Iron and steel sprinkler piping, particularly dry pipe sprinkler systems, are subject to blockage and degraded flow performance by internal corrosion and tuberculation of the interior of the piping. We are all familiar with common…
Read More Category: Housekeeping
You might have noticed that the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has been making a shift in labeling requirements for chemicals. The new system is the United Nations Globally Harmonized System of Classification and…
Read MoreProcessing, handling and storing of combustible dusts within enclosed equipment (i.e., mixers, blenders, mills, separators, cutting tools, holding bins, dust collectors, cyclones, etc.) can easily create an explosive atmosphere that could be ignited by tramp…
Read MoreMetal cleaning can be performed through spraying/immersion in solvents, corrosive solutions and vapor degreasers, through mechanical cleaning, and, by heating treating in oil or molten salt baths (discussed in our February 2011 article). In this…
Read MoreWhen trying to determine what liquids need to go into your flammable liquids room, you may be tempted to use the flammable liquid labels that are on some of the liquid containers. However, this mistake…
Read MoreYou may be trying to determine if you have any flammable or combustible liquids that need any special protection to be stored in your facility. Your first instinct may be to use flammable labels on…
Read MoreThe use of natural gas is very common in most industrial and commercial buildings. The gas can be used for process and/or heating. Natural gas is highly combustible, and various precautions are needed to ensure…
Read MoreUsing flammable liquids presents some unique and difficult fire protection challenges. Depending on the specific material, there is the possibility of generating vapors which can easily ignite – or explode. As a general rule, it…
Read MoreWhat is Static Electricity Static electricity is one of the prime ignition sources in flammable liquid dispensing operations. Similar to rubbing things together, liquid flow can cause electrons to move from one atom to another.…
Read More2005 NFPA Fire Statistics: • 1,584,500 fires attended by public fire departments, decrease of 6.1% from 2002 (1,734,500) – ½ of 1976 • 519,500 structure fires, increase of 0.1% from 2002 (519,000) • Of these…
Read MoreOne of changes in the 2002 Edition of NFPA 13, Standard for the Installation of Sprinkler Systems that often goes unnoticed or enforced is the requirement of a building owner or their authorized representative to…
Read MoreMezzanines are commonly used to maximize building space and ergonomics in both production and storage areas. The need for automatic sprinkler protection beneath a mezzanine with a solid deck/floor is rarely questioned when the occupancy…
Read MoreAn occupancy with inherent hazards is wood processing. With flammable liquids, wood dust and heavy combustible loading it is imperative to adhere to strict property loss prevention standards. In a study over a ten-year period…
Read MoreIn our April 2000 article, we detailed what microbiologically influenced corrosion (MIC) is and what it can do to fire protection system (FPS) piping. This is a continuation of our previous article. The concerns from…
Read More“Back to Basics.” It may be cliché, but with respect to property conservation, it could be the difference between a fire being controlled or one that completely destroys a building. When a fire protection survey…
Read MoreIn 1996 the NFPA began receiving inquiries about MIC. What is MIC? It is a corrosion problem characterized by pinhole leaks in metallic piping systems often after only a few years of service. MIC is…
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