Windstorm Standards Outline: On September 28, 2022, Hurricane Ian made landfall near Cayo Costa, FL as a Category 4 hurricane with sustained wind speeds of up to 150 mph. Along with the strong winds and…
Read MoreSevere windstorm studies have shown that storm-related damage can be prevented or minimized. The keys to this are windstorm preparation planning in advance of the storm, and organized action during and after the storm. Windstorm…
Read MoreWhat are spray dryers? Spray drying is a method of rapidly drying a liquid mixture or slurry into a dry powder using a hot gas. Spray dryers are often used in the food, pharmaceutical and…
Read MoreOn August 4, 2020, a large amount of ammonium nitrate stored at the Port of Beirut in Lebanon accidentally exploded, killing more than 200 people, injuring over 6,000 and causing miles worth of structural damage.…
Read MoreTire manufacturing is a complex process, but can be broken down into three main processes: tire preparation, tire production and tire building. Preparation includes fabric cord manufacturing, bead and belt steel cord manufacturing and Banbury…
Read MoreAs communities grow, there are only two ways to build; up or out. Often times high rise structures near the center of a large city are already built, and are cost- or ordinance-prohibitive. The option…
Read MoreIn a recent 10-yr. period, wildfires have impacted an average of 7.5 million acres of land each year throughout the United States.(1) Eight of the top ten costliest wildland fires in the US have occurred…
Read MoreAircraft hangars are primarily used for either aircraft assembly or maintenance. In this article, we will just focus on maintenance (or servicing) hangars. The hazards of maintenance hangars can be fairly obvious. Aircraft are assumed…
Read MoreThe 2022 edition of NFPA-13 “Standard for the Installation of Sprinkler Systems” has undergone several changes from the 2019 edition. The following is a brief overview of some of these changes. Chapter 8 “System Types…
Read MoreNearly everyone has some experience in a casino. Whether you are a high roller playing your favorite table game, playing the penny slots, or just driving down Las Vegas Boulevard as a tourist, you have…
Read MoreWith the recent tragic event of the building collapse in Southern Florida how does the property insurance industry react? Collapse is in insured peril. The building was a 12-story plus penthouse concrete framed condominium tower…
Read MoreThe telecommunications industry evolved over the past 20 years from electromechanical to digital to server-based switching systems. Similarly, the telephone company’s central office equipment has significantly changed over the past 20 years. Years ago, there…
Read MoreThe amount of data exchanged occurring every minute is mind-boggling. Worldwide data centers are the engine which drives this data exchange. Cloud computing which we hear a lot about today is typically performed in large…
Read MoreImproperly protected sprinkler piping can move violently during an earthquake, resulting not only in extensive water damage to the interior of the building and equipment, but also result in a catastrophic fire due to the…
Read MoreThe use of rechargeable Lithium-Ion (Li-Ion) batteries continues to grow in electronic products, automobiles (EV) and energy storage systems (ESS). This is due to their high energy density and decreasing cost. A battery ESS can…
Read MoreThe textile industry can generally be divided into two manufacturing process; raw fiber to yarn production and yarn to finished garments production. Both types of textile manufacturing pose similar fire and property damage hazards. Raw…
Read MorePrinting Operations can be divided into four production processes: Letterpress Printing, Silk Screen Printing, Gravure Printing and Lithographic Printing. All types of printing production pose similar fire and property damage hazards, mainly separation and ventilation,…
Read MoreThe following is an update to our May 2019 technical web article “Protection and Approvals for Combustible Plastic Ductwork.” The removal of dust, smoke, and fumes is a critical part of many industrial and commercial…
Read MoreIn their November/December 2020 issue, Sprinkler Age magazine featured its Annual Legislative Review for the United States and Canada. This summary of legislation and codes offers an overview of regulations affecting the fire sprinkler industry…
Read MoreIn their November/December 2020 issue, Sprinkler Age magazine featured its Annual Legislative Review for the United States and Canada. This summary of legislation and codes offers an overview of regulations affecting the fire sprinkler industry…
Read MoreWhat Is A Dust Hazard Analysis? As defined in NFPA 652, Standard on the Fundamentals of Combustible Dust (2019 edition), a Dust Hazard Analysis (DHA) is a systematic review to both identify and evaluate the…
Read MoreMost people are aware that organic materials such as flour and sugar dust can cause large explosions. However, many types of metal dust are also explosive. Aluminum, bronze, magnesium, silicon and zinc can all have…
Read MoreEvery day we touch something made from paper. The box we got our internet order in, the paper you put in the printer, the carton your cereal is in and so many other items. Paper…
Read MoreWater alone is typically not effective in controlling or extinguishing fires involving low flash point ignitable liquids. As a result, foam/water mixtures, utilizing Class B firefighting foams referred to as Aqueous Film Forming Foams (AFFF)…
Read MoreTransformers can be either dry type or fluid filled. In this article, we will talk about fluid filled transformers and, in particular, the types of testing that should be conducted on the fluid or oil …
Read MoreHigh pressure hydraulic, gear and bearing lubrication and rolling fluids are used to operate rolling mills that process primary metals. Mill rolls are driven by large several thousand horsepower motors. Rolling mills are computer controlled…
Read MoreIndustrial fryers are used in the food industry to produce all kinds of pre-cooked foods and snacks including french fries, chicken wings and tortilla chips just to name a few. Large fryers can contain up…
Read MoreThe pharmaceutical industry is an important component of health care systems around the world that provides a great variety of medicines for numerous health care needs. Both public and private organizations contribute to the effort…
Read MoreMolten material breakouts are a common cause of loss in primary metal occupancies. These spills may come from the melting vessel or from molten material handling equipment. Refractory is very important and key in providing…
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