used to fulfill low hazard requirements
- 2) Up to 3 aqueous film foaming foam (AFFF) extinguishers of at least 2 1/2 gal (9.5 L) capacities may be used to fulfill high hazard requirements
- Derived from NFPA 10: In multiple-story facilities, at least 1 extinguisher shall be adjacent to stairways.
- On construction and demolition projects, a 1/2 in (1.2 cm) diameter garden hose, not to exceed 100 ft (30.4 m) in length and equipped with a nozzle, may be substituted for a 2-A rated fire extinguisher provided it its capable of discharging a minimum of 5 gal (18.9 L) per minute with minimum hose stream range of 30 ft (9.1 m) horizontally. The garden hose lines shall be mounted on conventional racks or reels. The number of location of hose racks or reels shall be such that at least 1 hose stream can be applied to all points in the area.
- Fire extinguishers must be inspected monthly and maintained as specified in NFPA 10.b. Records must be kept on a tag or label attached to the extinguisher, on an inspection check list maintained on file, or by an electronic method that provides a permanent record. Record/tag must include date inspection was performed and initials of the person performing the inspection.
09.F.02 Approved fire extinguishers.
- Fire extinguishers must be approved by a nationally recognized testing laboratory and labeled to identify the listing and labeling organization and the fire test and performance standard that the fire extinguisher meets or exceeds.
- Fire extinguishers must be marked with their letter (class of fire) and numeric (relative extinguishing effectiveness) classification.
- Fire extinguishers using carbon tetrachloride or chlorobromomethane extinguishing agents are prohibited.
- Soldered or riveted shell self-generating foam or gas cartridge water-type portable extinguishers that are operated by inverting the extinguisher to rupture or initiate an uncontrollable pressure generating chemical reaction to expel the agent are prohibited.
09.F.03 Fire extinguishers must be in a fully charged and operable condition and must be suitably placed, distinctly marked, and readily accessible.
09.F.04 When portable fire extinguishers are provided for employee use in the workplace, the employer must provide training (upon initial employment and at least annually thereafter) in the following:
- General principles of fire extinguisher use and the hazards involved with incipient stage fire fighting to all employees; and
- Use of the appropriate firefighting equipment to those employees designated in an emergency action plan to use firefighting equipment.
09.F.05 Approved fire blankets must be provided and kept in conspicuous and accessible locations as warranted by the operations involved.
09.F.06 No fire must be fought where the fire is in imminent danger of contact with explosives. All persons must be removed to a safe area and the fire area guarded against intruders.
09.F.07 Standpipe and hose system equipment.
- Standpipes must be located or otherwise protected against damage. Damaged standpipes must be repaired promptly.
- Reels and cabinets used to contain fire hose must be designed and maintained to ensure the prompt use of the hose valve, hose, and other equipment. Reels and cabinets must be conspicuously identified and used only for fire equipment.
- Hose outlets and connections must be located high enough above the floor to avoid their obstruction and to be accessible to employees. To ensure hose connections are compatible with support fire equipment, screw threads must be standardized or adapters must be provided throughout the system.
- Standpipe systems must be equipped with vinyl type or lined hoses of such length that friction loss resulting from water flowing through the hose will not decrease the pressure at the nozzle below 30 psi (206.8 kPa) gauge. The dynamic pressure at the nozzle must be within 30 psi (206.8 kPa) gauge and 125 psi (861.8 kPa) gauge.
- Standpipe hoses must be equipped with basic spray nozzles with a straight stream to wide stream spray pattern. Nozzles must have a water discharge control capable of functions ranging from full discharge to complete shutoff.
09.F.08 The following tests must be performed on standpipe and hose systems before placing them in service:
- Piping (including yard piping) must be hydrostatically tested for at least 2 hours at not less than 200 psi (1378.9 kPa), or at least 50 psi (344.7 kPa) in excess of normal pressure when the normal pressure is greater than 150 psi (1034.2 kPa)); and
- Hose must be hydrostatically tested with couplings in place at a pressure of not less than 200 psi (1378.9 kPa). This pressure must be maintained for at least 15 seconds, but not more than 1 minute, during which time the hose must not leak nor must the jacket thread break.
09.F.09 Standpipe and hose system inspection and maintenance.
- Water supply tanks must be kept filled to the proper level except during repairs. When pressure tanks are used, proper pressure must be maintained at all times except during repairs.
- Valves in the main piping connections to the automatic sources of water supply must be kept fully open at all times, except during repairs.
- Hose systems must be inspected at least annually and after each use to assure that all equipment is in place, available for use, and in operable condition.
- When the system or any portion of the system is found not to be serviceable, it must be removed for repair and replaced with equivalent protection (such as fire watches and extinguisher) until the repairs are complete.
- Hemp and linen hoses must be unracked, physically inspected for deterioration, and reracked using a different fold pattern at least annually.
09.F.10 The minimum water supply for standpipe and hose systems provided for the use of employees must be sufficient to provide 100 gal (0.37 m3) per minute for at least 30 minutes.
09.F.11 For all structures in which standpipes are required, or where standpipes exist in structures being altered, the standpipes must be brought up as soon as practical and maintained as construction progresses so that they are always ready for fire protection use. There must be at least one standard hose outlet at each floor.
09.F.12 For employees that may encounter incipient stage wild land fires, local safety programs must provide basic training (upon initial employment and at least annually thereafter) in techniques commonly used to extinguish incipient stage wild land fires and the hazards associated with such fire fighting activities.
Knowledge Check Choose the best answer for the question.
9-9. How often must hose systems be inspected to assure that all equipment is in place, available for use, and in operable condition?
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