Conference Papers
NFPA Life Safety Code requirements are for most occupancy classes, specific and detailed. However, for industrial facilities extensive exemptions are granted from prescriptive requirements. Such exemptions are not directly related to the industrial hazard exposure beyond a gross distinction between high and low/ordinary hazard contents. Additionally, the use of hazard mitigation features is not considered as protection layers. An egress design based solely on the NFPA Life Safety Code may not be commensurate with the inherent risk. While NFPA Life Safety guides do exist for performance-based analysis, none were written for an industrial application. As an alternative approach, BakerRisk devised an Emergency Egress Risk Index system. An analysis of protection layers is used to evaluate alternatives for obtaining an acceptable resultant risk level.
As the biofuels industry continues to expand in support of global decarbonization mandates and objectives, facility owners and developers are being challenged to balance production efficiency, operational reliability, and personnel safety.
As high hazard facilities, biofuels sites should focus on developing a fire protections strategy informed by performance-based analysis so strategies implemented meet the unique challenges found at each facility.
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