NFPA 2 Overview

Susan Bershad, Staff Liaison, NFPA

 Overview
• Who are we?
• What is NFPA 2?
• What does it cover?
• What has changed?

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Who is NFPA?
• Founded in 1896
• Independent
• Mission Driven
• Not-for-profit (501(c)(3))
• Membership Organization— over 60,000 members
• Members in 118 Nations
• 11 Membership Sections
• Voluntary Codes & Standards Developer (SDO)
• ANSI Accredited Organization
• International Recognition (ISDO)

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Who is NFPA and What does NFPA do?
• Mission: “We help saves lives and reduce loss with
information, knowledge, and passion.”

• Vision: “We are the leading global advocate for the

elimination of death, injury, property and economic loss
due to fire, electrical and related hazards.”

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 Code Development Process
• Codes and Standards development through consensus
process
• Technical Committees develop documents through public
input and comment process
• Balanced committee makeup – no more than one-third
from each member category

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Code Adoption
• Code must be adopted to be enforceable
• Authority having jurisdiction (AHJ) enforces fire code.
• AHJ can be local fire department, state fire marshall,
insurance company
• AHJ role is to review and approve installation and
modifications.

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California Adoption
• 2013 California Fire Code references NFPA 55 for setback
distances from storage
• California has adopted the 2011 edition of NFPA 2. State
Fire Marshall action.
• 2016 edition was issued June 15th, 2015.
• Adoption of the 2016 edition is in progress

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Need for a National Hydrogen Code
• With the increased interest in hydrogen being used as a vehicle fuel source,
the NFPA was petitioned to develop an all-encompassing document that
established the necessary requirements for hydrogen technologies
– Technical committee formed in 2006
– Focus is to address all aspects of hydrogen, storage, use and handling
– Draws from existing codes and standards
– Identifies and fills technical gaps for a complete functional set of
requirements
– Developed for code users and enforcers
– Structured so that it works seamlessly with building and fire codes.

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Purpose of NFPA 2
The purpose of this code shall be to provide fundamental
safeguards for the generation, installation, storage, piping,
use and handling of hydrogen in compressed gas (GH2) form
or cryogenic liquid (LH2) form.

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Application
• This shall apply to the production, storage, transfer and
use of hydrogen in all occupancies and on all premises
• The use of hydrogen shall include stationary, portable,
and vehicular infrastructure applications.
• The fundamental requirements of Chapters 1 through 8
shall apply in addition to the use-specific requirements
provided in Chapters 9 through 20, as applicable

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Exemption
This code shall not apply to the following

• Onboard vehicle or mobile equipment components or systems

including the onboard GH2 or LH2 fuel supply
• Mixtures of GH2 and other gases with a hydrogen concentration of
less than 95 percent by volume when in accordance with NFPA 55,
Compressed Gasses and Cryogenic Fluids Code.
• The storage, handling, use, or processing of metal hydride storage
systems defined in Chapter 3

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Equivalency
• Nothing in this code is intended to prevent the use of
systems, methods or devices of equivalent or superior
quality, strength, fire resistance, effectiveness, durability
and safety over those prescribed by this code.

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Retroactivity
• NFPA 2 does not apply retroactively unless
authority having jurisdiction determines that a
distinct and identifiable hazard exists.

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NFPA 2-2016
1. Administration 1. LH2 Fueling Facilities
2. Referenced Publications 2. Hydrogen Fuel Cell Power
3. Definitions Systems
4. General Fire Safety Requirements 3. Hydrogen Generation Systems
5. Performance-Based Option 4. Combustion Applications
6. General Hydrogen Requirements 5. Special Atmosphere Applications
7. Gaseous Hydrogen 6. Laboratory Operations
8. Liquefied Hydrogen 7. Parking Garages
9. Explosion Protection (reserved) 8. Repair Garages
10. GH2 Vehicle Fueling Facilities
Chapter 4 – General Fire Safety
Requirements
• Objectives
• Compliance Options
• Emergency Plans
• Prohibited Releases
• Personnel Training
• Ignition Source Controls
• Signage
• Protection from Vehicular Damage.

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Chapter 6 – General Hydrogen Requirements
• Concept of MAQ (Maximum Allowable Quantity)
• A threshold quantity of hazardous material (per control area)in a
specific hazard class that once exceeded requires the application of
additional administrative procedures, construction features, or
engineering controls
• Less than or greater than MAQ, requirements are different

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Chapter 7 – Gaseous Hydrogen
• 2016 edition – Chapter is reorganized.
– General requirements
– Non-bulk systems– greater than MAQ and less than 5000 ft3
– Bulk systems – greater than 5000 ft3
• New section on Hydrogen Equipment Enclosures
• Changes to excess flow requirements – becomes
emergency isolation.

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Gaseous Hydrogen Separation Distances
• Separation distance table is in Chapter 7
• Based on pressure, pipe diameter, exposure type
• No changes from 2011 edition, additional tables added
from the 2013 edition of NFPA 55.
• Product of joint task group between NFPA 2 and 55
committees.
• The basis for separation distances is being reviewed by a
Joint 2/55 task group for 2019 edition.
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Liquid Hydrogen System Separation
Distances
• Table [Link].5.1 in 2011 edition -
Minimum Distance from Liquefied Hydrogen Systems to
Exposures.
• Extracted from NFPA 55, basis for separation distances is
being reviewed by Joint 2/55 task group

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Gaseous Hydrogen Fueling
• Major rewrite to focus solely on requirements for
dispensing of hydrogen to vehicles
– Overpressure protection allowed to meet Dispenser PRV
requirements
– Change in Management of Change Documentation
– Revisions to Integrity Tests supporting SAE J-2601
– Electrical Classification of Dispenser

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Parking and Repair Garages
• Chapters are no longer reserved in the 2016 edition
• Parking of hydrogen powered vehicles subject to the
same requirements as traditional fueled vehicles
• Repair garages
– Major and Minor repair garages
– Requirements depend on type of work done.
– H2 detection and special ventilation needed only for major repairs
involving work on fuel vehicle and and on-board fuel system

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Questions on NFPA 2
• NFPA provides advisory services for NFPA members and
AHJs
• On-line ([Link])
• Toll-free number
– 1-800-344-3555
• Questions directed to staff liaison

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