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September 26, 2024
Hazardous materials must be stored in specially designed buildings to ensure the safety of occupants and property. In this comprehensive guide, we explore the ways hazardous materials impact building design and the codes you must follow to ensure safety and compliance.
Designing a building that accommodates hazardous materials involves more than just selecting the right amount of space and layout. It requires a comprehensive understanding of how these materials impact various aspects of building design, from fire and life safety to structural integrity.
Hazardous materials, due to their potentially dangerous properties, introduce unique challenges that must be carefully addressed to ensure both safety and compliance. This expert guide explores how the presence of hazardous materials influences building design. If you already know the basics, feel free to skip to the section that interests you.
What Are the Categories for Hazardous Materials?
When Do Hazardous Materials Create High-Hazard Group H Occupancies?
What Are the Limitations on Building Height and Area?
What Is the Impact on Egress Travel Distances for Group H Occupancies?
How Does Group H Impact a Building’s Fire Protection Systems?
When Is Liquid-Tight Flooring Required in Storage Rooms?
Do Highly Toxic Materials Need to Be Separated?
What Are the Occupancy Separation Requirements?
What Is the Structural Risk Category?
How Can a Fire Protection Engineer Help?
Hazardous materials are substances that pose significant risks to health, safety, and property due to their harmful properties. These materials can be either physical hazards and/or health hazards.
Hazardous materials that are physical hazards encompass a range of hazards due to the material’s flammable, explosive, or reactive characteristics. Hazardous materials that are health hazards are those that have acute or chronic health effects if inhaled, ingested, or contacted through the skin. Therefore, it’s essential to properly handle, store, and dispose of hazardous materials to minimize the risks and ensure safety.
Lithium-ion battery manufacturing is an example of a process that stores and uses various hazardous materials. If these materials aren’t manufactured or handled properly, they can pose fire, explosion, and toxic chemical risks.
The International Building Code (IBC) Section 307 and International Fire Code (IFC) Chapter 50 define the 20 categories for classifying hazardous materials. These include:
The IBC also specifies the maximum allowable quantity (MAQ) of hazardous material permitted per control area. If this quantity is exceeded, the occupancy of this area of the building is classified as part of a specific group to indicate the increased risk. The IBC quantity limitations are provided in Tables 307.1(1) and 307.1(2).
These groups range from High-Hazard Group H-1 to H-5, depending on the type of hazard created by the hazardous materials, such as explosive, flammable, toxic, corrosive, or reactive substances.
The IBC limits building height (Section 504) and area (Section 506) based on the occupancy classification; when hazardous materials exceed the maximum allowable quantities per control area, the occupancy changes to one of the Group H classifications and the allowable heights and areas become more restrictive. The goal is to ensure that buildings containing hazardous materials are designed and constructed with the necessary safety features to protect occupants, emergency responders, and the surrounding community.
Many buildings used for storage or industrial purposes are designed as unlimited area buildings per IBC Section 507. For unlimited area buildings, IBC Section 507.8.1 provides specific restrictions regarding how much of the building’s total floor area can be occupied by Group H occupancies:
Limitations on egress travel distances are crucial for ensuring safe and efficient evacuation in case of an emergency. For Group H occupancies, these distances are more stringent due to the increased risks associated with such materials. IBC Chapter 10 outlines the impact:
Group H occupancies require the following fire protection systems:
Depending on the specific hazards, Group H occupancies may require smoke detection systems and fire alarms to identify fire events and notify occupants and emergency responders quickly. These systems must be highly reliable and often integrated with other fire protection and building systems.
Sprinklers must be designed to handle the specific risks associated with hazardous materials. Depending on the nature of the hazard, specialized systems like foam or in-rack sprinklers may be required.
Spill control is required for hazardous material liquids when large containers are involved. Secondary containment is required to prevent the release of hazardous materials in case of a spill or leak. This involves physical barriers or containment systems designed to capture and control spills as well as fire protection water, ensuring that hazardous materials do not escape into the environment or cause additional hazards during a fire.
An emergency alarm system is essential for Group H occupancies to alert occupants and first responders of a fire or hazardous materials incident. The system must be reliable and provide clear and timely notifications to ensure safe and efficient evacuation.
Continuous ventilation is crucial for Group H occupancies to manage and control hazardous fumes or gases.
Safety systems like ventilation, detection, and alarms impact the building’s backup power requirements, as reliable systems need to remain operational even during power outages. If the system isn’t “fail-safe,” backup power sources must be provided to ensure continuous operation.
IBC Section 415 requires that areas where hazardous materials are stored or handled must have liquid-tight, noncombustible flooring. This type of flooring is designed to prevent hazardous chemicals from seeping into the building’s structure or escaping into the environment. It typically features impervious surfaces that can withstand chemical exposure and prevent leaks from penetrating below the surface.
Yes, highly toxic materials do need to be separated from other hazardous materials. According to IBC Section 415.10.4, if you are dealing with highly toxic substances that have very strict quantity limits, they must be stored separately from other hazardous materials.
This separation must be achieved by storing the highly toxic material in an approved hazardous materials storage cabinet or by separating materials with one-hour fire-resistant barriers.
Occupancy separation requirements are detailed in IBC Table 508.4 and dictate how different occupancies, such as storage, business, or factory uses, should be separated.
When hazardous materials, particularly highly toxic substances, are present in quantities exceeding the allowed limits, there are additional considerations:
The structural risk category, as outlined in IBC Section 1604.5, determines the level of safety required for a building based on the potential risks associated with hazardous materials. Here's how it works:
A fire protection engineer plays a crucial role in ensuring that a building’s design and operations comply with fire safety codes, especially when dealing with hazardous materials. Here are five ways they can help:
A fire protection engineer can assess and classify hazardous materials, determining whether their quantities exceed the code limits and if high hazard occupancy classification is applicable.
They can also prepare the documentation required by the code, including reports on the maximum anticipated quantities of hazardous materials, a Hazardous Materials Management Plan (HMMP), and a Hazardous Materials Inventory Statement (HMIS).
IBC Section 414.1.3 requires a report to be submitted to the building official detailing the maximum anticipated quantities of hazardous materials. This includes materials stored, used in closed systems, and used in open systems. The report must also break down these quantities according to their hazardous material classification categories.
IBC Section 5001.5.1 says that where required by the fire code official, an application for a permit must include an HMMP that entails a facility site plan designing the following:
Similarly, IBC Section 5001.5.2 says that where required by the fire code official, a permit application should include an HMIS, which entails the following information:
Once the hazardous materials are classified, the fire protection engineer can provide guidance on addressing them within the building design. This includes:
The fire protection engineer helps ensure that the building design remains compliant with building and fire codes. They can propose strategies to stay within prescriptive code limits or manage situations where exceeding limits is unavoidable. This includes suggesting alternatives to the building design strategy, such as enhancing structural fire resistance or improving ventilation.
After the building is constructed, the fire protection engineer can assist with maintaining compliance if there are changes in the process or materials used. They can work with environmental health and safety teams to ensure that new materials are correctly classified and stored and used according to building and fire code requirements.
The fire protection engineer can also conduct performance-based assessments to evaluate how changes in material handling or storage might affect safety and code compliance.
Electrical area classification involves categorizing locations within a building based on the presence and likelihood of flammable gases, vapors, or combustible dust. This classification ensures that electrical equipment and installations are suitable for the specific hazards present, thereby minimizing the risk of ignition and potential fires or explosions.
Typically, areas are divided into zones or classes (e.g., Class I for flammable gases, Class II for combustible dust) with further subdivisions based on the frequency and duration of the hazard. A fire protection engineer can conduct thorough evaluations to identify and classify hazardous areas according to the building, fire, and electrical codes.
Designing a building to safely store hazardous materials involves navigating a complex array of regulations and safety considerations. Adhering to the building and fire codes is crucial to ensuring that your building meets legal requirements and provides a safe environment for occupants, emergency responders, and the surrounding community.
Whether you're involved in the initial design phase or managing an existing facility, incorporating these guidelines and considerations will help you effectively address the unique challenges posed by hazardous materials. By doing so, you can ensure that your building remains safe, functional, and compliant with all relevant codes and standards.
Partner with Performance Based Fire for hazardous material services to keep your building design compliant. Our licensed fire protection engineers have the knowledge and tools necessary to accurately assess hazardous material risks, implement effective safety measures, and ensure your building meets all regulatory requirements. Contact us today to get started.
