With 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 large numbers of food factories and warehouses worldwide will continue to climb in the coming years. These food facilities have similarities in their construction that may put them at increased fire risk. Risk factors…
Read MoreRecent studies by Liberty Mutual and National Fire Protection Agency (NFPA) have shown that sprinklers are the most effective way to reduce loss of life and property damage in industrial occupancies (warehouses and manufacturing facilities).…
Read MoreMany jurisdictions have adopted NFPA 25, Inspection, Testing, and Maintenance of Water-Based Fire Protection Systems, to help ensure that sprinkler systems are properly inspected and maintained. Many property insurance companies often require that this standard…
Read MoreYou may be considering adding one or more tanks that contain ignitable (flammable and combustible) liquids at your facility. FM Global Data Sheet 7-88, Storage Tanks for Flammable Liquids, gives guidance on how these tanks…
Read MoreThis is a new NFPA recommended practice, as opposed to standard. It outlines a systematic approach to provide documented confirmation that the fire protection and/or life-safety systems, as envisioned by an owner and/or their design…
Read MoreThey go by many names – computer rooms, server rooms, main distribution frame (MDF) rooms, data centers, electronic data processing (EDP) centers, information technology (IT) equipment rooms, etc.; but, no matter what you call them,…
Read MoreThe National Fire Codes (NFPA 25) and the GM Global (FM) Data Sheets (2-81) have both had substantial fire protection system updates in 2007. This would be an opportune time to see if your program…
Read MoreIn June 2007, the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) and Globe Fire Sprinkler Corporation of Standish, MI announced a nationwide recall of up to 300,000 Model J Series dry fire sprinklers installed in nursing…
Read MoreIn previous articles we discussed earthquake protection for fire protection systems. We now turn the discussion from maintaining the ability to control a fire to lowering the chances of a fire or explosion occurring after…
Read MoreBromochloroflourocarbons (Halons) were developed in the 1930s. Halon is low in toxicity, non-flammable, non-corrosive and very compatible with many materials. Halon has thermodynamic and physical properties that make it ideal as a fire extinguishing agent…
Read MoreFloors and walls designed as fire separations have been recognized for many years as efficient tools for restricting fires to the area of origin or limiting fire spread. Prior to 1900, relative fire safety was…
Read MoreHigh rise buildings have several unique fire hazards due to the height of the building. A high rise building, as defined in the Uniform Fire Code, is “any building or structure having floors used for…
Read MoreWhen most companies think of a disaster recovery program, the first issue that comes to mind is EDP operations. Do we have backup data or hot sites available? Is replacement equipment readily available? However, there…
Read MorePressure reducing valves (PRV) are frequently used in high rise buildings to keep the pressure on sprinkler systems below the allowable maximum, typically 175 psi, when the supply to the systems can be considerably higher.…
Read MoreAlthough fires in air preheaters (ap’s) of US power plants are infrequent, the result can be extensive damage and downtime of several months. Here, we consider steps that can be taken to minimize the incidence…
Read MoreOn July 19th, 2001, the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) and Central Sprinkler Company, an affiliate of Tyco Fire Products LP, of Lansdale, PA., announced a voluntary recall of 35 million Central fire sprinklers with…
Read MoreHeating equipment such as boilers, heaters, ovens, kilns or process furnaces are found in all businesses and industries. The equipment can be utilized simply for building heat or be a key element in the manufacturing…
Read MoreIn fire protection service, pressure reducing valves (PRV’s) can be found on standpipes and automatic sprinkler systems in high-rise buildings, in pump houses, on public and private gravity water systems and other situations where conditions…
Read MoreAutomatic sprinkler protection is considered the single most effective tool in preventing loss and damage from fire. However some people still worry about the possibility of unexpected water discharge from defective sprinklers. Such an occurrence…
Read MoreStar Sprinkler Recall The Mealane Corporation of Philadelphia, PA in cooperation with the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) is voluntarily recalling up to 1 million “STAR” brand sprinklers manufactured from 1961 through 1976. These…
Read MoreThe Central Sprinkler Company of Lansdale, PA, in cooperation with the United States Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) is recalling all Omega series fire sprinklers, which were manufactured from 1982 through 1998. There are approximately…
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