IBC table 906.3, fire extinguisher distance of travel in hotels

[blugosi]

In an Group R-1 low hazard occupancy, would you apply the 75 feet max travel distance measuring from inside each room?
From its balcony if it has one?
Or from the room door to the corridor?

I am guessing from the door , because we do not really expect patrons to get out of the room, search for the nearest extinguisher and get back in to fight a fire.

 

[walker.t]

would you apply the 75 feet max travel distance measuring from inside each room?

This NFPA article mentions the travel distance, it says, “This means that at any point inside the building you should never have to travel more than the maximum distance to reach an extinguisher.”

Extinguisher Placement Guide | NFPA

How should portable fire extinguishers be distributed and exactly where are they allowed to be placed

www.nfpa.org

 

[blugosi]

This NFPA article mentions the travel distance, it says, “This means that at any point inside the building you should never have to travel more than the maximum distance to reach an extinguisher.”

Extinguisher Placement Guide | NFPA

How should portable fire extinguishers be distributed and exactly where are they allowed to be placed

www.nfpa.org

You are right.

The article however begins with “In the hands of trained personnel…”.
Trained personnel are not likely to start their search for an extinguisher from the far corner of a guest room.
They will most probably be on a corridor.
And the article´s figures display corridor distances.

 

[walker.t]

The article however begins with “In the hands of trained personnel…”.

Actually that’s a strange thing for them to say about fire extinguishers, I picture a “normal” (untrained) person grabbing the extinguisher and trying to put out a fire. I don’t think someone’s going to yell out, “Hey, there’s a fire, who’s trained to use this thing?” Just found tons of YouTube videos on how to use fire extinguishers, I do have a fire extinguisher in my home, probably wouldn’t hurt for me to watch a few of those some day when eating lunch.

Trained personnel are not likely to start their search for an extinguisher from the far corner of a guest room.

I think the far corner of a guest room comes into play when that’s where the occupant is when they realize they need to get to the fire extinguisher. I was in my office one day and there was an electric space heater on the floor next to me, I grabbed it by the handle on top and moved it a little, something happened to the cord where it was attached at the back of the heater and it started shooting out tons of sparks like a little flame thrower (no flame, just sparks.) So if I had been in the far corner of the room and the sparks lit the curtains on fire that’s where I start the run to the fire extinguisher. In this case the sparks just flew into the air, I yanked the plug out of the outlet and everything was OK.

And the article´s figures display corridor distances.

The NFPA diagram shows a diagonal path, some would argue that should be measured parallel to the walls. There are threads on this forum where people discuss the proper way to measure egress travel distance (parallel to walls versus diagonally across the room), that concept would probably apply to the fire extinguisher travel distance. Here’s one of the posts:

Question for plan reviewers..............today's rant

2017 Ohio Building Code in play. My question has to do with the measurement of travel distance. This is for a mercantile tenant. This is a mattress store that has bed displays with nightstands adjacent to each bed setup. Our travel distance measurement has been taken from the face of the...

www.thebuildingcodeforum.com

 

[mark handler]

You are right.

The article however begins with “In the hands of trained personnel…”.
Trained personnel are not likely to start their search for an extinguisher from the far corner of a guest room.
They will most probably be on a corridor.
And the article´s figures display corridor distances.

In the hands of trained personnel… is why most large companies have training for employees...

 

[blugosi]

In the hands of trained personnel… is why most large companies have training for employees...

I don't want to derail this thread, since focusing on the use of fire extinguishers by hotel guests does not answer my original question on the 75 distance, but i would not recommend, let alone rely upon the use of a fire extinguisher by untrained persons,

According to OSHA:
1910.157(g)
Training and education.
1910.157(g)(1)
Where the employer has provided portable fire extinguishers for employee use in the workplace, the employer shall also provide an educational program to familiarize employees with the general principles of fire extinguisher use and the hazards involved with incipient stage fire fighting.
1910.157(g)(2)
The employer shall provide the education required in paragraph (g)(1) of this section upon initial employment and at least annually thereafter.