Designing a show for a group A-3 occupancy
One of the projects is a fake garden. In a perfect world, we would be able to just use Class A rated artificial foliage but the creative direction is that these be like, vegetable garden plants and those are not readily available in fire-rated flavors.
Our options from here would be to either construct our own plants using FR materials, OR (what I'm hoping) is to use a fire treatment. We have FlameSafe FPCC50 which is specific for artificial foliage and comes with a raft of supporting documentation.
807.1 The following requirements shall apply to all occupancies:
807.3 Where required to exhibit improved fire performance, curtains, draperies, fabric hangings and other similar combustible decorative materials suspended from walls or ceilings shall be tested by an approved agency and meet the flame propagation performance criteria of Test Method 1 or Test Method 2, as appropriate, of NFPA 701 or exhibit a maximum rate of heat release of 100 kW when tested in accordance with NFPA 289, using the 20 kW ignition source. Reports of test results shall be prepared in accordance with the test method used and furnished to the fire code official upon request.
807.4.1 Artificial decorative vegetation shall meet the flame propagation performance criteria of Test Method 1 or Test Method 2, as appropriate, of NFPA 701. Meeting such criteria shall be documented and certified by the manufacturer in an approved manner. Alternatively, the artificial decorative vegetation shall be tested in accordance with NFPA 289, using the 20 kW ignition source, and shall have a maximum heat release rate of 100 kW.
So my question is - can we or can't we use a fire-treatment to meet these requirements? It would be applied to manufacturer's specification and we would routinely maintain the treatment. Usually we avoid FR treatment in all cases, but this is one of those moments where there's no good way around the problem. None of the materials would be attached to the walls or ceilings (they would be staged in standalone planter boxes), and the rest of the materials in the space would be either Class A rated or non-combustible.
I'm relatively green to this end of code compliance. So I don't have a ton of experience engaging with fire marshals. I do know that we have used fire treatments in past projects, but the use was limited.
One of the projects is a fake garden. In a perfect world, we would be able to just use Class A rated artificial foliage but the creative direction is that these be like, vegetable garden plants and those are not readily available in fire-rated flavors.
Our options from here would be to either construct our own plants using FR materials, OR (what I'm hoping) is to use a fire treatment. We have FlameSafe FPCC50 which is specific for artificial foliage and comes with a raft of supporting documentation.
807.1 The following requirements shall apply to all occupancies:
- Furnishings or decorative materials of an explosive or highly flammable character shall not be used.
- Fire-retardant coatings in existing buildings shall be maintained so as to retain the effectiveness of the treatment under service conditions encountered in actual use.
- Furnishings or other objects shall not be placed to obstruct exits, access thereto, egress therefrom or visibility thereof.
- The permissible amount of noncombustible decorative materials shall not be limited.
807.3 Where required to exhibit improved fire performance, curtains, draperies, fabric hangings and other similar combustible decorative materials suspended from walls or ceilings shall be tested by an approved agency and meet the flame propagation performance criteria of Test Method 1 or Test Method 2, as appropriate, of NFPA 701 or exhibit a maximum rate of heat release of 100 kW when tested in accordance with NFPA 289, using the 20 kW ignition source. Reports of test results shall be prepared in accordance with the test method used and furnished to the fire code official upon request.
807.4.1 Artificial decorative vegetation shall meet the flame propagation performance criteria of Test Method 1 or Test Method 2, as appropriate, of NFPA 701. Meeting such criteria shall be documented and certified by the manufacturer in an approved manner. Alternatively, the artificial decorative vegetation shall be tested in accordance with NFPA 289, using the 20 kW ignition source, and shall have a maximum heat release rate of 100 kW.
So my question is - can we or can't we use a fire-treatment to meet these requirements? It would be applied to manufacturer's specification and we would routinely maintain the treatment. Usually we avoid FR treatment in all cases, but this is one of those moments where there's no good way around the problem. None of the materials would be attached to the walls or ceilings (they would be staged in standalone planter boxes), and the rest of the materials in the space would be either Class A rated or non-combustible.
I'm relatively green to this end of code compliance. So I don't have a ton of experience engaging with fire marshals. I do know that we have used fire treatments in past projects, but the use was limited.
