Characterizing the Tensile Strength of the Fabrics Used in Firefighters’ Bunker Gear under Radiant Heat Exposure

More than 60,000 firefighters’ injuries were reported by the National Fire Protection Association in the U.S. in 2019. Inadequate protection by bunker gear could be a reason for most of the injuries. Firefighters repeatedly encounter thermal hazards due to their job responsibilities. Degradation could occur on bunker gear fabric during thermal exposure. It has been found that the presence of moisture affects performance as well, which may come from wearers’ sweat. Proper evaluation of the tensile strength of the fabrics used in bunker gear could provide information essential for maintenance the overall integrity of the gear. An evaluation of the tensile strength of fabrics when exposed to 10, 15, and 20 kW/m2 radiant heat flux in the presence of moisture is reported. In each fabric system, a total of sixty-four different samples were prepared for four different types of fabric and four levels of moisture which were exposed to three different radiant heat flux for five minutes. Heat flux and moisture levels have significant impact on tensile strength. The effect of moisture on tensile strength in a three-layered fabric system is higher than that for a single layer fabric. An understanding of the impact of heat and moisture on fabric strength has been achieved.

Comparison of Domestic and International Technical Standards: Study on Improvement of Quality Control of Halogenated Fire Extinguishing Agents

Recently, the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) announced the revised standards for halogen compound fire extinguishing facilities (NFPA 2001). Characteristically, it is strengthening the quality control standards for halogenated fire extinguishing agents, by presenting specific standards regarding the effects of not only their main ingredient, but also their additional ingredients on the human body. However, in Korea, halogen compound fire extinguishing agents used for firefighting purposes are managed by designating “purity” as the sole criteria for inspection. Considering that halogen compounds utilized for other purposes in Korea are undergoing quality control through various inspections for the safety of humans and the environment, it is evident that a higher level of quality control is required for halogen compounds used for firefighting purposes. Therefore, we would like to suggest a specific improvement plan to enhance safety while using halogenated fire extinguishing agents, through the comparative analysis of inspection criteria, and acceptance standards of corresponding domestic and foreign standards.

A Study on the Development of a Fire Safety Management System Model for Critical Risk Factors Assessment in a Construction Site

In this study, the authors developed a fire safety management system model for critical risk factor assessment in construction sites according to the National Fire Protection Association code Fire Safety Concepts Tree (FSCT). First, the fire statistics and heavy casualties were analyzed, and the critical risk factors as associated with the key causes of fire incident and break out and life-threatening damages were derived. Furthermore, the related laws and regulations were analyzed, and the actual conditions and problems of fire safety management were noted. Next, according to the basic structure of the FSCT, a differentiated strategy was presented to reflect the characteristics of the construction site by dividing it into fire prevention and extinguishing and evacuation management. In addition, the fire safety management personnel were proposed to be assigned for thorough site inspection and management. This model was developed to improve and reinforce the current challenges in fire safety management. In the future, legislators of the construction work, project managers, site managers, supervisors, workers, etc. would use this model as a tool to understand and practice the roles and interrelationships of fire safety strategies more systematically.

Análisis de la manufactura de calzado de seguridad para el combate de incendios forestales en México

En este trabajo, se presentan los estudios de mercado, técnico y económico-financiero, para evaluar la factibilidad de la manufactura en México de calzado de seguridad, para personal que realiza actividades de combate de incendios forestales. Los requerimientos de diseño y desempeño del calzado se basaron en las especificaciones establecidas por la National Fire Protection Association. El análisis del mercado mexicano se llevó a cabo por medio de la recopilación de fuentes primarias y secundarias. El estudio técnico se enfocó en identificar los principales componentes del calzado, el proceso, la maquinaria y equipo para llevar a cabo la manufactura por la industria del calzado mexicana. Para la determinación de la factibilidad económica y financiera, se estimaron los indicadores del valor actual neto (VAN), la tasa interna de retorno (TIR), el punto de equilibrio y el tiempo de amortización de la inversión. El estudio de factibilidad, muestra nuevas oportunidades de negocio para la industria del calzado mexicana, ya que en México existe una demanda insatisfecha que emplea un producto sustituto, se cuenta con una industria del calzado sólida que tiene la capacidad de manufacturar calzado especializado, y los indicadores económico-financieros señalan una recuperación de la inversión en corto plazo, con un flujo de efectivo positivo, el VAN mayor a cero y una TIR de 39.36%. La manufactura en México del calzado de seguridad, para combatientes de incendios forestales, no solo representa oportunidades de negocio para la industria del calzado, si no también contribuye en fomentar la protección del personal que realiza las actividades del combate de incendios forestales, de acuerdo a estándares internacionales

ENSURING HEALTH AND SAFETY IN PETROLEUM BUILT ENVIRONMENT: THE CASE OF SRI LANKA

The petroleum-built environment is an important area of concern, which mainly includes refinery and storage facilities. Since its hazardous nature leading unexpected accidents and disasters, the safety of petroleum-built environment has become a vital requirement to eliminate the hazards associated with the petroleum process. However, a comprehensive study on safe handling of petroleum products in Sri Lanka is not reported so far. Hence, this study aimed at enhancing the health and safety in handling process of petroleum products in refinery and storage facilities. A comprehensive literature review was initially conducted on the petroleum products handling process, and national and international safety guidelines. Case study method was used since this study requires an in-depth investigation. Two prominent cases for refinery and storage facilities were studied to collect the data. Content analysis technique was used to analyse the data. The findings revealed that Factories Ordinance, National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) Guideline, Occupational Health and Safety Assessment Series (OHSAS) standard, and National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) Guideline are commonly considered in ensuring health and safety of petroleum-built environment. Further, the chronic deceases in lungs and heart, cancers, high noise generation, unwillingness to use personal protective equipment (PPE), bowser and wagon accidents, fuel fire risk, pipeline leakages, and water and soil pollution were highlighted as common health and safety issues in refinery and storage. Finally, various strategies were proposed to overcome the identified health and safety issues ensuring the health and safety of petroleum-built environment.

Experimental Study on Fire Sources for Full-Scale Fire Testing of Simple Sprinkler Systems Installed in Multiplexes

Fires are accidents that can cause numerous human casualties in multiplexes. The simple sprinkler systems applied in South Korea employ sprinklers to protect people against residential fires, as specified by the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) standard 13D. Therefore, it is necessary to evaluate the fire control performance of multiplexes, which are at a greater risk than residential facilities. This study aims to verify the fire control performance of simple sprinklers in multiplexes and to develop a fire source that can be used as a protocol for testing fire suppression methods. The fire source was evaluated by using a 3 MW large-scale calorimeter (ISO 13784). The proposed fire source for multiplexes was applied in various forms according to the application methods, with ignition sources including cotton wick, wood crib, and heptane, and then the fire tests were conducted.