Hazardous locations?

[newt]

What would be the classification of a countertop business where they cut corion and plywood for laminate.

Thanks

 

[rbalex]

Re: Hazardous locations?

I don't know anything about Corion's flammability and tried to do a search on the net for more specific info. I would guess it is flame retardant from its primary uses.

I suspect that there would be no Art 500 - 505 application here, but without much more information, it is impossible to say. Electrical area classification is not so trivial that your question as stated can be answered definitively. You need an engineer familiar with the process.

 

[newt]

Re: Hazardous locations?

customer added on to his shop without a building permit, electrical inspector told him it was not a hazardous location, building inspector is now telling him it's a hazardous location Classification II and wants a firewall and sprinkler system. Any information on building code needing to be the same as electrical code or any info on Hazardous location code would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks

 

[ryan_618]

Re: Hazardous locations?

Newt, I think what your building inspector is saying is that it is a group "F" occupancy type, not a classified NEC location. The NEC wouldn't require sprinklers or fire rated seperation, but the building code would, depending on sqaure footage and if it is a mixed occupancy.

I agree with Bob, however, and my gut feeling tells me that this is probably not a classified location. Other things need to be considered as well, such as dust collection, primary use as Bob stated, and other matters as well.

Edit: Replace "F" occupancy with "H2" occupancy.

[ May 27, 2005, 01:48 PM: Message edited by: ryan_618 ]

 

[newt]

Re: Hazardous locations?

Who can classify this building for me? Is that up to the inspector or is there someone else we can go. I think the inspector is giving this customer a hard time and we would like to make sure he is not.

Thanks for all info

 

[ryan_618]

Re: Hazardous locations?

Well, the AHJ has the final say, as you know. In my opinion, however, it is up to the designer to determine the classification.

 

[pierre]

Re: Hazardous locations?

As stated by Bob:
" don't know anything about Corion's flammability and tried to do a search on the net for more specific info."

Metal in general is not combustible, but "flyings" or shavings when it is worked, such as in filing can in certain circumstances become combustible.
Maybe the same is true for Corian, I have no clue. As Ryan has stated, an engineer/designer with experience in this process would need to be consulted.

 

[rbalex]

Re: Hazardous locations?

A large part of the problem is that the NEC doesn't actually tell HOW to classify a location except for those under Articles 511-516. Then people who don't really know what they are doing begin to make excessive guesses "just to be safe."

From NFPA 499:

Combustible Dust Any finely divided solid material 420 microns or less in diameter (i.e., material passing through a U.S. No. 40 Standard Sieve) that presents a fire or explosion hazard when dispersed.Combustible dusts are subdivided as follows:
Group E. Atmospheres containing combustible metal dusts, including aluminum, magnesium, and their commercial alloys, or other combustible dusts whose particle size, abrasiveness, and conductivity present similar hazards in the use of electrical equipment.
Group F. Atmospheres containing combustible carbonaceous dusts that have more than 8 percent total entrapped volatiles (see ASTM D 3175 for coal and coke dusts) or that have been sensitized by other materials so that they present an explosion hazard. Coal, carbon black, charcoal, and coke dusts are examples of carbonaceous dusts.
Group G. Atmospheres containing other combustible dusts, including flour, grain, wood flour, plastic, and chemicals.

I seriously doubt this is an NEC Class II location since there are no processes likely to produce 420 microns or less dusts in amounts warranting classification. (Its actually rather hard to do) At the VERY worst it MAY be a Class III location, but even that is doubtful.

There may be other building codes involved but this is not an NEC issue.