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1. 25 tips for good indoor air quality;
2. Partnership to improve fire code seminars;
3. Use of Fire Dampers Under the Commercial Building Code;
4. PO Box 7969, R.I.P;
5. Fire code comparisons available;
6. Hazmat remote shutoff safety rule is coming;
7. Clyde Bryant retired;
8. In Wisconsin the relationship between pull stations and exits is complicated;
9. Certified Cities
1. 25 tips for good indoor air quality
We hear about bad indoor air quality. When there are complaints, there is help for private sector building owners and occupants from area staff of OSHA, the federal Occupational Safety and Health Administration. When the complaint involves a public sector building, one owned by some form of "government," the Safety and Buildings Division Occupational Safety Inspectors and Industrial Hygienists offer consultation and enforcement. Let hear about good indoor air quality. S&B Industrial Hygienist Richard Brandt, based in Waukesha, used his decades of experience and a foot-high stack of reading material to develop a list of tips for good indoor air quality. Brandt retired in February of this year. You will notice that some of the tips go beyond what is required by the HVAC code, Comm 64. Keep in mind Comm 64 was developed as a minimum standard. Designers may choose to do more than the code requires to achieve a level of indoor quality higher than the minimum. If you would like to discuss any of the tips, you can contact Randy Dahmen, 608-266-3162, rdahmen@commerce.state.wi.us. Good air results from... 25 tips for good indoor air quality
by Richard Brandt, former Safety and Buildings Division Industrial Hygienist 1. Outside air intakes should be far above ground level, preferably at rooftop height. 2. Air intakes should be 25 feet or more away from the nearest exhaust outlet. (Comm 64.19 requires a minimum of ten feet.) 3. Air intakes should be protected from rain or snow, be 20 feet from standing water, and be 20 feet from a water cooling tower. 4. Air intakes should be always open during times people are in the building, and a building representative should understand the HVAC system and be able to readily determine that intakes are open. 5. There should be at least 15 cubic feet of outside air per minute (cfm) per person entering through an air intake. (Comm 64.05 requires a minimum of 7.5.) 6. Air filters should be 50-70 percent efficient, located upstream from heating components, and be changed upon reaching the pressure differential recommended by the manufacturer. 7. If smoking is permitted in a designated room, the air from that room should be exhausted directly to the outside of the building. 8. Cooling coils and drip pans should be easily accessible for inspection and cleaning. 9. Drip pans should be slanted towards a drain and the drainage tubes be flush with the lowest area of the pans. 10. Tubes draining water from the pan should have a U-shaped vertical bend with two inches of water column greater than the static pressure of the system at that point. 11. Air velocity through cooling systems should be less than 500 linear feet per minute. 12. The water system temperatures should be greater than 140 degrees F (heating) or less than 42 degrees F (cooling). 13. Relative humidity should be between 20-40 percent, and never above 50 percent. 14. The only system of humidification should be live, untreated steam. 15. Air should be continuously distributed to all occupied areas at the rate of six air changes per hour. (Comm 64.06(2)(b) allows less than six air changes if properly sized mechanical cooling is installed.) 16. There should be adequate numbers of air supply, return, and exhaust outlets or grilles provided, and they should be properly located to ensure a uniform distribution of air. 17. Toilet room exhaust should be ducted directly to the outside of the building at the rate of 75 cfm per fixture (water closets and urinals). 18. There should be nearly an equal volume of air exhausted from the building compared to air intake, providing a slight positive pressure (.02-.03 inch water gauge). 19. Loading docks should have a positive air pressure relative to the outdoors, when vehicles dock outside of the building.. 20. Entrances to underground parking shouldhave a positive pressure relative to the garage. 21. Ceiling tiles, ceiling materials, and carpeting should not contain water stains, which indicates mold. 22. If water leakage occurs, absorptive materials (carpets, upholstery) should be dried within 12 hours to prevent mold. 23. Crawl spaces under floors should be dry and clean. 24. The carbon dioxide concentration in occupied areas should be between 800-1000 parts per million parts of air. 25. Woodworking, automotive, metal working, science, and arts and crafts activities should be provided with local exhaust ventilation, and activity areas should have a negative pressure relative to other occupancies in the building.
2. Partnership to improve fire code seminars
by Dan Graham, Director, Safety and Buildings Division Bureau of Field Services, 608-266-0056, dgraham@commerce.state.wi.us
In an effort to improve the delivery of fire code information, S&B will begin working in a combined effort with the Wisconsin Fire Inspectors Association to organize strengthened fire code training seminars. WFIA President Eugene Reece Jr. stated in a recent message, "It is the intent of the WFIA to help the Department of Commerce present education opportunities for fire inspectors. In some areas of the state, this may be able to be accomplished by utilizing larger areas beyond county lines and in cooperation with WFIA Area Chairs. I have asked Gary Puljus, chairman of our Advisory Committee for Commerce Education, to contact you to discuss the format and possibilities for training opportunities." Reece also expressed the need to work with other fire service organizations. Some of the suggestions S&B or the WFIA have received for improving training include:
• Post dates, times, and locations the seminars on the Internet;
• Send more information directly to the fire departments;
• Do not make changes in locations, times, or dates without notice to all fire departments;
• Find alternatives to deal with the difficult logistics of so many local fire department hosts;
• Find some way to lessen training interruptions due to local fire department emergency calls;
• Balance times and dates for paid or volunteer fire departments. The partnership with the WFIA should help with problems of timing of seminars. Reece expressed it this way, "As I told members of the WFIA, I am a promoter of education and educational opportunities. I have had concerns in the past about notification or lack thereof, and the format of the county seminars, and that was my reason to approach you (S&B) in the position as a co-sponsor." Problems had occurred when seminars were cancelled or moved due to local needs. Historically, S&B had not extensively publicized dates and locations of local code seminars due to the difficulty in scheduling dates and locations with many varied local level organizations. The WFIA/S&B partnership hopefully can lead to more intensive training seminars for people in a wider area. In an effort to move towards seminars that provide more in-depth information, the number of seminars can be reduced and the level of information given will be expanded. Future seminars will probably last eight hours, and cover more aspects of the codes, rather than have county level seminars hosted by a local fire department on a weekday or weekday evening which have been meant to provide brief overviews of changes to the codes.
3. Use of Fire Dampers Under the Commercial Building Code by Randy Dahmen, Safety and Buildings Division HVAC Consultant, and Tom Kasper, Bureau of Integrated Services Section Chief
As of April 1, 2000, requirements for fire dampers are no longer in Comm 64, Heating, Ventilating, and Air Conditioning. Comm 64.42, Fire Dampers and Ceiling Dampers, was removed from the code. The requirements for the topic area are now located in Comm 51.0485, Fire Dampers, Smoke Dampers and Ceiling Dampers. Comm 51.0485 directs users to NFPA 90A-1999 for the details on fire damper installations. Both the building code and the NFPA standard must be reviewed when determining the need for fire dampers. Fire dampers are rated as either 1.5 or 3 hours. Dampers rated as 1.5 hours may be used in assemblies or in lieu of a shaft of up to a two-hour rating. Three-hour rated dampers are required in assemblies or in lieu of shafts of over a two-hour rating. Where a fire damper is installed, firestopping is not required. Walls
In general, fire dampers are required when ducts penetrate fire-rated assemblies. Per Comm 51.049(1)(d), fire dampers or firestopping would not be required in those walls that are rated for class of construction purposes only and do not provide separation between parts of the building. However, in membrane construction the framing members must be properly protected with blocking, wrapping gypsum board membrane through the opening, or using a firestop system. Per NFPA 90A 3-3.1.1-1999, when penetrating walls that have less than a two-hour fire-resistive rating, NFPA 90A does not require six feet of sheet metal to eliminate the damper, it only requires that the duct be a part of the ducted ventilation system. Per NFPA 90A, 3-3.1.2, approved fire dampers are required in all air transfer openings in walls that are required to have a fire resistance rating and in which other openings are required to be protected. No amount of ductwork can be added to either side of a partition penetration to eliminate the fire damper when the penetration is being used for the transfer of air. Comm 51.049(2) requires that the annular space around the metal duct must be properly firestopped when fire dampers are omitted in one-hour walls. Comm 64.34 prohibits non-metallic ducts from penetrating rated assemblies. Comm 64.35(1)(d) prohibits any "duct connectors" from penetrating rated assemblies. Therefore, only metallic flexible ducts may penetrate rated walls. These penetrations would require a fire damper, except in less than two-hour walls, as discussed in the NFPA 90A paragraphs above. Again, a proper firestop must be used if the fire damper is omitted. Floor/Ceilings
Comm 51.02(11) generally prohibits openings between floors, including unrated floors. This includes ducts that penetrate floors. A shaft or listed duct wrap assembly rated per line 20 of Table 51.03-A, or optionally a fire damper in certain cases, would be required in a duct that connects floors. There are certain exceptions in Comm 51.02(11) and other occupancy chapter sections to the prohibition of openings between floors. If an exception allows openings between floors, such as for an open mezzanine, then a duct may penetrate the floor without a fire damper or firestopping, even if the floor is fire rated for class of construction purposes. However, in membrane construction, the framing members must be properly protected with blocking, wrapping gypsum board membrane through the opening, or using a firestop system. NFPA 90A section 3-3.2 limits the use of fire dampers in lieu of a rated shaft to ducts that vertically penetrate one floor/ceiling or a floor/ceiling and a roof/ceiling, rather than the multiple floor levels permitted by the previous Wisconsin code. Note that branch ducts off of this vertical duct do not require fire dampers. Ducts that penetrate multiple floors shall be contained in shaft enclosures rated per Table 51.03-A. Note that any penetrations of rated shaft walls are considered vertical penetrations and shall be protected with fire dampers - the exceptions for the use of ducts in one-hour walls do not apply here. A fire damper may be used at the base of a rated shaft for termination purposes. NFPA 90A section 3-3.4.4 for exhaust ducts allows the substitution of fire dampers with subducts, which are sections of steel duct that continue into the shaft and turn upwards a minimum of 22 inches. Comm 66.32(5)(c)1, for multifamily dwellings, permits the substitution of a rated damper in a penetration of a non-hourly rated living unit separation ceiling with a minimum of six feet of continuous steel ductwork toward the air handling unit. This includes a bathroom exhaust fan box, if steel. This exception does not apply to other occupancies such as hotels or to rated assemblies of one or more hours. This section also allows penetrations of less than 20 square inches without a fire damper in a living unit separation ceiling. For either exception, proper firestopping is required.
4. PO Box 7969, R.I.P
The Safety and Buildings Division no longer has PO Box 7969 in Madison. The division discontinued most use of the postal box in the 1997 organizational move from what at the time was the Department of Industry, Labor, and Human Relations to the new Department of Commerce. Now the division has closed its use of the box. Mailing addresses in the Madison office are specific to the individual programs. If you have a mailing address question, you may contact any of the S&B offices, http://www.commerce.state.wi.us/SB/SB-Offices2001.html
5. Fire code comparisons available
Fire code comparisons are available on the Safety and Buildings Division WebSite, http://www.commerce.state.wi.us/SB/SB-HomePage.html. Paper copies can be obtained from Roberta Ward, 608-266-8741, rward@commerce.state.wi.us. The documents are comparisons of fire-safety related topics as dealt with in the International Fire Code (IFC), sections of Wisconsin's current buildings administrative codes, and, NFPA 1, the National Fire Protection Associaition Fire Prevention Code,. The comparisons were done as part of research and evaluation in consideration of adopting model codes in Wisconsin. These topical comparisons indicate the thresholds for when fire sprinkler systems and fire alarm systems are required by the code.
6. Hazmat remote shutoff safety rule is coming
As of July 1, 2001, any new cargo tank vehicles in the U.S. which fall within the scope of a federal Department of Transportation rule must be equipped with an off-truck remote shutoff system. Because existing vehicles must be pressure-tested every five years, a five-year retrofit for existing trucks is occurring. The vehicles in the scope of DOT regulation HM-225A are the trucks providing metered delivery services for liquefied compressed gases, including propane, anhydrous ammonia, and some refrigerants. The shutoff is accomplished with a remote control device operated by radio frequency that gives truck operators the ability at up to 150 feet from the vehicle to shut off the truck's engine and close the outlet valve. This is meant to help prevent some spills, mitigate accidents by affecting the amount of product released, and remove the truck's engine as a potential ignition source. For more information, contact the DOT Research and Special Programs Administration, 202-366-8553, or call the DOT information line, 800-467-4922. The DOT website address is http://www.dot.gov/.
7. Clyde Bryant retired 
Clyde Bryant retired on January 26, 2001 after more than 30 years of distinguished service with the Safety and Buildings, having worked with seven division administrators. Bryant performed various tasks - from entry level plan reviewer to preliminary design consultant to his most recent position as plan review section chief and chief consultant for commercial buildings. Bryant was involved in resolution of code issues on most of Wisconsin's major building projects over the past several decades. In the 1980's he helped initiate control of how long it took for S&B plan reviewers to get reviews completed.
8. In Wisconsin the relationship between pull stations and exits is complicated
by J.B. Smith, S&B Commercial Buildings Program Manager, 608-266-0251, jsmith@commerce.state.wi.us
During a fire alarm seminar in February for enforcement folks in Wisconsin, a question came up about the location of manual fire alarm boxes (i.e. pull stations, operating stations) adjacent to exits. As you might expect, the NFPA 72 standard provides fairly clear language regarding a pull station's proximity to an exit. This information can be found in Section 2-8 (2-8.1 provides mounting height information and 2-8.2 provides location and spacing information) Some confusion starts when the question becomes, "What are the exits in the building?" The normal response (except in Wisconsin) works well with the language in section 2-8.2.2 calling for the boxes "within 5 feet of the exit doorway opening at each exit on each floor." (The adoption of International Code Council model codes will resolve the problems described here.) Wisconsin's Commercial Building Code and Multifamily Dwelling Code establish the minimum requirements. In the Wisconsin Commercial Building Code, a basic requirement for an "operating station" is found in Comm 51.24. Similar to the language in NFPA 72, operating stations are to be on each floor of the building, as well as being prominently located at all required exit doors and required exit stairways. Although similar to the NFPA language, the requirement is tied to more than just the "exit doorway opening" on each floor. Determining the required exits from each floor becomes unique to Wisconsin. Wisconsin is unique in that for some of the occupancies that require manual fire alarms, open stairways are considered an exit from the floor. This does not fit well with the NFPA 72 direction focusing on the "exit doorway opening." In Wisconsin, you must first determine which open stairs are "required" for exiting; then the pull stations will have to be located within five feet of the head/foot of the stairway, on the floor being exited. For instance, a mezzanine is not a story, but it is a separate floor, and a required stair would be an exit from the floor, calling for a pill station. On the other hand, a floor that is raised or depressed from another floor by less than three feet is considered to be the same floor. Accordingly, the stairs connecting the levels would not be an exit from the floor, and no pull station is needed.. This article has only touched on the subject and has only included a few of the nuances that relate to required exits and fire alarms. To learn more about the occupancies and details that require manual fire alarm systems, refer to Comm 54.17, Comm 56.19, Comm 57.17, Comm 58.27, Comm 58.64, Comm 59.24, Comm 60.36 and Comm 66.50. In those same occupancies, to learn more about the requirements relating to exits, refer to Comm 54.02 - 54.08, Comm 56.06 - 56.10, Comm 57.03 - 57.08, Comm 58.04 - 58.15, Comm 58.48 - 58.56, Comm 59.14 - 59.17, Comm 60.12, 60.31 - 60.34 and Comm 66.34 - 66.42. 9. Certified Cities