Rothstein Associates Inc.

NFPA 232: STANDARD FOR THE PROTECTION OF RECORDS
2000 EDITION
by National Fire Protection Association

Anyone concerned with the management and safety of business records should become
familiar with these vital standards for protection of business records, archives and records
centers.

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CONTENTS
1 INTRODUCTION
1.1 Scope
1.2 Purpose
1.3 Retroactivity
1.4 Planning
1.5 Equivalency
1.6 Definitions
1.7 Required Levels of Protection
1.8 Establishment of Risk Tolerance

2 GENERAL.
2.1 Responsibility of the Records Manager and Archivist
2.2 Fire Risk Evaluation Factors
2.3 Exposure
2.4 Operations in Records Storage Areas
2.5 Housekeeping

3 CONSTRUCTION
3.1 General Requirements for New File Rooms, Vaults, Archives, and Records
Centers
3.2 Records Storage Areas
3.3 Protection Against Outside Exposure Fires

4 BUILDING EQUIPMENT AND FACILITIES
4.1 Heating Systems
4.2 Electrical Systems
4.3 Service Aisles
4.4 Locking Devices
4.5 Air-Conditioning and Ventilation Systems
4.6 Lightning Protection

5 STANDARD RECORDS VAULT
5.1 General
5.2 Design
5.3 Location
5.4 Size
5.5 Foundations
5.6 Floor
5.7 Walls
5.8 Independence from Building Structure
5.9 Roof
5.10 Vault Door
5.11 Electrical Service
5.12 Operating Practices
5.13 Fire Suppression and Signaling Equipment
5.14 Oversize Vault

6 EMERGENCY PLANNING
6.1 Responsibility
6.2 Planning for Response
6.3 Recovery Plan.
6.4 Fire Protection Plan
6.5 Training

7 FILE ROOMS
7.1 General
7.2 Design
7.3 Location
7.4 Size
7.5 Supporting Structure
7.6 Floor
7.7 Walls
7.8 Roof
7.9 File Room Door
7.10 Dampproofing
7.11 Electrical Service
7.12 Heating and Ventilation
7.13 Fire Suppression and Signaling Equipment
7.14 Operating Practices

8 RECORDS PROTECTION EQUIPMENT
8.1 General
8.2 Classification of Devices
8.3 Selection of Equipment

9 PRESERVATION OF RECORDS
9.1 General
9.2 Fire-Resistive Buildings
9.3 Non-Fire-Resistive Buildings

10 Referenced Publications

APPENDIX A EXPLANATORY MATERIAL

APPENDIX B FIRE CHARACTERISTICS

APPENDIX C SALVAGE OF WATER-DAMAGED LIBRARY MATERIALS

APPENDIX D FIRE CONTROL

APPENDIX E FIRE CONTROL SYSTEMS

APPENDIX F REFERENCED PUBLICATIONS

INDEX

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2000, 37 pages Order #DR-232 $30.00

4 Arapaho Rd.

Brookfield, CT 06804-3104

1-888-ROTHSTEin

Telephone: 203.740.7444; 888.768.4783

Fax: 203.740.7401

All bookstore enquiries should be sent to Rothstein Associates at the above address.

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