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NRDC, EIA Take Aim at Clean Agents - Calls for SNAP Delisting of FE13, FM200 and FE25 | 
On October 6, the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC) and the Institute for Governance & Sustainable Development (IGSD) submitted a petition to EPA under Sec. 612 of the Clean Air Act to change the SNAP listing status for a number of HFCs in a variety of end-uses. For fire protection, the petition requests the following changes:
- Remove SF6, PFCs, HCFC-22 blends, HCFC-124, and CF3I from the list of acceptable substitutes in all flooding and streaming fire suppression applications effective January 1, 2019.
- Apply narrow use restrictions to HFC-23 in total flooding fire suppression, allowing only for applications in which all other approved alternatives are physically inadequate effective January 1, 2017.
On the same day the Environmental Investigation Agency (EIA) submitted a petition to EPA under Sec. 612 of the Clean Air Act to change the SNAP listing status for a number of HFCs in a variety of end-uses. For fire protection, the petition requests the following changes:
- Remove SF6 and HFC-23 from the list of acceptable substitutes in all fire suppression and explosion protection applications effective January 1, 2017.
- Remove HFC-236fa, HFC-125, HFC-227ea and all remaining PFCs from the list of acceptable substitutes in fire protection and explosion protection for both total flooding and streaming applications effective January 1, 2019. Consider narrowed use restrictions for HFC-134a in these applications, with potential exemption of HFC-227ea for specified applications where HFC-134a or low-GWP alternatives are not feasible for technical for safety reasons.
In the discussion section, the petition states that EPA should list HFC-125 and HFC-227ea as unacceptable or acceptable subject to narrowed use restrictions for total flooding by 2022, so there is some difference between the summary table and the discussion section. It appears that EIA has limited knowledge of fire protection as they list HFC-134a as an alternative to HFC-227ea and HFC-125 for total flooding, but do not list fluoroketone. Click here to read the petition that the NRDC and the IGSD submitted to the EPA. Click here to read the petition that the EIA submitted to the EPA.
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Growth and Development in Indian Economy Result in Greater Investments in Fire and Protection Industry |  10/10/15 The Siasat Daily New Delhi: The Indian fire-protection industry is expanding to meet the growing demand from the user segment. Innovative fire safety products with new technology are being introduced in the Indian markets. A fire and security exhibition was recently held in New Delhi, which brought together experts from the fire- protection industry to share their knowledge and discuss new technologies. AR Sontake, Deputy Chief Fire Officer and Member of Organizing committee, Fire India 2015 said, "It was a mega event, which had representation from all the sectors like industries, regular fire service. Manufacturers and the foreign delegates also registered themselves here and they came with their products and presented their technical papers." According to reports the fire safety equipment market in India is expected to cross USD 4.26 billion by 2017. As the economy sees growth, industries are updating fire protection systems for continued operations in industrial plants and offices. Read the rest of the article here. |
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 ICAO Rejects Lithium Battery Ban |
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This file frame grab from video, provided by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), shows a test at the FAAs technical center in Atlantic City, N.J. A U.N. aviation panel
has rejected a ban on rechargeable battery shipments on passenger airliners, despite evidence they can cause unstoppable, in-flight fires. Two aviation officials told The Associated Press on Oct. 28, 2015, the International Civil Aviation Organization panel voted 10 to 7 against a ban.
(FAA, via, File)
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10/29/15 By Joan Lowy, Associated Press Chron WASHINGTON - A U.N. aviation panel Wednesday rejected a ban on rechargeable battery shipments on passenger airliners despite evidence they can cause explosions and unstoppable, in-flight fires, aviation officials told The Associated Press. The International Civil Aviation Organization panel on dangerous goods voted 10 to 7 against a ban, said officials who spoke on condition of anonymity because they weren't authorized to speak about the vote publicly. One official said Germany also voted against the ban, but that couldn't be confirmed. The panel's decision is a recommendation to ICAO's air navigation bureau. It would be unusual for the bureau not to follow the recommendation. Read the full story here.
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US Backs Ban of Shipping Batteries on Planes |
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In this Feb. 8, 2006 file photo, firefighters battle a blaze onboard a UPS cargo plane.
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10/8/15 By Joan Lowy AP News WASHINGTON - The risk of unstoppable fires is prompting U.S. officials to back a proposed international ban on rechargeable lithium battery shipments as cargo on passenger airlines. "We believe the risk is immediate and urgent," Angela Stubblefield, a Federal Aviation Administration hazardous materials safety official, said at a public meeting on Thursday. She cited research showing the batteries can cause explosions and fires capable of destroying a plane. Billions of the lithium-ion batteries are used to power consumer electronics ranging from cellphones and laptops to power tools and toothbrushes. Tens of thousands of the batteries are often shipped on a single plane. FAA tests show that even a small number of overheating batteries emit gases that can cause explosions and fires that can't be prevented by current fire suppression systems. Airlines flying to and from the U.S. that accept lithium battery shipments carry 26 million passengers a year, Stubblefield said. Click here to read the full article.
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FAA Freak Out! |
10/19/15 By Barbara Peterson Popular Mechanics The Federal Aviation Administration is getting the word out: Airplanes and lithium batteries don't mix. This might seem alarmist given how ubiquitous these batteries have become. Lithium-ion powers our phones, our computers, and even our cars. But on a moving aircraft they could be deadly, the agency said this month. The risk is that, if left unattended, the batteries could overheat and burst into flames, and that in the confines of a cargo hold a battery fire could spread so quickly that it could overpower existing fire-suppression systems. This is no idle threat, either. There was been multiple reports of lithium battery-related fires on cargo planes. And one (unsubstantiated) theory about the mysterious disappearance of Malaysia Airlines Flight 370 last March focuses on the fact that the jet was carrying a large shipment of lithium-ion. Click here to read the rest of the article.
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Report Slams FAA Response to Fire at Air Traffic Facility | 
9/30/15 Associated Press CHICAGO - The Federal Aviation Administration had insufficient contingency plans and security protocols in place at a Chicago air traffic control facility that was set on fire last year, the U.S. Department of Transportation's inspector general said in a report released Wednesday that recommends the FAA make improvements at all of its facilities. The fire the Aurora Federal Aviation Administration facility forced Chicago's O'Hare and Midway airports to close and disrupted air traffic nationwide as FAA scrambled to restore operations. The inspector general's report said the FAA's plans "did not contain procedures for transferring air traffic and airspace responsibilities from Chicago Center to other facilities." The report goes on to say that the FAA had to revert to an "outdated 2008 plan." Click here to read the rest of the story.
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Girl at a Festival in Kansas Was Injured When Fire-suppressant Canister Discharged |
10/22/15 By Karen Dillon Lawrence Journal-World An 8-year-old girl who was playing in the back of a Bradley fighting vehicle at the Maple Leaf Festival on October 18th received first-degree burns when at least one fire suppressant canister discharged and sprayed her, officials told the Lawrence Journal-World. The Kansas Adjutant General is investigating the accident and trying to determine the cause of the explosion of one or possibly two canisters of Halon gas, said Ben Bauman, public affairs director. It is unclear why the canisters discharged. "It was unfortunate," Bauman said. "We are at events to show people how we serve and protect, and when these things happen, it is exactly the opposite of what we want to be showing." See the full article here.
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Layoffs Reported at UTC | 
10/28/15 By Dirk Perrefort NewsTimes United Technologies Corp. laid off about 35 workers this week from its Danbury aerospace facility amid slower demand for its products, the company said Wednesday. "UTC Aerospace Systems reviews its business plan regularly to ensure that our units around the world are staffed appropriately to meet customer requirements," Dan Coulom, a spokesman for the company said in a statement Wednesday. "As part of this exercise, we have made an adjustment in our Danbury operation through a workforce reduction of about 35 employees." While Farmington-based UTC met Wall Street expectations with its quarterly earnings of $1.61 a share released on Oct. 20, the company also reported revenue that fell more than 5 percent from the same period last year. Click here to read the rest of the story.
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Renovations at the NFPA, an Organization With a Long-Standing History in Quincy, MA | 
10/5/15 By Dylan McGuinness The Patriot Ledger The National Fire Protection Association, which has called 1 Batterymarch Park in Quincy its home since 1981, has recently renovated the first floor of its office space. Leaders of the global nonprofit say that's an investment in their beloved home of Quincy.
QUINCY - On display in the lobby of 1 Batterymarch Park, the home of the National Fire Protection Association since 1981, is a vintage 1846 Hunneman Hand Tub. The Quincy Fire Department used the vehicle to fight fires almost two centuries ago. Just beyond that artifact is a newly renovated wing of conference centers and work spaces. On October 5th, the association celebrated the renovations with a ribbon-cutting ceremony. It's a juxtaposition as true of the organization as it is of the building. The NFPA, founded in 1896 in Boston and now a Quincy institution for 34 years, was founded with a simple mission: to eliminate deaths, injuries and damage caused by fires. Now, as new technologies develop rapidly, the association publishes over 300 codes and standards used across the world. They're hoping the new space reinvigorates their work. The rest of the article can be read here.
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Fike WarnEx System - Explosion Prevention Through Better Detection | 
9/24/15 By Roger Bours EngineerLive Explosion prevention through better detection.
To avoid equipment damage, production interruptions and risks for personnel, industries working with combustible dusts need to assure that the required level of safety of the process is achieved at all times. The standard requirements for the industry, underpinned by legislative framework such as ATEX, are that the conditions where such (dust) explosions can exist must be prevented and measures taken to reduce the consequences when they should occur. Smouldering is generally recognized as one of the most common ignition sources of fires and dust explosions in industrial processes. Unfortunately it is also one of the most difficult to prevent by either controlling process conditions or by making modifications to the equipment. Read the rest of the article by clicking here.
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Sprinkler Systems - The Dark and Dirty Side - A Special Report |
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Photograph showing galvanic corrosion damage of a less noble steel connection (anode) contacting a large noble stainless steel plate (cathode) inside a high humidity environmental chamber.
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July 2014 By Paul Su and David B. Fuller FM Global The purpose of this technical report is to comprehensively explain corrosion in fire protection systems (FPS). Factors such as pipe weld corrosion, residual water in dry pipe systems, trapped air in wet pipe systems, microbiologically influenced corrosion (MIC), and corrosive water chemistry are discussed. A corrosion resistant fire sprinkler system for highly corrosive exhaust duct is also addressed. This report provides the basis for development of corrosion mitigation strategies of existing FPS and lays out directions for further study on corrosion mitigation and management of FPS. Click here to read the full report.
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Flexible Fire Protection For Offshore Applications |
10/1/15 By Doug Marti, Trelleborg E&P Deepwater drilling and production have been revolutionized by increasingly advanced technology in recent years, making high-performance and dependable solutions even more important. This is because, in the harsh environments presented by the offshore world, the requirement for equipment to operate safely and effectively while providing peace of mind is becoming more challenging. Fire protection is a critical part of onboard safety, and reducing the risk of fire hazards is a vital and challenging part of designing and engineering offshore oil and gas installations. Corrosion-free rubber-based solutions can be the key to ensuring that people, structures and equipment are protected. Click here to read the rest of the article.
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The Science of Coal Dust Suppression |
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The effect of water droplet size on dust suppression.
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7/10/15 By Mick Hollis World Coal Coal mining presents a number of specific hazards, ranging from collapse and flooding to dangerous explosions. Dust created by mining activities presents a hazard because its pervasive nature creates a number of breathing-related issues for people, as well as maintenance issues for machinery. Dust also creates a potentially explosive environment. Every year, an unacceptable number of people are injured or killed in underground coal mining accidents or suffer long-term health issues as a consequence of exposure to coal dust. However, many countries have demonstrated that, by applying rigorous safety standards, it is possible to dramatically reduce the risks associated with working in an underground mine. Conflow, part of President Engineering Group, plays a significant part in this, by providing a product range specifically developed in conjunction with coal mining engineers to use water to address the major underground health and safety issues, such as frictional ignition, dust suppression and fire control. Read the rest of the story here.
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Firetrace International Acquired by Halma |
 10/6/15
Firetrace
Scottsdale, Arizona based Firetrace USA, LLC, a global leader in the innovation of special hazard fire protection systems, announced that it has been acquired by Halma plc, a market leading specialist safety, health and environmental technology group.
The acquisition includes all three Firetrace USA companies; Firetrace International, dedicated to fire protection for commercial and industrial markets, FIRE Panel, providing the patented FIRE Panel utilized in the protection of fuel tanks involved in high-energy impacts, and Firetrace Aerospace, which adapts the life saving commercial technologies of Firetrace and FIRE Panel and integrates them into the aviation and ground vehicle markets. Read the rest of the article here. |
Sevo Systems, Bulldog (Canada) Form Partnership |  10/6/15 By Michelle Froese Windpower Engineering & Development Bulldog Turbine Systems and Sevo Systems have announced a unique master distribution and supplier contract for the Canadian region in the renewable energy sector. Bulldog Turbine Systems will represent Sevo Systems as exclusive distributors for their Flex Focus and Multi-point Systems. Sevo Systems offer higher stored pressure of clean-agent tanks, which provide faster fire-hazard control of critical components. Sevo Systems also offer the option of larger clean-agent tanks for protection of larger components or multiple hazards in one system. Click here to read the rest of the article. |
UTC CEO Says They Still Have Some Acquisition Capacity Despite Buyback |
10/20/15 ReutersUnited Technologies Corp will still look at acquisitions in the $1 billion to $5 billion range, its chief executive said on Tuesday, even as the company announced a new $12 billion share buyback plan.
"We're looking at those deals in the $1 to $5 billion range and clearly we have the capacity to continue to do those deals," UTC Chief Executive Greg Hayes said after the company reported third quarter results. Although, Hayes noted, "The bigger, bigger deal is probably not going to happen." (Reporting by Lewis Krauskopf in New York; Editing by Chizu Nomiyama)
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UTC Q3 Performance |
10/21/15
By Mara Lee
Security InfoWatch
United Technologies Corp. announced a dramatic increase in its share repurchase program Tuesday and reported net income of $1.36 billion, or $1.61 a share from continuing operations, exceeding analyst expectations for the three months ended Sept. 30.
The profit figure was down 27 percent from $1.85 billion the company earned in the same period in 2014 and the per-share figure was down 17 percent, reflecting fewer shares outstanding.
Earnings, adjusted for one-time gains and expenses, were $1.67 per share, down 2 percent from the same quarter last year at the Farmington-based industrial company.
Click here to see the rest of the story.
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DuPont's Interim Boss Edward Breen is a Breakup Expert | 
10/5/15 By Bloomberg Edward Breen, the man taking over the helm at beleaguered DuPont Co., is best known for helping Tyco International recover from scandal and then breaking it up. Breen was named interim chairman and chief executive officer of DuPont eight months after becoming a director during the first round of a clash with Trian Fund Management LP over splitting the company. Round two may have started Monday as Trian, the fifth-biggest DuPont shareholder, said it increased its stake in the company and suggested the campaign for a breakup might be revived. Click here to continue reading this article. |
Ansul at 100!! | 
10/5/15 By Colleen Repplier, President, Tyco Fire Protection Products Fire Engineering In 1915, the first coast-to-coast telephone call was placed, Babe Ruth hit his first career home run, Albert Einstein formulated his theory of general relativity, and in Marinette, Wisconsin, a small business opened its doors for the first time as the Ansul Chemical Company. As we celebrate the one hundredth year of the the ANSUL brand, we've been looking closely at just how much has changed in that century, even as our core values and commitment to excellence have stayed the same. As an industry, fire protection has grown in importance, pushed forward major innovations and cemented itself as a key pillar of our safety and security landscape. Read the full article here.
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Tyco Announces New CFO | 
10/14/15 By Zacks Equity Research Tyco International plc recently announced the appointment of Robert E. Olson as Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer. Robert E. Olson will assume the new responsibilities after the annual report filing in November 2015 and will succeed the current CFO Arun Nayar. The newly appointed CFO is expected to drive Tyco International to newer heights with his leadership traits and expertise in service-oriented technology companies. We believe that Robert E. Olson's sector know-how will prove beneficial for Tyco International and unlock further value. Following the announcement, the company reaffirmed its guidance of earnings per share from continuing operations before special items for the fourth fiscal quarter of 2015 in the range of 60 cents to 62 cents. Click here to see the full article.
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FM 200 Protection Demonstrated |
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| | Are You Protected? This video provides a good comparison between, standard wet sprinkler fire protection and a FM-200 System. |
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Most Popular Stories from September 2015 |
These are the stories in our last issue that got the most clicks. If you haven't already, check them out! |
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