Mr. Ben As per 2016 edition of NFP13, clause 8.15.2/8.15.3 can be refered, which calls for Vertical shafts/Stairways and defines the sprinkler requirement for combustible / non-combustible /limited combustible shafts and further 8.15.3.1 states "Combustible Construction. Sprinklers shall be installed beneath all stairways of combustible construction." and 8.15.3.2.2, calls for sprinkler protection " Where noncombustible stair shafts are divided by walls or doors, sprinklers shall be provided on each side of the separation."
On Fri, Sep 21, 2018 at 5:03 PM Ben Young <[email protected]> wrote: > I'm curious to see how the rest of the people on the forum handle > protection at the top of the stair shaft, as we have an internal debate in > our office. > > The 2007 edition of the NFPA 13 handbook has an exhibit, 8.29, which is on > page 334, and is involved with 8.15.3.2.1 in the 2007 edition. > > If you're not familiar with the picture, I'll see if I can get a scan, but > its basically a cross section of a stair tower, and has two circled letters > on it: B under the lowest intermediate landing, and A above the top main > floor landing. > > Basically this Exhibit and the explanatory handbook text after 8.15.3.2.1 > implies that the head at the top of a non-combustible stair shaft is only > to protect the top floor landing, and NOT the entire footprint of the stair > tower itself. > > So under this code, the interpretation was that you could protect a 24x10 > foot large stair tower with only two standard spray heads. > > Does anyone else feel this is appropriate? Or how do you feel about the > code/handbook change and the nuance behind this situation. > > I will start with the discussion by saying that I see the appeal of only > installing the one head over the top floor landing as installing another > head at the top over the intermediate landings can often be difficult to do > off ladders, especially if its a very tall stair tower. > > I also can also understand that from an AHJ perspective, 'sprinklers > installed at the top of the shaft' in the code language would be > conservatively read as the ENTIRE top. > > What are your thoughts? > > Thanks, > Ben Young > _______________________________________________ > Sprinklerforum mailing list > [email protected] > > http://lists.firesprinkler.org/listinfo.cgi/sprinklerforum-firesprinkler.org >
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