ES&H Manual Fire Protection Supplement

Chapter 10: Fire Barriers

1.0 Purpose

Most building construction includes the use of fire barriers to protect the occupants in the event of a fire emergency. Fire barriers embody many features that must be kept intact for the barrier to perform its intended function of protection. Inspection of fire barriers must be made throughout Jefferson Lab buildings

2.0 Scope

This document provides the requirements for the inspection of fire barriers.

3.0 Responsibilities

3.1 Building Managers and Safety Wardens

· Conduct regularly scheduled walk throughs of all spaces

· Document the walk through and findings.

3.2 Fire Protection Engineer (FPE)

· Conduct a fire barrier inspection of buildings.

· Maintains records of inspections and evaluations.

4.0 General Information

4.1 Fire Barriers and Fire Walls

· Fire Barrier Wall or Fire Partition Wall – an interior wall that serves to restrict the spread of fire, but does not qualify as a fire wall. A fire barrier wall subdivides a floor or an area and is erected to extend from the floor to the underside of the floor or roof above. Fire partitions may be constructed of noncombustible, limited combustible, or protected combustible materials, and should be attached to and supported by structural memberts having fire resistance at least equal to that of the partition.

· Fire Wall – a wall of sufficient fire resistance, durability and stability to withstand the effects of an uncontrolled fire exposure, which may result in collapse of the structural framework on either side. Openings in the wall, if allowed, must be protected. Fire walls provide a fire separation between areas of the same building. Fire walls are constructed of reinforced concretem concrete blockm prest4ressed concretem and sometimes brick. A fire wall can separate buildings or subdivide a building to prevent the spread of fire.

· Fire Walls, Fire Barrier Walls and Fire Partition Walls

o Are designed and installed during new construction. These walls should be inspected and accepted at the time of construction. Refer to Reference 6.1 for a comprehensive list of present day design criteria used during new construction. The pertinent sections of this code are:

§ Section 8.3.3 Fire Walls

§ Section 8.4 Fire Barrier Walls

§ Section 8.6 Horizontal Assemblies

§ Section 8.7 Opening Protectives

§ Section 8.8 Penetrations

o Are inspected annually.

4.2 Fire Door Assemblies

To satisfy the requirements of Reference 6.3 Section 5.2.1 fire door assemblies are inspected and tested not less than annually and a written record of the inspection is signed.

4.3 Fire Dampers

To satisfy the requirements of Reference 6.3 Section 19.4.1 Fire dampers are tested and inspected one year after installation. The test and inspection frequency is then every four years.

5.0 Process Steps

5.1 Fire Wall, Fire Barrier Wall and Fire Partition Wall Annual Inspection

5.1.1 Inspect the walls that comprise a fire barrier in each location listed on Table 1. All portions of the wall are to be viewed. Fire barrier walls are continuous through all concealed spaces, such as those found above a ceiling, including interstitial spaces. Inspect each wall using the following criteria:

· Opening Protectives – Fire Doors installed in a fire barrier wall are self- or automatic-closing. All openings are protected by approved, listed and labeled fire door assemblies and fire window assemblies and their accompanying hardware, including all frames, closing devices, anchorage, and sills in accordance with the requirements of Reference 6.3 Section 5.2.3 Functional Test

· Penetrations – Penetrations for cables, cable trays, conduits, pipes, tubes, combustion vents and exhaust vents, wires, and similar items to accommodate electrical, mechanical, plumbing, and communications systems that pass through a wall, floor, or floor/ceiling assembly constructed as a fire barrier are protected by a firestop system or device.

· Ducts and Air Transfer Openings – Fire dampers are installed to protect ducts and air-transfer openings that penetrate fire barriers and fire walls as required by other sections of Reference 6.1. All ducts are not required to be installed with dampers. Refer to Reference 6.1 Section 8.8.8.2 Fire Damper Requirements.

5.1.2 Complete and sign an Inspection Report

Table 1 – Fire Barrier Locations

BUILDING	FIRE BARRIER
#12 CEBAF Center	Stairwell A, B, C, D, E, F, G, H, I, F-Wing\Attrium\Kitchen common wall Attrium walls
#28 Support Service Center	Boiler Room
#58 Test Lab	High Bay\Office Wing Wall High Bay\Annex Wall Annex East Stairwell Annex West Stairwell
#18 FEL	Skylight Stairwell
#38 North Access Building	Tunnel Exit Stairwell
#67 South Access Building	Tunnel Exit Stairwell
#97 Counting House	Stairwell Hall A Cable Shaft Hall B Cable Shaft Hall C Cable Shaft
#98 CRYO Fab. Shop	Common Wall with electronics area
#94 Hall B	Labrynth Exit
#96 Hall C	Labrynth Exit
#101 Hall A	Labrynth Exit

5.2 Building Floor Plans

6.0 References

6.1 National Fire Protection Association 5000 Building Construction and Safety Code 2009 Edition

6.2 National Fire Protection Association 221, Standard for High Challenge Fire walls, Fire Walls and Fire Barrier Walls 2009 Edition

6.3 National Fire Protection Association 80 Standard for Fire Doors and Fire Walls 2010 Edition

7.0 Revision Summary

Revision 2 – 02/10/11 – Separated “Combustible Loading” content to Chapter 11.

Revision 1 – 10/01/09 – Updated to reflect current laboratory operations.

ISSUING AUTHORITY	CHAPTER AUTHOR	APPROVAL DATE	EFFECTIVE DATE	EXPIRATION DATE	REV.
Fire Protection Dept	Tim Minga	02/10/11	02/10/11	02/10/14	2

This document is controlled as an on line file. It may be printed but the print copy is not a controlled document. It is the user’s responsibility to ensure that the document is the same revision as the current on line file. This copy was printed on 2/18/2011.