ALS Warehouse – Fire Protection Compliance for Racking System, IFEL Engineering case study project in North Vancouver, BC, BC

Case Study

ALS Warehouse – Fire Protection Compliance for Racking System

Site inspection and NFPA 13 ESFR compliance assessment for a new pallet racking system storing Class IV commodities at a North Vancouver warehouse.

Section 01

Project Overview

This project required a fire protection compliance assessment for a proposed multiple-row pallet racking system at a warehouse facility in North Vancouver. The tenant, ALS, intended to store Class IV commodities including fire assay clay products in wooden boxes and wrapped bags of lead monoxide on wooden pallets.

IFEL (PSC Engineering and Inspection Services) conducted a site visit and prepared documentation supporting plan review with the District of North Vancouver. The assessment evaluated whether the proposed storage arrangement could be protected by the existing ESFR ceiling sprinkler system.

  • On-site inspection before racking installation
  • Commodity classification per NFPA 13 (Class IV)
  • Assessment of existing ASCOA K-1 ESFR ceiling sprinklers
  • Compliance documentation for the authority having jurisdiction

Section 02

Engineering Approach

IFEL performed a site visit in January 2026 to review the proposed racking layout, storage height, and commodity types. Based on NFPA 13 criteria and MSDS documentation, the stored materials were classified as Class IV commodities.

The existing warehouse is equipped with an ESFR ceiling sprinkler system designed in accordance with NFPA 13. IFEL assessed the proposed configuration (including approximately 21 ft maximum storage height within a 25 ft ceiling, multiple-row racking with no solid shelving, and no open-top container storage) against ESFR ceiling-only protection criteria.

  • Verification of 36-in clearance between top of storage and sprinkler deflectors
  • Review of sprinkler system data and manufacturer specifications
  • Storage limitation summary for ongoing compliance

Section 03

Outcome

IFEL prepared a compliance letter confirming that the proposed racking system falls within allowable parameters for the existing ESFR protection, contingent on maintaining all identified storage limitations. The client received clear, authority-ready documentation supporting the plan review process.

This project highlights IFEL and PSC's combined fire protection engineering and inspection capability for industrial warehouse tenants navigating code compliance, storage classification, and sprinkler system assessments.

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