Flammable liquids (paints, thinners etc) for sale in a single aisle of a grocery store. 1

[SprinklerDesigner2]

Something most of us see every day but I've never really given it a thought until now.

We have a 35,000 sq ft grocery store with a section set aside as a hardware store with one of the aisles set aside to sell all manner of paints, thinners, alcohols, strippers and even pool supplies.

The building is sprinkled with a system designed for an Ord Haz II occupancy installed 20 years ago.

What you see in the photo is pretty much the extent of it with the bottom photos showing the opposite side of the aisle with one gallon paint cans (both latex and oil based) and a healthy portion of aerosol paint cans.

Shelves are approximately 1'-8" deep.

The authority having jurisdiction asked if I felt additional protection would be required, such as reinforced sprinklers or sprinklers "in the shelf racking".

It's not storage and it isn't racks. As noted previously shelves are not that deep being standard shelves you can find in any grocery store.

I've seen large paint stores in shopping malls that don't have anything special.

At what point does this become something "special"?

 

[cdafd]

Well incompatible materials have to be separated.
If the ahj is under the Icode,,
As far as combustible/ flammable they can have up to 120 gallons with no problem

3404.3.4.1 Maximum allowable quantity per control area. For occupancies other than Group M wholesale and retail sales uses, indoor storage of flammable and combustible liquids shall not exceed the maximum allowable quantities per control area indicated in Table 2703.1.1(1) and shall not exceed the additional limitations set forth in this section.



Sorry the table did not copy good;;;;




For Group M occupancy wholesale and retail sales uses, indoor storage of flammable and combustible liquids shall not exceed the maximum allowable quantities per control area indicated in Table 3404.3.4.1.

Storage of hazardous production material flammable and combustible liquids in Group H-5 occupancies shall be in accordance with Chapter 18.

TABLE 3404.3.4.1 MAXIMUM ALLOWABLE QUANTITY PER CONTROL AREA OF FLAMMABLE AND COMBUSTIBLE LIQUIDS IN WHOLESALE AND RETAIL SALES OCCUPANCIESa

TYPE OF LIQUID
MAXIMUM ALLOWABLE QUANTITY PER CONTROL AREA (gallons)
Sprinkleredb per footnote densities and arrangements
Sprinklered per Tables 3404.3.6.3(4) through 3404.3.6.3(8) and Table 3404.3.7.5.1
Nonsprinklered
Class IA
60
60
30
Class IB, IC, II and IIIA
7,500c
15,000c
1,600
Class IIIB
Unlimited
Unlimited
13,200

For SI: 1 foot = 304.8 mm, 1 square foot = 0.0929 m2, 1 gallon = 3.785 L, 1 gallon per minute per square foot = 40.75 L/min/m2.

a. Control areas shall be separated from each other by not less than a 1-hour fire barrier wall.

b. To be considered as sprinklered, a building shall be equipped throughout with an approved automatic sprinkler system with a design providing minimum densities as follows:

1. For uncartoned commodities on shelves 6 feet or less in height where the ceiling height does not exceed 18 feet, quantities are those allowed with a minimum sprinkler design density of Ordinary Hazard Group 2.

2. For cartoned, palletized or racked commodities where storage is 4 feet 6 inches or less in height and where the ceiling height does not exceed 18 feet, quantities are those allowed with a minimum sprinkler design density of 0.21 gallon per minute per square foot over the most remote 1,500-square-foot area.

c. Where wholesale and retail sales or storage areas exceed 50,000 square feet in area, the maximum allowable quantities are allowed to be increased by 2 percent for each 1,000 square feet of area in excess of 50,000 square feet, up to a maximum of 100 percent of the table amounts. A control area separation is not required. The cumulative amounts, including amounts attained by having an additional control area, shall not exceed 30,000 gallons.




Now sprinkler design, I cannot talk to that one, maybe check nfpa 30