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 Fire Tests Tracy Golinveaux, Staff Liaison DATE: May 25, 2011 SUBJECT: NFPA 252 ROC TC FINAL Ballot Results (F2011) The Final Results of the NFPA 252 ROC Letter Ballot are as follows: 21 Members Eligible to Vote 3 Not Returned (A. Marshall, R. McPhee and H. Talley) 17 Affirmative on All (D. Sloan w/comment) 0 Negatives 1 Abstention (K. Newman on one or more comments as noted in the attached report) 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 12. (21eligible to vote 3 not returned - 1 abstention = 17 0.66 = 11.22) (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: [21 eligible 2 = 10.5 = (11)] 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.
252-1 Log #3 Control of the furnace pressure shall be established with tolerance of 5 Pa (+/- 0.01 inch wg) beginning no later than 5 minutes after the start of the test and shall be maintained throughout the remainder of the fire test period. Currently allowable tolerance of furnace pressure is not specified. Accuracy of furnace pressure control would be achieved by specifying tolerance of pressure. Revise section 6.1.2.7 as follows: The neutral pressure plane Control of the furnace pressure shall be established in accordance with 6.1.2.7.1 or 6.1.2.7.2 beginning no later than 5 minutes after the start of the test and shall be maintained throughout the remainder of the fire test period. Section 6.1.2.7 does not address control of the pressure, it addresses the location of the neutral pressure plane. Tolerances are addressed in sections 6.1.2.7.1 and 6.1.2.7.2. See ROP (Log #CP3) and ROC 252-4 (Log #CC1) for tolerances of the neutral pressure plane. NEWMAN, K.: Not qualified to comment on this section. 1
252-2 Log #4 Technical Committee on Fire Doors and Windows, Reject Proposal (Log #CP3). Changes made to NFPA 252 affect the products and components that are regulated by NFPA 80. The change made by Proposal creates a conflict with NFPA 252 and CAN/ULC S104-10 which is referenced in the Annex of NFPA 80 as an equivalent standard to NFPA 252 With this change, NFPA 252 may now be foreseen as a more rigorous standard without proper justification as to why the committee has chosen to go in this direction. It appears the committee has taken the initiative to coordinate requirements of NFPA 252 with UL 10B in proposal 252-4 but proposal does not attempt to retain coordination between equivalent test standards. In addition, adequate technical substantiation has not been provided by the Fire Tests committee for the proposed change. In its substantiation, the Fire Tests committee has requested input from testing laboratories so as to propose a change to their document without assurance that there is sufficient technical data to support the change. This public comment was prepared by and balloted by the Technical Committee on Fire Doors and Windows. The results of the ballot are as follows: Following the meeting at which FDW-AAA prepared this public comment, it was letter balloted by FDW-AAA. The ballot results follow: 26 Members Eligible to Vote 4 Not Returned (D. Cha, J. Gorrell, D. San Paolo and M. Tierney) 22 Affirmative on All 0 Negatives 0 Abstentions The changes made in ROP still permit testing at positive pressure and at other than positive pressure. Changes to NFPA 252 have been coordinated with UL 10B which has been coordinated with CAN/ULC S104. 2
252-3 Log #5 Joseph Hetzel, Thomas Associates / Rep. DASMA We oppose the changes to 6.1.2.7.1 and 6.1.2.7.2. Because rolling steel fire doors are not required to be tested for positive pressure, we do not believe it is appropriate for the test standard to allow any portion of the door to be subjected to positive pressure. The neutral pressure plane should be required to be located at the top of the door. If any fluctuation/tolerance is determined by the testing laboratories as being necessary, the neutral pressure plane should be above the top of the door and not below the top of the door. Section 6.1.2.7.2 does not allow the neutral pressure plane to be below the top edge of the door so that no portion of the door would be exposed to positive pressure. The committee has clarified the intent of this section in committee comment 252-4 (Log #CC1). 252-4 Log #CC1 Technical Committee on Fire Tests, 252-2 When the fire test is to be conducted at other than positive pressure, the neutral pressure plane shall be established within at not more than 152 mm (6 in.) at the of above the top of the door ±25 mm (±1 in.) The pressure shall be controlled to prevent the neutral plane from falling below the top edge of the door for the duration of the test. The neutral pressure plane is intended to be established above the top of the door. This revision clarifies the intent of section 6.1.2.7.2. SLOAN, D.: As discussed during the ROC meeting, for both UL10B and CAN/ULC S104, the neutral plane is established at the top of door assembly. 3
Log #2 N/A No flaming shall occur on the unexposed surface of the door assembly during the first 30 minutes of the fire test, except that intermittent flames not greater than 152 mm (6 in.) in flame length, at anywhere on unexposed surface of door including any length of door edge or any length of vision panel frame edge, shall be permitted to occur for periods not to exceed 10 seconds. Intermittent flaming can occur multiple times at the same location or different locations as long as flame duration of each occurrence is less than 10 seconds. The length of the flame (6 inch) could be interpreted wrongly as length of flaming door edge. Proposed revision above would make original intention clear and prevent wrong interpretation. Also intermittent flaming along the vision panel frame should be allowed with same concept. Currently allowable intermittent flame along the vision panel frame is missing. Duration of allowable flaming (10 seconds) is intended to be 10 seconds for each occurrence. The current statement can lead confusion with total 10 seconds of sum of multiple flaming. Proposed revision above would make original intention clear and prevent wrong interpretation. This comment contains new material and will be held until the next revision cycle. 252-6 Log #1 252-6 After 30 minutes of the fire test, intermittent flames not greater than 152 mm (6 in.) in flame length shall be permitted to occur along the edges of doors or vision panel frame for periods not to exceed 5 minutes. Intermittent flaming can occur multiple times at the same location or at different locations as long as flame duration of each occurrence is less than 5 minutes. Intermittent flaming along the vision panel frame should be allowed with same concept. Currently allowable intermittent flame along the vision panel frame is missing. Duration of allowable flaming (5 minutes) is intended to be 5 minutes for each occurrence. The current statement can lead confusion with total 5 minutes of multiple flaming. Proposed revision above would make original intention clear and prevent wrong interpretation. This comment contains new material and will be held until the next revision cycle. 4