NFPA 1730 Overview: Fire Prevention and Deployment Activities

Vancouver Calgary Singapore Global Leaders in Fire Engineering

NFPA 1730 Overview: Fire Prevention and Deployment Activities

Alberta Industrial Fire Protection Association

Michael Bodnar, M.Eng., P.Eng.

Presented to:

Presented by:

Global Leaders in Fire Engineering Vancouver Calgary Singapore

Overview› Our Company› Safety Codes Act and Codes and Standards› Codes and Standards for Industrial

Occupancies› The National Fire Protection Association

– History and background of NFPA 1710 and 1720

– Overview of future of NFPA 1730


Our Company› Established in Vancouver in 2003› Two companies in 2005 offering fire consulting services

– Senez Reed Calder Fire Engineering• Design applications complimented by practical

experience– Senez Reed Calder Forensic Engineering

• Forensic applications complimented by design theory› Singapore office opened in 2008› Reorganized as Sereca Fire Consulting Ltd. in 2008 / 2009› Calgary office opened in 2009› Sereca Fire Consulting integrates with Larden Muniak

Consulting in Calgary and Toronto in 2011


Our Technical Team› Professional expertise based on:

– Advanced Education • Masters degrees

– Fire Protection Engineering (10)– Mechanical Engineering– Electrical Engineering– Fluid Dynamics– Mathematics and Statistics

• Engineering degrees– Chemical – Civil– Electrical – Materials– Mechanical


Our Technical Team› Professional expertise based on:

– Industry Experience • Fire Engineering• Building and Code Consulting• Building Design and Construction• Architectural • Electrical / Mechanical design• Regulatory Authority• Energy

– Oil and Gas– Hydro– Mining

• Pulp and Paper• Heavy Equipment• Fire Fighting


Energy and Industrial Services› Building and fire code compliance› Performance based design› Fire and explosion investigation› Hazard identification and risk analysis› Loss prevention consulting › Fire modeling and egress analysis


Codes and Standards› Where do Codes and Standards

come from? › What do they apply to? › How do they apply in industry?


Codes and Standards› Where do Codes and Standards come

from? – The Safety Codes Council develops and

recommends codes and standards to the Minister of Municipal Affairs, including the Alberta Building Code and the Alberta Fire Code

– The Safety Codes Council gets it authority from the Safety Codes Act

– Among other things, the Act applies to fire protection and to the design, manufacture, construction, installation, operation and maintenance of buildings


What do the Building and Fire Codes Apply To?› It is expected that all buildings comply with both the Alberta Building Code and

the Alberta Fire Code. What is a building?› A building means any structure used or intended for supporting or sheltering any

use or occupancy. Occupancy means the use or intended use of a building or part thereof for the shelter or support of persons, animals, or property

• Includes Industrial Occupancies, which use a building or part thereof for the assembling, fabricating, manufacturing, processing, repairing, or storing of goods and materials.

› Seems pretty clear, but…


In applying the requirements of this Part, it is intended that they be applied with discretion to buildings of unusual configuration that do not clearly conform to the specific requirements, or to buildings in which processes are carried out which make compliance with particular requirements in this Part impracticable. The definition of “building” as it applies to this Code is general and encompasses most structures, including those which would not normally be considered as buildings in the layman’s sense. This occurs more often in industrial uses, particularly those involving manufacturing facilities and equipment that require specialized design that may make it impracticable to follow the specific requirements of this Part. Steel mills, aluminum plants, refining, power generation and liquid storage facilities are examples. A water tank or an oil refinery, for example, has no floor area, so it is obvious that requirements for exits from floor areas would not apply. Requirements for structural fire protection in large steel mills and pulp and paper mills, particularly in certain portions, may not be practicable to achieve in terms of the construction normally used and the operations for which the space is to be used. In other portions of the same building, however, it may be quite reasonable to require that the provisions of this Part be applied (e.g., the office portions). Similarly, areas of industrial occupancy which may be occupied only periodically by service staff, such as equipment penthouses, normally would not need to have the same type of exit facility as floor areas occupied on a continuing basis. It is expected that judgment will be exercised in evaluating the application of a requirement in those cases when extenuating circumstances require special consideration, provided the occupants’ safety is not endangered. The provisions of this Part for fire protection features installed in buildings are intended to provide a minimum acceptable level of public safety. It is intended that all fire protection features of a building, whether required or not, will be designed in conformance with good fire protection engineering practice and will meet the appropriate installation requirements in relevant standards. Good design is necessary to ensure that the level of public safety established by the Code requirements will not be reduced by a voluntary installation.



Codes and Standards for Industrial Occupancies› If the Alberta Building Code doesn’t apply, what does?

– ABC does apply, and should be the starting point– ABC also adopts by reference several documents that may be applicable

• API / ANSI / ASHRAE / ASTM / CGSB / CSA / NFPA / ULC / etc. – Industry has also created a variety of codes and standards which are

designed to address certain hazardous areas within a facility, address hazardous processes, and assist in other aspects of fire and life safety


Codes and Standards› There are still many, many,

many “industrial uses…that require specialized design that may make it impracticable to follow the specific requirements of this Part“


National Fire Protection Association› NFPA’s mission is to reduce the worldwide burden of fire

and other hazards on the quality of life by providing advocating consensus codes and standards, research, training, and education.

› As mentioned, several codes and standards are adopted by reference in the ABC and AFC.

– Including several NFPA documents • 10, 11, 12, 12A, 13, 13D, 13R, 14, 15, 16, 17, 17A, 18, 20,

25, 30, 30B, 32, 33, 34, 37, 51, 68, 69, 72, 80, 80A, 82, 86, 91, 96, 101, 211, 214, 505, 664, 705, 750, 1142, 2001


National Fire Protection Association› NFPA Technical Committees produce one of four types of

documents:– Codes and Standards

• Main text shall consist of all mandatory requirements• All nonmandatory text shall appear in an Annex

– Recommended Practices• Main text shall consist of recommendations and directly

supporting text• All other informational text shall appear in an Annex

– Guides• Guides shall be permitted to mix recommendations and

explanatory material in the body of the main text– Performance-Based Documents


What about NFPA 1710, 1720, & 1730?› NFPA 1710 and 1720 are the Standard for the Organization and

Deployment of Fire Suppression Operations, Emergency Medical Operations, and Special Operations to the Public by Career and Volunteer Fire Departments, respectively.

– 1710 and 1720 attempt to define levels of service, deployment capabilities, and staffing levels for career and volunteer departments

› Arose out of the need to better substantiate and justify funding levels

› NFPA 1730 will do the same for fire prevention activities


NFPA 1730› Current working title is:

– Standard on the Organization and Deployment of Code Enforcement, Plan Review, Fire Investigation, and Public Education Operations for the Public

› Task Groups have been formed for each category. Final product will address staffing levels and levels of service

› 1730 also arose from the need to better substantiate and justify funding levels


Speaking of Provincial Fire Legislation in Alberta…› Where do 1710, 1720, 1730 (and others) fit?

– The short answer is – they don’t. › Once again, it differs from province to province

– Some have legislation for provisions/requirements for Fire Departments

• Fire Department Act – BC• Fire Departments Platoon Act – SK

› There are no provisions in the Safety Codes Act in Alberta for Fire Fighters or Fire Departments

– There are provisions that allow for certification requirements relating to anything to which the Act applies

– BC has committed to following the training standards of NFPA


Speaking of Provincial Fire Legislation…› Q: Why aren’t these Codes and Standards adopted through

legislation? – A1: Liability (responsible for meeting obligations of the document)– A2: The documents may be very applicable to many situations, less

applicable to some, and not applicable at all to others › Q: Does it matter if these documents don’t have the force of law?

– A1: Yes • See Calgary Fire Department

– A2: No • May soon have the force of an insurance requirement (e.g. roofers)

– A3: No • NFPA Codes, Standards, and Guides are consensus documents

developed by industry experts, in other words…


Speaking of Provincial Fire Legislation…› Anyone required to provide emergency services (government,

industrial, municipal, etc.) should have a very well substantiated reason if they choose NOT to follow recognized industry Codes and Standards, even if they are not enacted legislatively

› Why?– Liability

• E.g. Ontario• E.g. NFPA 921 (a Guide)


Summary › The Province of Alberta expects that all buildings for all occupancies

comply with the its Codes and Standards. › ABC and AFC developed by the SCC under the authority of the SCA

– Various third party documents adopted by reference in the ABC / AFC

› Various other third party documents do not have the force of law, but probably should have (e.g. 1710, 1720, 1730)

– While not adopted legislatively, ignore these documents at your peril!

– Even if not “breaking the law”, may still be liable

› What does the future hold?– Amend / update the SCA, or develop new legislation for fire fighters

and fire departments– For industry, insurance requirements may make the legislation

discussion moot


Questions?Thank you for your time.