Fire Prevention Building Codes for Bathroom Partitions
The International Code Council (ICC) develops model codes and standards “used in the design, build and
compliance process to construct safe, sustainable, affordable and resilient structures.”1 The
International Building Code (IBC) is published by the ICC and provides minimum safeguards for building
safety and fire prevention of new and existing buildings and structures. Fifty states and the District of
Columbia have adopted an edition of the IBC at the state or jurisdictional level. Click here for a current
list of International Code adoption by state. The following article discusses the 2012 code as it applies to
bathroom partitions.
According to the IBC, bathroom partitions are considered interior finish. “Fixed or movable walls and
partitions, paneling, wall pads and crash pads, applied structurally or for decoration, acoustical
correction, surface insulation or other purposes, shall be considered interior finish if they cover 10
percent or more of the wall or of the ceiling area.”2 As such, the performance requirements for
controlling fire growth within buildings are contained in Chapter 8 of the IBC, Interior Finishes.
There are two standards used to measure the fire performance of interior finishes as listed in Section
803, Wall and Ceiling Finishes. The first is ASTM E 84 or UL 723 that tests the surface burning
characteristics of building materials. Materials are classified, based on their flame spread and smoke
development indexes, as follows:
Classification
Class A
Class B
Class C
Flame Spread Index
0-25
26-75
76-200
Smoke Development Index
0-450
0-450
0-450
The other standard is a room corner test, performed in accordance with NFPA 286 Standard Methods of
Fire Tests for Evaluating Contribution of Wall and Ceiling Interior Finish to Room Fire Growth. The
acceptance criteria for NFPA 286 are as follows:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
During the 40 kW exposure, flames shall not spread to the ceiling.
The flame shall not spread to the outer extremity of the sample on any wall or ceiling.
Flashover, as defined in NFPA 286, shall not occur.
The peak heat release rate throughout the test shall not exceed 800 kW.
The total smoke released throughout the test shall not exceed 1,000 m2.
Other sections of the IBC list additional requirements and exceptions. For example, Section 803.9 of the
2012 IBC states that any interior finish materials that are tested in accordance with and meet the
Fire Prevention Building Codes for Bathroom Partitions
acceptance criteria of NFPA 286 are permitted to be used where a Class A classification under ASTM E 84
is required. Section 803.12 of the 2012 IBC says interior finishes made from high-density polyethylene
or polypropylene shall comply with NFPA 286 acceptance criteria. Finally, section 803.1.1 of the 2012
IBC indicates that materials tested in accordance with NFPA 286 are not required to be tested in
accordance with ASTM E 84.
Scranton Products fire rated bathroom partitions are tested in accordance with
and meet the acceptance criteria of NFPA 286.
Copies of test reports from an accredited laboratory are available upon request.
Summary
Scranton Products fire rated bathroom partitions meet the acceptance criteria of NFPA 286. They can
be used in applications where a Class A classification under ASTM E 84 is required. Materials tested in
accordance with NFPA 286 are not required to be tested in accordance with ASTM E84. Therefore,
Scranton Products does not supply flame spread and smoke development indexes for fire rated
bathroom partitions. Copies of full test reports from an accredited laboratory showing NFPA 286 test
results are available upon request.
Sources:
1
International Code Council Website, accessed 09/25/2013 http://www.iccsafe.org/ABOUTICC/Pages/default.aspx
2
2012 International Building Code, International Code Council, Inc. Published May 2011
BP-03 Rev. 09252013