The need for fire standards in cultural resources buildings has been addressed by NFPA 909: Code for the Protection of Cultural Resource Properties – Museums, Libraries, and Places of Worship. This Code describes principles and practices of fire safety for cultural resource properties (museums, libraries, and places of worship); their contents; and those who operate, use, or visit them, through a comprehensive fire protection program.
The 2010 Edition adds important addition about security. The main technical changes are:
- Expansion of the code’s goals and objectives to include ‘hazards other than fire
- New requirement for a vulnerability assessment
- New chapters on planning for protection, emergency operations, and security
- A new annex describing commonly used premises protection systems and equipment
The 2010 Edition deals also with new issues as:
- Reorganization of requirements pertaining to construction, alteration, addition, and renovation projects into one chapter
- Addition of design and installation requirements to reduce the risk of corrosion damage in dry-pipe and preaction sprinkler systems
- New requirements for sprinkler protection inside some exhibit cases
- Annexes pertaining to renovation of historic structures and fire ratings of archaic materials have been deleted and are now part of NFPA 914: Code for Fire Protection of Historic Structures