January 2005
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NFPA Update
by Karen Hall
Vice President, Technical Operations of the National Hydrogen Association

The National Fire Protection Association is busy modifying NFPA documents to facilitate permitting of hydrogen energy systems in commercial and residential applications. Here are few items of interest:

  • The revised NFPA 52 is being prepared for ballot. There were over 800 comments reviewed in the November meeting in Las Vegas, NV. NFPA staff is compiling the results of the meeting for official ballot. The Report on Comments is due to be released to the public on April 1, 2005. At that point, interested parties are encouraged to review the Report, which will be posted to the NFPA website. The NHA will include a link to the Report in the Hydrogen Safety Report in April. The NHA will collect comments from the hydrogen community to assist in developing supporting materials in advance of the Final Action in July.

  • As reported last month, The NFPA Hydrogen Coordinating Group (HCG) will have a joint meeting at NFPA with the National Fire Protection Research Foundation to evaluate needs for hydrogen safety research and develop hydrogen safety research projects. The focus of the meeting will be to develop a research agenda in support of better informed codes and standards related to the physical infrastructure for hydrogen technologies.

    Please come to the meeting prepared to speak to your priorities as it relates to this topic; there will be an interactive session in which we will identify research needs and the means necessary to bring these results to the codes and standards development process.

    The meeting will be held on January 25, 2005 at NFPA's headquarters in Quincy, MA. Contact Kathleen Almand, Executive Director, Fire Protection Research Foundation at kalmand@nfpa.org for more information. You may also view a detailed agenda (85 Kb PDF) and invitation (62Kb PDF) for the meeting.

  • The NFPA Hydrogen Coordinating Group will hold a special Hydrogen Technology Safety Symposium at the NFPA World Safety Conference & Exposition in Las Vegas, NV held June 6-10, 2005.

    • The Hydrogen Safety Symposium will be held on the following days:
      Monday, June 6, 8:00 a.m. - 12:00 pm
      Tuesday, June 7, 8:00 a.m. - 12:30 p.m.

    • "The hydrogen highway is coming! This symposium will explore the safety issues associated with the refueling and storage infrastructure required for hydrogen vehicles. Presentations include an overview of hydrogen vehicle technology, the general and NFPA regulatory framework for hydrogen, issues associated with fuel cells and their storage, and field experience that Chevron Texaco has gained in the design, permitting, and construction of hydrogen energy stations.
      Sponsored by the NFPA Research Foundation." Website description: visit www.nfpa.org for more details or to register.

    • From the January 2005 edition of the NFPA News (www.nfpa.org/assets/files/PDF/NFPANews1004.pdf):

      The NFPA Committee on Industrial and Medical Gases is seeking members in the enforcer category only. This Committee is responsible for NFPA 50, Standard for Bulk Oxygen Systems at Consumer Sites; NFPA 50A, Standard for Gaseous Hydrogen Systems at Consumer Sites; NFPA 50B, Standard for Liquefied Hydrogen Systems at Consumer Sites; NFPA 51, Standard for the Design and Installation of Oxygen-Fuel Gas Systems for Welding, Cutting, and Allied Processes; NFPA 51A, Standard for Acetylene Cylinder Charging Plants; NFPA 55, Standard for the Storage, Use, and Handling of Compressed Gases and Cryogenic Fluids in Portable and Stationary Containers, Cylinders, and Tanks; and NFPA 560, Standard for the Storage, Handling, and Use of Ethylene Oxide for Sterilization and Fumigation.

      Anyone interested in serving on one of these committees or on any NFPA technical committee can download a form from NFPA's website at www.nfpa.org/categoryList.asp?categoryID=819 or request a technical committee application form from Codes and Standards Administration, NFPA, 1 Batterymarch Park, Quincy, MA 02169-7471.