SECTION 712 PENETRATIONS

712.1 Scope. The provisions of this section shall govern the materials and methods of construction used to protect through penetrations and membrane penetrations of horizontal assemblies and fire-resistance-rated wall assemblies.

712.2 Installation details. Where sleeves are used, they shall be securely fastened to the assembly penetrated. The space between the item contained in the sleeve and the sleeve itself and any space between the sleeve and the assembly penetrated shall be protected in accordance with this section. Insulation and coverings on or in the penetrating item shall not penetrate the assembly unless the specific material used has been tested as part of the assembly in accordance with this section.

712.3 Fire-resistance-rated walls. Penetrations into or through fire walls, fire-barrier walls, smoke-barrier walls and I fire partitions shall comply with Sections 712.3.1 through 712.3.4.

712.3.1 Through penetrations. Through penetrations of fire-resistance-rated walls shall comply with Section 712.3.1.1 or 712.3.1.2.

Exception: Where the penetrating items are steel, ferrous or copper pipes, tubes or conduits, the annular space between the penetrating item and the fire-resistance-rated wall is permitted to be protected as follows:

1.  In concrete or masonry walls where the penetrat­ing item is a maximum 6-inch (152 mm) nominal diameter and the area of the opening through the I wall does not exceed 144 square inches (0.0929 m²), concrete, grout or mortar is permitted where it is installed the full thickness of the wall or the thickness required to maintain the fire-resistance rating; or

2.   The material used to fill the annular space shall prevent the passage of flame and hot gases sufficient to ignite cotton waste when subjected to ASTM E 119 time-temperature fire conditions under a minimum positive pressure differential of 0.01 inch (2.49 Pa) of water at the location of the penetration for the time period equivalent to the fire-resistance rating of the construction penetrated.  

712.3.1.1 Fire-resistance-rated assemblies. Penetrations shall be installed as tested in an approved fire-resistance-rated assembly.

712.3.1.2 Through-penetration fire stop system. Through penetrations shall be protected by an approved penetration fire stop system installed as tested in accor­dance with ASTM E 814 or UL 1479, with a minimum positive pressure differential of 0.01 inch (2.49 Pa) of water and shall have an F rating of not less than the required fire-resistance rating of the wall penetrated.

712.3.2 Membrane penetrations. Membrane penetrations shall comply with Section 712.3.1. Where walls or partitions are required to have a fire-resistance rating, recessed fixtures shall be installed such that the required fire resis­tance will not be reduced.

Exceptions:

1. Membrane penetrations of maximum two-hour fire-resistance-rated walls and partitions by steel electrical boxes that do not exceed 16 square inches (0.0103 m²) in area, provided the aggregate area of the openings through the membrane does not exceed 100 square inches (0.0645 m²) in any 100 square feet (9.29 m²) of wall area. The annular space between the wall membrane and the box shall not exceed ¹/₈ inch (3.1 mm). Such boxes on opposite sides of the wall or partition shall be sepa­rated by one of the following:

1.1. By a horizontal distance of not less than 24 inches (610 mm);

1.2. By a horizontal distance of not less than the depth of the wall cavity where the wall cavity is filled with cellulose loose-fill, rock wool or slag mineral wool insulation;

1.3. By solid fire blocking in accordance with Section 717.2.1;

1.4. By protecting both outlet boxes with listed putty pads; or

1.5. By other listed materials and methods.

2. Membrane penetrations by listed electrical boxes of any material, provided such boxes have been tested for use in fire-resistance-rated assemblies and are installed in accordance with the instructions included in the listing. The annular space between the wall membrane and the box shall not exceed ¹/₈ inch (3.1 mm) unless listed otherwise. Such boxes on opposite sides of the wall or partition shall be separated as follows:

2.1. By a horizontal distance of not less than 24 inches (610 mm);

2.2. By solid fire blocking in accordance with Section 717.2.1;

2.3. By protecting both boxes with listed putty pads; or

2.4. By other listed materials and methods.

 3. The annular space created by the penetration of a fire sprinkler, provided it is covered by a metal escutcheon plate.

712.3.3 Ducts and air transfer openings. Penetrations of fire-resistance-rated walls by ducts that are not protected I with dampers shall comply with Sections 712.2 through 712.3.1. Ducts and air transfer openings that are protected with dampers shall comply with Section 716.

712.3.4 Dissimilar materials. Noncombustible penetrating items shall not connect to combustible items beyond the point of fires topping unless it can be demonstrated that the fire-resistance integrity of the wall is maintained.

712.4 Horizontal assemblies. Penetrations of a floor, floor/ceiling assembly or the ceiling membrane of a roof/ceiling assembly shall be protected in accordance with Section 707. 

 712.4.1 Fire-resistance rated assemblies. Penetrations of  the fire-resistance rated floor, floor/ceiling assembly or the ceiling membrane of a roof/ceiling assembly shall comply with Sections 712.4.1.1 through 714.4.1.5

712.4.1.1 Through penetrations. Through penetrations of fire-resistance-rated horizontal assemblies shall comply with Section 712.4.1.1.1 or 712.4.1.1.2.

Exceptions:

1.  Penetrations by steel, ferrous or copper conduits, pipes, tubes or vents or concrete or I masonry items through a single fire-resistance-rated floor assembly where the annular space is protected with materials that prevent the passage of flame and hot gases sufficient to ignite cotton waste when subjected to ASTM E 119 time-temperature fire conditions under a minimum positive pressure differential of 0.01 inch (2.49 Pa) of water at the location of the penetration for the time period equivalent to the fire-resistance rating of the construction penetrated. Penetrating items with a maximum 6-inch (152 mm) nominal diameter shall not be limited to the penetration of a single fire-resistance-rated floor assembly, provided the aggregate area of the openings through the assembly does not exceed 144 square inches (92 900 mm²) in any 100 square feet (9.3 m²) of floor area.

2.  Penetrations in a single concrete floor by steel, ferrous or copper conduits, pipes, tubes or vents with a maximum 6-inch (152 mm) nominal diameter, provided the concrete, grout or mortar is installed the full thickness of the floor or the thickness required to maintain the fire-resistance rating. The penetrating items shall not be limited to the penetration of a single concrete floor, provided the area of the opening through each floor does not exceed 144 square inches (92 900 mm²).

3.  Penetrations by listed electrical boxes of any material, provided such boxes have been tested for use in fire-resistance-rated assemblies and installed in accordance with the instructions included in the listing.

712.4.1.1.1 Installation. Through penetrations shall be installed as tested in the approved fire-resistance-rated assembly.

712.4.1.1.2 Through-penetration fire stop system. Through penetrations shall be protected by an approved through-penetration fire stop system installed and tested in accordance with ASTM E 814 or UL 1479, with a minimum positive pressure differential of 0.01 inch of water (2.49 Pa). The system shall have an F-rating and a T-rating of not less than 1 hour but not less than the required rating of the floor pene­trated.

Exception: Floor penetrations contained and located within the cavity of a wall do not require a T- rating.

712.4.1.2 Membrane penetrations. Penetrations of membranes that are part of a fire resistance rated horizontal assembly shall comply with Section 712.4.1.1.1 or 712.4.1.1.2. Where floor/ceiling assemblies are required to have a minimum 1 hour fire resistance rating, recessed fixtures shall be installed such that the required fire resistance will not be reduced.

Exceptions:

1.  Membrane penetrations of maximum 2-hour fire-resistance-rated walls and partitions by steel, ferrous or copper conduits, pipes, tubes or vents, or concrete or masonry items where the annular space is protected either in accordance with Section 712.4.1.1 or to prevent the free passage of flame and the products of combustion. The aggregate area of the openings through the membrane shall not exceed 100 square inches (64 500 mm²) in any 100 square feet (9.3 m²) of ceiling area in assemblies tested without penetrations.

2.  Ceiling membrane penetrations of maximum 2-hour fire-resistance-rated horizontal assem­blies by steel electrical boxes that do not exceed 16 square inches (l0 323 mm²) in area, pro­vided the aggregate area of such penetrations does not exceed 100 square inches (44 500 mm²) in any 100 square feet (9.29 m²) of ceiling area, and the annular space between the ceiling membrane and the box does not exceed ¹/₈ inch (3.12 mm).

3.  Membrane penetrations by listed electrical boxes of any material, provided such boxes have been tested for use in fire-resistance-rated assemblies and are installed in accordance with the instructions included in the listing. The annular space between the ceiling membrane and the box shall not exceed ¹/₈ inch (3.1 mm) unless listed otherwise.

4.  The annular space created by the penetration of a fire sprinkler, provided it is covered by a metal escutcheon plate.

712.4.1.3 Ducts and air transfer openings. penetrations of horizontal assemblies by ducts and air transfer openings shall comply with Section 716.

712.4.1.4 Dissimilar materials. Noncombustible penetrating items shall not connect to combustible materials beyond the point of fire stopping unless it can be demonstrated that the fire-resistance integrity of the horizontal assembly is maintained.

712.4.1.5 Floor fire doors. Floor fire doors used to protect openings in fire-resistance-rated floors shall be tested in accordance with NFPA 288, and shall achieve a  fire-resistance rating not less than the assembly being penetrated. Floor fire doors shall be labeled by an approved agency.

712.4.2 Non fire-resistance-rated assemblies. Penetrations of horizontal assemblies without a required fire-resistance rating shall meet the requirements of Section 707 or shall comply with Section 712.4.2.1 or 712.4.2.2.

712.4.2.1 Noncombustible penetrating items. Noncombustible penetrating items that connect not more than three stories are permitted, provided that the annular space is filled with an approved noncombustible material to resist the free passage of flame and the products of combustion.

712.4.2.2 Penetrating items. Penetrating items that connect not more than two stories are permitted, provided that the annular space is filled with an approved material  to resist the free passage of flame and the products of combustion.

712.4.3 Ducts and air transfer openings. Penetrations of horizontal assemblies by ducts that are not protected with dampers shall comply with Section 712.2 and Sections 712.4 through 712.4.2.2. Ducts and air transfer openings that are protected with dampers shall comply with Section 716.

712.4.4 Dissimilar materials. Noncombustible penetrating items shall not connect to combustible materials beyond the point of fires topping unless it can be demonstrated that the fire-resistance integrity of the horizontal assembly is maintained.

712.5 Penetrations in smoke barriers. Penetrations in smoke barriers shall be tested in accordance with the requirements of UL 1479 for air leakage. The air leakage rate of the penetration assembly shall not exceed 5.0 cfm per square foot (0.025 m³ / s m²) of penetration opening at 0.30 inch ( 7.47 Pa) of water for both the ambient temperature and elevated temperature tests.