APPA Library

"Higher Education Laboratories and the International Fire Code"
Author: William Koffel, P.E., FSFPE, SASHE
Published In: Facilities Manager
Date: January/February 2023

A group of university design and fire safety personnel formed a task group to develop a different set of requirements for laboratories in higher education facilities. The concern was that the MAQs were too limiting, especially in multi-story higher education facilities. Encouraging the laboratories to be closer to the first story was not consistent with the typical design practice in higher education buildings wherein the first story would typically be used for classrooms (Group A or Group B occupancies) and faculty offices (Group B occupancies). The task group felt that a number of factors should be considered for higher education facilities that, as a group, do not apply to the typical laboratory using hazardous materials. The new requirements were first introduced as Chapter 38 of the 2018 Edition of the International Fire Code (and Section 427 of the 2018 Edition of the International Building Code.)

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