National Clothesline

Relief may be in sight for drycleaners caught in a conflict between two fire codes — the National Fire Protection Association code and the International Fire Code.

The NFPA code was revised several years ago to take into account modern drycleaning equipment that uses newer high flash-point solvents such as DF2000, GreenEarth, Rynex and others. But cleaners trying to convert from perc to one of these systems sometimes found that their local jurisdiction was using the International Fire Code which could require them to install a sprinkler system when changing machines.

The problem has been particularly acute in California where cleaners are under a state mandate to remove perc equipment. Hydrocarbon solvent machines have been the most popular choice for a replacement, but when a sprinkler system is required, the extra cost can be a show-stopper. In cases where the cleaner doesn’t own the building, making such modifications may not even be an option.

The Textile Care Allied Trades Association and Drycleaning & Laundry Institute presented the issue to the International Code Council hearing in Baltimore last month and was successful in getting the committee to incorporate the portions of the NFPA code relevant to high-flash drycleaning solvents. These provisions eliminate the requirement for a sprinkler system if the total amount of solvent in the machine and stored in the plant is less than 330 gallons and the machine itself has internal fire and explosion prevention systems.

The committee’s recommendation will now be presented at a final hearing in May of next year. The process is a long one, noted David Dawson, who chairs TCATA’s government affairs committee, and final publication of the new code won’t come until 2011, assuming it passes the hearing process.

“Our success in changing these regulatory requirements will directly benefit many of TCATA's equipment manufacturer and distributor members, it will also be very important to drycleaners operating in jurisdictions that use the ICC model codes,” Dawson said.

Neither code has the immediate force of law. Ultimately it is up to state and local jurisdictions to choose and adopt a code which they can modify as they see fit.



								National Clothesline


						Fire code relief gets committee’s OK



						Relief may be in sight for drycleaners caught in a conflict between two fire codes — the National Fire Protection Association code and the International Fire Code. The NFPA code was revised several years ago to take into account modern drycleaning equipment that uses newer high flash-point solvents such as DF2000, GreenEarth, Rynex and others. But cleaners trying to convert from perc to one of these systems sometimes found that their local jurisdiction was using the International Fire Code which could require them to install a sprinkler system when changing machines. The problem has been particularly acute in California where cleaners are under a state mandate to remove perc equipment. Hydrocarbon solvent machines have been the most popular choice for a replacement, but when a sprinkler system is required, the extra cost can be a show-stopper. In cases where the cleaner doesn’t own the building, making such modifications may not even be an option. The Textile Care Allied Trades Association and Drycleaning & Laundry Institute presented the issue to the International Code Council hearing in Baltimore last month and was successful in getting the committee to incorporate the portions of the NFPA code relevant to high-flash drycleaning solvents. These provisions eliminate the requirement for a sprinkler system if the total amount of solvent in the machine and stored in the plant is less than 330 gallons and the machine itself has internal fire and explosion prevention systems. The committee’s recommendation will now be presented at a final hearing in May of next year. The process is a long one, noted David Dawson, who chairs TCATA’s government affairs committee, and final publication of the new code won’t come until 2011, assuming it passes the hearing process. “Our success in changing these regulatory requirements will directly benefit many of TCATA's equipment manufacturer and distributor members, it will also be very important to drycleaners operating in jurisdictions that use the ICC model codes,” Dawson said. Neither code has the immediate force of law. Ultimately it is up to state and local jurisdictions to choose and adopt a code which they can modify as they see fit.