Industrial Occupancies

DEFINED AS FACILITY USED FOR MANUFACTURE, ASSEMBLY, SERVICE, REPAIR, TREATMENT, OR OTHER PROCESSING OF GOODS BY VARIOUS OPERATIONS.  THERE ARE MANY DIFFERING TYPES OF INDUSTRIAL OCCUPANCIES.

POTENTIAL FOR LOSS OF LIFE FROM FIRE IS DIRECTLY RELATED TO FIRE HAZARD RISK OF THE INDUSTRIAL OCCUPANCY.  NFPA RECORDS SHOW MOST MULTIPLE DEATH FIRES OCCUR AS A RESULT OF:

• (1) FLASH FIRES OR
• (2) EXPLOSIONS.

LIFE SAFETY HAZARD IS DETERMINED FROM TYPE OF CONTENTS OF THE BUILDING.  LIFE SAFETY HAZARD IS BASED ON BURNING CHARACTERISTICS OF THE TYPE OF CONTENTS - NOT THE QUANTITY OF MATERIAL OR TYPE OF CONSTRUCTION.

THREE NFPA 101 CLASSIFICATIONS FOR TYPES OF USAGE:

1. GENERAL - ORDINARY AND LOW HAZARD MANUFACTURING OPERATIONS IN CONVENTIONAL BUILDING SUITABLE FOR VARIOUS TYPES OF MANUFACTURING OPERATIONS (METAL FABRICATION, AUTO ASSEMBLY, TEXTILE MILL).
2. SPECIAL PURPOSE - ORDINARY AND LOW HAZARD MANUFACTURING OPERATIONS IN BUILDING DESIGNED FOR ONLY PARTICULAR TYPE OPERATION (HEAT TREATING).  TYPICALLY LOW DENSITY MATERIAL, WITH MUCH AREA OCCUPIED BY MACHINERY.
3. HIGH HAZARD - BUILDINGS WITH HIGH HAZARD MATERIALS, PROCESSES, OR CONTENTS (FLOUR MILL).

TYPICAL PROBLEMS INCLUDE OVERCROWDING, POOR HOUSEKEEPING, INADEQUATE EXIT FACILITIES, BLOCKED EXITS, MISUSE OF FLAMMABLE LIQUIDS.

• CODE ENFORCEMENT MUST BE RIGID, WITH EMPHASIS ON FIRESAFETY EDUCATION AND PRE-INCIDENT PLANNING.

SAFETY PRECAUTIONS

EVERY WORKER MUST HAVE ACCESS TO AT LEAST 2 EXITS.  THE PATH OF TRAVEL MUST BE CLEAR, ILLUMINATED, UNOBSTRUCTED, AND AS DIRECT AS POSSIBLE.

EMERGENCY LIGHTING IS REQUIRED IN ALL FACILITIES (EXCEPT THOSE ONLY OCCUPIED DURING THE DAY).

           
INDEX Occupancies

FPT 102 - Fire Prevention and Inspection // Instructor: Kevin M. Kolb        Slide #9