Office of Risk Management

Candles and Open Flame Devices

Every year Indiana University has one or more fires started by candles or open flames. Therefore, Risk Management is concerned about how and where they are used on campus. Candles and open flames are often associated with the holiday seasons – Halloween, Thanksgiving, New Year’s, and several religious celebrations. However, it is not just during the holiday seasons that we need to be aware of the dangers of open flames. To reduce the possibility of an incident in your room, department or building, the following information includes general guidelines, Indiana Fire Codes and individual campus policies.

The Indiana Fire Code Article 25
Campus policies concerning candles and open-flame devices
Questions and comments concerning campus policies
The Indiana Fire Code Article 11 (Flammable Decorations and Trees)

INDIANA FIRE CODE ARTICLE 25 PLACES OF ASSEMBLY Division 1 GENERAL

Requirements for Use of Candles and Other Open-flame Devices

25.116(b)(2) Candles and other open-flame decorative lighting. Candles and other open-flame decorative lighting shall comply with the following:

Class I and II liquids and liquefied petroleum gasses shall not be used.

Liquid- or solid-fueled lighting devices containing more than 8 ounces must self-extinguish and not leak fuel at a rate of more than one-fourth teaspoon per minute if tipped over.

The devices or holder shall be constructed to prevent the spilling of liquid fuel or wax at the rate of more than one-fourth teaspoon per minute when the device or holder is not in an upright position.

The device or holder shall be designed so that it will return to the upright position after being tilted to an angle of 45 degrees from vertical.

EXCEPTION: Units that self-extinguish if tipped over and that do not spill fuel or wax at the rate of more than one-fourth teaspoon per minute if tipped over.

The flame shall be enclosed, except as follows:

Openings on the sides shall not be more than 3/8 inch in diameter
Openings on the top and the distance to the top shall be such that a single layer of tissue paper placed on the top will not ignite in 10 seconds.

Chimneys shall be made of noncombustible materials. Such chimneys shall be securely attached to the open-flame device.

EXCEPTION: The chimney need not be attached to any open-flame device that will self-extinguish if the device is tipped over.

Fuel canisters must be safely sealed for storage.
Storage and handling of combustible liquid shall be in accordance with Section 79.201(e)(1).
Shades, if used, shall be made of noncombustible materials and securely attached to the open-flame device holder or chimney.
Candelabra with flame-lighted candles shall be securely fastened in place to prevent overturning and located away from occupants using the area and away from possible contact of drapes, curtains, or other combustibles.
When, in the opinion of the chief, adequate safequards have been taken, hand-held flame-lighted candles may be permitted. Hand-held candles shall not be passed from one person to another while lighted.

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Indiana University Campus Policies

At the present time, it is up to each campus to make policy concerning the use of candles and open-flame devices. Below you find each campus and its current policy.

IU Bloomington

The use of candles and open-flame devices is left to the discretion of department heads, building managers, or housing managers. IU East

The use of candles and open-flame devices is prohibited.

IU Kokomo

The use of candles and open-flame devices is prohibited.

IU Northwest

No policy.

IUPUI

The use of candles and open-flame devices is not recommended. However, if protection (chimney or glass covering) is provided, allowances may be made for special circumstances. IP Fort Wayne The use of candles and open-flame devices is allowed. However, there must a glass covering or chimney that protects the flame. IU South Bend

The use of candles and open-flame devices is prohibited.

IU Southeast

No policy, with the exception that candles and open flames will not be used on or near Christmas trees.

Note: For those campuses that prohibit candles and open-flame devices, special considerations may be made for plays or special meetings.

Exception: Policies do not apply to laboratories.

Questions or Comments?

We would like to hear from you. Do you have an opinion or question concerning the use of candles and open flames? If so, please send us a message. We will pass on all comments and suggestions for consideration in future policy changes.

Please send questions and comments to:

Kutina Davis kudavis@indiana.edu

Eleanor Lahr elahr@indiana.edu

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INDIANA FIRE CODE ARTICLE 11 GENERAL PRECAUTIONS AGAINST FIRE Division II COMBUSTIBLE AND FLAMMABLE MATERIALS Section 11.204

(a) Flammable Decorative Materials. Flammable decorations such as paper, cloth, vegetation, hay, split bamboo, cotton batting, straws, dry vines, leaves, evergreen cuttings, stalks, moss, foam plastic materials or other flammable materials, whether natural or artificial or manufactured shall not be used for decorative purposes in show windows or other parts of wholesale or retail stores, drinking or dining establishments, assembly, educational or institutional occupancies unless inherently flame retardant or made flame retardant.

EXCEPTION:

The display of saleable goods or education material maintained in a manner so as not to create a fire hazard.
Live plants or live trees.
Decorations may be flammable so long as they do not exceed five percent (5 %) of the gross wall area, are distributed in a manner so as not to create a fire hazard and are not of a type specifically listed in this section.

Holiday decorations. Holiday decorations used in public buildings such as decorative-lighting

strings, decorative outfits and artificial Christmas tree shall be listed or labeled by a nationally recognized testing laboratory.

(c) Trees. The use of natural cut conifer trees in public buildings shall comply with all of the following:

The trees shall be properly treated with a flame retardant approved by the State Fire Marshal or the tree shall be removed immediately.
No tree shall be maintained in a public building in excess of fourteen (14) days.
Every tree shall bear a tag stating date of placement in the public building, type of flame retardant treatment used, name of the person who applied the flame retardant, and name of the person affixing the tag.
The support device that holds the tree in an upright position shall be constructed so:

it does not damage or require removal of the tree stem base;
it holds the tree securely and is of adequate size to avoid tipping over of the tree; and
it is capable of containing a two (2) day minimum supply of water covering the stem at least two (2) inches and as specified in the following table:

Minimum Typical Daily Support Stand Water Evaporation

Tree Height	Water Capacity	Amount
Up to 6 ½ feet ½	gallon ½	to 1 quart
6 ½ feet to 10 feet	1 gallon	1 to 2 quart(s)
10 feet to 20 feet	3 gallons ½	to 1 ½ gallons

Prior to setting up the tree the trunk shall be fresh cut at least (1) inch above the original cut.
Hot tap water shall be used when first filling the support stand, and the stand shall not be allowed to become dry of water or the tree shall be removed immediately.
The tree shall be checked for dryness by the following methods: stand in front of a branch, grasp it with reasonably firm pressure and pull your hand toward you allowing the branch to slip through your grasp. If the needles fall of readily, the tree does not have adequate moisture content and it shall be removed immediately.
Candles or open flame of any type shall not be used on or near the tree within a distance equal to the height of the tree.
All tree lights shall be turned off when the building is vacated.
At least two (2) working days prior to placing a tree in a public building the local fire department shall be notified.
Inherently flame-retardant materials shall be considered approved decorative materials.
Materials which have been treated with a product meeting the definition of flame-retardant in Section 9.108 of this code, may be considered approved decorative material, if the classification is verified by the State Fire Marshal and the application is verified by his assistant. The owner shall keep a copy of such verification on the premises.
In all occupancies, exit doors, exit lights, fire alarm sending stations, wet standpipe hose cabinets and fire extinguishing devices shall not be concealed or obstructed by any decorative material.

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Revision Date: September 9, 1997