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I.                   PURPOSE

This procedure establishes requirements for mattresses, hanging fabrics, curtains or drapes and upholstered furniture used or installed at all University of Rochester properties. Warming blankets and air mattresses are not part of this standard because of their smaller fire load. This standard is not applicable to Venetian or wood blinds

II.                PERSONNEL AFFECTED

Any individual that has the authority to purchase drapes, curtain, fabric decorations, upholstered furniture or mattresses.

III.             DEFINITIONS

Assembly – Gathering of 50 persons or more for the purpose such as educational, civic, social, religious, food or drinking consumption, waiting or similar use.

Business – The use of space for office, professional or service type transaction including education classrooms less than 50 people.

Patient Care – The use of space for medical, surgical or psychiatric care on either a 24 hour basis or where 1 or more person would be incapacitate at any one time.

Residential Life Housing – The use of a building for sleeping purposes when not classified as a Patient Care such as dormitories, and fraternities and sororities.

Corridor/Waiting Space – The portion of a means of egress system that is separated from other interior spaces of the building and is intended to be a protected path of egress.

IV.              RESPONSIBILITIES

Requisition Writer – It will be the responsibility of all individuals who would write a requisition to make sure the vendors from whom they are ordering are aware of these requirements.

Purchasing: It is Purchasing's responsibility to provide guidance to the requisition writer and advise them of this policy.

EH&S – It is the Fire Marshal’s responsibility to provide technical assistance in interpreting this policy. The Fire Marshal shall also be the Authority Having Jurisdiction and have final approval on deviation from these requirements.

V.                 PROCEDURES

5.1 Use Table 5.0 to determine what fire test is required based on the material being purchased and the occupancy.

5.2 The permissible amount of noncombustible decorative material can be unlimited

5.3 The permissible amount of flame retardant decorative material shall not exceed 10% of the aggregate area of walls and ceilings.

5.4 Upholstered furniture required to pass ASTM E 1537 or California Technical Bulletin 133 shall bear the label of an approving agency confirming compliance with these requirements

5.5 Upholstered furniture that would be placed in an un-sprinkled exit corridor such as a waiting/lounge area, atriums or similar general use areas, shall be complaint with ASTM E 1537 or California Technical Bulletin 133.

Exception: Where the corridor or waiting area is located within the suite or office area and is not in a public space or related egress corridor then California Technical Bulletin 117 applies.

Table 5.0

VI.              REFERENCES

6.1 New York State Fire Code Chapter 8

6.2 National Fire Protection Association Life Safety Code Chapter 10

VII.           APPENDICES/FORMS

VIII.        REVISION HISTORY

QUESTIONS? Contact the EH&S Fire Marshal's Office at (585) 275-3243 or e-mail EH&S Questions.

This page last updated 10/2/2007. Disclaimer.