While a burning warehouse is anyone's nightmare, some blazes are worse than others. For instance, when a fire starts in racking with solid shelves, it's tougher to extinguish than other types of storage configurations, according to the National Fire Protection Association in the 2002 edition of its NFPA 13 standard, "Installation of Sprinkler Systems." For this reason, warehouses should provide additional sprinkler coverage in those types of racks, says the NFPA.

These changes won't become law unless individual governing bodies choose to adopt NFPA 13- 2002 as part of new legislation, either directly or by reference through one of the model building codes. Fire marshals will then be charged with its enforcement, says Gary Smith, president of the Rack Manufacturers Institute (RMI). He represented RMI at a recent task force meeting on the new regulations.

Details of the new sprinkler coverage vary depending on the shelf size in square feet, the vertical spacing of the shelves, and the size and frequency of flue spaces (where water can pass through) in the rack, he says. Typically, warehouses use solid shelved rack to store loads that are either hand loaded or not palletized, ie: boxes, cartons, furniture, and carpet. They can also be found in retail sales applications—in the backroom or on the selling floor.

The Fire Protection Research Foundation reacted to the issuance of this new standard by calling the recent meeting, where affected users, suppliers, and designers could plan development of a Solid Shelf Rack Storage Research Project. The project's initial goal will be to measure the potential impact of the standard's changes on new racking systems. It will begin with a review of current science, fire loss records and past test data, and then move on to possible full scale fire tests. The foundation is currently soliciting funds for the project, and will try to produce a published report in 18 months.

As this new standard filters its way into the marketplace, Smith recommends that users contact a fire protection professional for guidance through the changes.