In April 2022, amendments to the New York City (NYC) Fire Code took effect. One of the major amendments involves reorganization of the chapters. For example, Hazardous Materials General Provisions, which was in Chapter 27 of the 2014 edition, is now in Chapter 50 of the 2022 edition.
There are several amendments in the Non-Production Chemical Laboratories Section (FC 5006 in the 2022 edition) that affect educational, instructional, and research and development labs in NYC, which are commonly known as Lab Units. The first amendment references Appendix B, which outlines various modifications to NFPA 45 (2015 edition). The amended Fire Code also states the required fire-resistance rating of the floors, ceilings and walls that must surround a Lab Unit.
The quantity limits, or Maximum Allowable Quantities (MAQ), of flammable and combustible liquids were amended to codify thresholds that were being enforced by the New York City Fire Department (FDNY) during Lab Unit permit inspections. According to NFPA 45, flammable and combustible liquid quantities should be reduced for Lab Units on higher floors within a building. In the 2022 Fire Code, Appendix B states that the floor reductions should not be taken into consideration when calculating the MAQ of flammable and combustible liquids within a Lab Unit.
The MAQ of hazardous gases in Lab Units has also been expanded in the 2022 edition. In the 2014 edition, quantity limits were only listed for toxic and highly toxic gases in educational and instructional labs. The 2022 edition includes references for hazardous gas MAQs in any Lab Unit. The amended Fire Code also codifies the requirement for an oxygen sensor when more than 60 gallons of inert cryogenic liquids are stored or used. This is a requirement that was previously outlined in the C-14 Certificate of Fitness Study Guide and has been communicated by FDNY Inspectors during Lab Unit permit inspections.
For additional information about the updated NYC Fire Code and how it affects your facility, please email us at [email protected].
