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Sprinklered building, fire proof (?) records vault

T

texas transplant

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Oct 26, 2009
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Location
South Texas
Small town boy a with something I haven't run into before. Help all you fire gurus. :)

B use group. Type II B construction, fully sprinklered (kinda read on please). 30,000 sq ft. foot print, 2 stories tall.

This office building will have a fire proof vault (similar to a bank vault) for paper record storage (historical value, not replacable items, one of a kind items). They do not want to sprinkler the vault, because water damage would render the records useless. Where can I read about exceptions and code worthy alternatives to this?

The design professional is working on his design etc., but want to read up for when it comes across my desk.

Thanks for your help, past, present and future, all of you.
 
The Architect should research an alternate fire system for the vault. There are other non-water systems. Tell him to provide the alternate protection for the vault. You should not have to do his work unless you are going to get some of his fee. Sounds as if the Professional is not doing his job.
 
Actually examiner he is working up a design, I just want to educate myself a little up front. I have to do the code reading either before or after and just wanted to get started.

This came up in a very preliminary concept meeting and it interested me since I hadn't run into it before. Even when presented with a perfect little design packet with references I do the reading and checking exceptions myself because I want to make sure he didn't leave out something. :)

Thanks for the response.
 
That is what I kind of envision, but was having trouble finding what I wanted in the code so thought I would ask the experts where to read.

Thanks Fatboy.
 
I read an article several years ago on a new record storage facility for the National Archives. They used a water mist system, which only uses 10% as much water as a conventional sprinkler system.
 
I'm with AFPE and Fatboy on the clean agent approach [NFPA 2001] and CO2 could also suffice [NFPA 12] to bone up on ....the key is what does the customer really want to do and what records are they concerned about. Examiner also makes a good point :)
 
Last edited by a moderator:

This may be what you are looking for

903.1.1 Alternative protection. Alternative automatic

fire-extinguishing systems complying with Section 904

shall be permitted in lieu of automatic sprinkler protection

where recognized by the applicable standard and approved

​
by the fire code official.




903.3.1.1.1 Exempt locations. Automatic sprinklers

shall not be required in the following rooms or areas

where such rooms or areas are protected with an

approved automatic fire detection system in accordance

with Section 907.2 that will respond to visible

or invisible particles of combustion. Sprinklers shall

not be omitted from any room merely because it is

damp, of fire-resistance rated construction or contains

electrical equipment.

1.

2. Any room or space where sprinklers are considered

undesirable because of the nature of the

contents, when approved by the fire code official.

​
 
Based on the OP, unless this is an ambulatory health care facility, sprinklers are not required. See IFC 901.4.2 for non-required fire protection systems (allowed to be furnished for partial protection). That being said, the items in this vault will be better protected if they include an alternative extinguishing system.
 
Now seeing that the materials are high historic value and can't be replaced................should have read back to OP. Dry chemical although permitted would not be the best option for these materials........clean up. Clean agent would be my choice provided the space can meet room interity requirements. But then again Im not the RDP :)
 
We did our own record keeping room out of block construction (solid grouted) and a special vault door. No sprinklers but a smoke detector was installed. This was under the old UBc at the time.

But this exception works for me: 2. Any room or space where sprinklers are considered undesirable because of the nature of the contents, when approved by the fire code official.

Do make sure you note that detail on the record.
 
Wet pipe sprinklers are the best choice but if the owners/designers can't be convinced of that, a clean agent system (i.e. FM 200) is second best. You can dry out stuff that's wet, but you can't unburn stuff that's burned.
 
Thaks for all the input. For some reason couldn't lay my fingers on the sections to start reading and got flustrated.

You guys prove why this is the site to be on. :)
 
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