Code Questions for Barrel Storage

[HedgeBird]

Local code official is recognizing the Barrel Exception in Chapter 50 of the 2015 IFC.  Initially he said this exempted me from all chapter 50 MAQ limitations and also requirements of hazardous storage, so I was good to go with the non-sprinklered building I am eyeing up.

After further review and reading the 2015 IFC "Code Commentary" he has revised his opinion and now believes the barrel exception in Chapter 50 only applies to the MAQs, and not the hazardous classification, and as such the building would still need to meet IBC H3 Occupancy requirements according the the Chapter 3 use groups.   I have not been able to find a copy of the 2015 IFC/IBC Code Commentary online, so I am not sure whats in there that points him in this direction.

Code official is willing to consider arguments in my favor that would allow me to use this building, but only if I can provide him info to counter his interpretation.  

Can anyone provide info/arguments that the Barrel Exception in Chapter 50 of the 2015 IFC would indeed exclude whiskey barrels from not just the MAQ, but also H3 Occupancy, or that whiskey in barrels is not a Hazardous material/not an H3 occupancy.
Or perhaps is there an argument that this is an F1 Classification, and the Barrel Exception in Chapter 50 excludes me for any MAQs that an F1 classification might have?

Thanks for any thoughts you might have!

 

 

[twalshact]

Read

http://www.klausbruckner.com/blog/distillery-storage-dilemmas/

[Thatch]

From a previous post I made.

This link does a pretty good job of explaining the codes that affect distilleries.  http://ferar.net/wp-content/uploads/2018/01/pub_Distiller_Winter2018.pdf