FM William Burns
Moderator
+ Volunteer FD demonstration with a baby in the testing enviornment........hum
-
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NFPA issues safety alert regarding antifreeze in residential sprinklers
- Thread starter Insurance Engineer
- Start date
FM William Burns
Moderator
FM,
Thanks for sharing this information with us.
I could list volumes of examples of backflow preventers failing; and antifreeze poisioning; but, it would just fall on deaf ears; or I suppose I should say seen by blind eyes.
When the best backflow prevention devices are installed properly; and, yes even when they are tested and serviced in accordance with the manufacturer's instructions and/or State laws; they fail with amazing regularity!
Antifreeze is an extremely dangerous poison; that kills people, animals, fish, and plants. And, we allow it to be put into a system, that is connected to our public water supply.
Uncle Bob
Thanks for sharing this information with us.
I could list volumes of examples of backflow preventers failing; and antifreeze poisioning; but, it would just fall on deaf ears; or I suppose I should say seen by blind eyes.
When the best backflow prevention devices are installed properly; and, yes even when they are tested and serviced in accordance with the manufacturer's instructions and/or State laws; they fail with amazing regularity!
Antifreeze is an extremely dangerous poison; that kills people, animals, fish, and plants. And, we allow it to be put into a system, that is connected to our public water supply.
Uncle Bob
Last edited by a moderator:
the report
http://www.nfpa.org/assets/files//PDF/Research/RFAntifreezeSprinklerSystemPh2.pdf
what abut apartments with 13R anti freeze systems????
http://www.nfpa.org/assets/files//PDF/Research/RFAntifreezeSprinklerSystemPh2.pdf
what abut apartments with 13R anti freeze systems????
3.3.7 Dwelling Unit. One or more rooms arranged for the use of one or more individuals living together, as in a single housekeeping unit normally having cooking, living, sanitary, and sleeping facilities. For purposes of this standard, dwelling unit includes hotel rooms, dormitory rooms, apartments, condominiums, sleeping rooms in nursing homes, and similar living units.
seems to exclude use of anti freeze in alot of places
seems to exclude use of anti freeze in alot of places
American Fire Sprinkler Association
12750 Merit Dr., Suite 350 * Dallas TX 75251
Ph: (214) 349-5965 Fax: (214) 276-0908
---------------
TECHNICAL ALERT
---------------
August 18, 2010
NFPA Issues Standards Council Decision on Antifreeze Systems in Residential Occupancies
August 16, 2010, the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) Standards Council issued a decision on the proposed Tentative Interim Amendments regarding antifreeze in residential fire sprinkler systems. The council’s decision is to “… prohibit the use of antifreeze solutions within all NFPA 13D applications and within the dwelling unit portions of NFPA 13 and NFPA 13R sprinkler systems.”
However, the Standards Council also directed that the responsible technical committees conduct further activities in regard to this question.
As identified in the “AFSA Member Alert” sent July 7, NFPA issued a safety alert on antifreeze in residential systems July 6, 2010, following a research study and an initial set of fire tests after a fire incident raised concern.
At it’s August 3-5 meeting, The NFPA Standards Council considered six tentative interim amendments (TIAs), two for each standard – NFPA 13, 13R, and 13D. One TIA said antifreeze shall not be used in dwelling units and the other restricted all antifreeze compounds to a maximum concentration of 50%. As a result of that meeting, the Standards Council has released TIAs 1000 on NFPA 13, 995 on NFPA 13R, and 994 on NFPA 13D effectively stating antifreeze shall not be used in dwelling units.
Investigation Continues
As indicated in the Council decision, this should be viewed as a moratorium. The Council urged the technical committees to address this issue again prior to the next Council meeting in Oct 2010. The Council also made a point of emphasizing that releasing these TIAs is not intended to be the final technical determination on whether antifreeze should be allowed or at what concentration nor is it intended to prejudge the merit of any further revisions. The fact that the report from the Fire Protection Research Foundation (FPRF) titled "Antifreeze Solutions in Home Fire Sprinkler Systems: Phase II Research Interim Report" (2010) was not available to the technical committees prior to their balloting on the TIAs had a significant impact on how this issue developed. Due to the emergency nature of this issue though, the Council had to act. Since it is inappropriate for the Council to modify an existing TIA or to write a new one, they took the most conservative approach and released the TIAs. The decision by the Council, the FPRF report and the TIAs are available at www.nfpa.org/antifreeze.
The FPRF report identified that concentrations exceeding 50% by volume for glycerin and 40% for propylene glycol were not appropriate for use in residential sprinkler systems. One of the questions that the technical committees have to answer in defining a maximum concentration is how large a safety factor is necessary.
AFSA will continue to work closely with NFPA and keep you informed on future developments. Complete information is available from NFPA at www.nfpa.org/antifreeze.
-----------------
Technical Update is prepared by the Technical Services Dept. of the AFSA: Roland Huggins, a PE registered in fire protection engineering, Vice President of Engineering and Technical Services; Phill Brown, a NICET IV certified automatic sprinkler technician and NFPA Certified Fire Protection Specialist (CFPS) and Tom Wellen, a degreed fire protection engineering technologist. This is provided with the understanding that the AFSA assumes no liability for this opinion or actions taken on it and they are not to be considered the official position of the NFPA or its technical committees.
Copyright © 2010, American Fire Sprinkler Association. All Rights Reserved
--------------------------
If you’d rather not receive future faxes from AFSA, fax your removal request to Amy Sweeney at Efax (214) 242-3155 or call toll free (888) 839-4830 or send e-mail request @ no-fax@firesprinkler.org. Please include your company name and the specific fax numbers(s) at which you do not wish to receive faxes from us. Our failure to comply with your request may be unlawful.
_______________________________________________
Sprinklernotes mailing list
Sprinklernotes@firesprinkler.org
http://fireball.firesprinkler.org/mailman/listinfo/sprinklernotes
12750 Merit Dr., Suite 350 * Dallas TX 75251
Ph: (214) 349-5965 Fax: (214) 276-0908
---------------
TECHNICAL ALERT
---------------
August 18, 2010
NFPA Issues Standards Council Decision on Antifreeze Systems in Residential Occupancies
August 16, 2010, the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) Standards Council issued a decision on the proposed Tentative Interim Amendments regarding antifreeze in residential fire sprinkler systems. The council’s decision is to “… prohibit the use of antifreeze solutions within all NFPA 13D applications and within the dwelling unit portions of NFPA 13 and NFPA 13R sprinkler systems.”
However, the Standards Council also directed that the responsible technical committees conduct further activities in regard to this question.
As identified in the “AFSA Member Alert” sent July 7, NFPA issued a safety alert on antifreeze in residential systems July 6, 2010, following a research study and an initial set of fire tests after a fire incident raised concern.
At it’s August 3-5 meeting, The NFPA Standards Council considered six tentative interim amendments (TIAs), two for each standard – NFPA 13, 13R, and 13D. One TIA said antifreeze shall not be used in dwelling units and the other restricted all antifreeze compounds to a maximum concentration of 50%. As a result of that meeting, the Standards Council has released TIAs 1000 on NFPA 13, 995 on NFPA 13R, and 994 on NFPA 13D effectively stating antifreeze shall not be used in dwelling units.
Investigation Continues
As indicated in the Council decision, this should be viewed as a moratorium. The Council urged the technical committees to address this issue again prior to the next Council meeting in Oct 2010. The Council also made a point of emphasizing that releasing these TIAs is not intended to be the final technical determination on whether antifreeze should be allowed or at what concentration nor is it intended to prejudge the merit of any further revisions. The fact that the report from the Fire Protection Research Foundation (FPRF) titled "Antifreeze Solutions in Home Fire Sprinkler Systems: Phase II Research Interim Report" (2010) was not available to the technical committees prior to their balloting on the TIAs had a significant impact on how this issue developed. Due to the emergency nature of this issue though, the Council had to act. Since it is inappropriate for the Council to modify an existing TIA or to write a new one, they took the most conservative approach and released the TIAs. The decision by the Council, the FPRF report and the TIAs are available at www.nfpa.org/antifreeze.
The FPRF report identified that concentrations exceeding 50% by volume for glycerin and 40% for propylene glycol were not appropriate for use in residential sprinkler systems. One of the questions that the technical committees have to answer in defining a maximum concentration is how large a safety factor is necessary.
AFSA will continue to work closely with NFPA and keep you informed on future developments. Complete information is available from NFPA at www.nfpa.org/antifreeze.
-----------------
Technical Update is prepared by the Technical Services Dept. of the AFSA: Roland Huggins, a PE registered in fire protection engineering, Vice President of Engineering and Technical Services; Phill Brown, a NICET IV certified automatic sprinkler technician and NFPA Certified Fire Protection Specialist (CFPS) and Tom Wellen, a degreed fire protection engineering technologist. This is provided with the understanding that the AFSA assumes no liability for this opinion or actions taken on it and they are not to be considered the official position of the NFPA or its technical committees.
Copyright © 2010, American Fire Sprinkler Association. All Rights Reserved
--------------------------
If you’d rather not receive future faxes from AFSA, fax your removal request to Amy Sweeney at Efax (214) 242-3155 or call toll free (888) 839-4830 or send e-mail request @ no-fax@firesprinkler.org. Please include your company name and the specific fax numbers(s) at which you do not wish to receive faxes from us. Our failure to comply with your request may be unlawful.
_______________________________________________
Sprinklernotes mailing list
Sprinklernotes@firesprinkler.org
http://fireball.firesprinkler.org/mailman/listinfo/sprinklernotes
Gene Boecker
Gold Member
Click the link. The final report is on that page.
NFPA webinars will be available. That information is not yet up on the site. Look for it soon.
NFPA webinars will be available. That information is not yet up on the site. Look for it soon.