AST Codes and Standards DevelopmentsNEWS & VIEWS TOC | PREVIOUSUSA-Rick Thornberry, President of the Code Consortium, Inc., is a professional fire protection engineer and nationally-known code consultant. International Fire Code–A rough draft of how the International Fire Code may address service stations was prepared by Mel Cosgrove, Fire Marshal of Mobile, AL/Chairman of the NFPA 30A Committee and Task Group on Service Stations for the IFC Prescriptive Drafting Committee. The draft was presented at the Seattle meeting in July of 1997. It proposes to reference NFPA 30A-1996 with the following modifications: Only mandates protected aboveground tanks for service stations open to the public. Allows an aggregate tank capacity of 48,000 gallons for public and private service stations. At the request of the Uniform Fire Code members, led by Jim Tidwell of the Fort Worth Fire Department, discussion of the draft will be continued to the next meeting in Denver in August. The goal of the IFC Committee is to complete an initial draft of the entire fire code by their last meeting in September. Then public comments will be solicited with a deadline of December, 1997. NFPA 30A Committee–The NFPA 30A Committee met in June in Baltimore, MD, to act on public comments submitted by ConVault and supported by Hoover Containment Systems which had been held for further study so that SAFE could review and comment on them. Unfortunately, SAFE was not prepared but the Committee took action anyway. Out of a total of 9 submittals, the Committee accepted 4 of which 3 were modified. A Task Group was formed to study whether fire resistant or protected tanks should be required based on UL 2085. The Drafting Committee, chaired by Mel Cosgrove, Fire Chief of Mobile, Alabama, convened recently in Seattle, Washington, to continue its efforts to developing aconsolidated fire code which will seek input from NFPA, UFC, SBCCI and BOCA. The following represent action items for the committee: 1) the prospect of developing a draft document which can be reviewed by the respective model fire codes by spring of 1998. 2) determination of bare steel(unlisted) vs bare steel (listed in accordance with UL Standard 142) vs protected (listed in accordance with UL Standard 2085) vs discretionary designs as demonstrated in Appendix II-K and Appendix II-J of the Uniform Fire Code. The issue here remains when is it appropriate to permit specific types of ASTs? Additional factors such as the appropriateness of setback distances, when to employ vehicle-impact bollards or waivers of these requirements, venting options, etc. are the very broad scope of interpretation being pursued by the committee. During the formative stages of the code consolidation, the AST industry is not a voting member of this body. The basis of this limitation is to insure that fire protection/firefighting priorities will be addressed without some of the give-and-take inherent in inviting the AST industry directly into the dialogue. ConVault and SAFE representatives are being allowed to attend the open meetings as interested parties; they can only participate as requested by committee members. Key proposals which were already accepted included an increase in aggregate capacity limits from 40,000 to 48,000 gallons and to require a noncombustible spill containment device at the tank fill connection. IFCI Uniform Fire Code–The IFCI Uniform Fire Code Annual Code Hearings will be held in August in Denver, CO, to discuss challenges to the code change jointly submitted by ConVault/Hoover Containment Systems which was Approved as Revised by the UFC Code Committee to integrate Appendix II-F into the body of the code. This change was supported by SAFE. A challenge jointly submitted by ConVault/Hoover will also be heard to clarify an approved code change submitted by STI allowing the use of listed secondary containment tanks to eliminate the dike requirement. Challenges by Bryant Fuel Systems and STI to request Approval as Revised of a disapproved code change submitted by Bryant to adopt a new Appendix II-K to allow unprotected aboveground tanks at service stations which was opposed by SAFE will also be heard. These issues are very important in posturing for the development of the International Fire Code. UL 2085 Proposed Revisions–ConVault, Inc. recently received an information packet for significant proposed revisions based upon participation in the UL 2085 IAG (Industry Advisory Group) which met on April 11 and 12, 1997. The pertinent revisions are as follow: 1) the most important development will be the segregation of "Fire-Resistant ASTs" from "Protected ASTs". 2) Formal recognition of the "venting by form-of-construction" in the Standard. CANADA-ULC AST Committee met in late June in Vancouver, British Columbia, to discuss the fourth draft of S-655 (Protected Tanks) in conjunction with ULC CAN/ORD 142.16. It is important to note that the overall Canadian process typically utilizes an ORD (other recognized document) while in draft state as a preliminary stage in developing a formal Canadian standard. The additional value of the ORD/draft is that it can be recognized by Canadian AHJs both nationally and locally as a factor in the permitting process. Specific benefits to ConVault in the draft document are represented by:
The results of the meeting in Vancouver, British Columbia, are generating a ballot on some of these key issues in further developing the formal standard. BiNational Harmonizing Committee–A draft of the preliminary document has been distributed to all committee members with a due date of September 30, 1997. Further public comments will be registered . The Committee will meet in early October of 1997 to review the input/comments and prepare a final draft to be distributed to both Canadian and USA authorities for a due date of December 31, 1997. Please recall that this effort represents the first in a multi-national code and standard development cycle. ConVault, Inc. is pleased to remain an integral participant of the process. |