NFPA 1730 Overview: Fire
Prevention and Deployment
Activities
Presented to:
Alberta Industrial Fire Protection Association
Presented by:
Michael Bodnar, M.Eng., P.Eng.
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Overview
› Our Company
› Safety Codes Act and Codes and Standards
› Codes and Standards for Industrial
Occupancies
› The National Fire Protection Association
– History and background of NFPA 1710
and 1720
– Overview of future of NFPA 1730
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Our Company
› Established in Vancouver in 2003
› Two companies in 2005 offering fire consulting services
– Senez Reed Calder Fire Engineering
• Design applications complimented by practical
experience
– Senez Reed Calder Forensic Engineering
• Forensic applications complimented by design theory
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Singapore office opened in 2008
Reorganized as Sereca Fire Consulting Ltd. in 2008 / 2009
Calgary office opened in 2009
Sereca Fire Consulting integrates with Larden Muniak
Consulting in Calgary and Toronto in 2011
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Our Technical Team
› Professional expertise based on:
– Advanced Education
• Masters degrees
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Fire Protection Engineering (10)
Mechanical Engineering
Electrical Engineering
Fluid Dynamics
Mathematics and Statistics
• Engineering degrees
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Chemical
Civil
Electrical
Materials
Mechanical
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Our Technical Team
› Professional expertise based on:
– Industry Experience
• Fire Engineering
• Building and Code Consulting
• Building Design and Construction
• Architectural
• Electrical / Mechanical design
• Regulatory Authority
• Energy
– Oil and Gas
– Hydro
– Mining
• Pulp and Paper
• Heavy Equipment
• Fire Fighting
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Energy and Industrial Services
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Building and fire code compliance
Performance based design
Fire and explosion investigation
Hazard identification and risk analysis
Loss prevention consulting
Fire modeling and egress analysis
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Codes and Standards
› Where do Codes and Standards
come from?
› What do they apply to?
› How do they apply in industry?
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Codes and Standards
› Where do Codes and Standards come
from?
– The Safety Codes Council develops and
recommends codes and standards to the
Minister of Municipal Affairs, including
the Alberta Building Code and the
Alberta Fire Code
– The Safety Codes Council gets it
authority from the Safety Codes Act
– Among other things, the Act applies to
fire protection and to the design,
manufacture, construction, installation,
operation and maintenance of buildings
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What do the Building and Fire Codes Apply To?
› It is expected that all buildings comply with both the Alberta Building Code and
the Alberta Fire Code. What is a building?
› A building means any structure used or intended for supporting or sheltering any
use or occupancy. Occupancy means the use or intended use of a building or part
thereof for the shelter or support of persons, animals, or property
• Includes Industrial Occupancies, which use a building or part thereof for the
assembling, fabricating, manufacturing, processing, repairing, or storing of goods
and materials.
› Seems pretty clear, but…
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In applying the requirements of this Part, it is intended that they be applied with discretion to
buildings of unusual configuration that do not clearly conform to the specific requirements, or to
buildings in which processes are carried out which make compliance with particular requirements in
this Part impracticable. The definition of “building” as it applies to this Code is general and
encompasses most structures, including those which would not normally be considered as buildings in
the layman’s sense. This occurs more often in industrial uses, particularly those involving
manufacturing facilities and equipment that require specialized design that may make it impracticable
to follow the specific requirements of this Part. Steel mills, aluminum plants, refining, power
generation and liquid storage facilities are examples. A water tank or an oil refinery, for example, has
no floor area, so it is obvious that requirements for exits from floor areas would not apply.
Requirements for structural fire protection in large steel mills and pulp and paper mills, particularly in
certain portions, may not be practicable to achieve in terms of the construction normally used and the
operations for which the space is to be used. In other portions of the same building, however, it may
be quite reasonable to require that the provisions of this Part be applied (e.g., the office portions).
Similarly, areas of industrial occupancy which may be occupied only periodically by service staff, such
as equipment penthouses, normally would not need to have the same type of exit facility as floor
areas occupied on a continuing basis. It is expected that judgment will be exercised in evaluating the
application of a requirement in those cases when extenuating circumstances require special
consideration, provided the occupants’ safety is not endangered. The provisions of this Part for fire
protection features installed in buildings are intended to provide a minimum acceptable level of public
safety. It is intended that all fire protection features of a building, whether required or not, will be
designed in conformance with good fire protection engineering practice and will meet the appropriate
installation requirements in relevant standards. Good design is necessary to ensure that the level of
public safety established by the Code requirements will not be reduced by a voluntary installation.
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Codes and Standards for Industrial
Occupancies
› If the Alberta Building Code doesn’t apply, what does?
– ABC does apply, and should be the starting point
– ABC also adopts by reference several documents that may be applicable
• API / ANSI / ASHRAE / ASTM / CGSB / CSA / NFPA / ULC / etc.
– Industry has also created a variety of codes and standards which are
designed to address certain hazardous areas within a facility, address
hazardous processes, and assist in other aspects of fire and life safety
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Codes and Standards
› There are still many, many,
many “industrial uses…that
require specialized design
that may make it
impracticable to follow the
specific requirements of this
Part“
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National Fire Protection Association
› NFPA’s mission is to reduce the worldwide burden of fire
and other hazards on the quality of life by providing
advocating consensus codes and standards, research,
training, and education.
› As mentioned, several codes and standards are adopted by
reference in the ABC and AFC.
– Including several NFPA documents
• 10, 11, 12, 12A, 13, 13D, 13R, 14, 15, 16, 17, 17A, 18, 20,
25, 30, 30B, 32, 33, 34, 37, 51, 68, 69, 72, 80, 80A, 82,
86, 91, 96, 101, 211, 214, 505, 664, 705, 750, 1142, 2001
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National Fire Protection Association
› NFPA Technical Committees produce one of four types of
documents:
– Codes and Standards
• Main text shall consist of all mandatory requirements
• All nonmandatory text shall appear in an Annex
– Recommended Practices
• Main text shall consist of recommendations and directly
supporting text
• All other informational text shall appear in an Annex
– Guides
• Guides shall be permitted to mix recommendations and
explanatory material in the body of the main text
– Performance-Based Documents
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What about NFPA 1710, 1720, & 1730?
› NFPA 1710 and 1720 are the Standard for the Organization and
Deployment of Fire Suppression Operations, Emergency
Medical Operations, and Special Operations to the Public by
Career and Volunteer Fire Departments, respectively.
– 1710 and 1720 attempt to define levels of service,
deployment capabilities, and staffing levels for career and
volunteer departments
› Arose out of the need to better substantiate and justify funding
levels
› NFPA 1730 will do the same for fire prevention activities
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NFPA 1730
› Current working title is:
– Standard on the Organization
and Deployment of Code
Enforcement, Plan Review, Fire
Investigation, and Public
Education Operations for the
Public
› Task Groups have been formed
for each category. Final product
will address staffing levels and
levels of service
› 1730 also arose from the need to
better substantiate and justify
funding levels
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Speaking of Provincial Fire Legislation in
Alberta…
› Where do 1710, 1720, 1730 (and others) fit?
– The short answer is – they don’t.
› Once again, it differs from province to province
– Some have legislation for provisions/requirements for Fire
Departments
• Fire Department Act – BC
• Fire Departments Platoon Act – SK
› There are no provisions in the Safety Codes Act in Alberta for
Fire Fighters or Fire Departments
– There are provisions that allow for certification
requirements relating to anything to which the Act applies
– BC has committed to following the training standards of
NFPA
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Speaking of Provincial Fire Legislation…
› Q: Why aren’t these Codes and Standards adopted through
legislation?
– A1: Liability (responsible for meeting obligations of the document)
– A2: The documents may be very applicable to many situations, less
applicable to some, and not applicable at all to others
› Q: Does it matter if these documents don’t have the force of law?
– A1: Yes
• See Calgary Fire Department
– A2: No
• May soon have the force of an insurance requirement (e.g. roofers)
– A3: No
• NFPA Codes, Standards, and Guides are consensus documents
developed by industry experts, in other words…
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Speaking of Provincial Fire Legislation…
› Anyone required to provide emergency services (government,
industrial, municipal, etc.) should have a very well substantiated
reason if they choose NOT to follow recognized industry Codes
and Standards, even if they are not enacted legislatively
› Why?
– Liability
• E.g. Ontario
• E.g. NFPA 921 (a Guide)
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Summary
› The Province of Alberta expects that all buildings for all occupancies
comply with the its Codes and Standards.
› ABC and AFC developed by the SCC under the authority of the SCA
– Various third party documents adopted by reference in the ABC / AFC
› Various other third party documents do not have the force of law,
but probably should have (e.g. 1710, 1720, 1730)
– While not adopted legislatively, ignore these documents at your peril!
– Even if not “breaking the law”, may still be liable
› What does the future hold?
– Amend / update the SCA, or develop new legislation for fire fighters
and fire departments
– For industry, insurance requirements may make the legislation
discussion moot
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Questions?
Thank you for your time.
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