The Impact of Group A Plastics One of the most critical variables necessary to define the right design basis for the protection of storage is the commodity classification. In evaluating an individual pallet load, Class III and IV commodities have pretty much always been allowed to have some Group A …
Read More »The Shortcomings of Engineering Judgment
Lessons Learned with Full-Scale Fire Tests on Mattresses There were many quips I heard my parents rattle off in response to the trouble I got myself into, but one of them recently came back to haunt me. And, now having kids of my own, I find myself saying it as …
Read More »Responding to Design Demand
Due to overwhelming demand and sold-out classes, the American Fire Sprinkler Association (AFSA) has added one class to its Beginning Fire Sprinkler System Planning School: November 2-13, 2015. Only two other 2015 classes were available as of press time: July 20-31 and September 14-25. All schools are held at AFSA’s …
Read More »Is a Registered Apprenticeship Right for My Company?
Benefits are Many If you are not taking advantage of a registered apprenticeship program, it is probably because you have heard the common narratives that discourage pursuing registering a program: “It’s too complicated,” or “I don’t have enough people to warrant a program,” or “The record-keeping is too cumbersome.” There …
Read More »Bretey Captures Craft Championship
AFSA Members Sweep ABC Contest A field of 187 craft trainees competed for top honors in 15 contests representing 12 crafts during the 2015 Associated Builders & Contractors’ (ABC) National Craft Championships (NCC). The event took place during the association’s Workforce Development Conference, March 3-6, in Fort Lauderdale, Fla. Competitors …
Read More »Got Obstructions?
How to Get Them Before They Get You! I had a great dream the other night. We had just completed a flawless installation. We had coordinated every detail with the design team up front. The MEP foremen had worked with us every step of the way. The architectural and structural …
Read More »Fire Control and Sprinkler With Shadowing Obstructions
Control of Fires Lurking in the Shadows It seems that, in this era of designing everything to the exact inch and psi, we may be losing track of what the real objective that NFPA 13, Standard for Installation of Sprinkler Systems, is trying to accomplish. The technology of our industry …
Read More »Obstruction Rules for CMSA Sprinklers
Some Parts are Missing The 2010 edition of NFPA 13, Standard for the Installation of Sprinkler Systems, introduced a new definition “Control Mode Specific Application (CMSA) Sprinklers.” This was a composite of the earlier definitions that included Large Drop Sprinklers, Special Sprinklers, and Specific Application Control Mode Sprinklers. The Section …
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