The 1999 edition of the National Fire Protection Association’s (NFPA’s) Standard 54, the “National Fuel Gas Code,” will undergo some changes. Public review and comments on the proposed revisions on NFPA 54-99 closed on Oct. 5, 2001. The proposed new edition of NFPA 54 is slated for presentation at the association’s May meeting.

One correction to the standard is a revision to section 5.3.2, “Equipment Located in Unconfined Spaces.” The section eliminated the option of supplying all air for combustion from inside a building in structures that are classified as “unusually tight construction.” According to NFPA, “Using section 5.3.2 (a) is not an option. All combustion air would have to be outdoor air per section 5.3.3 (b).”

Other proposed changes include eliminating the definition of confined space, unconfined space, and unusually tight construction. It would also restore an option to use indoor air for combustion air if a sufficient quantity is available.