American Fire Sprinkler Association 12750 Merit Dr., Suite 350 * Dallas TX 75251 Ph: (214) 349-5965 Fax: (214) 276-0908
-------------------- TECHNICAL UPDATE November 19, 2009 -------------------- “We have a 4-story concrete parking structure with a non-combustible open stairway attached to the exterior of the building. Would heads be required at each level?” We have reviewed NFPA 13, 2002 Edition that you indicated as the applicable standard as well as the 2007 edition of NFPA 13. Our informal interpretation is that sprinklers are not required within the stairway. The 2002 edition does not explicitly address this issue but the 2007 edition clarified it. Section 8.15.3.2.4 (which is the same subject as 8.14.3.2 in the 02 edition) states: Sprinklers shall be permitted to be omitted from exterior stair towers when the exterior walls of the stair tower are at least 50% open and when the stair tower is entirely of noncombustible construction. This is pretty common construction for parking garages and shows the intent of the technical committee even for older editions of NFPA 13 (even if you have to apply the 13:1.5 Equivalency Clause). It should also be noted that a sprinkler is not required at the top or under the first landing as dictated by 8.14.3.2.1. That criterion is for shafts, which by its very name is an enclosed construction element. ----------------- Technical Update is prepared by the Technical Services Dept. of the AFSA: Vice President of Engineering and Technical Services Roland Huggins, a PE registered in fire protection engineering; Phill Brown, a NICET IV certified automatic sprinkler technician and NFPA Certified Fire Protection Specialist (CFPS) and Tom Wellen, a degreed fire protection engineering technologist. This is provided with the understanding that the AFSA assumes no liability for this opinion or actions taken on it and they are not to be considered the official position of the NFPA or its technical committees. Copyright © 2009, American Fire Sprinkler Association. All Rights Reserved -------------------------- If you’d rather not receive future faxes from AFSA, fax your removal request to Linda Dawson at Efax (214) 242-3155 or call toll free (888) 839-4830 or send e-mail request @ [email protected]. Please include your company name and the specific fax numbers(s) at which you do not wish to receive faxes from us. Our failure to comply with your request may be unlawful. _______________________________________________ Sprinklernotes mailing list [email protected] http://fireball.firesprinkler.org/mailman/listinfo/sprinklernotes
