Sprinkler or Heat under Garage Doors

[Jnasin]

Hello
New to this Forum.
We have a 45,000 sq/ft building that is fully sprinkled wet system,
There's a loading dock area with (2) 8' x 8' doors with twelve foot high ceilings, The fire Marshal wants us to install sprinkler heads under the garage door, as this would not work as the forklifts will hit the sprinkler do to the height of garage doors when open are at 8' 2" from floor, this would leave the sprinkler heads around 7' 10" from floor with a 8' door opening. (Per The sprinkler code NFPA 13 8.5.5.3.1 Shall be installed under fix obstruction over 4 ft wide) We can put a wall mount sprinkler for sidewall protection.
Is there anything in the code if we put a heat detector between both doors, (Center that would be level with garage doors when they are open, the heat detector would be protected by the garage door brackets, if fire occurs the heat detector would active the fire alarm, or can we put one sprinkler head in that same location that would do the same converge.
Thank You

 

[cdafd]

No and no

If the door is at 8 and sprinkler may be around 7'10"
The forklifts only have two inches to play with, so if they hit something at 7'10" they will hit the door....


Have them install doors that go straight up or coil

 

[stookeyfpe]

Sidewall sprinklers are specifically allowed to protect the area below overhead doors per NFPA 13, Section 8.4.2, item (3).

I agree with CDA but this may be an existing building so the doors may already be a legal installation.

 

[chicopee]

If the sprinkler head spacing is to be 9' or greater let's say, you should be able to install heads between the 8'wide doors.

 

[chicopee]

Requalifying: as long as the doors do not interfere with the flow pattern.

 

[Jnasin]

The area was modified in 1987, with installation of Garage doors, we replaced with new insulated doors in 2007.
A correction on the height, (Height of ceiling is 10' 8" )
Included is a photo.
There's been change of use in the building in last several years, The building is being used as mixed use, from a machine shop, fitness center grooming business, office space and start up business.
The entire building was built in 1907 and addition in 1987.
The Fire Marshal, are asking me to install sprinkler heads below the garage door, change the hand rails that was built in 1987 to comply with today standards,
plus, the existing stairwells they want us to fire rate to 1hour for the three floors and the four floors for 2 hour rated…. and a bunch of other items.

Can they make us comply to the up to date code or do I fall back when it was built.

The only floors that are occupied is the 1st and 2nd floor, They are accessible to ground floor for ADA access, We do not have a passenger elevator in the building. The third and fourth floor are not occupied.
Any suggestions in the code would be helpful.
Thank You

 

[cdafd]

So why is the fire marshal looking at the building today??

Annual inspection

Complaint

Remodel going on or will be??

What building code and year edition has the city adopted??

 

[chicopee]

I use to do a lot of property survey of commercial buildings and I have never seen sprinkler heads under doors such as the one shown. It is a stupid idea as you can easily damage the proposed installation in the event such door malfunctions. I would challenge the fire marshall on his idea. Contact your property insurance carrier for their opinion.

 

[cdafd]

Chic

It has been in nfpa 13 forever

If installed properly there is no problem

 

[stookeyfpe]

If this is in the US, you may want to check to see if your jurisdiction has adopted the IBC and IFC. The FM is not looking closely at the Existing Building provisions in IFC Chapter 11 or 46 (depending on edition) or IBC CHapter 34.

Conversely, the FM may be correct on the fire-resistance of vertical shafts. The IFC does nave retroactive requirements for shafts.

 

[cdafd]

How did we get into a shaft

 

[skdesigner]

NFPA 13 allows sidewall sprinklers beneath overhead doors to be spaced in accordance with light hazard criteria, which would be 14' x 14'. Were it me, I would drop down with a single piece of pipe, 1'-0 horizontally from the wall between the doors. Tee at the bottom of the pipe 2 inches below the tracks and install back to back sidewalls. Sprinklers throw 7'-0 each side, so coverage is good, and you're close enough to the wall that forklift impact shouldn't be a problem.

R M Arsenault Engineering Inc.

http://www.rmae.ca

 

[chicopee]

cdafd, forever is a long, long time. As I said , it is a stupid idea and of the hundred of commercial properties that I have surveyed, none ever had such type of protection, whether such properties were repair garages, loading docks, manufacturing buildings, car dealerships, etc...

 

[cdafd]

it comes from the four foot rule of an obstruction ???


Only needed on overhead doors that roll into the space, blocking the heads above. If the door goes straight up or coils into itself, not needed.


There is always the process to change that section of NFPA 13 if you want

 

[chicopee]

With the type of door shown in the OP and with sprinkler protection under those doors, I can only imagine an oversize vehicle entering thru those doors and knocking off those heads.