NFPA 56: Chemical Industry will Benefit from Communication and Education
From time to time, we like to share perspectives of members in our connected communities. We’d like to thank both Jack Rubinger and John Puskar, two experts in industrial safety, for providing today’s guest post: The NFPA…
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…
Another Great Learning Opportunity for Fire Protection Engineers
Calling all Fire Protection Engineers and Fire Safety Professionals! There are less than two weeks to register for the 10th Annual SFPE Greater Atlanta Chapter Fire Safety Conference. This informative conference will be held…
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…
Photovoltaic Panels and Fire Fighting Challenges
In September, a fire grew out of control and destroyed the Dietz & Watson 300,000 square foot refrigeration facility in Delanco, New Jersey. This 11-alarm fire was hindered by the fact that roof was equipped with 7,000…
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…
The Dangers of Wood Pellet Plant Facilities
Photo: Frieda Squires/The Providence Journal
An explosion…
Hot Work Incident Causes $1 Million in Damages to Tampa Brewery
Recently, a fire broke out at the Yuengling brewery facility located in Tampa, Florida. No employees were injured and one firefighter suffered minor injuries from the fire, which took about an hour to get under control. Also,…
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…