W. Va. Code R. § 36-23-22

Current through Register Vol. XLI, No. 50, December 13, 2024

Section 36-23-22 - Fire Prevention

22.1. Ignition hazards.

(a) Electrical wiring and equipment for light, heat, or power purposes shall be installed in compliance with the National Electric Code, NFPA 70-1971; ANSI CI-1971 (Rev. of 1968).

(b) Internal combustion engine pow­ered equipment shall be so located that the exhausts are well away from combustible materials. When the exhausts are piped to outside the building under construc­tion, a clearance of at least six (6) inches shall be maintained between such piping and combusti­ble material.

(c) Smoking shall be prohibited at or in the vicinity of operations which constitute a fire hazard, and shall be conspicu­ously posted: "No Smoking or Open Flame".

(d) The nozzle of air, inert gas, and steam lines or hoses, when used in the cleaning or ventilation of tanks and vessels that contain hazardous concentrations of flammable gases or vapors, shall be bonded to the tank or vessel shell. Bonding devices shall not be attached or detached in hazardous concentrations of flam­mable gases or vapors.

22.2. Temporary buildings.

(a) No temporary building shall be erected where it will adversely affect any means of exit.

(b) Temporary buildings, when locat­ed within another building or structure, shall be of either noncombustible construction or of combustible having a fire resistance of not less than one (1) hour.

(c) Temporary buildings, located other than inside another building and not used for the storage, handling, or use of flam­mable or combustible liquids, flammable gases, explosives, or blasting agents, or similar haz­ardous occupancies, shall be located at a dis­tance of not less than ten (10) feet from anoth­er building or structure. Groups of temporary buildings, not exceeding two thousand (2,000) square feet in aggregate, shall, for the purposes of this part, be considered a single temporary building.

22.3. Open yard storage.

(a) Combustible materials shall be piled with due regard to the stability of piles and in no case higher than twenty (20) feet.

(b) Driveways between and around combustible storage piles shall be free from accumulation of rubbish, or other articles or materials.

(c) The entire storage site shall be kept free from accumula­tion of unnecessary combustible materials. Weeds and grass shall be kept down and a regular procedure provid­ed for the periodic clean-up of the entire area.

(d) When there is a danger of an underground fire, that land shall not be used for combustible or flammable storage.

(e) Method of piling shall be solid wherever possible and in orderly and regular piles. No combustible material shall be perma­nently stored outdoors within ten (10) feet of a building or structure.

(f) Portable fire extinguishing equip­ment, suitable for the fire hazard involved, shall be provided at convenient, conspicuous­ly accessible locations, in the yard area. Portable fire exting­uishers, rated not less than 2A, shall be placed so that maximum travel distance to the nearest unit shall not exceed one hundred (100) feet.

22.4. Indoor storage.

(a) Storage shall not obstruct, or adversely affect, means of exit.

(b) All materials shall be stored, handled, and piled with due regard to their fire characteristics.

(c) Aisle space shall be maintained to safely accommodate the widest vehicle that may be used within the building for fire­fighting purposes.

(d) Clearance shall be maintained around lights and heating units to prevent ignition of combustible materials.

(e) A clearance of twenty-four (24) inches shall be main­tained around the path of travel of fire doors unless a barricade is pro­vided, in which case no clearance is needed. Material shall not be stored within thirty-six (36) inches of a fire door opening.

(f) When burning, cutting, or welding is performed in an area that may contain methane, an examination shall be conducted prior to, during, and after such burning, cutting, or welding by a qualified person.

W. Va. Code R. § 36-23-22