NISTIR 7419 

The Use of Portable Fire Extinguishers 

in Nightclubs: Workshop Summary 

William Grosshandler 

Editor 

 

 

 

NISTIR 7419

The Use of Portable Fire Extinguishers 

in Nightclubs: Workshop Summary

William Grosshandler 

Editor 

Building and Fire Research Laboratory 

April 2007

U.S. Department of Commerce

Carlos M. Gutierrez, Secretary 

Technology Administration 

Robert C. Cresanti, Under Secretary for Technology

National Institute of Standards and Technology 

William Jeffrey, Director
ii 
iii 

ABSTRACT 

The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) technical investigation into The 

Station nightclub fire produced ten recommendations to improve model building and fire codes, 

standards and practices (as they existed in February 2003), including a specific recommendation 

that a study be performed to determine the minimum number and appropriate placement (based 

upon the time required for access and application in a fully occupied building) of portable fire 

extinguishers for use in new and existing nightclubs, and the level of staff training required to 

ensure their proper use. In furtherance of this recommendation, NIST organized a workshop for 

interested parties to identify, among other things, the relevant issues that should be addressed in 

such a study. The workshop was held at NIST in Gaithersburg, Maryland, on January 17, 2007, 

and was attended by representatives from the fire protection equipment industry, codes and 

standards developing organizations, building owners and managers, fire testing and equipment 

certifying laboratories, the fire services, and the federal government. The participants discussed 

the following topics: 

• whether or not reliable data exist on the effectiveness of portable fire extinguishers 

• the level of portable fire extinguisher training that is needed and available 

• the size of fire that is reasonable to expect a portable fire extinguisher to handle 

• the appropriate spacing of fire extinguishers for nightclubs and other places of assembly 

• the role that new technology might play in increasing the effectiveness and efficiency of 

maintenance of portable fire extinguishers 

Actions are proposed in this summary for the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) and 

the International Code Council (ICC), for NIST and Underwriters Laboratories (UL), for the fire 

protection equipment industry, for the fire service, and for the end users to help provide answers 

to the above five questions. 
iv 

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

The success of any workshop is dependent upon the hard work of the individual speakers and the 

efforts of participants motivated toward a common goal. This summary is an assimilation of the 

contributions from the workshop participants, with some of the text coming directly from the 

presentations of the invited participants from the following organizations: 

 National Fire Protection Association (NFPA), Mark Conroy 

 Underwriters Laboratories (UL), George Laverick 

 U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), Matthew Chibbaro 

 Fire Equipment Manufacturer's Association (FEMA), J. Craig Voelkert 

 National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), William Grosshandler 

DISCLAIMER 

Certain companies and commercial products are identified in this paper in order to specify 

adequately the source of information or of equipment used. Such identification does not imply 

endorsement or recommendation by the National Institute of Standards and Technology, nor 

does it imply that this source or equipment is the best available for the purpose. 

POLICY OF NIST REGARDING THE INTERNATIONAL SYSTEM OF UNITS 

The policy of NIST is to use the International System of Units (metric units) in all publications. 

In this document, however, units are presented in metric units or the inch-pound system, 

whichever is prevalent to the discipline. 
v 

TABLE OF CONTENTS

page

ABSTRACT iii 

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS iv 

DISCLAIMER iv 

LIST OF ACRONYMS vi 

BACKGROUND 1 

OBJECTIVE AND FORMAT 2 

CURRENT REQUIREMENTS IN NFPA 10 APPLICABLE TO NIGHTCLUBS AND 

PLACES OF ASSEMBLY 2 

ISSUES IDENTIFIED 3 

PROPOSED ACTIONS 5 

APPENDICIES 

A. List of Attendees 8 

B. Workshop Presentations 

1. The Station Nightclub Fire - Impetus for Workshop on the Use of Portable Fire 

 Extinguishers, W. Grosshandler, NIST 10 

2. NFPA Perspective on Extinguishers, M. Conroy, NFPA 14 

3. Fire Extinguishers - a Necessary Component in Balanced Fire Protection, 

 J.C. Voelkert, FEMA 17 

4. UL Test Requirements - Rating and Fire Testing of Fire Extinguishers, 

 ANSI/UL 711, G. Laverick, UL 22 

5. Portable Fire Extinguishers in Occupational Safety and Health, 

 M. Chibbaro, OSHA 26 
vi 

LIST OF ACRONYMS 

AHJ authority having jurisdiction 

BOMA Building Owners and Managers Association 

CPSC Consumer Product Safety Commission 

FEMA Fire Equipment Manufacturers Association 

IAFC International Association of Fire Chiefs 

IBC International Building Code 

ICC International Code Council 

NAFED National Association of Fire Equipment Distributors 

NASFM National Association of State Fire Marshals 

NFIRS National Fire Incident Reporting System 

NFPA National Fire Protection Association 

NIST National Institute of Standards and Technology 

OSHA Occupational Safety and Health Association 

UL Underwriters Laboratories 

WPRI-TV Providence, RI, television station 
1

The Use of Portable Fire Extinguishers in Nightclubs 

 

William Grosshandler, Editor 

Building and Fire Research Laboratory 

National Institute of Standards and Technology 

Gaithersburg, MD 20899-8660 

Background 

A fire occurred on the night of Feb. 20, 2003, in The Station nightclub in West Warwick, Rhode 

Island, when the band, during its performance, used pyrotechnics that ignited polyurethane foam 

insulation lining a portion of the walls and ceiling. The fire spread quickly over the dance floor 

and smoke was visible in the exit doorways in a little more than one minute. Egress from the 

nightclub, which was not equipped with sprinklers, was hampered by crowding at the main 

entrance to the building. One hundred people lost their lives in the fire. 

The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) conducted an investigation to 

determine the likely technical causes of the building failure that led to the high number of 

casualties. The investigation concluded that strict adherence to 2003 model codes available at 

the time of the fire would go a long way to preventing similar tragedies in the future.1

 

Ten recommendations to improve model building and fire codes, standards and practices (as they 

existed in February 2003) resulted from the investigation: (1) urging state and local jurisdictions 

to (a) adopt and update building and fire codes covering nightclubs based on one of the model 

codes and (b) enforce those codes aggressively; (2) strengthening the requirements for the 

installation of NFPA 132 compliant automatic fire sprinklers; (3) increasing the factor of safety 

on the time for occupants to evacuate; (4) tightening the restriction on the use of materials that 

ignite as easily and propagate flames as rapidly as non-fire retarded foam as an interior finish 

product; (5) further limiting the use of pyrotechnics; (6) urging state and local authorities to 

adopt and adhere to existing model standards on communications, mutual aid, command 

structure and staffing; (7) conducting research to understand better human behavior in 

emergency situations; (8) conducting research to understand fire spread and suppression better; 

(9) conducting research to refine computer-aided decision tools for resource allocation, and (10) 

performing a study to determine the minimum number and appropriate placement (based upon 

the time required for access and application in a fully occupied building) of portable fire 

extinguishers for use in new and existing nightclubs, and the level of staff training required to 

ensure their proper use.3

In furtherance of this last recommendation, NIST organized a workshop for interested parties to 

identify (1) the relevant issues that should be addressed in such a study, (2) those organizations 

interested in partnering with NIST to conduct the study, and (3) those organizations interested in 

 

1

 The complete report and other information regarding the NIST investigation are available on line at 

http://www.nist.gov/public_affairs/ncst.htm#Rhode_Island_Nightclub 2

 NFPA 13 -- Standard for the Installation of Sprinkler Systems, 2002 edition, National Fire Protections Association, 

Quincy, MA. 

3

 Grosshandler, W., Bryner, N., Madrzykowski, D., and Kuntz, K., Report of the Technical Investigation of The 

Station Nightclub Fire, NIST NCSTAR-2, National Institute of Standards and Technology, Gaithersburg, MD, June 

2005. 
2

providing resources (equipment, in-kind, or other) for testing or analysis to fill in possible gaps 

in knowledge. The workshop was held at NIST in Gaithersburg, Maryland, on January 17, 2007, 

and was attended by one or more representatives from the fire protection equipment industry, 

codes and standards developing organizations, building owners and managers, fire testing and 

equipment certifying laboratories, the fire services, and the federal government. A complete list 

of attendees is appended to this report. 

Objective and Format 

The objective of the one day workshop was to develop a partnership among stakeholders to 

support, guide, and participate in a study as recommended in The Station nightclub fire 

investigation report of 2005;3 i.e., to determine the minimum number and appropriate placement 

(based upon time required for access and application in a fully occupied building) of portable fire 

extinguishers for use in new and existing nightclubs, and the level of staff training required to 

ensure their proper use. 

The workshop consisted of background talks and general discussion. Following a tour of the 

NIST facilities, presentations were made by William Grosshandler of NIST on The Station 

nightclub fire -- the impetus for the workshop; by Mark Conroy of the National Fire Protection 

Association (NFPA) on recent revisions to NFPA 10;4 by George Laverick of Underwriters 

Laboratories (UL) on test methods and the experience of UL; by Craig Voelkert of the Fire 

Equipment Manufacturer's Association (FEMA) on the perspective of the fire protection 

equipment manufactures; and by Matt Chibbaro of the Occupational Safety and Health 

Administration (OSHA) on the use of fire extinguishers for occupational health and safety. 

Copies of the presentations are included in Appendix B of this report. 

Current Requirements in NFPA 10 Applicable to Nightclubs and Places of Assembly 

Places of business in buildings similar to The Station nightclub would be classified as a Group 

A-2 occupancy according to the International Building Code (IBC), and as Assembly according 

to NFPA 5000. The Station was a one story wood frame construction, with the main floor 

covering 4484 ft2

 (416 m2). The dance floor and sunroom area together was about 48 ft by 36 ft 

(14.4 m by 10.9 m ). Maximum occupant load for this building was limited by egress capacity 

(and not area) to 420 people, according to both the IBC and NFPA 5000. 

Performances took place on a platform at one end of the dance floor. (The arrangement in The 

Station did not fit the definition of a stage, and, hence, did not have to meet the more stringent 

fire code associated with a stage.) As seen in the floor plan on the next page, the longest path of 

travel with the tables and chairs removed from the dance area and around the platform (i.e., 

festival seating) to the back bar where a fire extinguisher (red dot in figure) was mounted on the 

wall was about 61 ft (19 m). The maximum walking path from one corner of the main bar room 

(as distinct from the back bar) to the same fire extinguisher was less than 75 ft (23 m). 

All assembly occupancies are required to have portable extinguishers, as specified in the , 

Uniform Fire Code,5

 Table 13.6.1.2. The type, size and number of fire extinguishers depends 

upon the primary fuel source, the hazard classification of the space, and the coverage area: 

 

4 NFPA 10 -- Standard for Portable Fire Extinguishers, 2007 edition, National Fire Protections Assoc., Quincy, MA. 5 NFPA 1 -- Uniform Fire Code, 2006 edition, National Fire Protections Association, Quincy, MA. 
3

Floor plan of The Station nightclub 

• Fuel-type: Areas in the building that contain predominately solid fuels (e.g., wood finishing 

materials, furniture and office equipment) are appropriately protected with a "Class A-type" 

fire extinguisher; areas with substantial amounts of liquid fuels require a "Class B-type" fire 

extinguisher. 

• Hazard Classification: Assembly areas, as well as offices and hotel rooms, are normally 

classified as "Light Hazard." When between 1 gal (3.8 L) and 5 gal (19 L) of a flammable 

liquid is in an area, NFPA 10 classifies the room as an "Ordinary Hazard," and more than 5 

gal (19 L) of flammable liquid increases the occupancy classification of that space to "Extra 

Hazard."4

 

• Coverage Area: The UL classification of the fire extinguisher is related to the size of the 

area it can protect. The performance of a 1-1/2 gal (6 L) capacity pressurized water-type fire 

extinguisher is classified as 1-A, and provides a baseline against which other extinguishers 

are rated. A fire extinguisher rated as 2-A can cover about twice the area as a fire 

extinguisher classified as 1-A. The maximum floor area coverage for a single 2-A 

< 23 m 

~ 19 m 
4

extinguisher is 6000 ft2 (557 m2) and the maximum travel distance from the location of the 

fire extinguisher to anywhere in the space to be protected is 75 ft (23 m). 

Table 6.2.1.1 of NFPA 10 states that a single fire extinguisher in The Station nightclub with a 

minimum rating of 2-A would have met the Standard.4

 

If an authority having jurisdiction (AHJ) does not consider distilled spirits behind a bar as 

incidental, a class B portable extinguisher would be required in that area. Ordinary Hazard 

classification requires a 10-B rated fire extinguishers located every 30 ft (9 m) or a 20-B 

extinguishers placed at 50 ft (15 m) intervals. (Refer to NFPA 10 Table 6.3.1.1.) An Extra 

Hazard classification boosts the rating on the portable fire extinguishers by a factor of four.4 

A kitchen in a nightclub would have additional requirements, including a fixed kitchen hood 

suppression system and a class K rated portable.4, 6 

Issues Identified 

A number of questions evolved during the general discussion among the workshop participants 

that can be paraphrased as follows: 

• Do reliable data exist that establish (1) the effectiveness of portable fire extinguishers in 

protecting property and reducing injury; or, conversely, (2) the possible negative impact of 

having a portable fire extinguisher available to an untrained public? If not, what methods 

and metrics are needed to gather these data? 

• What level of portable fire extinguisher training is necessary and reasonable to expect for 

designated staff in nightclubs and other places of assembly, considering the lack of 

experienced staff and the high turnover rate typical of these places of business? 

• How large of a fire should one expect to be handled by a portable fire extinguisher; and have 

changes in modern finish materials, furnishings, and building contents led to changes in the 

way that portable fire extinguishers can be or should be rated and used? 

• Is 75 ft (23 m) the right distance to space the placement of A-rated portable fire extinguishers, 

or is the minimum time to reach a portable extinguisher more appropriate to specify than the 

minimum distance? 

• What role can new technologies play in improving the effectiveness of portable extinguishers 

and/or reducing the cost of inspection, maintenance, monitoring, enforcement and 

notification, and what unintended consequences might result from their implementation? 

No attempt was made to gain consensus on the answers to these questions at the workshop; the 

material that follows is the result of a review of the summary as assembled by the report editor. 

Do reliable data exist? The data that exist relating to the use of extinguishers by the general 

public is incomplete, but some attempts have been made to evaluate the use and effectiveness of 

portable fire extinguishers. For example, the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) 

stated in 1984 that 90 % of home fires go unreported to fire departments. It can be assumed that a 

large number of non-residential fires are also unreported. Based upon data collected prior to the 

use of the latest version of the National Fire Incident Reporting System (NFIRS 5.0), which 

 

6 NFPA 96 -- Standard for Ventilation Control and Fire Protection of Commercial Cooking Operations, 2004 

edition, National Fire Protections Association, Quincy, MA. 
5

show that a significant number of fires were extinguished with portable fire extinguishers, it is 

not unreasonable to assume that an equivalent fraction of non-residential fires were extinguished 

by portable fire extinguishers without incident. 

According to national data collected and analyzed from 1990 to 1994 from the NFPA, almost 

36 % of fires in public assembly structures were extinguished in the incipient stage by either fire 

extinguishers or makeshift means. These data show that without fire extinguishers, occupants 

commonly used other tools to try to extinguish fires. (Note that the method of extinguishment 

was dropped from NFIRS as a reporting requirement in 1996.) 

People often fight a fire whether or not a fire extinguisher is available. Data from 1990 to 1994 

show that every year, occupants using makeshift means extinguished about 8 % of fires in public 

assembly structures. Portable fire extinguishers, in contrast, were used to extinguish about 28 % 

of the fires, which is what extinguishers are designed to do (as well as to keep flames at bay to 

allow occupants more time to exit a structure). 

 While portable extinguishers provide a first line of defense for occupants until the fire 

department arrives, the fire service continues to have some concern (though no hard data) that 

using a portable fire extinguisher can delay the notification of the fire department. 

What level of portable fire extinguisher training is necessary? The level of portable fire 

extinguisher experience and training necessary for an employee being able to effectively use an 

extinguisher on incipient fires is not necessarily all that complicated or costly. There are 

numerous programs available for training staff in the proper use of portable fire extinguishers. 

These are offered by NFPA, UL, through the Fire Equipment Manufacturer’s Association 

(FEMA) and by consultants. For example, see publicly available materials at 

www.fireextinguisher.com, an online educational program that includes an interactive training 

program covering the use of fire extinguishers. There are separate training programs for each 

type of fire extinguisher in use today (water/foam, carbon dioxide, dry and wet chemical, clean 

agent and water mist). 

How large of a fire? The test procedures specified in UL 7117

 to establish the fire extinguisher 

ratings in NFPA 10 include fully involved fires in wood cribs, oil-soaked wood vertical panels, 

and liquid heptane pans. Dry chemical hand-held type ABC fire extinguishers are available in 

sizes up to 20-A and 120-B. To receive a 2-A rating, the extinguisher must successfully tackle a 

fully involved fire in a 19 in x 26 in x 26 in (0.49 m x 0.65 m x 0.65 m) wood crib and in a 10 ft 

x 10 ft (3 m wide x 3 m) high oil-soaked wood panel. To achieve a 10-B rating, a hand-held 

extinguisher must be able to control a 31 gal (117 L) heptane pan fire covering an area of 25 ft2 

(2.3 m2). The UL tests are conducted by expert technicians, so a safety factor of about 2.5 is 

applied to reduce the rated coverage area to allow for the inefficiencies inherent with an 

inexperienced user. For example, if an expert can put out a 25 ft2 (2.3 m2

) fire, it is assumed that 

a novice can handle up to a 10 ft2 (0.92 m2) fire with a 10-B rated extinguisher. 

These test fires are relatively large but are not growing, which means delaying the attack for ten 

or twenty seconds is unlikely to seriously degrade the performance of the fire extinguisher. 

 

7 Standard for Safety UL 711 -- Fire Extinguishers, Rating and Fire Testing, Underwriters Laboratories Inc., 

Northbrook, IL, 1995. 
6

Modern furnishings and building finishing materials often contain a high percentage of plastics 

which have been shown to spread fire and release heat at a rate much faster than older designs 

that incorporate mostly natural fibers, leather, and wood.8

 It is unknown how these newer 

materials might affect the fraction of times that a portable extinguisher successfully controls the 

fire. 

Is 75 ft (23 m) the right spacing? At a brisk pace, an average person can walk an unobstructed 

75 ft (23 m) path in ten to fifteen seconds. If the individual and the fire are both located the 

maximum distance from the fire extinguisher, twenty or thirty seconds could have passed 

between the time when the decision was made to attack the fire and the individual was in the 

right position armed with the fire extinguisher. For the standard fires used in UL 711, this would 

pose no problem; for faster growing fires that can occur in foam furniture, a thirty second delay 

may lead to a situation that is beyond the capability of the portable extinguisher. 

The time calculated above to travel 75 ft (23 m) assumes the path is unobstructed, which is 

reasonable when a nightclub is only lightly occupied. However, when the assembly area is set 

up for festival seating and patrons are tightly packed around the performers (even when the 

maximum occupancy limit is adhered to), the time to travel 75 ft (23 m) is greatly increased. A 

rough estimate of the travel speed can be made by tracking the time it took the WPRI-TV 

cameraman to move away from the dance floor during The Station fire: roughly 1.6 ft/s (0.5 m/s). 

This translates to about 46 s to travel 75 ft (23 m). If one multiplies this time by two, for a fast 

growing fire a minute and a half delay could render a 2-A portable extinguisher ineffective. 

What role can new technology play? The technology to electronically monitor a facility's fire 

extinguisher inventory had not been introduced to market when the fire occurred in West 

Warwick, Rhode Island. Today there is UL listed technology designed to automate monthly 

extinguisher inspections (which is different from the NFPA 10 requirement for annual 

extinguisher maintenance4) to ensure that fire extinguishers are pressurized, properly located and 

always accessible. The most recent NAFED (National Association of Fire Equipment 

Distributors) study shows that over 90 % of fire extinguishers are not being inspected every 30 

days, as required by code. Depending on the type of monitoring panel, it is possible to maintain 

an electronic log showing when the extinguishers had been removed from their designated 

location for annual maintenance. 

A concern that has been raised with electronic monitoring is that the staff no longer have as 

much incentive to locate and heft the portable extinguishers on a routine basis, and, therefore, 

would be less familiar with the hardware, less likely to notice obvious maintenance issues (such 

as a missing hose), and less likely to locate and operate the fire extinguisher in an emergency. 

The capability exists today to have the removal of a fire extinguisher from its stand automatically 

trigger the local fire alarm. This would alert others in the vicinity to the danger and could even 

activate a recorded message instructing the patrons to call the fire department. 

 

8

 See, for example, Bukowski, R. W., Peacock, R. D., Averill, J. D., Cleary, T. G., Bryner, N. P., Walton, W. D., 

Reneke, P. A., and Kuligowski, E. D. "Performance of Home Smoke Alarms, Analysis of the Response of Several 

Available Technologies in Residential Fire Settings," Natl. Inst. Stand. Technol., Tech. Note 1455 (2004) 
7

Proposed Actions 

For the NFPA and the International Code Council (ICC)

The model code organizations should consider defining nightclubs as a specific category and 

deal with all the public safety issues associated with that type of operation. For a nightclub in 

which live performances are held, for example, the code might require that portable fire 

extinguishers be conveniently located on both sides of the performing area (whether the 

performance is on a dance floor, platform, or stage). The maximum spacing between fire 

extinguishers should reflect the reality of a non-uniformly distributed crowd, and account for the 

actual time that it might take to cross through or go around the crowd. 

The need for fire extinguisher locations to be visible and readily identifiable within public places 

should also be emphasized. The excitement associated with a fire and the added factor of 

potential crowds within unfamiliar public occupancies can reduce the possibility of using the 

extinguisher. While not everyone present in a public building might be willing to use an 

extinguisher in an emergency, not having them readily available removes any possibility that 

small fires can be addressed before they get out of hand. 

Some attention should be given to the possibility that a considerable amount of a flammable fluid 

(e.g., a case of 100 proof vodka) could be accidentally dropped anywhere in the nightclub and 

ignited by a candle or cigarette. Would a 2-A portable extinguisher be up to the job of 

controlling that situation? Is there a need for a 10-B rated extinguisher in this case? 

For NIST and UL

NIST, working with UL, should conduct a study to determine if a possible change in the formula 

to install fire extinguishers would make a positive impact. The study should be designed to 

determine how well UL 711 represents the fire environment that a portable extinguisher might 

encounter in a nightclub. Parameters that could be examined include the geometry and make-up 

of the fuel packages, the rate of growth of the fire, and the heat release rate from the fire when 

the extinguisher is first activated. 

Leaving aside the possibilities of arson and gross model code deviations, this study should 

identify fire scenarios that would be the most challenging to a portable fire extinguisher. For 

example, using only materials that are code compliant and common in nightclubs (e.g., distilled 

spirits and upholstered furniture) and accidental behaviors that are known to occur (e.g., dropped 

bottles and tipped over candles), one could compose a scenario that would lead to a sudden 

ignition over a relatively large area, in close contact with a large fuel supply, that could lead to a 

fire that would grow rapidly and produce a substantial amount of heat and products of 

combustion if not extinguished promptly. Tests against this fire scenario with different models 

and ratings of extinguishers could be conducted to determine if they are effective after 

increasingly longer delay times between ignition and activation. Based upon these results, it 

would be possible to translate the maximum delay time for a successful suppression to a 

maximum distance of portable extinguisher spacing (assuming a fully-occupied building). Tests 

could also be conducted to compare the performance of class A-, B- and ABC-rated portables on 

the same fire. 

The results of these tests would be provided to the NFPA 10 committee to guide future 

deliberations 
8

For Industry

Industry can play a leadership role in educating the staffs of public assembly occupancies on 

how to use fire extinguishers by taking advantage of the required maintenance of fire 

extinguishers to conduct brief training programs during those times. Fire extinguishers in public 

assembly occupancies need to be maintained by either fire extinguisher service agencies or by 

trained industrial safety personnel. When maintenance occurs the trained personnel or the 

service agencies could work with the managers of the occupancy to assemble staff and take an 

additional 30 minutes to review how a fire extinguisher operates. If the additional 30 minutes is 

a liability to the service agency then they could charge for the 1/2 hour demonstration. 

Development and promotion of inexpensive innovations aimed at low-end extinguishers and 

systems (which are most likely to be installed in small nightclubs), such as triggering the fire 

alarm when a portable extinguisher is removed from its holder, should be encouraged. 

New NFPA10 recommendations call for fire extinguisher service personnel to be properly 

trained and certified. The industry should ensure that this service can be provided at a fee that 

encourages widespread adherence to the recommendation. 

For the Fire Service

The fire service needs to remain engaged in the codes and standards process, and to work with 

the industry in their efforts to improve portable fire extinguisher training for nightclub staff, 

including the importance of staff not waiting until after attempting to control the fire before 

contacting the fire department. Finding sufficient resources for rigorous inspections and other 

fire prevention activities needs to be assigned a high priority. 

End-users

The end-users also need to remain engaged in the codes and standards process. Portable fire 

extinguishers play a role in fire protection in nightclubs; however, no matter how many 

extinguishers are present and no matter how well the staff are trained, there is no substitute for 

ensuring sufficient egress capacity and installing an NFPA 13 compliant sprinkler system. 
9

Appendix A: List of Attendees

Larry Angle 

M. Jacks Fire & Safety Equipment Co. 

PO Box 790508 

San Antonio, TX 78279 

210-344-2361 

President, National Association of Fire 

Equipment Distributors 

langle@mjacks.com 

Nelson Bryner 

Building and Fire Research Laboratory 

National Institute of Standards and Tech. 

Gaithersburg, MD 20899-8661 

301-975-6868 

nelson.bryner@nist.gov 

David Burkhart 

Principal, Code Consultants, Inc. 

1804 Borman Circle Drive 

St. Louis, MO 63146–4136 

(314) 991–2633 

davidb@codeconsultants.com 

Matthew Chibbaro 

Directorate of Standards & Guidance 

Occupational Safety and Health Admin. 

200 Constitution Ave., NW, Room N3609 

Washington, DC 20210 

202-693-2382 

Chibbaro.Mat@dol.gov 

Mark Conroy 

Staff Liaison to NFPA 10 

National Fire Protection Association 

1 Batterymarch Park 

Quincy, MA 02169-9101 

617-984-7410 

mconroy@nfpa.org 

Phil Foster 

Beck Industries, Inc. 

7735 Sand St. 

Ft Worth, Tx. 76118 

817-284-5193 

philfoster@beckind.com (Fire Equipment 

Distributors Texas) 

John Gibson 

International Code Council 

P.O. Box 106 

Woodsboro, Maryland 21798 

888-422- 7233, x 7523 

jogibson@iccsafe.org 

William Grosshandler 

Building and Fire Research Laboratory 

National Institute of Standards and Tech. 

Gaithersburg, MD 20899-8660 

301-975-2310 

william.grosshandler@nist.gov 

Anthony Hamins 

Building and Fire Research Laboratory 

National Institute of Standards and Tech. 

Gaithersburg, MD 20899-8663 

301-975-6598 

anthony.hamins@nist.gov 

Ivan J. Humberson 

Fire Marshal, City of Gaithersburg 

31 South Summit Avenue 

Gaithersburg, Maryland 20877 

301-258-6330 

ihumberson@gaithersburgmd.gov 

Dave Johnston 

Building Owners and Managers Association 

(BOMA) International 

1201 New York Avenue, Suite 300 

NW, Washington, DC 20005 

202-326-6357 

djohnston@boma.org 
10

Rohit (Rikki) Khanna 

U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission 

4330 East West Highway 

Bethesda, MD 20814 

301-504-7546 

rkhanna@cpsc.gov 

George Laverick 

Underwriters Laboratories 

Northbrook, IL 60062 

847-664-2665 

george.e.laverick@us.ul.com 

Michael T. Love 

Deputy Chief/Fire Marshal 

Montgomery County Fire & Rescue 

101 Monroe St Fl 12 

Rockville MD 20850-2540 

(240) 777-2439 

michael.love@montgomerycountymd.gov 

(representing IAFC and NASFM) 

Norbert W. Makowka 

Nat'l Assoc. of Fire Equip. Distrib. 

(NAFED) 

104 S. Michigan Ave., Suite 300 

Chicago, IL 60603 

312-263-8100 

nafed@aol.com 

John McSheffrey 

MIJA Inc. 

11 Commerce Road 

Rockland, MA 02370 

781-616-0544 

johnmcsheffrey@mija.com 

Shivani Mehta 

U.S. Consumer Product Safety Com. 

4330 East West Highway, Rm 717 

Bethesda, MD 20814 

301-504-7692 

smehta@cpsc.gov 

Richard Merck 

Montgomery County Fire & Rescue 

255 Rockville Pike 

Rockville, MD 20850 

rick.merck@montgomerycountymd.gov 

Jonathan D. Midgett 

U.S. Consumer Product Safety Com. 

4330 East West Highway, Rm 717 

Bethesda, MD 20814 

301-504-7692 

J.R. Nerat 

Technical Support Manager 

Badger/Kidde Fire Protection 

W-6615 11.5 RD 

Wallace, MI 49893 

906-863-9860 

jrneratfps@cybrzn.com 

Jeff Terrey 

Rasky Baerlein Strategic Communications 

70 Franklin Street 

Boston, MA 02110 

617-443-9933 x340 

jterrey@rasky.com 

J. Craig Voelkert 

Fire Equipment Manufacturer's Association 

1300 Sumner Avenue 

Cleveland, OH 44115-2851 

216-241-7333 

fema@taol.com, and 

Amerex Corporation 

7595 Gadsden Highway 

P.O. Box 81 

Trussville, AL 35173-0081 

cvoelkert@amerex-fire.com 

205-655-3271 ext. 264 

Jiann Yang 

Building and Fire Research Laboratory 

National Institute of Standards and Tech. 

Gaithersburg, MD 20899-8662 

301-975-6662 

jiann.yang@nist.gov
11

Appendix B: Workshop Presentations 

William Grosshandler

Building and Fire Research Laboratory

Gaithersburg, MD

January 17, 2007

THE STATION NIGHTCLUB FIRE THE STATION NIGHTCLUB FIRE –

Impetus for Workshop on the Impetus for Workshop on the 

Use of Portable Fire Extinguishers Use of Portable Fire Extinguishers

Copyright © 2003 TVL Broadcasting, Inc. All rights reserved.

16 s

0 s 9 s

11 s

Copyright © 2003 TVL Broadcasting, Inc. All rights reserved.

30 s 32 s

18 s

25 s

41 s

54 s

66 s 71 s

Copyright © 2003 TVL Broadcasting, Inc. All rights reserved.

Views of Views of 

Building Building

courtesy of Anthony Baldino III

Platform

Dance 

floor

OFFICE

KITCHEN

SUNROOM

MAIN

BAR

BUILDING FRONT

BUILDING REAR

DANCE

FLOOR

DRESSING

 ROOM

RAISED DINING AREA

 REST

ROOM

 REST

ROOM

STORAGE

 RAISED

PLATFORM

Door 4

N

Door 1

Door 3

Door 2

Door 5

SIDE BAR

N

(main entrance)

DART ROOM

11:08 pm - ignition of foam by pyrotechnics

- band stops playing, crowd begins to evacuate

11:09 - cell phone callers report fire to 911

- fire alarm sounds and strobes begin to flash

- report received of fire at Station nightclub; off-duty police on scene 

- people caught in doorway, smoke pouring out above

11:10 - 4 fire engines, a ladder truck and battalion chief assigned and 

dispatched

11:13 - Engine 4 on scene; running first hose line (1 3/4") 

11:20 - master stream off Engine 2 operational

11:23 - Fire Chief 1: implement mass casualty plan

11:32 - roof over main bar appears down

12:15 am - partial collapse of pool room area begins

~12:45 - State Fire Marshal on scene 

~1:00 - all patients transported

Time Event

Overall Timeline
12

Copyright © 2003 TVL Broadcasting, Inc. All rights reserved.

86 s 90 s

296 s

102 s 278 s

Copyright © 2003 TVL Broadcasting, Inc. All rights reserved.

296 s 312 s

321 s 343 s

View of fire from far side 

of main bar (head height)

View of fire from 

near entrance to 

front vestibule (near 

floor)

Deteriorating conditions in The Station Deteriorating conditions in The Station 

View of fire from far side 

of main bar (head height)

View of fire from 

near entrance to 

front vestibule (near 

floor)

Deteriorating conditions in The Station Deteriorating conditions in The Station Temperatures in The Temperatures in The 

Station at 90 seconds Station at 90 seconds

(from computer simulation) (from computer simulation) 

2 ft above floor

5 ft above floor

Peak temperatures in red 

exceed 1000 oC.

Light blue indicates 

temperatures around 100 oC.

temperature oC

temperature oC

Reconstruction Process used to draw Reconstruction Process used to draw 

conclusions conclusions -- experiments experiments

0

0.05

0.1

0.15

0.2

0 50 100 150 200

Hydrogen Cyanide (volume %)

Time, s

1.4 m above floor

Un-sprinklered

1.4 m above floor

Sprinklered

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

0 50 100 150 200

Heat Flux (kW/m2

)

Time (s)

Station C (Facing Up)

(1.44 m above floor)

Station c

(3.8 m above floor)

Station C (Facing Alcove)

(1.44 m above floor)

Mock-up of 

platform area

Key Findings Regarding Building Contents Key Findings Regarding Building Contents

 Non-fire retarded foam sample purchased by NIST ignited

within 10 seconds when exposed to a pyrotechnic device; 

under similar condition, fire retarded foam sample did not ignite. 

 Computer simulation of the nightclub fire shows that flames 

spread rapidly over foam finish material, igniting the wood 

paneling adjacent to the foam and generating intense heat in the

first 90 seconds. 

 Fire transitioned to more traditional, 

ventilation-limited wood frame 

building fire in about 2 minutes.

0

10

20

30

40

50

0 50 100 150 200 250

HRR

Heat Release Rate (MW)

Time (s)

60

90 seconds
13

Key findings regarding emergency egress Key findings regarding emergency egress

 First patrons recognized danger 24 seconds after ignition 

of foam; bulk of crowd began to evacuate around time

band stopped playing (30 seconds).

 Up to 2/3 of occupants may have attempted to leave 

through main entrance; many were unsuccessful.

 Prior to 90 seconds, a crowd-crush occurred at main 

entrance which disrupted flow through front exit. 

 Event precipitating crowd crush likely related to 

arrangement of single interior door with merging streams 

of traffic and pressure to escape rapidly deteriorating 

conditions in nightclub.

Key findings regarding emergency egress (cont.) Key findings regarding emergency egress (cont.)

 Measurements in a fire test of a reconstructed portion of the 

platform and dance floor produced, within 90 seconds, 

conditions well in excess of accepted survivability limits. 

 Computer simulation of the full nightclub fire suggested that 

conditions around the dance floor, sunroom, and assembly 

area behind kitchen would have led to severe incapacitation 

or death within about 90 seconds after ignition of the foam.

Key Findings Regarding Fire Protection Systems Key Findings Regarding Fire Protection Systems

 Experiments conducted at NIST demonstrated that a 

sprinkler system installed in test room in accordance with 

NFPA 13 was able to control a fire initiated in non-fire 

retarded polyurethane foam panels.

 Sprinklers were not installed in The Station, nor would they 

have been required for such existing structures under 

2003 editions of the model codes 

 A heat detection/fire alarm system was installed in the 

building and was activated (sound and strobe) by the fire 

41 seconds after the fire started.

Locations of exit signs, heat detector, and Locations of exit signs, heat detector, and Locations of exit signs, heat detector, and Locations of exit signs, heat detector, and portable extinguisher (prior to and after fire) portable extinguisher (prior to and after fire)

portable extinguisher (prior to and after fire) portable extinguisher (prior to and after fire)

Portable fire Portable fire 

extinguishers extinguishers 

located at fire located at fire 

scene

Locations of Locations of 

deceased
14

Direct contributors to substantial loss of life Direct contributors to substantial loss of life 

in The Station fire in The Station fire

 Hazardous mix of building contents

 Inadequate capability to suppress fire during 

its early stage of growth

 Inability of exits to handle all of the occupants 

in the short time available for such a fast 

growing fire

Direct contributors to substantial loss of life Direct contributors to substantial loss of life 

in The Station fire in The Station fire

 Hazardous mix of building contents

 Inadequate capability to suppress fire during 

its early stage of growth

 Inability of exits to handle all of the occupants 

in the short time available for such a fast 

growing fire

Model Code Adoption and Enforcement

All state and local jurisdictions 

 adopt building/fire code covering nightclubs based on model codes

 implement aggressive/effective fire inspection and enforcement programs

with enough fire inspectors, qualified to NFPA 1031

Sprinklers

Require sprinkler systems for all new nightclubs regardless of size, and for 

existing nightclubs with occupancy limit > 100.

Building Contents and Finish Materials

Target non-fire retarded flexible polyurethane foam, provide more explicit 

guidance, and ensure that pass/fail criteria for flame spread tests are 

meaningful.

Recommendations Recommendations

Occupancy Limits and Emergency Egress

Increase factor of safety on time to egress by 

 establishing threshold building area/occupant limits using best

practices for estimating tenability and evacuation time (1-1/2 

minutes max. evacuation time for small nightclubs);

 computing number of required exits and permitted occupant loads

assuming at least one exit will be inaccessible;

 increasing minimum capacity of main entrance to accommodate 2/3 

of maximum permitted occupant level;

 eliminating trade-offs between sprinkler installation and factors that 

impact time to evacuate buildings;

 requiring staff training and evacuation plans for nightclubs that

cannot be evacuated in less than 1-1/2 minutes; and

 providing improved means for occupants to locate emergency routes 

for when standard exit signs become obscured by smoke.

Recommendations Recommendations

Occupancy Limits and Emergency Egress

Increase factor of safety on time to egress by 

 establishing threshold building area/occupant limits using best

practices for estimating tenability and evacuation time (1-1/2 

minutes max. evacuation time for small nightclubs);

 computing number of required exits and permitted occupant loads

assuming at least one exit will be inaccessible;

 increasing minimum capacity of main entrance to accommodate 2/3 

of maximum permitted occupant level;

 eliminating trade-offs between sprinkler installation and factors that 

impact time to evacuate buildings;

 requiring staff training and evacuation plans for nightclubs that

cannot be evacuated in less than 1-1/2 minutes; and

 providing improved means for occupants to locate emergency routes 

for when standard exit signs become obscured by smoke.

Recommendations Recommendations

Indoor use of pyrotechnics

Tighten requirements in NFPA 1126 regarding sprinklers, minimum 

area, and clearance.

Recommendations Recommendations

Emergency Response

Adhere to model standards on communications, mutual aid, command

structure and staffing

Conduct Research to 

 better understand human behavior in emergency situations and 

predict impact of building design on safe egress in emergencies;

 understand fire spread and suppression better to provide tools 

needed by design profession; and

 refine computer-aided decision tools for determining costs/benefits of 

alternative code changes and fire safety technologies.

Portable Fire Extinguishers

Perform a study to determine minimum number and 

appropriate placement (based upon time required for 

access and application in fully occupied building) of 

portable fire extinguishers for use in new and existing 

nightclubs, and level of staff training required to ensure 

their proper use.

Recommendations Recommendations

Portable Fire Extinguishers

Perform a study to determine minimum number and 

appropriate placement (based upon time required for 

access and application in fully occupied building) of 

portable fire extinguishers for use in new and existing 

nightclubs, and level of staff training required to ensure 

their proper use.

Recommendations Recommendations NIST Actions NIST Actions

 Working with codes and standards organizations, regulators, building 

owners and managers groups, the engineering profession, materials 

industry, and the fire services to identify recommendations with a 

technical foundation sufficient for implementation in the next code 

revision.

 Conducting research, leveraged with other government, commercial 

and university efforts, to

(i) predict fire spread and suppression better; 

(ii) understand human behavior in emergency situations; 

(iii) refine computer-aided decision tools; and

(iv) develop computer models to assist communities in allocating

resources.

 Tracking progress on recommendations on the NIST web site.
15

 

 

NFPA Perspective on NFPA Perspective on 

Extinguishers Extinguishers

Mark Conroy Mark Conroy

Senior Engineer Senior Engineer

NFPA

2007 Edition of NFPA 10 2007 Edition of NFPA 10

Clarification on Occupancy Classifications Clarification on Occupancy Classifications

Technician Certification Technician Certification 

Electronic Monitoring Electronic Monitoring 

Obsolete Extinguishers Obsolete Extinguishers 

High-flow Extinguishers flow Extinguishers 

New Format New Format

NFPA 10 NFPA 10

Not a “Stand-Alone” Document Document

Referenced (Required) by Building Code Referenced (Required) by Building Code 

or Occupancy Standard: or Occupancy Standard:

“Install portable fire extinguishers in Install portable fire extinguishers in 

accordance with NFPA 10 accordance with NFPA 10”

Selection, Placement, and Servicing Selection, Placement, and Servicing

Selection Selection

Classify Hazard Classify Hazard – Light, Ordinary, or Extra Light, Ordinary, or Extra

Determine Hazard for A, B, C Fires Determine Hazard for A, B, C Fires

Selection for Specific Hazard (e.g. Class K) Selection for Specific Hazard (e.g. Class K)

Placement for Class A Placement for Class A

Class A Class A (NFPA 10, Table 6.2.1.1) (NFPA 10, Table 6.2.1.1)

– Minimum Rated Unit (Light, Ordinary, Extra)

– Maximum Floor Area per Unit of Maximum Floor Area per Unit of “A”

– Maximum Travel Distance to Extinguisher Maximum Travel Distance to Extinguisher 

75 FT Travel Distance 75 FT Travel Distance

Travel Distance Travel Distance

Actual Walking Distance From Any Point to Actual Walking Distance From Any Point to 

the Nearest Extinguisher the Nearest Extinguisher
16

 

Concepts Concepts

Readily Available Readily Available

Sufficient Numbers Sufficient Numbers

Adequate Extinguishing Capacity Adequate Extinguishing Capacity

Staff Familiar with Operation Staff Familiar with Operation

Concepts Concepts – Travel Distance Travel Distance

Travel From Fire to Obtain Extinguisher Travel From Fire to Obtain Extinguisher

Return to the Fire Return to the Fire

Pull Pin, Aim, Squeeze Pull Pin, Aim, Squeeze

Fire Has Grown and Now is Suppressed Fire Has Grown and Now is Suppressed

Travel Distance Travel Distance

Not Simple Circle/Radius Not Simple Circle/Radius

Actual Walking Distance Actual Walking Distance

Measured from Any Point to Extinguisher Measured from Any Point to Extinguisher

Affected By: Affected By:

– Partitions, Walls, Aisles

– Locations of Doorways Locations of Doorways

– Piles of Storage Piles of Storage

– File Cabinets, Stages, etc. File Cabinets, Stages, etc.

Placement Class B Placement Class B 

Two Sizes for Each Two Sizes for Each – Light, Ordinary, Extra Light, Ordinary, Extra

Travel Distance Travel Distance – 30 and 50 Feet 30 and 50 Feet

Class B Criteria is used Where an ABC Class B Criteria is used Where an ABC 

Extinguisher is Needed Extinguisher is Needed

Placement Class C Placement Class C

Energized Electrical Equipment Energized Electrical Equipment

No Travel Distance Cr No Travel Distance Criteria (Use Class A iteria (Use Class A 

or B Criteria) or B Criteria)

Servicing Servicing

Periodic Inspection, Maintenance, and Periodic Inspection, Maintenance, and 

Hydrostatic Testing Hydrostatic Testing

Helps Ensure Reliability Helps Ensure Reliability
17

 

 

Training Training

Show Video Show Video – Fight or Flight Fight or Flight

Provide Classroom Instruction Provide Classroom Instruction

Hands-On Demonstration On Demonstration (Fire or No (Fire or No-Fire?)

Periodic Refresher (Every Couple Years) Periodic Refresher (Every Couple Years)

Mark Conroy Mark Conroy

Senior Engineer Senior Engineer

NFPA

mconroy@nfpa.org mconroy@nfpa.org
18

 

 

Fire Extinguishers – a Necessary 

Component in Balanced Fire 

Protection

Presented for the NIST Workshop 

– January 17, 2007

Extinguisher Advantages

• Simple to operate

• Fast deployment

• Portable

• In most cases, readily available

• Serves for “unplanned events”

• Effective

• Provides a safe tool for “fight” reaction

Simple Operation

• P.A.S.S. – Pull Aim Squeeze, Sweep

• Online training is available though 

www.fireextinguisher.com and other 

sources

• Extinguisher designs changed in the 

1980’s based upon live fire testing with 

novice operators to prove more effective –

even with no training 

Fast Deployment

• Simple PASS system allows extinguisher 

to be operated within seconds

• Changes since the 1980’s use pictograms 

for fast recognition of operating 

instructions

Operating Instructions Label: 

Before UL 299

Operating Instructions Label: 

After UL 299
19

 

 

Portable

• Easily carried to the incident and fire 

source

Readily Available

• Most Codes and Standards place 

extinguishers for quick accessibility

• Depending upon hazard – 75, 50, 30 feet 

or “immediate vicinity”

Serves for Unplanned Events

• While passive and automatic systems can 

be designed for the structure and 

occupancy, no design can account for 

every situation

NFIRS Stats - Schools

• Incendiary/Suspicious fires were the cause of:

• 36.9% of Kindergarten/Elementary School Fires

• 48.3% of Middle, Junior or High School Fires

• Extinguishers can provide protection for 

materials or processes that are being brought 

into a structure, which were not previously 

planned 

NFIRS Stats - Schools

• 78% of all school fires occur during the 

school week

• 55% of all school fires occur during school 

hours

• Life safety issues and evacuation 

concerns are present given the time that 

most fires are occurring 

Effective

• NFIRS stats from 1991 – 1995 prove the 

effectiveness of fire extinguishers based 

on percentage of fires extinguished, 

average dollar loss per fire and number of 

deaths/injuries per 100 fires

• NFIRS Stats after 1995 no longer tracked 

the “method of extinguishment”.
20

 

 

Portable Fire Extinguishers

 94 percent of the time a portable fire extinguisher 

is used, it puts out the fire -- typically within the 

initial 2 minutes

 When fires are extinguished in the early stages: 

– Loss of life is minimal. 93 percent of all fire-related 

deaths occur once the fire has progressed beyond the 

early stages.

– Direct property damage is minimal. 95 percent of all 

direct property damage occurs once the fire has 

progressed beyond the early stages.*

*Source of data: NFIRS

The Facts: The Facts:

Extinguisher Disadvantages

• Short discharge time

• Limited agent

• Maintenance

• Unreported fires

Short Discharge Time

• Discharge times were increased under 

UL711 in 1980’s

• Times can vary according to extinguisher 

size and rating from 8 sec. to 30 sec.

Limited Agent

• 2.5 lbs to 30 lbs. available in a hand 

portable extinguisher

Maintenance

• As with any other emergency device, 

extinguishers must be maintained properly 

in order to work as designed

• While operation of an extinguisher is 

simple, proper installation and 

maintenance requires training and 

knowledge

Unreported Fires

• Fire incident training consists of “Call 911, 

evacuate – closing doors, use an 

extinguisher if it is safe and a clear path to 

exit is available”

• “Fight or Flight” reactions along with 

“tunnel vision” can lead to alarms not 

being turned in, regardless of training 
21

 

 

Chain of Survival

FIRE 

DEPARTMENT DEPARTMENT 

IS CALLED

EVERYONE 

IS 

SAFE

YOUR

FIRST

DEFENSE DEFENSE

SPRINKLER/ SPRINKLER/

SUPPRESSION

SYSTEM 

ACTIVATES ACTIVATES

FIRE 

DEPARTMENT DEPARTMENT

ARRIVES ARRIVES

 A portable fire extinguisher is a critical 

component of a balanced fire protection plan or 

chain of survival.

SMOKE 

ALARM

SOUNDS

“Evacuation is the only safe 

answer”

• Evacuation should be performed in any 

fire situation

• Nearly all fire extinguisher training classes 

teach the need for evacuation

• Statistically, evacuation is a function of 

human behavior, which cannot be 

legislated or controlled by statute or code

• Primal “fight or flight” responses take over

“Evacuation is the only safe 

answer”

• Studies conducted in evacuations reveal 

that we do not perform this function well

• Earlier NFIRS statistics point to fire 

extinguishers and “make-shift means” as 

the leading “means of extinguishment” in 

nearly all occupancy classifications

• Fire Extinguishers have often been 

employed to gain a means to evacuate

Our F.D. response time is fast 

enough

• “Response time” must be clearly and 

honestly defined

• How is the response time of a paid 

department compared with a volunteer 

department

• Over 70% of U.S. F. D.’s are volunteer

Our F.D. response time is fast 

enough

• Most departments have an excellent 

response record, however –

• How will the response time be affected by 

a flood, blizzard, tornado, road 

construction, traffic

• How will it be affected by simultaneous 

industrial fire, chemical spill/leak, train 

derailment, terror attack/threat

Use of an extinguisher will only 

delay an alarm

• All correct fire extinguisher training 

includes emphasis on turning in an alarm, 

regardless of the outcome of using an 

extinguisher

• While extinguishers have been proven to 

be successful in extinguishing fires in their 

initial stages, they have also been proven 

to be successful in controlling fires while 

the F.D. responds.
22

 

 

“The Sprinklers will handle the 

problem”

• Sprinkler systems are an important, proven 

component of a balanced fire protection plan

• Sprinklers systems are often designed at the 

time of building construction to handle hazards 

represented by the original, intended use of the 

occupancy

• They cannot be designed for every possible 

situation over the lifetime of the building 

Conclusion

• Fire Extinguishers solve many problems:

– Are simple devices to operate

– Give safe alternatives to makeshift means during 

primal response situations

– Are versatile enough to handle unforeseen problems 

and scenarios

– Can control a fire while the F.D. responds

– May be the only tool available during disasters

– Proven success rate in keeping injuries, death and 

property loss at a minimum

Conclusion

• First line of defense in a balanced fire 

protection plan
23

NIST Portable Fire 

Extinguisher 

Workshop

January 17, 2007

Outline of Topics

• UL Fire Test Requirements

• Operating Instructions

• Flammable Liquid Fire Test Method

• Wood Crib Fire Test Methods

• Wood Panel Fire Test Methods

UL Fire Test RequirementsRating and Fire Testing of Fire

Extinguishers

ANSI/UL711

Operating Instructions

Instructions Instructions 
24

 

Instructions Instructions

Class B 

Flammable

Liquid Fire

Test

Arrangement

Indoor Test Pans

Outdoor Test Pan Sizes
25
26

 

Summary

•UL Fire Test Requirements

•Operating Instructions

•Flammable Liquid Fire Test Method

•Wood Crib Fire Test Methods

•Wood Panel Fire Test Methods
27

 

Portable Fire Extinguishers in Portable Fire Extinguishers in 

Occupational Safety and Health Occupational Safety and Health

NIST Workshop on the Use of Portable

Fire Extinguishers in Nightclubs 

January 17, 2006

Gaithersburg, MD

Mat Chibbaro, P.E.

Fire Protection Engineer

Directorate of Standards and Guidance

Occupational Safety and Health Administration

1910.157 1910.157 – Portable Fire Portable Fire 

Extinguishers Extinguishers

Covers: Covers:

3⁄4Selection Selection

3⁄4Distribution Distribution

3⁄4Inspection Inspection

3⁄4Maintenance Maintenance

3⁄4Testing Testing

3⁄4Training, & Education Training, & Education

1910.157 Not applicable if: 1910.157 Not applicable if:

3⁄4Total evacuation policy Total evacuation policy

3⁄4Emergency Action Plan Emergency Action Plan

3⁄4Fire Prevention plan Fire Prevention plan

3⁄4Fire Extinguishers not available Fire Extinguishers not available

3⁄4No other OSHA standard requires Fire No other OSHA standard requires Fire 

Exttinguishers Exttinguishers

1910.157 Distribution 1910.157 Distribution 

Requirements N/A if: Requirements N/A if:

3⁄4Emergency Action Plan in Emergency Action Plan in 

place

3⁄4Plan designates certain Plan designates certain 

employees to use employees to use

3⁄4Plan requires others to Plan requires others to 

evacuate evacuate

1910.157 & NFPA 10 1910.157 & NFPA 10

Differences Differences

Class K not yet recognized Class K not yet recognized

50’ distance for class B hazards distance for class B hazards

Employee training Employee training

9Initial Initial

9annual

Related OSHA Standards Related OSHA Standards

1910.38 1910.38 - Emergency Action Plans Emergency Action Plans

– Applies when referenced Applies when referenced

1910.39 1910.39 – Fire Prevention Plans Fire Prevention Plans

– Applies when referenced Applies when referenced

– Includes use of Fire Extinguishers Includes use of Fire Extinguishers

1910.156 1910.156 – Fire Brigades Fire Brigades

– Includes equipment Includes equipment
28

Federal Citation Profile Federal Citation Profile

(Oct. ’05 - Sep. ‘06)

SIC 5812 (eating) SIC 5812 (eating) – 16 citations 16 citations – 11 insp. 11 insp.

SIC 5812 (drinking) SIC 5812 (drinking) – 1 citation 1 citation – 1 insp. 1 insp.

OSHA Concerns OSHA Concerns

Safety of Safety of 

employee/occupants employee/occupants

Safety of Fire Safety of Fire 

Extinguisher users

Training & Education Training & Education

Thank You

Mat Chibbaro, P.E.

Directorate of Standards and Guidance

Occupational Safety and Health Administration

Chibbaro.mat@dol.gov