What 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…
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On 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 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 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 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 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 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 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 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 MoreConstruction and installation of renewable energy systems and power generation plants is becoming more common worldwide for both environmental and financial reasons. Obviously, renewable energy plays an important role in reducing greenhouse gas emissions. Using…
Read MoreTransformers are one of the most, if not the most, critical piece(s) of equipment found at a facility. While power and distribution transformers are reliable and have low failures rates, the critical nature of these…
Read MoreFM Global recently updated their Property Loss Prevention Data Sheet 8-9, Storage of Class 1, 2, 3, 4 and Plastic Commodities (July 2019 edition), to include ceiling-only sprinkler designs for ceiling heights up to 50…
Read MoreViking’s Model VK514 ESFR Storage Sprinkler is now FM Approved to provide ceiling-only protection for storage up to 50 ft. under ceilings up to 55 ft. in height. Key sprinkler data is as follows: K28.0,…
Read MoreThe most current editions of NFPA 13 (2019), Standard for the Installation of Sprinkler Systems, and FM Global Property Loss Prevention Data Sheet (FMDS) 3-26 (April 2019), Sprinkler Design for Non-Storage Occupancies, have relocated or…
Read MoreThe removal of dust, smoke, and fumes is a critical part of many industrial and commercial operations. Any damage occurring to critical process ductwork can halt operations and result in property damage as well as…
Read MoreThe National Electric Code (NEC) or NFPA 70 defines hazardous locations as those areas where fire or explosion hazards may exist due to flammable gases or vapors, flammable liquids, combustible dust, or ignitable fibers or…
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 MoreThe National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) reports annually on large-loss fires and explosions that occurred in the United States the year before. Those fires are defined as events that result in property damage of at…
Read MoreRising concern over cybersecurity is being driven by high-profile data breaches and the growing realization that potential revenue losses from cyber risks can rival those of business interruptions and natural disasters. The scale of cyber…
Read MoreMattresses have been around in some form or other since the dawn of civilization. However, it is only in the 20th Century that mattresses evolved becoming something much more than merely a cloth sack filled…
Read MoreThis article will be limited to sawmills which receive raw logs, cut the logs producing green lumber, kiln dry the stuck lumber, and plane and dress the dry lumber to specified dimensions. Many of the…
Read MoreDavid William Horton was born June 6, 1955. David William Horton, resident of San Diego since 1986, passed away on August 10, 2017. He had battled small cell cancer of the prostate since November 2017.…
Read MoreThe benefits of an Electrical Preventive Maintenance (EPM) program at an industrial or commercial facility are well known. In our January 2005 article “Electrical Testing,” we explained that deterioration of electrical equipment is normal, but…
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