# Equipment Bollard in a Residential Garage



## Glennman CBO

A contractor recently asked how tall an equipment bollard must be in the garage. Typically we see them approx 36" tall, but they want to see how short they can make them to get more for their buck out of their steel.

We use the UPC for our plumbing code (I know this is in the mechanical board, but it is a mechanical question) and it states that bollards are regulated by NFPA 54 (Fuel Gas Code). I do not have a copy, so was wondering if anyone knows the installation criteria for these bollards?

Thanks in advance!


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## FM William Burns

Re: Equipment Bollard in a Residential Garage

I could be mistaken but I believe NFPA 54 addresses it as sufficient clearance shall be maintained to permit cleaning, service etc. with no dimensional criteria.

*Edit:* Strike cleaning & service was winging without an available racket and forgot garage in OP.

Thanks Haz & Mueller


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## 

Re: Equipment Bollard in a Residential Garage

People should be able to see it from their car seat.  If it too short they will be running into it.


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## FM William Burns

Re: Equipment Bollard in a Residential Garage

The old tennis ball on a string from the ceiling works for my wife


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## hazmatpoobah

Re: Equipment Bollard in a Residential Garage

The IFC requires bollards for impact protection to be 48 inches in height.


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## mueller

Re: Equipment Bollard in a Residential Garage

NFPA 54     06

9.1.10- Installation in residential garages.

9.1.10.2- Such appliances shall be located or protected so they are not subject to physical damage by a moving vehicle.

06 IRC commentary

M1307.3.1 Protection from impact. Appliances located in a

garage or carport shall be protected from impact by automobiles.

Mechanical appliances installed in garages and carports

must be protected from vehicular impact.

Although the code does not specify methods of protection,

the most apparent method would be to locate

the appliance where it could not reasonably be struck

by a vehicle. A practical method of protection would be

to place a formidable and permanent barrier between

the motor vehicles and the appliance. This barrier could

include such items as an effectively located vehicle

wheel stop that is anchored in place, an elevated platform

higher than the vehicle’s bumpers or one or more

concrete-filled steel pipes. Final approval of the method

of protection is left to the local building official.

This is what I like to see

 06 IFC

SECTION 312

VEHICLE IMPACT PROTECTION

312.1 General. Vehicle impact protection required by this

code shall be provided by posts that comply with Section 312.2

or by other approved physical barriers that comply with Section

312.3.

312.2 Posts. Guard posts shall comply with all of the following

requirements:

1. Constructed of steel not less than 4 inches (102 mm) in

diameter and concrete filled.

2. Spaced not more than 4 feet (1219 mm) between posts on

center.

3. Set not less than 3 feet (914 mm) deep in a concrete footing

of not less than a 15-inch (381 mm) diameter.

4. Set with the top of the posts not less than 3 feet (914 mm)

above ground.

5. Located not less than 3 feet (914 mm) from the protected

object.

312.3 Other barriers. Physical barriers shall be a minimum of

36 inches (914 mm) in height and shall resist a force of 12,000

pounds (53 375 N) applied 36 inches (914 mm) above the adjacent

ground surface.


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## Glennman CBO

Re: Equipment Bollard in a Residential Garage

I would like to see that too, but will it happen? I think the only thing that I can legally enforce would be NFPA 54.9.1.10.2, since it is quoted in the UPC, but if it doesn't tell me anything as to size etc., then I'll just let them do it as they have been (3" x 36" steel post bolted to the garage floor).

Hmmm...new board is working just fine!

Incidentally, I emailed them to remove my info from their site at ICC. They said they would, but were sorry to see it happen. I'm not.


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## rktect 1

Re: Equipment Bollard in a Residential Garage



			
				tigerloose said:
			
		

> People should be able to see it from their car seat.  If it too short they will be running into it.


For the sake of argument.

I own two cars.  A Hummv and a Porsche.  From which car seat and at what distance?


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## TJacobs

Re: Equipment Bollard in a Residential Garage



			
				Glennman CBO said:
			
		

> I would like to see that too, but will it happen? I think the only thing that I can legally enforce would be NFPA 54.9.1.10.2, since it is quoted in the UPC, but if it doesn't tell me anything as to size etc., then I'll just let them do it as they have been (3" x 36" steel post bolted to the garage floor).Hmmm...new board is working just fine!
> 
> Incidentally, I emailed them to remove my info from their site at ICC. They said they would, but were sorry to see it happen. I'm not.


I use *R104.11 Alternative materials, design and methods of construction and equipment* to reference IFC 312.  Specifically this sentence: _Compliance with the specific performance-based provisions of the International Codes in lieu of specific requirements of this code shall also be permitted as an alternate._  Anything else is voodoo subject to your approval.  I sure wouldn't look to the plumbing code for guidance.


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## Badeeba

Re: Equipment Bollard in a Residential Garage

Glennman, the language in the NFPA section you are looking for is exactly the same as the UPC.  Note there is no provision in the UPC for protection of electric water heaters.  Funny?

Dee


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## InspMO

Re: Equipment Bollard in a Residential Garage

Oregon has a good requirement. It was vote down in the code hearings last cycle.


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## High Desert

Re: Equipment Bollard in a Residential Garage

We have a minimum 36 inch high 2" schedule 40 iron pipe embedded in the garage slab. We also have two alternates that are wheel stops and pipes bolted to the floor for retrofits. 99% of the time we see the schedule 40 pipe embedded in the concrete.


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## Glennman CBO

Re: Equipment Bollard in a Residential Garage

Yes Dee...

In the 2009 IRC M1307.3.1 states that "appliances shall not be installed in a location subject to vehicle damage, except where protected by approved barriers". While the wording is slightly different than the '03, being that it is a sub section to M1307.3 that deals with an ignition source, it could be construed that electric water heaters would actually require vehicle barriers. If you look at the definition of an "ignition source" in the IRC, this would include an electric water heater, or any other appliance that has "switching devices".


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## Badeeba

Re: Equipment Bollard in a Residential Garage

Yeah, but chapter 28 water heaters of the IRC is silent on protection from impact.  M1301.1 states the provisions of this chapter shall govern the intallation of mechanical systems not specifically covered in other chapters applicable to mechanical systems.  I am of the opinion that the code only addresses fuel fired appliances directly whether this is the intent or not.


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## Glennman CBO

Re: Equipment Bollard in a Residential Garage

Dee,

That is correct (that 1301.1 covers those systems not specifically covered in other chapters). That's why you could draw the inference that I mentioned, because it is not specifically covered in the water heater chapter. Besides, I was only saying that it could be construed from the section that vehicle barriers could be required.

Do you think that electric water heaters are a source of ignition per 1307.3? If you do, then 1307.3.1 would just the same apply to electric water heaters. Remember, if it applies to one it applies to the other, since one is a subsection to the other. In other words, the "appliances" in 1307.3 would be the same "appliances" in 1307.3.1.

Would this line of reasoning apply just the same in P2801.6? It mentions there that water heaters having an ignition source (i.e. electric switching devices, per the definition) shall be elevated above the garage floor. If this is the case, then M1307.3 and 3.1 would apply just as I have inferred.

To be truthful, I hardly ever see electric water heaters in garages, and I don't really remember what I have required for them. I'm sure you have seen cases where contractors have installed barriers there, required or not. In that case, the subject wouldn't even come up.

Here's something to consider...(food for thought). How much of these sections apply in Washington State, since we have adopted the UPC?


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## Badeeba

Re: Equipment Bollard in a Residential Garage

I think water heaters are specifically mentioned in chapter 28. And we do not enforce the P chapters in the IRC in the 'Quah but as far as the IRC is concerned I think it helps my point, dont you?  Would not your condensate pump for your a/c unit then be an ignition source and need to be elevated and bollard added?  How about washer and dryer?  Refrigerator?  Recepticles?  How about those little infrared switches for your garage doors?  Hmm?  It is all so confusing how can we regulate anthing? :?:


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## Glennman CBO

Re: Equipment Bollard in a Residential Garage

Dee,

What I was saying that was not specifically mentioned is not water heaters, but the bollard requirement.

You are correct that there is way too much by way of restrictions.

You mean you don't require a 3 ft tall bollard for a condensate pump? Man, where have you been?

How about a bollard for the garage wall where there is an outlet or a light switch in it that can be a source of ignition? You are correct in that one can read almost anything into the code that one wants. I've heard some doozies. That's what Dan tried to keep us from getting into during training in 'Qualmie. What does the code "really" say, he would say? Common sense goes along way.

I've heard that you have jumped leaps and bounds in your carrer there. Keep it up. Good discussion. Hope to see you in some training. Maybe next spring. Glenn.


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## peach

Re: Equipment Bollard in a Residential Garage

I think, based on the vehicles rktect 1 drives, he makes too much money to be involved with the likes of the rest of us...    

If it's a gas appliance, it needs to be elevated above the floor anyway.  (IRC M1307.3 - 18").. other than that, the IRC is silent.   Having mechanical equipment in the garage is not a good idea since it's subjected to outside temperature (unless it's a conditioned garage).. it has to work harder.

Then there's the CO issue.. how to prevent the car exhaust from getting into the house..


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## brudgers

Re: Equipment Bollard in a Residential Garage

The requirement itself is asinine, and a tennis ball is as good as most bollards installed in 1+2 Family.

Neither will stop a car.

A wheel stop anchored to the floor is the most cost effective physical barrier.

But it's such a non-safety issue, that it should not be in the 1+2 Family codes to begin with.


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## peach

Re: Equipment Bollard in a Residential Garage

it's not a non-issue..

it's a real issue (but a bad practice in the first place)..

The IRC needs to incorporate specific language.. an opportunity to submit a code change!


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## brudgers

Re: Equipment Bollard in a Residential Garage

I didn't say "it's a non-issue."

I said it's a non-safety issue.

And it's an example of why the ICC process is so bad.

The "there ought to be a law" people are unchecked.

Look at the suggestions in this thread that the protection must be visible from the vehicle.

Wow, now we can not only protect the vehicle, but more importantly we can protect the protection.

I propose a 48" bollard be installed to protect the bollard protecting the equipment and capable of withstanding the impact from a Hummer (original civilian model) at a speed of 15mph when driven by a drunk teenager.

A second bollard will address a big issue for plan reviewers.

Too many plans have mechanical protection.

Adding a protection protection requirement will allow more plans to be rejected over trivial requirements.

And return the fun to plan review.


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## Badeeba

Re: Equipment Bollard in a Residential Garage

Don't be silly, I think the simple solution is a mechanical equipment vehicle proximity sensor which activates an on board kill switch and brake activation servo via satellite...  This would alleviate the need for this confusing wheel stop or bollard issue.


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## JBI

Re: Equipment Bollard in a Residential Garage

Well, THAT or.... ummmmm... maybe...

People should learn to PAY ATTENTION TO THE WORLD AROUND THEM!?!?   :x

You know, operate that 2 ton steel projectile as though they actually have some control over it?   

But until then we'll just have to prevent them from doing something STUPID like driving into their furnace/boiler/hot water heater.  :roll:

Personally, I don't need a book to tell me it's a bad idea to sleep in a windowless room (sprinklers or no, that is JPS - just plain STOOPID), and I wouldn't put my furnace/boiler/HWH out in the garage, but I'm from NYS where it gets COLD in the wintertime. Florida, Texas, So Cal, MAYBE, but in the North NO WAY!


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## brudgers

Re: Equipment Bollard in a Residential Garage



			
				Badeeba said:
			
		

> Don't be silly, I think the simple solution is a mechanical equipment vehicle proximity sensor which activates an on board kill switch and brake activation servo via satellite...  This would alleviate the need for this confusing wheel stop or bollard issue.


A force field with anti-matter backup...in case the power goes out.


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## spurious

I know this thread is old and dead, but it was a return when i was looking for a IRC reference.  I design a lot of guardrails... 12kips at 36 inches sounds outlandish.  Where is that from?  

AASHTO '89 is 10k at about 22" (they have details), with 5k in non-primary barirer directions (longitudinal/inward/etc).  IBC goes directly to ASCE7 which is 6k at 18" minimum, but acting in any horizontal direction, and specifically precludes busses and "trucks" (meaning actual trucks like SU-30, not that humvee).  Those values are for traffic collision, and are mainly to guide traffic back onto a road.  The 6k is in line with testing of guardrail systems, which shows around 5.9k for a light duty vehicle at ±20° at a low speed threshhold collision.  

I would presume an "approved barrier" per the IRC would be something like a traffic railing rather than an intended impact mechanism, like a loading dock.  In that case, i would anticipate an official would accept my design per IBC, which is ASCE7.  Conversly, something like a vehicle barrier on a loading dock is designed for a 100k impact force as semi-trailers intentionally ram it downhill.  The semi could go through the bollards and right on through the rest of the house.  I design industrial barriers for anything between 6k and 10k, at the client's request.  I design push walls for front loaders for anything between 30k and 130k.  A front loader could also go right through a house.  None of those higher loads would make sense to me from a design perspective for the IRCs intent.  I'd say use 6k @ 18" or a little higher if you want.


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## ADAguy

"Very" lengthy thread driven by a contractor seeking to save pennies. 

Vehicles include trucks and jacked up SUV's. this is not a one size suits all issue.
As usual it depends on what you are protecting, vehicles or objects?


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## spurious

ADAguy said:


> "Very" lengthy thread driven by a contractor seeking to save pennies.
> 
> Vehicles include trucks and jacked up SUV's. this is not a one size suits all issue.
> As usual it depends on what you are protecting, vehicles or objects?


And from what action of the vehicle?  Anything I'd call a truck (AASHTO SU commercial vehicle) is going to push with multiple kips of force if you take your foot off the clutch.  6k is a "soft stop" barrier of someone intentionally letting their 5k passanger truck/ car bump at about 5mph, or being in neutral around 10 mph.  The barirers in IRC are to keep the stupid off of something, not collision design.  When designing residence, I provide collision resistance at any columns/etc of 30k, which is monolithick concrete extending down with vertical bars, horizontals at 19" above floor and lateral restraint.  See https://www.structuremag.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/08/C-StructuralPractices-Iqbal-Oct081.pdf


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## ADAguy

spurious said:


> And from what action of the vehicle?  Anything I'd call a truck (AASHTO SU commercial vehicle) is going to push with multiple kips of force if you take your foot off the clutch.  6k is a "soft stop" barrier of someone intentionally letting their 5k passanger truck/ car bump at about 5mph, or being in neutral around 10 mph.  The barirers in IRC are to keep the stupid off of something, not collision design.  When designing residence, I provide collision resistance at any columns/etc of 30k, which is monolithick concrete extending down with vertical bars, horizontals at 19" above floor and lateral restraint.  See https://www.structuremag.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/08/C-StructuralPractices-Iqbal-Oct081.pdf



excellent practice, thank you.


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## ICE

It would have never occurred to me that a residential bollard would be engineered.


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## ADAguy

No disrespect but you are an inspector aren't you; not a designer?


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## ICE

ADAguy said:


> No disrespect but you are an inspector aren't you; not a designer?


Right you are...I am just an inspector.


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## ADAguy

ICE said:


> Right you are...I am just an inspector.



"not just", as such, though you are expected to have knowledge of many things, you deal with moving targets every day. Yours is a necessary/critical (often unappreciated) element of the construction process.  Keep the faith, love your shades.


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