Monthly Technical Articles
Explore our collection of articles written by engineers, for engineers. Categorized based on the COPE approach to assessing risk within a facility, the archives below contain essential information for the development of engineers in our field.
Preparing for Winter Weather
A common misconception is that property losses due to winter weather only occur in regions where harsh winters are the standard. Actually, areas that don't usually have severe weather suffer larger...
Ammonia Refrigeration Systems
Commercial ammonia refrigeration systems are widely used throughout various industries, but are used primarily in the food industry to help prolong shelf life. All refrigeration systems operate...
Hurricanes and Severe Windstorms
Hurricane season runs from June 1 to November 30 in the Northern Hemisphere. Windstorm is the second highest cause of property loss after fire. Recent severe windstorms have proven that buildings and...
PROTECTING IDLE PROPERTIES - Part 2
A more recent version of this article topic exists; go there now. Vacant facilities need loss prevention consideration just as much as full-functioning ones, and in many cases perhaps more so. Empty...
Flue Spaces
You might have heard someone mention flue spaces for rack storage, and wondered what flue spaces are and why they are needed. Flue spaces are clear lines of sight from the floor up to the ceiling...
Automatic Sprinklers In Buildings
One of the most effective fire protection elements in buildings is automatic sprinklers. When sprinklers cover an area of fire origin, they operate in 95% of all reported structure fires that are...
Changes to FM Global Data Sheet 8-9 - Storage of Class 1, 2, 3, 4 and Plastic Commodities (2010)
In March of 2010, FM Global made several significant changes to this Data Sheet. The changes were made on their part in an effort to further minimize damage from fire, water and smoke based upon...
Sprinklers are Installed in Colleges for 20 year old Students. Why not for 6-year-old children in Kindergarten?
Several years ago a college student set fire to a dormitory at Seton Hall University located in Newark, NJ. The fire tragically killed several students. Automatic sprinkler protection was not...
Fire Safety During Construction
You might wonder why fire protection is important in a building that is under construction - especially if the building will have noncombustible and/or fire rated construction. An estimated 4,800...
Changes to the 2010 Edition of NFPA 20, Standard of the Installation of Stationary Pumps for Fire Protection
NFPA 20 is the most important standard for the design of fire pumps (off of a private supply) and booster pumps (off of a public supply - city water). Fire protection engineers use this detailed...
Legislative Review An Overview of Codes, Standards and Regulations in CA, CO, CT, FL, GA, IL, MA, MI, MS, NJ, NY, NC, OH, PA and TX
In the November 2009, 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...
Preventing and Responding to Freeze-Ups
Freeze-ups can cause damage to your site's buildings, operations and fire protection equipment. Here are some basic items that can help prevent and control that damage. Have a winterization plan in...