TECHNICAL COMMITTEE ON FIRE CODE

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1 TECHNICAL COMMITTEE ON FIRE CODE M E M O R A N D U M TO: FROM: Technical Committee on Fire Code (FCC-AAA) Gregory Harrington, P.E., Staff Liaison DATE: February 3, 2011 SUBJECT: NFPA 1124 Amended CP#2 Approval Committee Ballot The enclosed ballot is in response to NFPA Standards Council Decision D#08-19, issued October 1, Enclosed is Amended Draft Proposal (pre-rop) CP#2 for proposed changes to Chapter 7 of NFPA 1124, Code for Manufacture, Transportation, Storage and Retail Sales of Fireworks and Pyrotechnic Articles. This material was developed by the Technical Committee on Pyrotechnics (PYR-AAA) at its February 2-3, 2009 meeting in Orlando, and amended during its September 30-October 1, 2010 meeting in Phoenix based on input from FCC-AAA (see the previously distributed August 23, 2010 FCC-AAA final ballot results on CP#2). PYR-AAA subsequently accepted the amendment recommended by FCC-AAA; the revised language and the PYR-AAA letter ballot final results are enclosed. FCC-AAA has been requested to reconfirm its position on Amended Draft CP#2 via letter ballot. Please complete and return the attached letter ballot no later than Monday, February 14, 2011, to the attention of Diane Matthews via (dmatthews@nfpa.org) or fax ( ). Please let me know if you have any questions. I can be reached by phone at , or by at gharrington@nfpa.org. Enclosures: NFPA 1124 Amended Draft CP#2 ballot PYR-AAA Amended Draft CP#2 final ballot results Cc: G. Colonna, PYR-AAA L. Fuller, Codes and Standards Administration

2 TECHNICAL COMMITTEE ON FIRE CODE APPROVAL COMMITTEE BALLOT FOR NFPA 1124, CODE FOR THE MANUFACTURING, TRANSPORTATION, STORAGE AND RETAIL SALE OF FIREWORKS AND PYROTECHNIC ARTICLES With regard to the action to ACCEPT the provisions and substantiation put forth by the Technical Committee on Pyrotechnics on Amended Draft Proposal (pre-rop) CP #2 concerning Threshold Limits for Sprinkler Protection, I: AGREE DISAGREE* ABSTAIN* If you Disagree or Abstain, reasons must be provided: Sign Name: Print Name: Date: Return By: Monday, February 14, 2011 To: Diane Matthews, Administrator, Technical Projects Fax: Phone:

3 NFPA Amended Draft Committee Proposal Approved for letter ballot initially at Committee Meeting, August 31 September 1, 2009, San Diego, CA and approved as amended at Committee Meeting, September 30 October 1, 2010, Phoenix, AZ. These actions relate to items 1 and 2 in the Standards Council Decision, D#08-19 and are to be coordinated with the Fire Code Committee in accordance with Standards Council direction following the completion of the letter ballot by the Committee on Pyrotechnics. Amended Log# Draft CP#2 Submitter: Technical Committee on Pyrotechnics Recommendation: Task Group A proposes to retain the current requirement in paragraph as shown below: An automatic sprinkler system designed and installed in accordance with NFPA 13, Standard for the Installation of Sprinkler Systems, shall be provided throughout permanent CFRS facilities and stores in which CFRS are conducted in the following buildings: (1) New buildings containing a gross sales area greater than 3000 ft 2 (278.7 m 2 ) in area excluding storage areas not open to the public greater than 6,000 ft 2 (557.2 m 2 ) in area (2) Existing buildings greater than 7,500 ft 2 (694 m 2 ) in area Substantiation: 1) The gross sales area of 6000ft 2 was reduced to 3000ft 2 based upon the recommendation of the NFPA 1 Committee. The Technical Committee on Pyrotechnics agrees with this recommendation as indicated with the proposed change to (1). Comments from NFPA 1 TC on Fire Code substantiation on their balloting of this draft proposal: The 3,000ft 2 threshold is a reasonable threshold to support manual fire suppression operations because it will allow the fire department to conduct effective defensive operations via the sprinkler system supply and more easily reach the seat of the small fires in those CFRS facilities less than 3,000ft 2. Reduced distance to enter and easier access to the seat of the fire will reduce the risk of exposure to firefighters in dealing with CFRS facilities There is obviously significant question as to the appropriate threshold for fire sprinkler protection in these facilities. With the ongoing question and debate, there is no consensus that the current 6,000ft 2 threshold provides appropriate protection for occupants or firefighters. The 3,000 ft 2 threshold strikes a balance and is based on the long established consensus of 3000ft 2 for Class C mercantile occupancies within NFPA 101. If we are going to err based on the lack of consensus, we should err on the side of life safety The 3,000ft 2 area requirement for automatic sprinkler protection in new buildings, as defined in NFPA 1124, coordinates more closely to other requirements for protection of mercantile occupancies of this size. This would include the action taken by this Technical Committee on Draft CP#1, as well as other recognized levels of protection already in place which use this 3,000ft 2 limitation.

4 1) The language Excluding storage areas not open to the public was added by the Technical Committee on Pyrotechnics so that (1) is consistent with NFPA for the classification of Class C stores. This language also makes it internally consistent with the rest of this chapter where Class C stores are referenced. Committee Meeting Action: Accept

National Fire Protection Association 1 Batterymarch Park, Quincy, MA 02169-7471 Phone: 617-770-3000 Fax: 617-770-0700 www.nfpa.

5 National Fire Protection Association 1 Batterymarch Park, Quincy, MA Phone: Fax: M E M O R A N D U M TO: FROM: NFPA Technical Committee on Pyrotechnics Jeanne Moreau DATE: January 4, 2011 SUBJECT: NFPA 1124 A11 Draft Ballot Final Results CP2 The Final Results of the NFPA 1124 Draft Ballot are as follows: 32 Members Eligible to Vote 2 Not Returned (J. Kitchens, D. Westcott) 0 Negative 0 Abstentions There are two criteria necessary to pass ballot [(1) affirmative 2 / 3 vote and (2) simple majority]. (1) The number of affirmative votes needed for the proposal/comment to pass is 20. (32 eligible to vote - 2 not returned - 0 abstentions = = 19.8) (2) In all cases, an affirmative vote of at least a simple majority of the total membership eligible to vote is required. This is the calculation for simple majority: [32 eligible 2 = = (17)] Reasons for negative votes, etc. from alternate members are not included unless the ballot from the principal member was not received. According to the final ballot results, all ballot items received the necessary 2 / 3 required affirmative votes to pass ballot.

National Fire Protection Association. 1 Batterymarch Park, Quincy, MA Phone: Fax:

National Fire Protection Association 1 Batterymarch Park, Quincy, MA 02169-7471 Phone: 617-770-3000 Fax: 617-770-0700 www.nfpa.org M E M O R A N D U M TO: FROM: NFPA Technical Committee on Mercantile and