By Mark Aaby, P.E.
- What is the purpose of NFPA 75, as defined by Section 1.2?
- “Is to provide the minimum requirements for the protection of IT equipment and IT equipment areas from damage by fire or its associated effects—namely, smoke, corrosion, heat, and water.” Users of the standard can expect the document to provide the minimum level of requirements to protect their IT equipment from fire and the effects of fire. Application of the standard is based on risk considerations outlined in Chapter 4.
- What does the first paragraph in Chapter 4 Risk Considerations state?
- 1.1* A fire risk analysis shall be permitted to be used to determine the construction, fire protection, and fire detection requirements for IT equipment, information technology rooms, and IT areas where specifically permitted by Chapters 5 and 8. In past editions of the standard, there were several references to the Chapter 4 risk assessment allowance in various parts of the document. However, in the 2013 edition of the standard, there are only two references to the risk assessment. The first reference is in Section 1.3.1, which states that “a documented risk assessment shall be the basis for implementation of the standard.” The second reference is in Section 8.4.2.1, which states that “the power to all electronic equipment shall be disconnected upon activation of a gaseous agent total flooding system, unless the risk considerations outlined in Chapter 4 indicate the need for continuous power.”
- What is the purpose of the NFPA 75 risk/performance task group?
- The purpose of the NFPA 75 risk/performance task group was to review the standard to further develop the risk elements that should be examined as part of a fire risk assessment. The objective of the group is to identify those elements of the standard that are suitable for a fire risk assessment, and develop parameters for which a fire risk analysis may be applied.
Potential Changes
- What does the most significant public input submitted by the task group involve?
- Revisions to Chapter 4 to enhance the risk consideration criteria, and the addition of a chapter. The proposed new Chapter 5, performance-based design approach, is intended to recognize performance-based practices. Specific performance-based design goals and objectives are provided as part of this proposed new chapter. The performance-based approach permits an alternative means to be used for the elements of the IT equipment, rooms, and equipment areas as permitted in Chapters 5, 8, and 10 (proposed new Chapters 6, 9, and 11).
- What is a concern that has been expressed frequently regarding modifications to NFPA 75, particularly by those who regularly apply the standard?
- Whether there will be concrete prescriptive guidance for conditions necessary to waive prescriptive requirements. To address this valid concern, each task group proposal sought to define the conditions that must exist to waive each prescriptive requirement. For example, there were four task group proposals associated with Chapter 5 Construction Requirements. One such proposal involves Section 5.3.2, which requires drainage beneath a structural or raised floor where an IT equipment system is located. Citing an example of a retrofit project where an IT equipment area may be built within an existing building and providing drainage may not be feasible, the Chapter 5 Work Group found this requirement to be subject to a fire risk assessment.
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