Hazardous Materials –
North Carolina Fire Code
BEST Conference - 2005
Presenter
Charlie Johnson
Wake County Public Safety
Fire/Rescue Division
(919) 856-5519
cejohnson@co.wake.nc.us
Objectives
Describe how hazardous materials are
regulated by building and fire codes.
 List the permit requirements for
hazardous materials.
 Describe the control area concept of
hazardous materials management.
 Describe the general code requirements
for storage, dispensing and use of
hazardous materials

North Carolina Fire Code

Development process began in 1997 by
three model code groups
– SBCCI
– ICBO
– BOCA
Model codes updated to more
consistently regulate hazardous materials
Hazardous Materials - Defined

Those chemicals or substances which
are physical hazards or health hazards
as defined and classified in Chapter 27,
whether the materials are in usable or
waste condition
Physical Hazards
1. Explosives and blasting agents.
2. Flammable and combustible liquids.
3. Flammable solids and gases.
4. Organic peroxide materials.
5. Oxidizer materials.
6. Pyrophoric materials.
7. Unstable (reactive) materials.
8. Water-reactive solids and liquids.
9. Cryogenic fluids.
Health Hazards
1. Highly toxic and toxic materials.
2. Corrosive materials.
Resources to help classify?
North Carolina Fire Code - Appendix E
 Hazardous Materials Classification Guide
 HMEx Assistant
 MSDS
 Manufacturer

Permits

105.7.6 Mandatory permit.
A construction permit is required to
install, repair damage to, abandon,
remove, place temporarily out of
service, or close or substantially modify
a storage facility or other area regulated
by Chapter 27 when the hazardous
materials in use or storage exceed the
amounts listed in Table 105.6.21.
Permits

EXCEPTIONS:
– 1. Routine maintenance
– 2. For emergency repair work performed
on an emergency basis, application for
permit shall be made within two working
days of commencement of work.
Permits

105.6.21 Optional Permit.
An operational permit may be required
to store, transport on site, dispense, use
or handle hazardous materials in
excess of the amounts listed in Table
105.6.21.
– May be required in some jurisdictions by
local ordinance
HMMP

Where required by the code official, each
application for a permit shall include a
Hazardous Materials Management Plan
(HMMP). The HMMP shall include a facility
site plan designating the following:
– 1. Storage and use areas.
– 2. Maximum amount of each material stored or
used in each area.
– 3. Range of container sizes.
– 4. Locations of emergency isolation and mitigation
valves and devices.
HMMP cont.
– 5. Product conveying piping containing liquids or
gases, other than utility-owned fuel gas lines and
low-pressure fuel gas lines.
– 6. On and off positions of valves for valves that
are of the self-indicating type.
– 7. Storage plan showing the intended storage
arrangement, including the location and
dimensions of aisles.
– 8. The location and type of emergency
equipment.
• The plans shall be legible and drawn approximately to
scale. Separate distribution systems are allowed to be
shown on separate pages.
HMIS

Where required by the code official, an
application for a permit shall include a HMIS,
such as SARA Title III, Tier II Report, or other
approved statement. The HMIS shall include
the following information:
– 1. Manufacturer's name.
– 2. Chemical name, trade names, hazardous
ingredients.
– 3. Hazard classification.
HMIS cont.
– 4. MSDS or equivalent.
– 5. United Nations (UN), North America (NA) or the
Chemical Abstract Service (CAS) identification
number.
– 6. Maximum quantity stored or used on-site at one
time.
– 7. Storage conditions related to the storage type,
temperature and pressure.
Hazardous Occupancies

Hazardous Group H occupancy
includes, among others, the use of a
building or structure, or a portion
thereof, that involves the manufacturing,
processing, generation or storage of
materials that constitute a physical or
health hazard…………… in quantities in
excess of those found in Tables
307.7(1) and 307.7(2) of the North
Carolina Building Code.
Hazardous Occupancies

Physical hazards
– Table 307.7(1)

Health hazards
– Table 307.7(2)
Hazardous Occupancies

Stricter code requirements for Group H
occupancies
– Building height and area restrictions
– Separation requirements
– Increased fire protection
– Ventilation
– Other special features
Hazardous Occupancies
H-1
H-2
H-3
H-4
H-5
Detonation hazard
Deflagration hazard
Physical hazard
Health hazard
HPM facility (semiconductor fabrication)
Refer to table 307.7(1) to determine group
Hazardous Occupancies

Maximum allowable quantities per
control area (MAQPCA)
– “exempt amount”
– storage or use?

Same tables are listed in Chapter 27 of
the North Carolina Fire Code
Control Area?

Spaces within a building which are
enclosed and bounded by exterior walls,
fire walls, fire barriers and roofs, or a
combination thereof, where quantities
of hazardous materials not exceeding
the maximum allowable quantities per
control area are stored, dispensed, used
or handled.
Control area
concept
Chapter 27 – Hazardous
Materials
2701/2703 – general requirements for
all hazardous materials regardless of
amount
 2704 – special requirements for storage
if above MAQPCA
 2705 – special requirements for use if
above MAQPCA

Quantities < MAQPCA

2703.1.3 The storage, use and
handling of hazardous materials in
amounts not exceeding the maximum
allowable quantity per control area
shall be in accordance with Sections
2701 and 2703.
– General requirements
General Requirements

Systems, equipment, and processes
– Approved containers
– Piping, valves, fittings
– Listed equipment
– Installation of tanks
• Liquid-level limit control for tanks > 500 gallons
– Maintenance
– Seismic bracing for equipment
General Requirements

Release of hazardous materials
– Unauthorized discharge must be reported
MSDS readily available
 NFPA 704 placards

– If quantity requires a permit
NFPA 704
General Requirements

Control of ignition sources
– Smoking, open flames, industrial trucks

Construction requirements
– Buildings
– Control areas
– Gas rooms
– Exhausted enclosures
– Gas cabinets
– Haz-mat storage cabinets
General Requirements

General safety precautions
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
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Personnel training/procedures
Fire department liaison
Security
Vehicle impact protection
Electrical wiring approved
Static accumulation (flammable mixture)
Light/shock sensitive materials
Separation of incompatible materials
Shelf storage
General Requirements

Handling & transportation
– Valve protection for gas cylinders
– Toxic/highly toxic compressed gas - must
have outlets capped or plugged
– Approved carts/trucks required to transport
• > 5 gallons in corridor or exit enclosure
• Material with NFPA 704 rating of 3 or 4
Quantities > MAQPCA

2703.1.4 The storage and use of
hazardous materials exceeding the
maximum allowable quantity per control
area shall be in accordance with this
chapter.
– 2701/2703 – general requirements
– 2704 - storage
– 2705 - use
Storage

Spill control
– Individual vessels > 55 gallons
– Aggregate of multiple vessels > 1000
gallons

Secondary containment
– Same as above for liquids
– 550/10,000 lbs.for solids
Storage

Ventilation
– 1 cfm per square foot of floor area

Separation of incompatible materials
– 3 options
• 20 ft distance
• Noncombustible partition
• Cabinet or exhausted enclosure
Storage

Fire protection
– Minimum sprinkler design – Ordinary
Hazard Group 2, design area 3,000 square
feet

Explosion control
– As required by Table 911.1 (Fire Code)
Storage

Standby/emergency power
– Ventilation systems
– Treatment systems
– Temperature control
– Alarm/detection equipment

Limit controls
– Temperature/pressure
Storage
Manual fire alarm system
 Electrical supervision for all fire
protection systems
 Noncombustible floors
 Outdoor control areas

– Weather protection
– Clearance from vegetation
Dispensing & Use

Separation of incompatible materials
– 3 options
• 20 ft distance
• Noncombustible partition
• Cabinet or exhausted enclosure

Noncombustible floors
– Also must be liquid-tight for dispensing/use
in open systems
Dispensing & Use

Spill control
– Dispensed into vessels > 1.3 gallons
– Open system use > 5.3 gallons
– Closed system use > 55 gallons
Dispensing & Use

Secondary containment
– Open systems
• Individual vessel > 1.3 gallons
• Multiple vessels > 5.3 gallons
– Closed systems
• Individual vessel > 55 gallons
• Multiple vessels > 1,000 gallons
Dispensing & Use

Limit controls
– High-liquid-level for open containers
– Low-liquid-level
– Temperature
– Pressure
Dispensing & Use

Standby/emergency power
– Ventilation systems
– Treatment systems
– Temperature control
– Alarm/detection equipment
Electrical supervision for all fire
protection systems
 Adequate lighting must be provided

Dispensing & Use

Fire protection
– Minimum sprinkler design – Ordinary
Hazard Group 2, design area 3,000 square
feet

Ventilation
– 1 cfm per square foot of floor area

Explosion control
– As required by Table 911.1 (Fire Code)
Dispensing & Use

Liquid transfer of material with NFPA
704 rating of 3 or 4
– Safety cans
– Closed piping system
– Suction pump on top of container
– Gravity through automatic-closing or selfclosing valve w/ spill control and secondary
containment provided
– Approved engineered systems
Hazardous Materials

Chapters 28-44 contain additional materialspecific requirements for all physical and
health hazard materials
–
–
–
–
–
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Flammable/combustible liquids
Cryogenic fluids
Corrosive materials
Compressed gases
Toxic materials
Oxidizers
Flammable
Liquid Cabinets

120 gallons maximum per cabinet
– Not more than 60 gallons being
Class I or II

Maximum 3 cabinets in single fire
area
– Factory/Industrial can exceed this
limit with 100 ft. separation between
groups of 3
Questions
Need to purchase code?
NC Department of Insurance
322 Chapanoke Road
Suite 200
Raleigh, NC 27603
(919) 661-5880
www.ncdoi.com