DRYING APPARATUS (15-24-840 et seq.)

Municipal Code of Chicago tit. 15, ch. 15-24, art. VIII

in effect

Municipal Code of Chicago § 15-24-840 Drying rooms.

15-24-840 Drying rooms. Every room for the drying of articles or materials, which will give off explosives or flammable vapors during the drying process, shall have an enclosure of two-hour fire-resistive construction, if it has a floor area of 1,000 square feet or less and of three-hour fire- resistive construction of solid masonry or concrete if it has a floor area exceeding 1,000 square feet but not more than 2,000 square feet; and of four-hour fire-resistive construction if it has a floor area exceeding 2,000 square feet; provided, however, that an opening, or openings from any adjoining room for a conveyor may be provided in an enclosure for any such drying room if each such adjoining room is made to conform with the requirements of this section for such a drying room; and provided further, that if a system of collecting and disposing of the vapors produced in the drying room is provided, then the enclosure for the drying room shall be not less than one-hour fire- resistive construction in any case, and the provisions of this section for an adjoining room in which there is a conveyor extending into the drying room shall not apply. (Prior code § 129.1-75)

Municipal Code of Chicago § 15-24-850 Drying ovens.

15-24-850 Drying ovens. Section 15-24-840 shall not apply when drying is conducted in a drying device specifically designed for drying articles that have been coated with a material that gives off explosive vapor during drying. Adequate ventilation shall be provided, which will ensure ventilation sufficient to prevent buildup of an explosive mixture. The ventilation system shall be interlocked such that in case of failure of the ventilating system, the drying device will not function. The heating operation shall comply with Title 14M. The drying operation shall comply with Section 15-24-860. Whenever located adjacent to the spraying operation, preventilation shall occur before the heating system can be started. (Prior code § 129.1-76; Amend Coun. J. 10-7-20, p. 21791, Art. VI, § 45)

Municipal Code of Chicago § 15-24-860 Fire prevention requirements.

15-24-860 Fire prevention requirements. Drying apparatus shall comply with the applicable chapters of this Code and with the special requirements of this section: (a) Spray booths, spray areas, spray rooms used for spraying operations shall not alternately be used for the purpose of drying by any arrangement which will cause an increase in the surface temperature of the spray booth, spray area, spray room used for spraying operations, except as hereinafter permitted. (b) Except as specifically provided in Section 15-24-860(c) drying or baking units utilizing a heating system having open flames or which may produce sparks shall not be permitted in any spray booth, spray area, spray room but may be installed adjacent thereto if equipped with an interlocked ventilating system arranged to: 1. Thoroughly ventilate the drying space before the heating system can be started; 2. Maintain a safe atmosphere at any source of ignition; 3. Automatically shut down the heating system in the event of failure of the ventilating system. (c) Motor vehicles refinishing booths or enclosures, otherwise installed and maintained in conformity with this section, may alternately be used for drying with portable infrared drying apparatus when complying with the following: 1. The procedure shall be restricted to occasional operations using less than ten gallons in any 24-hour period of liquids as defined for paint spraying in Section 15-24-550 of this Code. 2. The interior of spray enclosures shall be kept free of overspray deposits. 3. During the spray operations, the drying apparatus and electrical connections and wiring thereto shall not be located within the spray enclosure nor in any other location where spray residue may be deposited thereon. 4. Spraying apparatus, drying apparatus and ventilating system of the spray enclosure shall be equipped with suitable interlocks so arranged that: (a) Spraying apparatus cannot be operated while drying apparatus is inside the spray enclosure; (b) Spray enclosure will be purged of spray vapors for a period of not less than three minutes before drying apparatus can be energized; (c) The ventilating system will maintain a safe atmosphere within the enclosure during the drying process and the drying apparatus will automatically shut off in the event of failure of the ventilating system. 5. All electrical wiring and equipment of the drying apparatus shall conform to Title 14E. Only equipment of a type approved for Class I, Division 2 hazardous locations, as defined in Section 14E-5-500, shall be located within 18 inches of the floor level. All metallic parts of the drying apparatus shall be properly electrically bonded and grounded. (Prior code § 129.1-77; Amend Coun. J. 9-6-17, p. 55278, Art. II, § 59)

Municipal Code of Chicago § 15-24-870 Ventilation.

15-24-870 Ventilation. Every room for the drying of articles or materials which will give off explosive or flammable vapors during the drying process shall have means of natural ventilation the same as required under Section 15-28-260 for a material heating room, except that where there is a mechanical means of collecting and disposing of all such vapors produced in the drying room, the provisions of this section shall not apply. (Prior code § 129.1-78)

Municipal Code of Chicago § 15-24-880 Heating.

15-24-880 Heating. All steam or hot water pipes in every standard drying room, and in every drying room for any article or material which will give off explosive or flammable vapors during the drying process, shall be carried on noncombustible supports and shall be provided with noncombustible guards so arranged as to maintain a clear space of not less than six inches between such pipes and any article or material which is being dried. Any wire or sheet metal used in such guards shall be not less than one-eighth-inch thick, and where the articles or materials being dried are heavy or are handled in carts, trucks or other conveyors, the required guards shall be of sufficient strength to withstand such impacts and pressure as may be imposed upon them. No steam or hot water pipes shall be located less than six inches from the floor at any point. Provisions shall be made for the cleaning of all lint, dust, waste and refuse from around steam and hot water pipes. Any opening for the admission of hot air to a drying room shall be protected by a metal screen or grille with openings not more than one-half inch in width. The metal of any such screen or grille shall be not less than one-eighth-inch thick. No such opening for the admission of hot air shall be nearer than six inches to the floor at any point. Any stove in a drying room shall be provided with a standard furnace foundation. Any stove or electric heating device in a drying room shall be provided with a metal guard so arranged as to maintain a clear space of at least six inches between said stove or electric heating device and any material or article which is being dried, which shall conform in all respects to the requirements of this section for guards around steam or hot water pipes. (Prior code § 129.1-79)

Municipal Code of Chicago § 15-24-890 Drying oven design.

15-24-890 Drying oven design. Foundations. Every oven used for baking or japan or enamel work and located on a combustible floor, shall be provided with a standard furnace foundation, meeting the requirements of Title 14M. Separation of Baking Compartment and Fire Chamber. If direct heat is used, the baking compartment of the oven shall be cut off from the fire chamber and smoke flue by a tight noncombustible partition, and provisions shall be made to keep the flame at such distance from such partition as will preclude the possibility of igniting the fumes in the baking compartment. Metal Oven Construction. The walls and ceiling of every metal oven shall consist of an inner and outer shell of metal not less than three-eightieths-inch thick, with riveted or welded seams and joints, secured to a rigid framework of suitable iron or steel shapes. The inner and outer metal shells shall be separated not less than one and one-half inches, the space between being filled solid with fused noncombustible insulating material not less than one and one-fourth inches thick. Brick Oven Construction. Every brick oven shall have walls and ceiling at least four inches in thickness and shall be provided with a metal door not less than five sixty-fourths inch in thickness. Open Ventilation and Relief Covers. Every japanning or enameling oven shall have a vent pipe of iron or steel, not less than one-thirty-second inch thick with riveted or welded seams and joints, or formed of a compressed mixture of asbestos fiber and portland cement or as provided by Title 14M for smoke flues and chimneys. Clearances. No part of any oven enclosure or oven flues shall be located nearer to any combustible construction than is permitted under Title 14M for low-pressure boiler breachings. (Prior code § 129.1-80; Amend Coun. J. 11-9-16, p. 36266, § 32; Amend Coun. J. 10-7-20, p. 21791, Art. VI, § 46)

Source: City of Chicago, Municipal Code of Chicago (American Legal Publishing, codelibrary.amlegal.com)URL: https://codelibrary.amlegal.com/codes/chicago/latest/chicago_il/0-0-0-2678714Fetched: 10/24/2026