NFPA Journal - September/October 2016 - 47
COVER STORY
MARIJUANA INDUSTRY SAFETY
Pot was a
$1 BILLION
INDUSTRY IN
COLORADO
group comprised of marijuana industry leadforcement practices in place to safeguard against
last year,
ers, equipment manufacturers, and fire officials,
some of the unique hazards present in grow and
mostly from Colorado, to craft a new chapter for with revenues extraction facilities. Inspectors who knew nothing
NFPA 1, Fire Code, on marijuana grow and process- expected to about cannabis in 2010 can now describe with the
ing facilities. The NFPA 1 technical committee will eclipse that detail of a trained horticulturist the entire grow cycle
this year. of a marijuana plant and the equipment involved in its
review the proposed text of the new chapter at its
upcoming meeting in October.
cultivation and processing. Fire marshals who hadn't heard of
"A lot of jurisdictions are looking for guidance and they
marijuana extraction a few years ago can explain the process
need something now," said Kristin Bigda, principal fire
almost as well as some of the lab directors I met.
protection engineer at NFPA and staff liaison for NFPA 1,
"There was a learning curve and there is still a lot of
who has been guiding the task group. "At the same time,
learning going on, but I think we're in a good place now,"
I think the industry also wants regulation. We are dealing
Jackie Pike, Breckenridge's deputy fire marshal, told me.
with an industry that may be new to fire codes, and there is
an education that needs to take place about who NFPA is.
The early days: 'Where do we even start?'
We want to work with them."
In 2010, few fire departments would have said they were in
Once the NFPA 1 chapter is complete, a separate marijuana a "good place" with the pot industry.
facilities standard addressing all aspects of marijuana growThough medical marijuana was legalized in 2000, the
ing and processing could follow. In the interim, NFPA may
modern era of pot in the state wasn't officially launched
put out a guide or webpage that collects existing resources
until October 2009, when the Obama Administration anand documents that pertain to marijuana facilities in one
nounced that it would stop interfering in state-sanctioned
place. "It took us six years to get to where we are now," said
marijuana operations, a significant departure from the
Lukus, a task group member, "but other jurisdictions should Bush Administration. Suddenly, a dormant industry that
be able to adopt something and hit the ground running."
had languished under federal restrictions sprang to life, well
Many Colorado fire departments told me when I visited the ahead of a regulatory framework to govern it.
state in July that they believe the substantial knowledge gap
Boulder, a leafy, free-spirited college town in the shadow of
has mostly been closed. This year, Denver adopted a compre- the Flatiron Mountains, proved particularly attractive to pot
hensive chapter on marijuana facilities into its fire code. Many entrepreneurs. Dave Lowrey, chief fire marshal of Boulder Fire
towns and cities from Breckenridge to Boulder also have
Rescue, admitted that the city was caught off guard by the pot
robust rules, inspection and permitting processes, and enindustry's emergence. City fire officials stumbled across their
The Pot Industry
Coast to Coast
Marijuana is legal in some form in
more than two-dozen states, with
more states preparing to consider
legalization. Industry growth comes
with an array of safety concerns,
which some observers say points
to the need to develop pot-specific
consensus codes and standards.
Recreational & medicinal
Medicinal
Medicinal, with recreational
on 2016 ballot
Medicinal on 2016 ballot
SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2016 NFPA JOURNAL
47
Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of NFPA Journal - September/October 2016
Contents
NFPA Journal - September/October 2016 - Cover1
NFPA Journal - September/October 2016 - Cover2
NFPA Journal - September/October 2016 - 1
NFPA Journal - September/October 2016 - Contents
NFPA Journal - September/October 2016 - 3
NFPA Journal - September/October 2016 - 4
NFPA Journal - September/October 2016 - 5
NFPA Journal - September/October 2016 - 6
NFPA Journal - September/October 2016 - 7
NFPA Journal - September/October 2016 - 8
NFPA Journal - September/October 2016 - 9
NFPA Journal - September/October 2016 - 10
NFPA Journal - September/October 2016 - 11
NFPA Journal - September/October 2016 - 12
NFPA Journal - September/October 2016 - 13
NFPA Journal - September/October 2016 - 14
NFPA Journal - September/October 2016 - 15
NFPA Journal - September/October 2016 - 16
NFPA Journal - September/October 2016 - 17
NFPA Journal - September/October 2016 - 18
NFPA Journal - September/October 2016 - 19
NFPA Journal - September/October 2016 - 20
NFPA Journal - September/October 2016 - 21
NFPA Journal - September/October 2016 - 22
NFPA Journal - September/October 2016 - 23
NFPA Journal - September/October 2016 - 24
NFPA Journal - September/October 2016 - 25
NFPA Journal - September/October 2016 - 26
NFPA Journal - September/October 2016 - 27
NFPA Journal - September/October 2016 - 28
NFPA Journal - September/October 2016 - 29
NFPA Journal - September/October 2016 - 30
NFPA Journal - September/October 2016 - 31
NFPA Journal - September/October 2016 - 32
NFPA Journal - September/October 2016 - I1
NFPA Journal - September/October 2016 - I2
NFPA Journal - September/October 2016 - 33
NFPA Journal - September/October 2016 - 34
NFPA Journal - September/October 2016 - 35
NFPA Journal - September/October 2016 - 36
NFPA Journal - September/October 2016 - 37
NFPA Journal - September/October 2016 - 38
NFPA Journal - September/October 2016 - 39
NFPA Journal - September/October 2016 - 40
NFPA Journal - September/October 2016 - 41
NFPA Journal - September/October 2016 - 42
NFPA Journal - September/October 2016 - 43
NFPA Journal - September/October 2016 - 44
NFPA Journal - September/October 2016 - 45
NFPA Journal - September/October 2016 - 46
NFPA Journal - September/October 2016 - 47
NFPA Journal - September/October 2016 - 48
NFPA Journal - September/October 2016 - 49
NFPA Journal - September/October 2016 - 50
NFPA Journal - September/October 2016 - 51
NFPA Journal - September/October 2016 - 52
NFPA Journal - September/October 2016 - 53
NFPA Journal - September/October 2016 - 54
NFPA Journal - September/October 2016 - 55
NFPA Journal - September/October 2016 - 56
NFPA Journal - September/October 2016 - 57
NFPA Journal - September/October 2016 - 58
NFPA Journal - September/October 2016 - 59
NFPA Journal - September/October 2016 - 60
NFPA Journal - September/October 2016 - 61
NFPA Journal - September/October 2016 - 62
NFPA Journal - September/October 2016 - 63
NFPA Journal - September/October 2016 - 64
NFPA Journal - September/October 2016 - 65
NFPA Journal - September/October 2016 - 66
NFPA Journal - September/October 2016 - 67
NFPA Journal - September/October 2016 - 68
NFPA Journal - September/October 2016 - 69
NFPA Journal - September/October 2016 - 70
NFPA Journal - September/October 2016 - 71
NFPA Journal - September/October 2016 - 72
NFPA Journal - September/October 2016 - 73
NFPA Journal - September/October 2016 - 74
NFPA Journal - September/October 2016 - 75
NFPA Journal - September/October 2016 - 76
NFPA Journal - September/October 2016 - 77
NFPA Journal - September/October 2016 - 78
NFPA Journal - September/October 2016 - 79
NFPA Journal - September/October 2016 - 80
NFPA Journal - September/October 2016 - Cover3
NFPA Journal - September/October 2016 - Cover4
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/nfpa/journal_2024fall
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/nfpa/journal_2024summer
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/nfpa/journal_2024spring
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/nfpa/journal_2023winter
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/nfpa/journal_2023fall
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/nfpa/journal_2023summer
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/nfpa/journal_2023spring
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/nfpa/journal_2022winter
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/nfpa/journal_2022fall
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/nfpa/journal_2022summer
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/nfpa/journal_2022spring
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/nfpa/journal_2021winter
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/nfpa/journal_2021fall
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/nfpa/journal_2021summer
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/nfpa/journal_2021spring
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/nfpa/journal_20201112
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/nfpa/journal_20200910
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/nfpa/journal_20200708
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/nfpa/journal_20200506
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/nfpa/journal_20200304
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/nfpa/journal_20200102
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/nfpa/journal_20191112
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/nfpa/journal_20190910
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/nfpa/journal_20190708
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/nfpa/journal_20190506
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/nfpa/journal_20190304
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/nfpa/journal_20190102
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/nfpa/journal_20181112
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/nfpa/journal_20180910
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/nfpa/journal_20180708
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/nfpa/journal_20180506
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/nfpa/journal_20180304
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/nfpa/journal_20180102
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/nfpa/journal_20171112
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/nfpa/journal_20170910
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/nfpa/journal_20170708
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/nfpa/journal_20170506
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/nfpa/journal_20170304
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/nfpa/journal_20170102
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/nfpa/journal_20161112
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/nfpa/journal_201610_sprinkler
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/nfpa/journal_20160910
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/nfpa/journal_20160708
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/nfpa/journal_20160506
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/nfpa/journal_20160304
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/nfpa/journal_20160102
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/nfpa/journal_20151112
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/nfpa/journal_20150910
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/nfpa/journal_20150708
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/nfpa/journal_20150506
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/nfpa/journal_20150304
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/nfpa/journal_201501
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/nfpa/journal_20141112
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/nfpa/journal_20140910
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/nfpa/journal_20140708
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/nfpa/journal_20140506
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/nfpa/journal_20140304
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/nfpa/journal_20140102
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/nfpa/journal_20131112
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/nfpa/journal_20130910
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/nfpa/journal_20130708
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/nfpa/journal_20130506
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/nfpa/journal_20130304
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/nfpa/journal_20130102
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/nfpa/journal_20121112
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/nfpa/journal_20120910
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/nfpa/journal_20120708
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/nfpa/journal_20120506
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/nfpa/journal_20120304
https://www.nxtbookmedia.com