Is Egress Analysis Impacted during Your Incremental Build Projects?
News,Life Safety Audits,Hazard & Risk Assessment,Fire Safety Audits,Code Analysis
July 11, 2013
Travel distance and means of egress have become increasingly popular concerns. As owners expand buildings, they often increase the distance to the nearest exit to the point of violating code requirements. We recently consulted…
Investigators: Fire Sprinklers Failed to Operate in Industrial Fire
News,Newsroom,Recent Fire Events
July 9, 2013
Last month, a large industrial fire at Nationwide OTR Recyclers in Indiana caused more than $10 million in damages. The fire began on a Saturday and raged through the weekend, fueled by more than 85,000 square-feet of tires;…
Combustible Dust Grain Silo Explosion Kills One in Indiana
News,Newsroom,Combustible Dust,Recent Fire Events
July 5, 2013
Last week, an explosion inside a grain silo killed one employee, another tragic reminder of just how deadly combustible dust can be. Fire investigators believe the fatal explosion was caused when dust ignited after a mechanical…
Chemical Explosion Rocks Upper Mount Bethel in Pennsylvania
News,Newsroom,Recent Fire Events
July 5, 2013
Last week, an explosion and subsequent chemical fire rocked the township of Upper Mount Bethel in Pennsylvania. The explosion occurred at Voltaix, a manufacturer of special chemicals for the semi-conductor and solar-cell…
Explosion at Iowa Plant Injures Three and Causes Millions in Damages
News,Newsroom,Recent Fire Events
June 25, 2013
Last week, an early morning explosion at the Norplex Laminates manufacturing plant in Postville, Iowa injured three employees and caused an estimated $5-7 million in damages. One of the injured employees was reportedly standing…
Alabama Plant Employees Injured in Welding Accident
News,Newsroom,Recent Fire Events
June 24, 2013
Last week, an explosion at UTC Aerospace Systems injured two employees in Foley, Alabama. One of the two injured was lifeflighted to USA Burn Center. According to City Administrator Mike Thompson, an employee was welding on a…
Fire Code Requirements for Rack Storage and Atriums
News,Warehouse Fire Safety,Hazard & Risk Assessment,AHJ Negotiations,Code Analysis,Alternative Solutions
June 20, 2013
Did the Authority Having Jurisdiction (AHJ) over your project recently reject your design due to improper smoke control in your building? Do you need to calculate proper exhaust and convince the AHJ your structure will meet or…
Cost-Effective Fire Hazard Mitigation
News,System Design,Forensics,Fire Safety Audits,AHJ Negotiations
June 13, 2013
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…
How Fire Protection Engineers Advocate for You with Your Industrial/Commercial Insurance Carrier
News,PLC Audits,AHJ Negotiations,Alternative Solutions
June 6, 2013
The world of a fire protection engineer is moving more quickly than ever before. Property insurance carriers are upgrading their compliance standards constantly. This affects everyone attached to commercial and industrial…
Acetylene Explosion Injures Two
News,Newsroom,Recent Fire Events
June 3, 2013
Two workers were injured last month at an Airgas facility in Putnam County, West Virginia when highly flammable gas exploded. While the cause of the explosion remains unknown, the explosion involved approximately 50 tanks of…
How to Negotiate with Insurers on Fire Hazards
News,Blog,AHJ Negotiations,Property Loss Control,Alternative Solutions
May 30, 2013
An insurance company’s success is partially due to their ability to reduce its exposure to risk. Fire hazards are one of the risks that a building owner would want insured. To provide a building owner with insurance in cases of…
Fire Protection Engineering Standards for Welding and Hot Work Hazards
News,Fire Safety Audits,Development of Procedures,Associate Training
May 23, 2013
Hot appliances and open flames are a proven source of danger for maintenance and repair crews. Between 1990 and 2010, the U.S. Chemical Safety and Hazard Investigation Board (CSB) identified over 60 fatalities resulting from…
Structure Fire Hazard in the Home: Children Playing with Fire
News,Blog,NFPA Stats,Fire Safety Tips
May 13, 2013
“Little rascal” isn’t quite accurate. Most people do not realize that children can pose a significant fire hazard in the home. According to a report by the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA), an average of 56,300 fires…
State Fire Marshal to Investigate Pensacola Chemical Plant Explosion
May 10, 2013
No one was injured in a late night explosion and fire last month at a Pensacola chemical plant that is said to have caused $1 million in damages and is being investigated by the Florida State Fire Marshal. Crews took…
Historic Gastonia Mill Fire Causes $4-6 Million in Damages
News,Newsroom,Recent Fire Events
May 6, 2013
A massive fire at a historic Gastonia, North Carolina warehouse last month is estimated to have caused between $4 million to $6 million in damages and will likely disrupt operations for weeks. The fire took several hours to…