Warehouses are not one size fits all. Warehouses are designed for specific storage. In fire protection, we call this specific storage, a commodity. These commodities are broken down into various sub-categories and are termed commodity classification, as outlined in NFPA 13, Standard for the Installation of Sprinkler Systems.
Fire sprinkler systems are designed to protect a specific commodity classification. If the commodity classification of the stored materials is increased without a review of the fire sprinkler system design, the fire sprinkler system may not work as intended. Thus a fire may spread throughout a building, rather than being suppressed by the fire sprinklers. Even seemingly small changes, such as a change from a wooden pallet to a plastic pallet can increase the commodity classification to a more hazardous classification.
In addition to the normal materials stored in a warehouse, it's important to consider other aspects such as the storage of idle pallets. The fire code contains specific information related to idle pallet storage. The fire code also contains other requirements related to forklifts and other industrial trucks such as charging areas, fueling areas, hazardous location rating, and fire extinguisher requirements.
There are many other considerations for warehouse storage facilities. The first place to look for this information is in the fire safety plan. The Saskatchewan Fire Code requires that the fire safety plan for warehouses, including big box retail stores, be located at the principal entrance. If you have any additional questions on fire safety plans, check out the link to Frequently Asked Questions about Fire Safety Plans in Saskatchewan.
Contact me to arrange for a fire inspection at your warehouse or to prepare your fire safety plan.