N.Y.C. Admin. Code § FC 2808: Section FC 2808: Outdoor Storage of Wood Chips and Other Wood Waste Materials

2808.1 General.

Wood chips and other wood waste materials shall be stored and handled in accordance with this section.

2808.2 Storage areas.

Storage areas shall be level and on solid ground or other all-weather surface. Storage areas shall be thoroughly cleaned before transferring wood products to the area.

2808.3 Size of piles.

Piles shall not exceed 25 feet (7620 mm) in height, 150 feet (45 720 mm) in width and 250 feet (76 200 mm) in length.

Exception: The commissioner may authorize increased pile sizes provided that adequate fire safety is ensured by installing additional fire protection in accordance with FC Chapter 9 and the construction codes, including the Building Code. The increase shall be based upon the capabilities of the system installed.

2808.4 Pile separation.

Piles shall be separated from adjacent piles by approved fire apparatus access roads.

2808.5 Combustible waste.

The storage of wood chips or other wood waste materials, the accumulation and handling of combustible materials, the control of vegetation and the disposal of combustible waste shall comply with the requirements of FC Chapter 3.

2808.6 Pile protection.

Piles of wood chips or other wood waste materials shall be monitored by an approved means to measure internal temperatures within the piles. Internal pile temperatures shall be measured and recorded weekly.

2808.7 Reserved.

2808.8 Fire protection.

The commissioner may require that a yard hydrant system and/or monitor nozzles connected to a fixed water supply be installed upon the premises where the facility arrangement, pile arrangement, pile heights, number of piles or total volume of piles would hamper the effectiveness of hose streams to control or extinguish a fire. Portable fire extinguishers in compliance with the requirements of FC 906 and with a minimum rating of 4-A:60-B:C shall be readily available throughout the premises.

2808.9 Material-handling equipment.

Approved material-handling equipment shall be available for moving wood chips and other wood waste materials during firefighting operations.