You couldn’t get a better arrangement for a bonfire.Why would it be any different than any stored material?
Why would it be any different than any stored material?
NOTE: This is based on the 2019 CA Fire CodeSo what is the maximum height, indoor, for idle wood pallets?? Maximum stacks? Separation required?
In a building with fire sprinklers?
In a building with no sprinklers?
Look at High Piled storage requirements of the fire code - I believe the pallet height is limited to 6 feet or it becomes a high piles storage commodity. Also, beware of plastic pallets vs wood pallets.
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NOT TRUE Look at my post, area is a factorSo I could fill a place with wood pallets,,, in a 10000 sq ft building,
Five feet high with no additional requirements ?
And not be concerned about the fire load that creates.
NOT TRUE Look at my post, area is a factor
The hazard is due to the materials surface to mass ratio. Defined as a High Piled Combustible at >6’ stack Extremely high hazard as classified and defined in IFC world (3206.6) Separations required in (3206.3.2) and sprinklers when area is >500 s.f. (T3606.2).
As mentioned the sprinkler protection is specific based on FM/UL testing for indoor and outdoor arrangements in accordance with Chapter 12 of NFPA 13. Required to be Control Mode or ESFR design based on material height and array (T12.12).
I have dealt with a few manufacturing facilities in my previous municipal work and can state with confidence that your greatest issues is poor housekeeping. Such as maintaining Aisles, Flues, Heights and Building access. Not uncommon to have an issue out run the fire protection.
Which code does the jurisdiction use? Unfortunately < 6’ has to be treated as “general storage”. Typically in my experience what’s needed is use of administrative provisions of a code to create permit criteria for these unique types of facilities. In that, the IFC has the Unsafe Structure provision being a fire hazard due to defined conditions opening the door to create a permit (315.2) for such where the jurisdiction can regulate the conditions of the permit issuance such as eliminating or maintenance ignition sources in storage area(s), separation distances of stacks, means of egress access and delineated markings, illumination, signage and directional signage, etc. or an aggressive sprinkling criteria if you can get away with it.
NFPA 1 (34.10.1) and it’s annex material offers some good language to substantiate the need for a regulatory function like conditional permit since it says “should not be permitted indoors....”. Since it can’t be prevented the next best thing is a means to regulate it to reduce the risk of a very large fire.
Looks that way.
But sometimes you don’t know the stack of pallets are there, till your eyes lite up!!
Most of the time the pallets are kind of by product of the operation
NFPA-13, section 12.12.1.2 Pallets
No higher than six feet, no more than four stacks, separated from other pallets by eight feet, OR 25 feet from commodity.
What do you do about non sprinkled buildings five foot high and under
When the while place is full of pallets???
You make the call::;
No, the fire marshal will.
High Hazard.... No fly.
Also just because you have ESFR does not mean you are OK. Depending on ceiling height you may need a higher pressure at the sprinkler. See Table 12.12.1.2(c) ESFR Sprinkler Protection for Indoor Storage of Idle Wood Pallets.