Services

Overview

We provide fire protection engineering for California facilities and clients nationwide, including high-piled storage, hazardous materials, sprinklers, fire alarm, fire access, smoke control, inspections, and plan review.

A tall pallet-rack aisle in a warehouse, with stored goods on both sides.

High-piled combustible storage

High-piled combustible storage depends on what you store, how high you store it, and how the area is arranged. We classify the commodities, check whether the California Fire Code requires a high-piled storage permit, and prepare the storage layout and written report reviewers typically require.

When the storage design needs a second set of eyes, we review the arrangement and the protection approach against the applicable codes and standards.

Deliverables

  • Permit support for high-piled combustible storage
  • Commodity classification
  • Storage layouts and reports
  • Plan review of storage arrangements associated with the permit
A worker in a hard hat and safety vest moving labeled chemical drums in a warehouse.

Hazardous materials

Hazardous materials limits turn on the hazard, the quantity in each control area, and how the building is divided. We analyze maximum allowable quantities and control areas against your inventory, and we review HMIS-type inventories for missing or misclassified materials.

If a quantity is over the limit, we set out the practical options. We also review the plans that go with the storage or the control areas.

Deliverables

  • MAQ and control area analysis
  • HMIS-type inventory review
  • Options when quantities exceed the limits
  • Plan review for hazardous materials storage and control areas

Additional services

Beyond high-piled storage and hazardous materials, we review fire protection drawings, access, and smoke-control submittals; witness acceptance testing; support inspections and alternative-methods requests; and provide plan review and training for fire departments and project teams.

  • Fire sprinkler design review

    Independent review of sprinkler drawings and hydraulic calculations so issues show up before you submit. Contractors and design teams use this when they want an FPE to check the plans first.

  • Fire alarm design review

    Independent review of fire alarm drawings and device layouts before submittal. The aim is a cleaner package and fewer comments once the plans reach the reviewer.

  • Smoke control review

    Review of smoke control approaches and related submittals, including an existing analysis the design team already has, so the approach is clearer before AHJ scrutiny.

  • Inspections, testing and commissioning

    We witness fire alarm, sprinkler and smoke control acceptance tests and help you get ready for pre-acceptance inspections, so systems are ready for sign-off. We review and witness the testing; your contractors perform it.

  • Alternative materials and methods

    Practical alternative materials and methods requests when a prescriptive layout will not work, written as an alternate means and methods path the authority having jurisdiction can consider.

  • Fire apparatus access review

    Review of fire apparatus access for the site and building so access comments can be addressed in the site plan before they delay the project.

  • Plan review for fire departments

    Outsourced fire plan review for fire departments that need additional review capacity, so plan packages can keep moving when in-house bandwidth is tight.

  • Fire protection and code training

    Fire protection and code training for facility teams, contractors, and fire department staff, scoped to the questions the team actually has to handle.

Serving clients nationwide

Fire codes are written nationally but adopted and amended state by state, and local fire officials often read them differently. We help facility owners, 3PLs, and storage and rack companies work through those differences wherever their buildings are.

In any state, we take on code consulting and gap analysis under the International Fire Code and local amendments, high-piled storage and hazardous materials assessments, peer review of contractor sprinkler and fire alarm drawings, owner's representative support through design, permitting, and inspection, fire protection due diligence for warehouse leases and acquisitions, fire marshal inspection preparation, and training for facility and operations teams.

We work directly with local fire and building officials to keep permitting moving.

Not sure which service fits your project? Contact us and we’ll help you sort out the scope.

Contact us