CLASSIFICATION OF HAZARD OF CONTENTS

The hazard of contents of any building or structure shall be classified as follows:

A. Low Hazard Those of such low combustibility that no self-propagating fire therein can occur and
that, consequently, the only probable danger requiring the use of emergency exits will be from
panic, fumes or smoke or fire from some external source.

Low Hazard Light hazard occupancies are locations where the total amount of Class A
combustible materials, including furnishings, decorations, and contents, is of minor quantity.
This can include some buildings or rooms occupied as offices, classrooms, churches, assembly
halls, guest room areas of hotels/motels, and so forth. This classification anticipates that majority
of content items are either noncombustible or so arranged that a fire is not likely to spread
rapidly. Small amounts of Class B flammables used for duplicating machines, art departments,
and so forth are included, provided that they are kept in closed containers and safely stored.

B. Moderate Hazard Those which are liable to burn with moderate rapidity or to give off a
considerable volume of smoke but from which neither poisonous fumes nor explosions are to be
expected in the event of fire.

Moderate Hazard Ordinary hazard occupancies are locations where the total amount of Class A
combustibles and Class B flammables are present in greater amounts than expected under light
(or low) hazard occupancies. These occupancies could consist of dining areas, mercantile shops,
and allied storage; light manufacturing, research operations, auto showrooms, parking garages,
workshop or support service areas of light (or low) hazard occupancies; and warehouses
containing Class I or Class II commodities as defined by NFPA 231, Standard for General
Storage.

C. High Hazard Those which are liable to burn with extreme rapidity or from which poisonous gases
or explosions are to be expected in the event of fire.

High Hazard Extra hazard occupancies are locations where the total amount of Class A
combustibles and Class B flammables present, in storage, production, use, finished product, or
combination thereof, is over and above those expected in occupancies classed as ordinary (or
moderate) hazard. These occupancies could consist of woodworking, vehicle repair, aircraft and
boat servicing, cooking areas, individual product display showrooms, product convention center
displays, and storage and manufacturing processes such as painting, dipping, and coating,
including flammable liquid handling. Also included is warehousing of or in-process storage of
other than Class I and Class II commodities.
CLASSIFICATION OF HIGH-HAZARD CONTENTS
A. High-Hazard Level 1 Contents. Materials that present a detonation hazard, including, but not
limited to, the following hazard categories:
1. Class 4 oxidizers;
2. Detonable pyrophoric solids or liquids;
 3. Class 3 detonable and Class 4 unstable (reactive) solids, liquids, or gases; and
4. Detonable organic peroxides.
B. High-Hazard Level 2 Contents. Materials that present a deflagration hazard or a hazard from
accelerated burning, including, but not limited to, the following hazard categories:
1. Combustible dusts stored, used, or generated in a manner creating a severe fire or
explosion hazard; 2. Class I organic peroxides;
3. Class 3 solid or liquid oxidizers that are used or stored in normally open containers or
systems or in closed containers or systems at gauge pressures of more than one hundred
three and four tenths kilopascals (103.4 kPa);
4. Flammable gases;
5. Flammable cryogenic fluids;
6. Nondetonable pyrophoric solids, liquids, or gases;
7. Class 3 nondetonable unstable (reactive) solids, liquids, or gases; and
8. Class 3 water-reactive solids and liquids.
C. High-Hazard Level 3 Contents. Materials that readily support combustion or present a physical
hazard, including, but not limited to, the following hazard categories:
1. Flammable solids, other than dusts classified as High-Hazard Level 2, stored, used, or
generated in a manner creating a high fire hazard;
2. Class II and Class III organic peroxides;
3. Class 2 solid or liquid oxidizers;
4. Class 3 solid or liquid oxidizers that are used or stored in normally closed containers or
systems at gauge pressures of less than one hundred three and four tenths kilopascals (103.4
kPa);
5. Class 2 unstable (reactive) materials;
6. Class 2 water-reactive solids, liquids or gases;
7. Oxidizing gases; and
8. Oxidizing cryogenic fluids.
D. High-Hazard Level 4 Contents. Materials that are acute health hazards, including, but not
limited to, the following hazard categories:
1. Corrosive solids, liquids, or gases;
2. Highly toxic solids, liquids, or gases; and
3. Toxic solids, liquids, or gases.
 PROTECTION LEVEL BASED ON HIGH HAZARD LEVEL
A. Protection Level 1
1. Buildings containing quantities of hazardous materials exceeding the MAQ of High-Hazard
Level 1 contents permitted in control areas shall comply with applicable regulations for
Protection Level 1.
2. High-Hazard Level 1 contents shall include materials that present a detonation hazard as
defined in Section 10.3.3.2 of this RIRR.
B. Protection Level 2
1. Buildings, and portions thereof, containing quantities of hazardous materials exceeding the
MAQ of High-Hazard Level 2 contents permitted in control areas shall comply with
applicable regulations for Protection Level 2.
2. High-Hazard Level 2 contents shall include materials that present a deflagration hazard or
a hazard
C. Protection Level 3
1. Buildings, and portions thereof, containing quantities of hazardous materials exceeding the
MAQ of High-Hazard Level 3 contents permitted in control areas shall comply with
applicable regulations for Protection Level 3.
2. High-Hazard Level 3 contents shall include materials that readily support combustion or
present a physical hazard as defined in Section 10.3.3.2 of this RIRR.
D. Protection Level 4
1. Buildings, and portions thereof, containing quantities of hazardous materials exceeding the
MAQ of High-Hazard Level 4 contents permitted in control areas shall comply with
applicable regulations for Protection Level 4.
2. High-Hazard Level 4 contents shall include materials that are acute health hazards as defined
in Section 10.3.3.2 of this RIRR.
E. Protection Level 5 shall apply to semiconductor fabrication facilities where required by the
latest edition of NBCP
 CLASSES OF FIRE
a. Class A: fires involving ordinary combustible solid materials
b. Class B: fires involving flammable and combustible liquid and gas
c. Class C: fires involving energized electrical equipment
d. Class D: fires involving combustible metal fires

CHOOSING FIRE EXTINGUISHER BASED ON CLASS OF FIRE

a. Class A Hazards
1. Fire extinguishers for protecting Class A hazards shall be selected from the following:
1) Water type
2) Multipurpose dry chemical type
3) Wet chemical type

b. Class B Hazards (other than fires in flammable liquids of appreciable depth)

1) Fire extinguishers for protection of Class B hazard shall be selected from the following:
1) AFFF
2) FFFP foam
3) Carbon dioxide
4) Dry chemical type
c. Class C Hazards
Fire extinguishers with Class C ratings shall be required where energized electrical
equipment can be encountered that would require a non-conducting extinguishing medium.
This requirement includes situations where fire either directly involves or surrounds
electrical equipment. Since the fire itself is a Class A or Class B hazard, the fire
extinguishers shall be sized and located on the basis of the anticipated Class A or Class B
hazard.
c. Class D Hazards
1) Fire extinguishers or extinguishing agents with Class D ratings shall be provided for
fires involving combustible metals.
2) Fire extinguishers or extinguishing agents (or mediums) shall be located not more than
fifteen meters (15 m) of travel distance from the Class D hazard.
3) Portable fire extinguishers or extinguishing agents (or mediums) for Class D hazards
shall be provided in those work areas where combustible metal powders, flakes, shavings,
chips, or similarly sized products are generated.
4) Size determination shall be on the basis of the specific combustible metal, its physical
particle size, area to be covered, and recommendations by the fire extinguisher
manufacturer on data from control tests conducted.