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NFPA Mandatory Disclaimer - NFPAs Regulations Governing Committee Projects, allows me, as a member

of the Technical Committee (TC) to provide you with my personal opinion; it should also be known that my
opinion does not necessarily represent the position of the TC or the Association (NFPA) and may not be
considered to be or relied upon as such. Reprinted with permission from the revision of the 2017 NFPA
130, copyright 2016 national Fire Protection Association. This material has been submitted for the NFPA
Standards development process, it has not yet and may not be incorporated in the next edition of NFPA
130.

-- 7TH ANNUAL SYMPOSIUM ON TUNNEL SAFETY AND SECURITY


March 16-18, 2016 - Montreal Marriott Chateau Champlain, Montreal, Canada

TOPICS
Introduction Who am I?
Committee Scope
Description of NFPA 130 and its Background
Enhancements to the 2017 Edition
Plans for the Next Edition

-- 7TH ANNUAL SYMPOSIUM ON TUNNEL SAFETY AND SECURITY


March 16-18, 2016 - Montreal Marriott Chateau Champlain, Montreal, Canada

Introduction Who am I?
I am Harold L. Levitt
Chairperson of NFPA 130 Technical Committee 2010 and 2014
Editions, Member of 130 for 16 years.
Manager PATH Capital Projects for Port Authority TransHudson Corporation (PATH) 30 years
Former Director of Safety & Acting Director of Security for the
cancelled Access To The Regions Core (ARC) Project, a joint
venture between the PANYNJ, NJ Transit and the FTA, cancelled
in 2010.

-- 7TH ANNUAL SYMPOSIUM ON TUNNEL SAFETY AND SECURITY


March 16-18, 2016 - Montreal Marriott Chateau Champlain, Montreal, Canada

COMMITTEE SCOPE
This Committee shall have primary responsibility for documents
pertaining to fire safety requirements for underground, surface, and
elevated fixed guideway transit and passenger rail systems including
stations, train-ways, emergency ventilation systems, vehicles,
emergency procedures, communications and control systems and for
life safety from fire and fire protection in stations, train-ways, and
vehicles. Stations shall pertain to stations accommodating occupants
of the fixed guideway transit and passenger rail systems and
incidental occupancies in the stations.

-- 7TH ANNUAL SYMPOSIUM ON TUNNEL SAFETY AND SECURITY


March 16-18, 2016 - Montreal Marriott Chateau Champlain, Montreal, Canada

Description of NFPA 130 and its Background

When was it developed?

Why was it developed and for whom?

How did it look when it was first developed?

How does it look now?

-- 7TH ANNUAL SYMPOSIUM ON TUNNEL SAFETY AND SECURITY


March 16-18, 2016 - Montreal Marriott Chateau Champlain, Montreal, Canada

THE COMBINING OF THE TWO SYSTEM TYPES INTO ONE ALL


ENCLUSIVE STANDARD

The Combining: (Blue = Fixed Guideway Transit Systems &


Red = Passenger Rail System) together they equal fixed
guideway transit and passenger rail systems
A (an electrified) transportation system, utilizing a (fixed) [rail]
guideway, operating on right-of-way for the (mass) movement of
passengers within (a metropolitan) [and between metropolitan]
area[s], and consisting of its (fixed) rail guideways, (transit)
[passenger rail] vehicles, and other rolling stock; power systems;
buildings; stations; and other stationary and movable apparatus,
equipment, appurtenances, and structures.
Both Fixed Guideway Transit System and Passenger Rail System
were merged into one standard in 2000
-- 7TH ANNUAL SYMPOSIUM ON TUNNEL SAFETY AND SECURITY
March 16-18, 2016 - Montreal Marriott Chateau Champlain, Montreal, Canada

Enhancements Anticipated for the 2017 Edition


Below are listed a few of the submittals received but their inclusion into the
next edition of NFPA 130 is dependant on how the NFPA Standards Council
votes in August of 2016:
1.

We are requiring that, enclosed stations be protected by a fire alarm system


designed, installed and maintained in accordance with NFPA 72 (National Fire Alarm
and Signaling Code).

2.

List of Applicable Standards and Code editions were updated and some were
removed if no longer applicable or added new ones if required. Updated and/or
clarified some critical definitions.

3.

Added new information on Acoustics and included them in Annex B to facilitate


future investigation.

4.

Added sound level requirements revolving around emergency communications for 1st
Responders.
Some organizations as part of annual refresher for responders, test
their communications equipment in the environment in proximity to fan
intake/discharge portals where high sound levels can prevent needed conversation.

-- 7TH ANNUAL SYMPOSIUM ON TUNNEL SAFETY AND SECURITY


March 16-18, 2016 - Montreal Marriott Chateau Champlain, Montreal, Canada

Enhancements Anticipated for the 2017 Edition


5.

Repaired a couple of key definitions Open Station vs Enclosed Station also as a


means to address hazards and mitigations associated with fires/smoke conditions.

6.

Additional language added for protecting exposed combustible insulation (it is


permitted) in stations with a barrier that inhibits the potential fire growth and
spread providing a protected egress for occupants because we felt that egress could
be impacted (i.e. fire-stopping).

7.

Additional language added that for off-the-shelf electronic equipment in vehicles


such as Wi-Fi, charging stations (outlets), electronic train controls as to be included
in the inventory that will contribute to heat load analyses; we also added adhesive
and sealants to the list of items to be tested as all are contributory into developing
the FHRR of vehicles.

8.

Annex H only contains a portion of the required changes for Fire Scenarios and
Profiles Even though we fell within the parameters of introducing new information
we made some changes that the committee needed time to analyze. This new
language caused a vote for the new changes to be held to the next edition.

-- 7TH ANNUAL SYMPOSIUM ON TUNNEL SAFETY AND SECURITY


March 16-18, 2016 - Montreal Marriott Chateau Champlain, Montreal, Canada

-- 7TH ANNUAL SYMPOSIUM ON TUNNEL SAFETY AND SECURITY


March 16-18, 2016 - Montreal Marriott Chateau Champlain, Montreal, Canada

For the Next Edition the Committee Should Include But Not Be Limited to
Additional Key Issues as They Present Themselves Throughout the Course of
Development:

There is a need for Further Develop of a Standardized Methodology of how


to Formulate FHRR Number for vehicles;

There is a Need to Further Develop Methods for Incorporating on-board fire


suppression systems onto vehicles;

There is a Need to investigate and incorporate issues associated with the


growing high-speed rail industry;

There is a Need to Explore additional methods for safe egress from deep
stations;

There is a Need to Further Develop and Decide how to incorporate


measures into the standard acoustics by working with 1st Responders.

Analyze newly introduced language associated with Annex H.

-- 7TH ANNUAL SYMPOSIUM ON TUNNEL SAFETY AND SECURITY


March 16-18, 2016 - Montreal Marriott Chateau Champlain, Montreal, Canada

To Further the development of a standardized methodology for formulating


the FHRR for vehicles (an example):

-- 7TH ANNUAL SYMPOSIUM ON TUNNEL SAFETY AND SECURITY


March 16-18, 2016 - Montreal Marriott Chateau Champlain, Montreal, Canada

The Committee will Need to Further Develop Methods for Incorporating onboard fire suppression systems onto vehicles (concept- just 2 examples of
many) another method would be to mount tanks vertically at car ends:

Within Car Ceiling Structure or


Atop Car, etc

Mounted Under Car Carriage

-- 7TH ANNUAL SYMPOSIUM ON TUNNEL SAFETY AND SECURITY


March 16-18, 2016 - Montreal Marriott Chateau Champlain, Montreal, Canada

The Committee will Need to Explore additional methods for safe egress from
deep stations: (This is just one Example)

-- 7TH ANNUAL SYMPOSIUM ON TUNNEL SAFETY AND SECURITY


March 16-18, 2016 - Montreal Marriott Chateau Champlain, Montreal, Canada

The Committee will Need to Further Develop and Decide how to incorporate
measures into the standard for acoustics by working with 1st Responders to
ensure that directions can be heard:

Fan

Silencers
Typical Fan Installation Can be
vertical or Horizontal (An Example)

Person may not be


able to hear anything
when fan is running .
Noise/Sound could be
as high as a 100+dB

Louver in the tunnel Loud Fan


Sound would make speaking
virtually impossible to hear,
inaudible.

Tunnel Ventilation Portal

-- 7TH ANNUAL SYMPOSIUM ON TUNNEL SAFETY AND SECURITY


March 16-18, 2016 - Montreal Marriott Chateau Champlain, Montreal, Canada

WMATA
YOU WANTED TO KNOW ABOUT LAST YEARS INCIDENT
HOWEVER,
I CAN ONLY DISCUSS WHAT HAS BEEN IN THE PUBLIC DOMAIN

-- 7TH ANNUAL SYMPOSIUM ON TUNNEL SAFETY AND SECURITY


March 16-18, 2016 - Montreal Marriott Chateau Champlain, Montreal, Canada

Your Presenter
Harold L. LevittPATH/The Port Authority of New York & New Jersey
e-Mail address - hlevitt@panynj.gov

&
When I retire at the end of September My e-Mail address will be
bigtough50@aol.com
so PLEASE keep in touch.

-- 7TH ANNUAL SYMPOSIUM ON TUNNEL SAFETY AND SECURITY


March 16-18, 2016 - Montreal Marriott Chateau Champlain, Montreal, Canada

-- 7TH ANNUAL SYMPOSIUM ON TUNNEL SAFETY AND SECURITY


March 16-18, 2016 - Montreal Marriott Chateau Champlain, Montreal, Canada

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