You may have heard that a new standard is being developed: NFPA 200, Standard for Hanging and Bracing of Fire Suppression Systems. If this is new to you, the first question may be, “Why?” Fire suppression systems have been around and standardized for more than 100 years, so why create a separate standard focused only on these systems’ support and seismic protection now? 

Like many other facets of construction and structures, the codes and standards have gotten more detailed. This means more attention is needed to coordinate with structures and ensure adequate support based on current knowledge and requirements. 

The journey

NFPA 13, Standard for the Installation of Sprinkler Systems, created a task group for hanging and bracing in the mid-1980s. In 1987, it was formalized into the Technical Committee on Hanging and Bracing of Water-Based Systems as part of the reorganization of the National Fire Protection Association’s (NFPA) Sprinkler Project, creating the Technical Correlating Committee on Automatic Sprinkler Systems and four technical committees that divide the responsibility for subjects within NFPA 13. 

The 1999 edition was the first produced using this multicommittee format.

Right around 2000, many changes were being made to building codes and the creation of the International Building Code, along with modifying the requirements for protecting the built environment from earthquakes. ASCE/SEI 7, Minimum Design Loads and Associated Criteria for Buildings and Other Structures, became the pertinent resource for designing buildings and addressing the loads of that structure, including mechanical systems (nonstructural components). 

NFPA 13 is deemed to comply with ASCE/SEI 7 for seismic protection. As such, it is imperative that the regulations are coordinated, or this status could be lost.

In addition, other standards referenced the criteria for support and seismic protection, especially those that were also water-based, such as standpipe systems, water mist systems and water spray systems. Yet, the rules were written and maintained as part of NFPA 13. The technical committee did not always address items specific to other systems as it did not want to reach beyond its scope.

A proposal was made to the NFPA Standards Council to assemble the necessary experts to oversee support criteria and seismic protection for fire suppression systems, not only sprinkler systems. These systems cannot do their jobs if they are not supported and protected properly. 

The proposal was granted to establish the Technical Committee on Hanging and Bracing for Fire Suppression Systems. The committee’s scope is “developing criteria for the use and installation of components and devices used to support fire suppression systems. This committee shall also be responsible for developing criteria for protecting fire suppression systems and devices against seismic events.” 

This technical committee began its efforts at the end of 2019 to create a draft standard that could officially be entered into the NFPA process. Once the draft was created, the NFPA established the document number, NFPA 200. Many of the requirements gathered for this public draft were extracted from the system installation standards to create the baseline. 

However, inconsistencies can be observed when the information is brought to one location. Care has been taken to maintain unique characteristics for each system but bring general requirements that apply across all systems together; after all, gravity and earthquake forces are the same regardless of the system type. 

The technical committees for each of the system’s standards will choose to reference NFPA 200 or extract the applicable information directly into the body of the standard. For example, NFPA 13 will likely extract the information as it does with the underground piping information from NFPA 24, Standard for the Installation of Private Fire Service Mains and Their Appurtenances.

The draft document

The purpose for NFPA 200 is stated in the draft as providing a “base level of protection for life and property from fire and seismic events through the standardization of design and installation for hanging, bracing, support and anchorage of fire suppression systems, based on sound engineering principles, test data and field experience.” 

The challenge is bringing requirements for various systems into harmony for handling gravity and seismic loads. This involves understanding the unique characteristics of each system, common practices of installation and applicable ASCE/SEI 7 requirements.

The public draft for NFPA 200 received some public input in 2023. As with new standards, and despite the best efforts to get the word out, many people have not yet heard of the document, so most feedback originates from committee members. Revisions were made to the draft, producing the First Draft Report, which is available from the document page (www.nfpa.org/200). 

Public comments were received in 2024. When the committee met to respond to comments, there was a need to overhaul the general chapter to produce criteria applicable across all the system types as originally intended at the onset of the committee’s work. A few tasks were created in addition to handling the public comments to improve the draft document.

With needed modifications, the committee requested more time to complete the effort. The desire is to have the best possible first edition once it is published. NFPA 200 is now on a responsive cycle. This allows the committee to produce a good document with some extra time. 

Although there is no hard deadline in a responsive cycle, the committee is dedicated to completing the current tasks (creating the second draft report) in 2025 so that NFPA 200 can be presented at the Technical Meeting in June 2026. If this is met, NFPA 200 would be produced as a 2027 edition.

As for the details of the content, the current outline can be viewed in Table 1. Most notably, there will be two general chapters, one for information related to the gravity loads on the system and the other for the system’s seismic loads. 

The requirements for sprinkler systems lead off the system chapters as those regulations are refined and have served as the basis for many other systems for years. Each system can address any items that are unique or modify the general requirements to fit the needs of the system in their specific chapters.

The committee continues to progress forward, reviewing all requirements for practical field application, appropriate load capacities and compliance with ASCE/SEI 7 (currently, the 2022 edition). Although most of the requirements will look familiar in the new standard, there have been updates to coordinate with ASCE/SEI 7-22 and modifications from public and committee input (the same as other document revision cycles).

It is worth noting that the hanging and bracing criteria are tied to the underlying load information and requirements of the building structure. This means that when the building uses ASCE/SEI 7-22, the requirements should be from NFPA 13, 2022 edition or 2025 edition. 

Once published, NFPA 200 will also be connected to ASCE/SEI 7-22. If the system is installed in a building in accordance with ASCE/SEI 7-16, then the requirements for protecting the system would best be coordinated with criteria found in NFPA 13, 2019 edition. ASCE/SEI 7 is revised every six years. With each new edition, coordination will be needed to confirm or modify the requirements. This will aid the systems in functioning properly within the building and produce the best performance. 

The support and seismic protection of fire suppression systems may seem mundane or secondary to other components, but if the system is not held physically in place, it cannot do its job. The importance of following current guidelines also cannot be stressed enough. There have been changes through the years to the installation guidelines. Some editions had major changes, while others had minor changes. 

Either way, the committee presents the best information known in the current edition that correlates with other current codes and standards. Recognize that, like all the standards, the document is not stagnant. Each following edition will be updated as needed, improving with input and the available information in the field.

The first edition of NFPA 200 will mark a new era of addressing more fire suppression systems based on their specific characteristics. Similar to many other topics, support and earthquake protection of mechanical systems is not as simple an approach as it once was. Now, it requires a bit more expertise in the subject. NFPA 200 will present a standardized approach to help simplify the regulations with practical applications.