California Code of Regulations › Title 8 - Industrial Relations › Division 1 - Department of Industrial Relations › Chapter 4 - Division of Industrial Safety › Subchapter 7 - General Industry Safety Orders › Group 27 - Fire Protection › Article 156 - Definitions › Section 6150 - Definitions

Current through Register 2024 Notice Reg. No. 28, July 12, 2024
(a) Definitions.
(1) Aqueous Film Forming Foam (AFFF). A
						fluorinated surfactant with a foam stabilizer which is diluted with water to
						act as a temporary barrier to exclude air from mixing with the fuel vapor by
						developing an aqueous film on the fuel surface of some hydrocarbons which is
						capable of suppressing the generation of fuel vapors.
(2) Automatic Fire Detection Device. A device
						designed to automatically detect the presence of fire by heat, flame, light,
						smoke or other products of combustion.
(3) Carbon Dioxide. A colorless, odorless,
						electrically nonconductive inert gas (chemical formula
						CO2) that is a medium for extinguishing fires by
						reducing the concentration of oxygen or fuel vapor in the air to the point
						where combustion is impossible.
(4)
						Dry Chemical. An extinguishing agent composed of very small particles of
						chemicals such as, but not limited to, sodium bicarbonate, potassium
						bicarbonate, urea-based potassium bicarbonate, potassium chloride, or
						monoammonium phosphate supplemented by special treatment to provide resistance
						to packing and moisture absorption (caking) as well as to provide proper flow
						capabilities. Dry chemical does not include dry powders.
(5) Dry Powder. A compound used to extinguish
						or control Class D fires.
(6)
						Extinguisher Rating. The numerical rating given to an extinguisher which
						indicates the extinguishing potential of the unit based on standardized tests
						developed by Underwriters Laboratories, Inc.
(7) Fire Extinguishers, Portable.
(A) Portable fire extinguishers are
						classified for use on certain classes of fires and rated for relative
						extinguishing effectiveness at a temperature of plus 70 degrees Fahrenheit by
						nationally recognized testing laboratories. This is based upon the
						classification of fires and the fire-extinguishment potentials as determined by
						fire tests.
(B) The classification
						and rating system described in this standard is that used by Underwriters'
						Laboratories, Inc., and Underwriters' Laboratories of Canada and is based on
						extinguishing preplanned fires of determined size and description as follows:
1. Class A Rating--Wood and
						excelsior.
2. Class B
						Rating--Two-inch depth n-heptane fires in square pans.
3. Class C Rating--No fire test. Agent must
						be a nonconductor of electricity.
4. Class D Rating--Special tests on specific
						combustible metal fires.
(8) Fires.
(A) Class A. Fires in ordinary combustible
						materials, such as wood, cloth, paper, rubber, and many plastics.
(B) Class B. Fires in flammable or
						combustible liquids, gases, greases and similar materials and some rubber and
						plastic materials.
(C) Class C.
						Fires which involve energized electrical equipment where the electrical
						nonconductivity of the extinguishing media is of importance. (When electrical
						equipment is de-energized, extinguishers for Class A or B fires may be used
						safely.)
(D) Class D. Fires in
						combustible metals, such as magnesium, titanium, zirconium, sodium, and
						potassium.
(9) Fixed
						Extinguishing System. A permanently installed system that either extinguishes
						or controls a fire at the location of the system.
(10) Foam. A stable aggregation of small
						bubbles which flow freely over a burning liquid surface and form a coherent
						blanket which seals combustible vapors and thereby extinguishes the
						fire.
(11) Gaseous Agent. A fire
						extinguishing agent which is in the gaseous state at normal room temperature
						and pressure. It has low viscosity, can expand or contract with changes in
						pressure and temperature, and has the ability to diffuse readily and to
						distribute itself uniformly throughout an enclosure.
(12) Halon 1211. A colorless, faintly sweet
						smelling, electrically nonconductive liquefied gas (chemical formula
						CBrC
l
F2) which is a medium for
						extinguishing fires by inhibiting the chemical chain reaction of fuel and
						oxygen. It is also known as bromochlorodifluoromethane.
(13) Halon 1301. A colorless, odorless,
						electrically nonconductive gas (chemical formula CBrF3)
						which is a medium for extinguishing fires by inhibiting the chemical chain
						reaction of fuel and oxygen. It is also known as
						bromotrifluoromethane.
(14)
						Inspection. A visual check of fire protection systems and equipment to ensure
						that they are in place, charged, and ready for use in the event of
						fire.
(15) Local Application
						Systems. A fixed fire suppression system which has a supply of extinguishing
						agent, with nozzles arranged to discharge extinguishing agent directly on the
						burning material to extinguish or control a fire.
(16) Maintenance. The performance of services
						on fire protection equipment and systems to assure that they will perform as
						designed in the event of a fire. Maintenance differs from inspection in that
						maintenance requires the checking of internal fittings, devices and agent
						supplies.
(17) Multipurpose Dry
						Chemical. A dry chemical which is approved for use on Class A, Class B and
						Class C fires.
(18) Pre-Discharge
						Employee Alarm. An alarm which will sound at a set time prior to actual
						discharge of an extinguishing system so that employees may evacuate the
						discharge area prior to system discharge.
(19) Small Hose System. A system of hose
						ranging in diameter from 5/8 -inch to 1 ½ -inch (1.8 cm to 3.8 cm) which
						is for the use of employees and which provides a means for the control and
						extinguishment of incipient stage fires.
(20) Sprinkler Alarm. A local alarm unit is
						an assembly of apparatus approved for the service and so constructed and
						installed that any flow of water from a sprinkler system equal to or greater
						than that from a single automatic sprinkler will result in an audible alarm
						signal on the premises.
(21)
						Sprinkler System. A sprinkler system, for fire protection purposes, is an
						integrated system of underground and overhead piping designed in accordance
						with fire protection engineering standards. The installation includes a water
						supply, such as a gravity tank, fire pump, reservoir or pressure tank and/or
						connection by underground piping to a city main.
The portion of the sprinkler system above ground is a
						  network of specially sized or hydraulically designed piping installed in a
						  building, structure or area, generally overhead, and to which sprinklers are
						  connected in a systematic pattern. The system includes a controlling valve and
						  a device for actuating an alarm when the system is in operation. The system is
						  usually activated by heat from a fire and discharges water over the fire
						  area.
(22) Standpipes.
(A) Class.
1. Class I. For use by fire departments and
						those trained in handling heavy fire streams (not less than 2 ½ -inch
						hose).
Class I Service shall be capable of furnishing the
						  effective fire streams required during the more advanced stages of fire on the
						  inside of buildings or for exposure fire.
2. Class II. For use primarily by the
						building occupants until the arrival of the fire department (1 ½ -inch
						hose).
Class II Service shall afford a ready means for the
						  control of incipient fires by the occupants of buildings during working hours,
						  and by watchmen and those present during the night time and
						  holidays.
3. Class III. For
						use by either fire departments and those trained in handling heavy hose streams
						or by the building occupants.
Class III Service shall be capable of furnishing the
						  effective fire streams required during the more advanced stages of fire on the
						  inside of buildings as well as providing a ready means for the control of fires
						  by the occupants of the building.
(B) Type. Standpipe systems may be of the
						following types:
1. Wet standpipe system
						having supply valve open and water pressure maintained at all times.
2. Standpipe system so arranged through the
						use of approved devices as to admit water to the system automatically by
						opening a hose valve.
3. Standpipe
						system arranged to admit water to the system through manual operation of
						approved remote control devices located at each hose station.
4. Dry standpipe having no permanent water
						supply. (Title 24, T8-6150)
(23) Total Flooding System. A fixed
						suppression system which is arranged to automatically discharge a predetermined
						concentration of agent into an enclosed space for the purpose of fire
						extinguishment or control.