| Author |
Message |
(Unregistered Guest)
Unregistered guest
| | Posted on Wednesday, July 09, 2025 - 10:09 am: |    |
In NFPA 241 which is referenced in the fire code, it is requiring 1 HR rated construction barriers where" such alteration/construction activities "have a higher level of hazard than the occupied portion of the building"
In your opinion what does this mean in practice?
Brian Payne (Firm security isn't let me login) |
David E Oglesby
Junior Member
Username: wdeo
Post Number: 2
Registered: 11-2024
| | Posted on Wednesday, July 09, 2025 - 12:39 pm: | |
If you remove partitions such that adjoining spaces that were required to be separated before but are not separated during demo/rework you need to build a separating rated partition to maintain the required separation. Very common in hospital work where phased construction is the norm. i.e. construct new temporary partitions for traffic management and separations, demo obsolete partitions, construct new partitions, remove temporary partitions, open the new work. |
(Unregistered Guest)
Unregistered guest
| | Posted on Wednesday, July 09, 2025 - 12:45 pm: | |
I follow the logic you layed out, but it seems like NFPA 241 is not talking about existing rated walls, but specifically construction activity that is more hazardous than the occupancy activities.
In that same hospital, let say that you are welding a new equipment support structure to the existing steel, where there are no rated walls involved in the general area. Do I need to build a 1 hour construction barrier across an unrated corridor?
Brian |
Ronald L. Geren, FCSI Distinguished Member, AIA, CCS, CCCA, CSC, SCIP
Senior Member
Username: specman
Post Number: 1652
Registered: 03-2003
| | Posted on Wednesday, July 09, 2025 - 01:34 pm: | |
Section 4.13.4 requires the construction of temporary partitions or other fire-resistance-rated construction to limit the spread of fire in the event that the situation becomes uncontrollable.
In my opinion, if an open flame is used and the existing occupied areas do not involve the use of open flames, then alteration, construction, or demolition operations are more hazardous than the occupied areas and require the temporary fire-resistance-rated construction.
Another condition would be if the alteration, construction, or demolition operations involve the use of flammable materials (e.g., paint strippers, solvents) and the existing occupied areas have sources of ignition (e.g., open flames, sparks), then the operations have a higher hazard than the occupied areas and require the temporary separation.
Ron Geren, FCSI Distinguished Member, AIA, CCS, CCCA, CSC, SCIP
|
|
4specs.com Home Page