Washington Administrative Code › Title 296 - Labor and Industries, Department of › Chapter 296-24 - General safety and health standards › Part G-2 - FIRE PROTECTION › Section 296-24-58501 - Definitions applicable to fire protection

Current through Register Vol. 24-14, July 15, 2024
Class A fires.
Fires in ordinary combustible
				  materials, such as wood, cloth, paper, and rubber.
Class B fires.
Fires in flammable liquids,
				  gases, and greases.
Class C fires.
Fires which involve energized
				  electrical equipment where the electrical nonconductivity of the extinguishing
				  media is of importance. (When electrical equipment is deenergized, extinguisher
				  for Class A or B fires may be used safely.)
Class D fires.
Fires in combustible metals,
				  such as magnesium, titanium, zirconium, sodium, and potassium.
Classification of portable fire extinguishers:
Portable fire extinguishers are classified for use on certain classes of fires
				  and rated for relative extinguishing effectiveness at a temperature of plus
				  70°F by nationally recognized testing laboratories. This is based upon the
				  preceding classification of fires and the fire extinguishment potentials as
				  determined by fire tests.
Note: The classification and rating system described in this
				  section 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:
Class A rating
-Wood and excelsior fires
				  excluding deep-seated conditions.
Class B rating
-Two-inch depth gasoline fires in
				  square pans.
Class C rating
-No fire test. Agent must be a
				  nonconductor of electricity.
Class D rating
-Special tests on specific
				  combustible metal fires.
Light hazard. A situation where the amount of combustibles
				  or flammable liquids present is such that fires of small size may be expected.
				  These may include offices, schoolrooms, churches, assembly halls, telephone
				  exchanges, etc.
Ordinary hazard. A situation where the amount of
				  combustibles or flammable liquids present is such that fires of moderate size
				  may be expected. These may include mercantile storage and display, auto
				  showrooms, parking garages, light manufacturing, warehouses not classified as
				  extra hazard, school shop areas, etc.
Extra hazard. A situation where the amount of combustibles
				  or flammable liquids present is such that fires of severe magnitude may be
				  expected. These may include woodworking, auto repair, aircraft servicing,
				  warehouses with high-piled (14 feet or higher) combustibles, and processes such
				  as flammable liquid handling, painting, dipping, etc.
Sprinkler system.
For fire protection purposes,
				  is an integrated system of underground and overhead piping designed in
				  accordance with fire protection engineering standards. The system includes a
				  suitable 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.
Note: The design and installation of water supply facilities
				  such as gravity tanks, fire pumps, reservoirs, or pressure tanks, and
				  underground piping are covered by NFPA Standards No. 22-1970, Water Tanks for
				  Private Fire Protection; No. 20-1970, Installation of Centrifugal Fire Pumps
				  and No. 24-1970, Outside Protection.
Sprinkler alarm unit.
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.
Class of service-Standpipe systems:
Standpipe
				  systems are grouped into three general classes of service for the intended use
				  in the extinguishment of fire.
Class I:
For use by fire departments and those
				  trained in handling heavy fire streams (2 1/2 inch hose).
Class II:
For use primarily by the building
				  occupants until the arrival of the fire department (small hose).
Class III:
For use by either fire departments
				  and those trained in handling heavy hose streams or by the building
				  occupants.
Class I service.
A standpipe system capable of
				  furnishing the effective fire streams required during the more advanced stages
				  of fire on the inside of buildings or for exposure fire.
Class II service.
A standpipe system which
				  affords a ready means for the control of incipient fires by the occupants of
				  buildings during working hours and by watchperson and those present during the
				  night time and holidays.
Class III service.
A standpipe system 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.
Standpipe systems.
Usually of the following
				  types:
- A wet standpipe system having a supply valve open and
				  water pressure maintained at all times.
- A standpipe system so arranged through the use of approved
				  devices as to admit water to the system automatically by opening a hose
				  valve.
- A standpipe system arranged to admit water to the system
				  through manual operation of approved remote control devices located at each
				  hose station.
- Dry standpipe having no permanent water supply. See also
				  (11) of this section.
Type I storage.
That in which combustible
				  commodities or noncombustible commodities involving combustible packaging or
				  storage aids are stored over 15 feet but not more than 21 feet high in solid
				  piles or over 12 feet but not more that 21 feet high in piles that contain
				  horizontal channels. Minor quantities of commodities of hazard greater than
				  ordinary combustibles may be included without affecting this general
				  classification.
Type II storage.
That in which combustible
				  commodities or noncombustible commodities involving combustible packaging or
				  storage aids are stored not over 15 feet high in solid piles or not over 12
				  feet high in piles that contain horizontal channels. Minor quantities of
				  commodities of hazard greater than ordinary combustibles may be included
				  without affecting this general classification.
Type III storage.
That in which the stored
				  commodities, packaging, and storage aids are noncombustible or contain only a
				  small concentration of combustibles which are incapable of producing a fire
				  that would cause appreciable damage to the commodities stored or to
				  noncombustible wall, floor or roof construction. Ordinary combustible
				  commodities in completely sealed noncombustible containers may qualify in this
				  classification. General commodity storage that is subject to frequent changing
				  and storage of combustible packaging and storage aids is excluded from this
				  category.
Approved.
Listed or approved by: (a) At least
				  one of the following nationally recognized testing laboratories: Factory Mutual
				  Engineering Corp.; Underwriters' Laboratories, Inc., or (b) federal agencies
				  such as Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA); the National Institute
				  for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH); Department of Transportation; or
				  U.S. Coast Guard, which issue approvals for such equipment.
Statutory Authority: Chapter 49.17 RCW. 94-15-096 (Order
					 94-07), § 296-24-58501, filed 7/20/94, effective 9/20/94; Order 74-27,
					 § 296-24-58501, filed 5/7/74; Order 73-5, § 296-24-58501, filed
					 5/9/73 and Order 73-4, § 296-24-58501, filed
					 5/7/73.