NFPA Makes Progress on Code Harmonization
Government, with many industry partners, has successfully committed significant resources to removing codes and standards obstacles. A recent NHA survey revealed that most companies had none, few, or minor codes and standards issues. However, new problems continually arise as new products enter unprepared markets. Barriers come from differences between codes, the patchwork adoption and recognition of various codes, and inappropriate interpretations of the codes.
Perhaps chief among the codes and standard obstacles is the lack of clarity and sometimes contradicting requirements located within and between different documents. These inconsistencies can lead to permitting disputes and costs and delays.
The NFPA is aware of these problems and has created a joint task force to help address them and develop consistent codes. NFPA 52 is handled by the NFPA Vehicular Fuel Systems committee (VAF). NFPA 55 is managed by the Industrial and Medical Gas Technical Committee (IMG). A joint IMG/VAF task force has been meeting since May of 2006 to resolve the inconsistencies for future editions of the codes. The IMG/VAF task force recently reached agreement about how best to coordinate the codes. The memo below describes this accord.
For an example of the internal inconsistencies and of the different interpretations that can result, and how the IMG/VAF task force’s work will provide relief, we turn to a cellular tower management company considering powering a tower with a fuel cell. The company examined the requirements the new system needed to meet. Keeping in mind the need for occasional repair work, they noticed that NFPA 55 limits welding to no closer than twenty five feet from stored hydrogen. Leaving aside the potential for ‘hot work’ permits, NFPA 52 clearly states that welding work can happen within ten feet of hydrogen, and this within the confines of a gas station with a far greater array of hazards in the vicinity.
The IMG/VAF task force has resolved this issue by placing hydrogen storage requirements entirely under NFPA 55. NFPA 52 will now reference NFPA 55 rather than conflicting with it.
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