NFPA 13-2013

STANDARD FOR THE

INSTALLATION
OF SPRINKLERS SYSTEM
LEARNING OBJECTIVE

MODULE
M1: INTRODUCTION AND OVERVIEW
M2: HAZARD CLASSIFICATION/IDENTIFYING THE HAZARD
M3: WATER SUPPLIES
M4: TYPE OF SYSTEM/SYSTEM REQUIREMENTS
M5: DESIGN APPROACHES
M6: DESIGN DELIVERABLES INCLUDING HYDRALAULIC CALX
M7: SYSTEM COMPONENTS AND USAGE
M8: SYSTEM ACCEPTANCE
M9: WRAP UP- SUMMARY MODULE , NO LEARNING OBJECTIVES
SEMINAR GOAL
This seminar will allow you to locate , interpret, and correctly
apply the requirements found within NFPA 13- STANDARD for
the installation of sprinkler systems
ORGANIZATION/NAVIGATION
CHAPTER 1 TO 4: FOUNDATION CHAPTERS (CH3 : DEFINITIONS)
CHAPTER 5: CLASSIFICATION OF OCCUPANCIES AND
COMMODITIES
CHAPTER 6: SYSTEM COMPONENTS AND HARDWARE
CHAPTER 7: SYSTEM REQUIREMENTS
CHAPTER 8: INSTALLATION REQUIREMENTS
CHAPTER 9: HANGING , BRACING AND RESTRAINT OF SYSTEM
PIPING
CHAPTER 10: UNDERGROUND PIPING
CHAPTER 11: DESIGN APPROACHES
CHPATER 12-21: STORAGE
CHAPTER 22: SPECIAL OCCUPANCY REQUIREMENTS
CHAPTER 23: PLANS AND CALCULATIONS
CHAPTER 24: WATER SUPPLIES
CHAPTER 25: SYSTEM ACCEPTANCE
CHAPTER 26: MARINE SYSTEMS
CHAPTER 27: SYSTEM INSPECTION, TESTING AND MAINTENANCE
CHAPTER ORGANIZATION:
• CHAPTER
• SECTION
• SUBSECTION
• PARAGRAPH
• SUBPARAGRAPH
• PARENTHETICALS
• EG: 6.2.9.5 (1)- PAGE 13-29

GO TO CHAPTER 6 : SYSTEM COMPONENTS AND HARDWARE

GO TO SECTION 6.2 : SPRINKLERS
GO TO SUBSECTION 6.2.9: STOCKS OF SPARE SPRINKLERS
GO TO SUBSECTION 6.2.9.5 : GENERAL REQD INFO
GO TO SUBSECTION 6.2.9.5(1): EXACT REQD INFO

LESSON LEARNT:
ITS HARD TO GET INTO THE CODE EQUALLY HARDER TO GET OUT ..
ASSUMPTION
This standard is written with the assumption that the sprinkler
system is designed to protect against a single fire originating
within the building.
EDITORIAL MARKS:
• ASTERISKS *  MORE INFO IN ANNEX ( 3.2.1*= A3.2.1ETC.)

• BRACKETS []  REFERS TO ANOTHER NFPA CODE

• VERTICAL RULES I <- MEANS SOMETHING HAS CHANGED IN

CODE FROM PREVIOUS EDITION

• BULLETS <- MEANS SOMETHING IS DELETED FROM

PREVIOUS EDITIONS

• PAGE 13 1ST PARA IN THE CODE EXPLAINS THE ABOVE

• ALL THE NFPA CODES HAVE PAGE NOS STARTING WITH CODE
NO- PAGE NO.
EVER WONDER WHY ?

YOU NOTICE UNROUNDED NUMBERS MOST OF

THE TIME IN NFPA EG: 154mm FROM WALL 2.4 M
CEILING HEIGT etc. THIS IS BECAUSE NFPA HAS ALL
DISTANCES/PHYSICAL QUANTITIES ROUNDED OFF
IN IP UNITS HENCE SI CONVERSIONS GIVEN ARE
NEVER/MOST OF THE TIME NOT ROUNDED.

ALSO NOT ALL THE TABLES IN THE CODE ARE

ROUNDED OFF IN METRIC. SOME ARE ONLY IN IP
UNITS
OFFICIAL DEFINITONS:
• AHJ: CAN BE THE GOVERNMENT OR THE INSURANCE
COMPANY
• APPROVED: ACCEPTABLE TO AHJ
• LISTED: INCLUDED IN THE LIST PUBLISHED BY AN
ORGANIZATION ACCEPTABEL TO AHJ (EG: FM,UL ETC)
• SHALL: YOU WILL FIND THIS IN CHAPTER 1 TO CHAPTER
27 , IT MEANS ITS MANDATORY
• SHOULD : IT MEANS ITS RECOMMENDED. ANNEX USES
SHOULD ALL THE TIME NOT SHALL

YOU CAN FIND DETAILED DEFINITIONS OF ABOVE IN 3.2.1-

3.2.5
CHAPTER 4: GENERAL
REQUIREMENTS

• 4.1 LEVEL OF PROTECTION -FULLY SPRINKLERED

• 4.2 LIMITED AREA SYSTEMS -PARTIALLY SPRINKLERED
• 4.3 OWNER’S CERTIFICATE-OWNER GIVES THIS ..
• 4.4 ADDITIVES – NOT ALLOWED….
EVER WONDER WHY ?
• NFPA ACCEPTS 6 ATTEMPS TO START A FIRE DIESEL ENGINE DURING
INSPECTION….EVER THOUGHT WHY ?

• ITS SO BECAUSE LOOOONG BACK WHEN THE MANUFACTURES

WERE ASKED HOW MANY STROKES WOULD REQUIRE THE ENGINE TO
START IN A COLD CLIMATE IN ALASKA ….THEY SAID 6 AND HENCE
THE SAME HAS CARRIED ON SINCE THEN .….
FIVE CRITICAL PIECES:

• SELECTION OF HAZARD : BASED ON 1.) OCCUPANCY& 2.) MATERIAL

AND HOW ITS STORED
• WATER SUPPLIES : MOST IMPORTANT PART OF THE SYSTEM
• SYSTEM COMPONENTS AND USAGE
• DESIGN APPROACHES
• INSTALLATION
EVER WONDER WHY ?
• IS THE 1 HOUR FIRE RESERVE WHICH MANY AHJ APPROVE OF THE SAME AS
WHAT NFPA RECCOMENDS?

• NO STRANGE ENOUGH NFPA IS MORE STRINGENT AND REQUIRES 2 HOUR

FIRE WATER SUPPLY BUT THEN AGAIN AHJ IS THE GOVERNING AUTHORITY AS
PER NFPA
MODULE 2:

HAZARD CLASSIFICATION/
IDENTIFYING THE HAZARD
CLASSIFICATION OF OCCUPANCIES
AND COMMODITIES
5.1 CLASSIFICATION OF OCCUPANCIES
5.2 LIGHT HAZARD OCCUPANCIES : SEE APPENDIX A5.2
5.3 ORDINARY HAZARD OCCUPANCIES: SEE APPENDIX A5.3
5.4 EXTRA HAZARD OCCUPANCIES : SEE APPENDIX A5.4
5.5 SPECIAL OCCUPANCY HAZARDS
5.6 COMMODITY CLASSIFICATION
HAZARD OCCUPANCIES
DETERMINED BY:
• RATES OF HEAT RELEASE- LOW TO HIGH I.E LIGHT TO EXTRA HAZARD
• QUANTITY AND/OR COMBUSTIBILTY OF CONTENTS – SOMETIMES LIGHT
HAZARD IS BUMPED UP TO ORDINARY HAZARD FOR FUTURE USE.
• ARRANGEMENT OF BUILDING CONTENTS- FOR EXAMPLE IN AN OFFICE
BUILDING LOTS OF CUBICLES CONFINE LOTS OF PAPER HENCE HAZARD
CAN BE BUMPED UP TO ORDINARY FROM LIGHT HAZARD.

• ADDITIONAL INFO:

• ALWAYS CHECK WITH THE BUILDING OWNER FOR THE FUTURE USE OF THE
BUILDING TO ENSURE APPROPRIATE HAZARD IS SELECTED FOR DESIGN.

• SOMETIMES YOU WILL NOT GET THE TYPE OF BLDG/SPACE IN

CLASSIFICATION SO ALWAYS TAKE THE NEAREST SIMILAR SPACE / STICK TO
THE HIGHER HAZARD.
LIGHT HAZARD:

• SEE APPENDIX 5.2

ORDINARY HAZARD GROUP 1:
NO FLAMMABLE LIQUID
ADDITIONAL INFO:

SHOWROOMS WILL SOON CHANGE TO OH-2 AS MORE AND

MORE CARS ARE PLASTIC NOW

SEE A5.3.1
ORDINARY HAZARD GROUP 2:
SEE A 5.3.2

FOR LOADING BAY OPEN/SEMIOPEN: PUT SPRINKLERS IN SIDEWALL

EXTRA HAZARD GROUP 1:

FLAMMABLE +
LITTLE COMBUSTIBLE
LIQUIDS
EXTRA HAZARD GROUP 2:
SEE A5.4.2
QUESTION TIME :
WHAT IS THE HAZARD CLASSIFICATION OF A RESTAURANT?

THE SEATING AREA IS LIGHT HAZARD AND THE SERVICE AREA IS ORDINARY
HAZARD
HMM….
WHAT IS THE HEIGHT AT WHICH YOU TRANISITION FROM OCCUPANCY
HAZARD CLASSIFICATION TO STORAGE ?

3.7 M : WHEN YOU EXCEED THIS HEIGHT YOURE IN STORAGE/COMMODITY

CLASSIFICATION.
EVER WONDER HOW?
WOULD YOU PROTECT A RENTAL/LEASED MIXED USE SPACE ?

EG:
OFFICE : LH CAR SHOWROOM : OH-
1

MERCANTILE: OH-2 HOTEL: LH

• THE WAY TO PROTECT A CHANGING OCCUPANCY SPACE IS TO TAKE THE

HIGHEST HAZARD OF PRESUMABLE OCCUPANCY IN THE BUILDING.
REMEMBER DISCUSS THE OCCUPANCY WITH THE OWNER PRIOR TO DESIGN.
EVER WONDER IF?

• PORTACABINS WITHIN A WAREHOUSE REQUIRE SPRINKLERS ?

• YES EVEN THOUGH THE WARE HOUSE MIGHT BE COMPLETELY SPRINKLERED

THE PORTACABIN OFFICE WITHIN THE WAREHOUSE SHOULD BE SPRINKLERED
FOR ITS OCCUPANCY.
ACTIVITY: IDENTIFY THE HAZARD

1) A LIBRARY BEING CONTEMPLATED FOR CONSTRUCTION WILL HAVE 0.91 M

~ 3 ft WIDE AISLES AND 2.3 m (7.5 ft) HIGH BOOK SHELVES. THE BOOKS WILL
BE STORED VERTICALLY ON END AND WILL BE HELD IN PLACE BY THE CLOSE
ASSOCIATION OF THE BOOKS.

OCCUPANCY HAZARD ?

CODE REFERENCE ?
ACTIVITY: IDENTIFY THE HAZARD

2) A LARGE DO IT YOURSELF COPY CENTER IS EQUIPPED WITH SEVERAL

DIGITAL PRINTERS, THREE COLOR COPY MACHINES, AND SIX B/W LARGE-
VOLUME, HIGH- SPEED COPY MACHINES. THE CENTER HAS A FAIRLY LARGE
SUPPLY OF COPY PAPER IN REAMS LOCATED IN CARDBOARD BOXES
STACKED TWO HIGH ON FLOOR.

OCCUPANCY HAZARD ?

CODE REFERENCE ?
ACTIVITY: IDENTIFY THE HAZARD

3) A LARGE INTERSTITIAL MECHANICAL SPACE COVERS THE ENTIRE FLOOR

AREA ABOUT HALFWAY UP A MID-RISE( 6 STORY) BUILDING. THE SPACE
CONTAINS TYPICAL MECHANICAL EQUIPMENT SUCH AS THAT NEEDED FOR
VENTILATION, HEATING , COOLING AND THE ASSOCIATED DUCTING.

OCCUPANCY HAZARD ?

CODE REFERENCE ?
ACTIVITY: IDENTIFY THE HAZARD

4) A PRIVATE UNIVERSITY IS DESIGNING A NEW CHEMISTRY LAB CLASSROOM

FOR USE BY INTRODUCTORY LAB ROOM INSTRUCTION AND UTILIZING
TYPICAL CHEMICAL SUBSTANCE. OPEN FLAMES WILL BE PRESENT FROM
BUNSEN BURNERS FED BY NATURAL GAS.

OCCUPANCY HAZARD ?

CODE REFERENCE ?
ACTIVITY: IDENTIFY THE HAZARD

5) A BUILDING IS BEING PLANNED, BUT ITS USE AND TENANTS ARE UNKNOWN
AT THE TIME OF THE DESIGN AND INSTALLATION OF THE SPRINKLER SYSTEM.
THE BUILDING WILL HAVE A SMALL ( 93m2 /1000 ft2 ) OFFICE SPACE WITH A
836 m2 ( 9000 ft2) UNFINISHED AREA WITH AND 5.5 m ( 18 ft) HIGH ROOF
DECK. WHAT OCCUPANCY HAZARD SHOULD BE USED FOR THE WARE
HOUSE AREA ?

OCCUPANCY HAZARD ?

CODE REFERENCE ?
 PUZZLE TIME

• SMOKE KILLS SPRINKLER ACTUATION …HOW WOULD YOU SEQUENCE THE

SMOKE EXHAUST OPERATION TO NOT AFFECT THE SPRINKLERS ??