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NFPA Standards Council Releases Revised NFPA 2001

The NFPA Standards Council authorized release of a revision to NFPA 2001.  The new edition which will be referenced as the 2012 Edition becomes effective August 31, 2011.  Some of the anticipated changes to the standard are summarized below.  The summary is not official and should not be relied upon for purposes of system specification, design, review, commissioning or any other purposes related to clean agent systems.  An official copy of NFPA 2001 Edition 2012 must be obtained and used for such purposes.  NFPA Standards are available from the National Fire Protection Association, Batterymarch Park, MA.

Expected Changes in Minimum Design Concentrations in NFPA 2001 for Clean Agents

The motion to modify the NFPA 2001 ROC with respect to minimum design concentrations for Class A fires failed the floor vote at the June 15 TRS. 

 

A motion to reverse the ROC language with respect to minimum design concentrations for Class C fires was successful and a follow up motion resulted in acceptance of ROC comment 2001 - 17 (log 10) - the results of the floor action were accepted by a 2/3 majority of the NFPA GFE Technical Committee, thus recommending the floor action to the Standards Council. 

 

As a result of the aforementioned actions, it is anticipated that the Standards Council will release a revised NFPA 2001 having the following requirements for minimum design concentration for Class A and Class C fires:

 

For Class A hazards, the minimum design concentration will be the greater of

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1.2 X the minimum extinguishing concentration for Class A fires determined by the UL/FM listing tests or

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the extinguishing concentration for normal heptane determined from the cup burner test.   

 

The effect of this expected change would be to increase the Class A MDC for systems using halocarbons.  The Class A MDC for systems using inert gases would be unchanged since all of the current Class A MDC for inert gases are greater than or equal to the MEC for n-heptane.  Shown below are the MEC for n-heptane taken from Table A.5.4.2(b) of NFPA 2001 Standard Edition 2008 for some of the more common halocarbon agents:

Agent

MEC for n-heptane

FK 5-1-12

4.5%

HFC-227ea

6.7%

HFC-125

8.7%

HFC-23

12.9%

For Class C fire hazards, the minimum design concentration will be as follows:

The minimum design concentration for Class C hazards will be 1.35 times the minimum Class A extinguishing concentration for Class C hazards determined by paragraph 5.4.2.2 of NFPA 2001 where the supply voltage to equipment is 480 Volts or less.   The new Class C minimum design concentration requirements are to read as follows:

 

5.4.2.5 The minimum design concentration for a Class C hazards shall be the extinguishing concentration, as determined by 5.4.2.2, times a safety factor of 1.35.

5.4.2.5.1 The minimum design concentration for spaces containing energized electrical hazards supplied at greater than 480 volts which remains powered during and after agent discharge, shall be determined by testing, as necessary, and a hazard analysis.

 

Designers and installers of clean agent systems should contact the system manufacturer for advice on how to apply the new concentration requirements as well as other new requirements contained in NFPA 2001.

 

Results of Motions Debate Posted on NFPA website

Results of debate on NFPA 2001 motions at the June 15, 2011 NFPA Technical Report Session have been posted on the NFPA website.  An analysis of what these results mean will be published here on the GSI website in the near future.  Check back for details.  Click here for complete information on the proceedings of the TRS (links to the NFPA website)

 

Wysocki Recognized by NFPA

                                                                August 5, 2009

The National Fire Protection Standards Council recognized Guardian Services' Tom Wysocki for his "dedicated service and leadership as Chair of the Technical Committee on Electronic Computer Systems."  Tom has served on the NFPA 75 Technical Committee for over two decades and recently completed his tenure as Chair of that Technical Committee.  Wysocki will continue to serve as a Principal member of NFPA 75. 

Tom said, "The members of the NFPA 75 committee have truly been a pleasure to work with.  They are dedicated to safety and bring common sense as well as vast experience.  I am very pleased that the Standards Council has appointed Ralph Transue, former Chair of NFPA 76, to serve as the new 75 committee Chair.  Ralph is a dedicated and very knowledgable leader - I look forward to continuing on the committee under Ralph's leadership."

  

NFPA Special Achievement Award to Sam McTier and Tom Wysocki

 

At the opening session of the NFPA Fall Meeting (Reno Nevada, November 17, 2003), Phillip DiNenno, chair of the NFPA Standards Council, presented Sam McTier and Tom Wysocki, two dedicated volunteers, with the Awards at the Opening Session.   NFPAs Special Achievement Award recognizes the significant contribution of a committee member to a single project that has enhanced the NFPA codes-and standards-making process.

Pictured at the right are NFPAs Phillip DiNenno and Corinne Broderick congratulating Tom and Sam.

 

In presenting GSI's Tom Wysocki this award, Phil DiNenno noted that Tom has been active in NFPA codes and standards developments since the 1970s.  As chairman of the NFPA 12A Technical Committee on Halon 1301 system, he guided the standard as the world scientific community determined that the Freons, including Halons, were contributing to depletion of the stratospheric ozone layer.  To protect the ozone from further depletion, the NFPA 12A standard was modified to minimize emissions of Halon 1301 and provide an orderly transition to non-ozone depleting extinguishing agents.

 

Tom has presided over the NFPA 75 Technical Committee on protection of computers during an era when the nature of computer facilities underwent dramatic change.  The NFPA 75 Standard has recognized and kept current with the changing nature of technology information systems.

And Tom is a long tenured member of NFPA 12 Technical Committee on Carbon Dioxide systems.  His expertise in the safe and effective use of these systems is well respected.    

 

Fire Protection Handbook

 

The 19th Edition of the NFPA Fire Protection Handbook is now in print. Tom served as editor for the chapter covering Carbon Dioxide Fire Extinguishing Systems.

 

National Fire Protection Association homepage

 

Last revised 04/06/12

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