by [email protected] | Feb 20, 2020 | Uncategorized
Service your fire extinguisher yearly for safety’s sake. The portable fire extinguishers manufactured after 1984 are made so well you could probably hang them up and forget about them and they would work just fine in case you needed to extinguish a small fire. The reasons to service them yearly are many and all for your safety. Fire extinguishers manufactured 1984 or earlier are no longer serviceable and must be taken out of commercial service. If the extinguisher is used in a business of any kind it must be serviced annually by a certified fire extinguisher technician. Depending on the age of the extinguisher it may need an annual inspection, 6-year inspection, hydro static inspection or may be condemned by a certified fire extinguisher inspector. The Utah State Fire Marshal is charged with the guidance and standards to service and use of portable extinguishers, however the enforcement is by the local fire departments, city inspectors and so on. Your insurance company may require you to exceed the minimum code standards if they feel that more is necessary for the safety of your property, employees, product and customers. Your own loss prevention may require monthly inspections to check for damage, lost pull pins, leaks, broken seals or missing extinguishers. Some fire extinguishers have been recalled or are no longer supported by the manufacture and must be removed from service. Fire safety supplies and safety equipment in a personal residence are not subject to the enforcement but should be checked for all the appropriate dates, recalls and so on for safety’s...
by [email protected] | Sep 14, 2015 | Uncategorized
A portable fire extinguisher can put out a small fire before it gets too large to put out without help from others. A conveniently placed extinguisher can truly be a life saver. The chance of you experiencing a fire is diminishing as businesses, homes and appliances are becoming safer due experience and education. As we study fires in homes and businesses we learn more and are able to reduce the chance of accidental fires. We also learn more on how to prevent intentional fires by using fire resistant materials and automatic fire systems. As a side benefit of the study of fires and safety, building codes have been modified to allow the the easy exit of buildings. For example 30 years ago doors commonly opened inward. Now you will see doors that open outward to allow exit without having to pull the door open then exit. The size and placement of lighted emergency exits have been greatly improved to allow safe exit from public places. Portable fire extinguishers are a big part of the safety program and used to prevent the loss of life and property. If you have a business you are required to have at least one portable fire extinguisher. You will also be required to have it inspected or serviced annually. Your insurance provider may require them to be inspected more often if they feel the need is...
by [email protected] | Sep 14, 2015 | Uncategorized
f the weather has been cold you could end up with freeze damage. If water in the pipes and devices don’t get drained properly in time or protected from cold temperatures it can cause great damage. One example is your fire sprinkler system. National Fire Prevention Association (NFPA) standards require the pipe and valves on a fire sprinkler system to be protected from freezing temperatures by heating to a minimum of forty degrees or higher, be buried below freezing temperatures, have antifreeze installed or dry pipe system. If your fire system freezes hard enough the problems could be devastating is several ways, i.e; In the event of a fire the system may not work. The water can expand when turned to ice and crack heads, pipes and valves. The volume of water is nothing less than amazing when you have an open pipe or head. If water ends up on a cold floor it can turn to ice very quickly. A single fire sprinkler head can flood an area in seconds. Bells, alarms and the fire department assuming a fire and finding an ice storm. Remember, there are heavy pipes full of water above your head; you don’t want to take any unnecessary chances with fire and water safety. 1. In the event of water flooding you will need to find the water source. If it is coming from the fire system make sure there is no fire or that the fire has been extinguished completely. 2. Turn the valve off slowly. Turning the valve too fast may cause water hammer, a sudden stop of the water at...
by [email protected] | Sep 14, 2015 | Uncategorized
They sit in the background, quietly out of the way most of the time, never noticed until the moment when something goes horribly wrong or so it may seem. Unless properly maintained they may be rusting, gathering dust on the outside and sludge on the inside. A fire sprinkler system has many components, a back flow preventer, two main valves, fire sprinklers, gages, piping, alarm bells, sirens, main drains, inspectors test valve, earthquake bracing and may contain antifreeze, compressors, pumps and so on. Back flow devices are required to be tested yearly. Valves should be opened, closed and lubricated yearly. Fire sprinklers need to inspected for damage, loading, leaking and age yearly. Gages need to calibrated or replaced every five years. Piping needs to be flushed when the inspection determines a need. Alarms should be tested monthly, quarterly and annually. Main drain test yearly. Inspectors test yearly or more often. Antifreeze needs to be tested before freezing conditions each year. Compressors should be checked monthly and serviced yearly. Fire pumps should be tested and serviced annually. The fire sprinkler system needs to be inspected for damage, potential freezing exposure and available supply source. Training should be a part of any inspection. If the inspector does not offer, have them show you how it works and how to shut it down after an emergency. Never shut down a fire system until you have confirmed the fire is completely out. Have your fire sprinkler system inspected yearly to keep this life saving device in good working order. Call us 801-265-1374...
by [email protected] | Sep 14, 2015 | Uncategorized
Extinguisher Types A-1 Fire Sprinklers can service all types of extinguishers at competitive prices and you can be assured that it’s done right by certified professionals. Identifying Extinguisher Types Quickly identify your extinguisher types with this Quick Color Chart. Types of extinguishers: ABC BC D K Water Wheeled Halon Halotron 1 Clean Agent Carbon-dioxide Water Foam / Loaded Stream Wet Chemical Water Mist Clean Guard Cartridge Operated In firefighting, fires are identified according to one or more fire classes. Each class designates the fuel involved in the fire, and thus the most appropriate extinguishing agent. The classifications allow selection of extinguishing agents along lines of effectiveness at putting the type of fire out, as well as avoiding unwanted side-effects. For example, non-conductive extinguishing agents are rated for electrical fires, so to avoid electrocuting the firefighter. Multiple classification systems exist, with different designations for the various classes of fire. The United States uses the NFPA system and is explained below. Ordinary Combustibles “Ordinary combustible” fires are the most common type of fire, and are designated Class A under both systems. These occur when a solid, organic material such as wood, cloth, rubber, or some plastics[1] become heated to their ignition point. At this point the material undergoes combustion and will continue burning as long as the four components of the fire tetrahedron (heat, fuel, oxygen, and the sustaining chemical reaction) are available. This class of fire is commonly used in controlled circumstances, such as a campfire, match or wood-burning stove. To use the campfire as an example, it has a fire tetrahedron—the heat is provided by another fire (such...
