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The world is changing quickly, and transformative technologies are introducing new requirements for safety. For example, companies that are capitalizing on advanced computing hardware and expanding the use of unstaffed [...]

The 2018 Station Design Conference (SDC)--held at the Bob Bolen Public Safety Complex in Fort Worth, TX--brought together participants from 31 states for three days of focus on designing and [...]

Way too many times in my career--and I bet in yours--I've heard the sorrowful wails at fire/EMS service funerals. It seems there's often more than one person stressing something along [...]

The National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) has two new standards in the works related to electrical inspections and the inspectors who perform them. The NFPA Technical Committee on Electrical Inspections [...]

As racers, there are certain things we prepare for. Every time the car gets unloaded at the track, the odds of a wreck or broken parts are pretty good. Racers [...]

Audible fire alarms are no longer enough. Several highly publicized incidents have taught safety officials how crucial it is to be able to tell people exactly what they need to [...]

Life-safety dampers are critical fire-protection features of buildings. By protecting duct and air-transfer-opening penetrations through fire- and smoke-rated construction, they help to contain fire and smoke within the area of [...]

According to recent research conducted by the U.S. Chemical Safety and Hazard Investigation Board (CSB), more than 280 explosions and fires have resulted from the ignition of dusts or dust [...]

The code war between the International Code Council, a group dominated by the US government building and code enforcement officials and the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) is discussed. The code standardization movement is actually very old and aroused from tragedies.

Puzzled by the standards-making process? Cannot seem to piece together how a certain gas appliance design requirement or installation code specification ever became reality? You are not alone. Then again, [...]

Picture this: It's a dark and gloomy morning outside; building occupants are going about daily work routines inside. As the day progresses, snow begins to fly; by mid-afternoon, everything is […]

If you've been closely following the code-making process leading up to the 2005 edition of the National Electric Code (NEC), or if you follow this magazine's 'Ask Donna' column, you're [...]

Arc flash explosions occur five to 10 times each day in the United States, according to CapSchell Inc., Chicago. The need for OSHA to adopt NFPA 70E, the National Fire Protection Association's consensus standard for electrical safety, in full or part is examined.

There are many sizes, types, and configurations of heating and power boilers in commercial use today. The design and operation of boilers is the subject of many textbooks, as well [...]

This article is a follow up to the article, 'Selecting Fire Pumps for ESFR Sprinkler Applications,' published in PME in March 2002. The original article outlined the design challenges associated [...]

Arc flash explosions occur five to 10 times each day in the United States, according to CapSchell Inc., Chicago. The need for OSHA to adopt NFPA 70E, the National Fire Protection Association's consensus standard for electrical safety, in full or part is examined.

Process safety and risk management programs, safety audits and similar activities are being increasingly used in the US within the industrial sector, and are leading to a safer workplace. The [...]

Part 1 At first glance, drainage may not seem to be an important consideration in the design and installation of fire protection systems. However, if not considered early in the [...]

Safety is the bottom line when working with fabrics and fire. As standards for heat and fire resistant fabrics evolve, so do the fabrics. From fiberglass to coated materials and [...]

When it comes to fabrics and fire, safety is the bottom line. As standards for heat- and fire-resistant fabrics have evolved, so too have the fabrics themselves. They range from [...]

When it comes to fabrics and fire, safety is the bottom line. As standards for heat and fire resistant fabrics have evolved, so too have the fabrics themselves. They range [...]

The concept of a smoke detector is over 75 years old. In E. Meili's book 'My Life With Cerberus,' (1) Meili states that H. Geinacher reported in the Bulletin of [...]

Putting together a set of turnout gear is a lot like putting together a puzzle. There are many components and pieces and how they fit together will determine what the [...]

This article provides an overview of the requirements of NFPA Standard 86 with an emphasis on the theory of combustion safety as it applies to any type of combustion device, [...]

After more than two years of planning, nearly 5,000 proposals for revision, and thousands of pages of comments, the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) is set to release the 2002 [...]

The main features of the National Fire Protection Association's newly updated National Electrical Code are presented.

The article explains the application of the Supreme Court's Daubert v. Merrell Dow Pharmaceuticals and Kumho Tire Co. v. Carmichael rulings in the context of origin and cause investigators of fires.Trial courts are certain to scrutinize carefully the NFPA "scientific method", since the expert's methodology is crucial to determining reliability and admissibility.

When it comes to preventing flammable liquids fires, following OSHA standards is just not sufficient. Flammable liquids fires are much more volatile than fires fueled by ordinary combustibles such as […]

The intent of Chapter 5 of the Life Safety Code, NFPA-101 is not always clear. The relationship between electrified hardware and security is a triangle that includes life safety considerations. [...]

The new changes in the National Fire Protection Assn. (NFPA) 20 Standard for the Installation of Centrifugal Fire Pumps, together with a proposed National Electric Code (NEC) article, are expected to improve the reliability and safety of fire-pump installations. These changes will also eliminate any dissimilarity between NFPA 20 and NEC rules, thereby enabling building owners, managers and designers to have a better understanding of the mandates., Broad changes to NFPA 20, and a proposed new NEC Article, team-up to clarify and simplify code rules regarding fire pump systems. THE recently published NFPA 20 (1993), Standard for [...]

To aid in the selection and implementation of PPE in areas at risk for arc flash or flash fire, industry standards from the National Fire Protection Agency (NFPA) provide guidelines [...]

The National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) Standards Council approved a plan to consolidate the information currently contained in 114 NFPA Emergency Response and Responder Safety (ERRS) standards, guides, and recommended [...]

Date current version adoptedNFPA 652 was issued on August 18, 2015, and became effective on September 7, 2015. The standard provides requirements for managing combustible dust fire and explosion hazards. [...]

IEEE SCC18, a Standards Coordinating Committee of the IEEE Standards Association Standards Board is seeking new members. Scope of IEEE SCC18 The scope of IEEE SCC18 is to review and [...]

Following-up on last month's quick review of the five basic types of building construction, according to National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) 220, Standard on Types of Building Construction (2006 edition), [...]

A focus on National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) 70E, which is a standard set for meeting electrical safety requirements for employees at workplaces, and progress of its implementation, are presented.

AUTHOR'S NOTE: This article is intended to acquaint plumbing contractors and engineers with the healthcare medical gas project testing that is required for the protection of the user and patients. [...]