National Fire Protection Association (NFPA)'s Blog, page 250

Failure to apply NFPA codes and standards referenced in OSHA regulations cited in tent collapse that killed two

Photo courtesy of WBUR OSHA recently released its finding on the fatal collapse of a circus tent in New Hampshire last summer, reinforcing the importance of proper maintenance and adherence to safety codes. The tragic accident killed two people and injured 50, including several employees of the circus. OSHA found 14 serious violations in total and proposed that the circus operator, Walker International Events, be fined $33,800. In a release issued this month, OSHA delineated the circus operator’s failings that led to the tragic deaths of a father and daughter, and injuries to many others. The report concluded that the...

SupDet 2016 Session Focused on Hazards of Lithium-Ion Batteries

Lithium-ion batteries have become a staple of everyday life, from the small ones that power our cell phones, laptops, and tools, to the larger energy storage systems (ESS) that may soon be found in many houses storing energy created by solar panels for later use. With the power potential that makes them so useful comes additional safety concerns. This morning at SupDet 2016 we heard from a number of researchers examining different issues. Mark Smith presented 3M’s promising experiments with using fluorinated ketones to stop thermal runaway in battery packs in “Preventing Cell-to-Cell Thermal Runaway in Li-ion Battery Packs by...

New homes aren't new forever: Examining the myth that today's homes are safer than ever

A few recent home fires in the news got my attention. The most recent occurred on January 31 in Novi, Michigan, that killed five people ranging in age from 16 to 23. My research indicates the home was built between 1995 and 1999. On December 17, 2015, a fire killed a father and son in Lower Macungie Township, Pennsylvania, in a home built in 1998. Three days earlier, a woman perished in a home fire in Logan-Rogersville, Missouri, in a home built in 1994. (These are just the headlines I've noticed.) In all incidents, fire departments responded within minutes of...

SUPDET 2016 Workshop Highlighted the Opportunities for Big Data to Inform ITM of Fire Protection Systems

Wednesday afternoon at SUPDET was dedicated to a Workshop on Big Data and Fire Protection Systems focused on identifying the opportunities for big data to inform inspection, testing and maintenance (ITM) decision making.    The on‐going

SUPDET 2016 Session Focused on Hazards of Lithium-Ion Batteries

Lithium-ion batteries have become a staple of everyday life, from the small ones that power our cell phones, laptops, and tools, to the larger energy storage systems (ESS) that may soon be found in many houses storing energy created by solar panels for

OSHA finds circus operator negligible in two tent collapse deaths in New Hampshire

Photo courtesy of WBUR OSHA recently released its finding on the fatal collapse of a circus tent in New Hampshire last summer, reinforcing the importance of proper maintenance and adherence to safety codes. The tragic accident killed two people and injured 50, including several employees of the circus. OSHA found 14 serious violations in total and proposed that the circus operator, Walker International Events, be fined $33,800. In a release issued this month, OSHA delineated the circus operator’s failings that led to the tragic deaths of a father and daughter, and injuries to many others. The report concluded that the...

New Technology for Sprinkler Protected High-Challenge Warehouses Demonstrated at SupDet 2016

How can we apply smart firefighting to sprinkler protected high challenge warehouse fires? Christina Francis of Proctor & Gamble has some suggestions and they start with gathering data to determine the current state of the fire. Currently, it can be difficult for a fire brigade to determine the size and state of a warehouse fire upon arrival. Smoke, steam, and physical obstructions may obscure visual and infrared inspection, requiring hose teams to make estimates based main fire alarm panel data and their familiarity with the area. Rack storage may reach as high as 145 ft. which poses its own challenges...

SupDet 2016 Kicked off with a Keynote on the History of Fire

The suppression portion of SupDet 2016 kicked off yesterday with a keynote on the "History of Fire" by Dick Gann from NIST. He began with the idea that “fire safety is a benefit provided by a society using tactics, including fire suppression, whose nature reflects the cultural priorities of the era rather than being a force by itself.” For the first hominids, the preservation of fire would have been a priority. They recognized both its destructive power and its benefits, but without the ability to start fires, they had to preserve those they found in order to maintain their power....

New Technology for Sprinkler Protected High-Challenge Warehouses Demonstrated at SUPDET 2016

How can we apply smart firefighting to sprinkler protected high challenge warehouse fires?  Christina Francis of Proctor & Gamble has some suggestions and they start with gathering data to determine the current state of the fire.  

Submit your audition video to be selected to sing the National Anthem at this year's NFPA Conference & Expo in Las Vegas

NFPA is excited to hold our National Anthem Singing Contest for the 3rd year in a row! We are looking to select a singer(s) of the National Anthem at this year’s General Session of the NFPA Conference & Expo in Las Vegas on Monday, June 13, 2016. Solo performers or established groups of up to five singers must submit their audition video by March 27th to be considered. Finalists will be selected by a panel of judges and their videos will be posted online for public voting between April 1 and April 24, 2016. The contest winner(s) will receive a...