High Pile Stock Inventory

The city fire department requires that high pile storage is to be restricted by the amount of fire protection in the warehouse.

San Diego’s Fire Department classifies high pile storage as:

• Storage area exceeding 500 square feet
• All products containing plastics stored
  over 6 feet high.
• All aerosol products.
• All other products stored over 12 feet high.
• All flammable and combustible liquids
  over 1 container high.

Fire protection includes the overhead sprinkler system, fire hoses, and fire extinguishers. The building’s overhead sprinkler system can be evaluated with the following information:

• Existing sprinkler design density (this information can be found on the risers).
• Sprinkler head temperature.
• Ceiling Height.
• Total square footage of storage including aisles and 15 feet on all sides of storage.

The storage size and type of commodity being stored is usually limited by the amount of fire protection available. Unless in-rack sprinklers are installed, most warehouse pallet rack require at least 50% open shelving, if the storage system is 12 feet or higher.

Wiremesh Decks

Wiremesh decks are used in pallet racks to create a deck on the beam level for material storage while maintaining the Fire Department’s 50% open shelving requirement. Wiremesh decks typically have a galvanized or powder coated finish and can support up to 225 psf.

Solid Decking and In-Rack Sprinklers

In-rack sprinklers may be required when solid decking is required. This depends on the size of the storage structure, the type of commodity being stored, and the amount of fire protection in the warehouse. In most cases, we recommend using a Fire Consultant to analyze your fire protection needs.