Inside the Eglin Air Force Base Foam Accident
By Jeff Harrington, CEO and Founder of Harrington Group, Inc. High expansion foam (HEF) is used as an efficient and highly effective fire suppression technique, particularly within locations that pose a high risk for fuel…
Ready for Anything: Mitigating Risk in Green Buildings
With the trend toward sustainability practices in construction, safety has become a lot more complicated. There are countless factors involved, and a successful project is one that strikes the right balance while mitigating…
The Human Element: Keeping Firefighters Safe in Green Structures
So far in this series, we’ve discussed the specific risks green building elements pose in terms of igniting or facilitating a fire. And while sprinkler systems, insulation, and thermal barriers are all vital parts of the…
Lights, Camera, Activate! The Truth about How Most Sprinklers Activate
So many movies and TV shows are guilty of highlighting myths that pertain to fire protection systems. I saw one of the most common myths when I recently watched the movie “White House Down” with Channing Tatum and Jamie Foxx.…
Going Green, Staying Safe: The Top Fire Protection Concerns
The move toward sustainable development seems intuitive; why shouldn’t society demand greener and more efficient sources of energy? In the last blog, we explained the need to address the consequences of green construction on…
Sustainable Safety: Green Buildings and Fire Protection Engineering
It’s undeniable; America is going green. Sustainability has become a hot topic over the last several years, with the real estate industry at the center of the discussion. The demand for environmentally friendly buildings has…
How Can Fire Protection Engineers Help Avoid Costly Mistakes?
If you have ever been involved with the design and construction of new facilities or renovating existing buildings, you are well aware that the best laid plans of mice and men oft go astray. Or, simply said, things don’t always…
Fire Prevention Tips for Wood Pellet Plants
My last blog discussed the dangers of wood pellet plant facilities and included an overview of several recent incidents. Today, I would like to review a few fire prevention tips for wood pellet plants. The process of…
What Lesson Can We Take From Massive Brazil Sugar Fire?
In October, a massive fire ignited approximately 180,000 tons of sugar and tore through six warehouses at Copersucar, one of Brazil’s, and the world’s, largest sugar operations. The fire was said to have started in a conveyor…
NFPA Releases 2012 Large-Loss Fire Report
The National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) recently released its 2012 Large-Loss Fire Report. Every year, the NFPA provides information for the previous year’s large loss-fires, which are defined as any event that results…
What Can Plant Managers Do to Help Emergency Responders Prevent Combustible Dust Explosions?
By Dale C. Hansen, P.E. Combustible dust explosion risks are one of the current “hot issues” being addressed by the U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) and the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA)…
Last week, one of our…
Cost-Effective Fire Hazard Mitigation
Fire protection engineering is normally understood by its technical appliances like sprinklers, fire alarms, and fire hazard warning signs. Although these tools are extremely effective at reducing risk and dealing with…
Fire Hazards in Nightclubs: What Architects Can Learn from Brazil and Rhode Island
Earlier this year, a nightclub in Brazil caught fire and caused over 240 fatalities. Most of the victims were college students who had come for a Federal University of Santa Maria event. The party featured a band and…