Determination of fire risk level and complementary assessment of fire load in a commercial establishment

Abstract

Fire prevention in commercial establishments requires consideration of both regulatory criteria and actual operating conditions. The objective of this study was to determine the fire risk level of a commercial establishment through the application of NOM-002-STPS-2010 and to complement this assessment with a fire load estimation using engineering criteria and the   methodology as a reference. A descriptive and technical case study was conducted based on on-site information gathering, identification of combustible materials, inventory determination, and assessment of operating conditions. The establishment contained 8,000 kg of combustible solids and 430 L of Class B liquids. Application of the criteria established in Appendix A of NOM-002-STPS-2010 resulted in an Ordinary Fire Risk Level. As a complementary analysis, a potential energy of 146,600 MJ was estimated over an area of 600 m², resulting in a specific fire load of 244.33 MJ/m², considered low according to the criterion adopted. Nevertheless, operating conditions associated with electrical installations, combustible material storage, flammable liquid handling, and possible obstruction of evacuation routes were identified. The results show that compliance with regulatory classification parameters does not eliminate the need for permanent operational controls. Integrating regulatory classification, fire load analysis, and field observations provides a broader understanding of fire safety conditions.