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February 2020
#328 – 2020 NFPA 25: A Review of Key Changes to Water-Based ITM
New technology spurs new requirements in the latest edition of NFPA’s inspection, testing, and maintenance standard The National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) refers to its standards as living documents, continuously adding new ways to keep people safe in an ever-evolving world. Innovation in fire safety technology is constant, and the most significant changes to the 2020 edition of NFPA 25...#327 — Fire Safety Signs I Need in My Building
Learn the requirements for AED signs, exit signs, and fire extinguisher signs No one expects an emergency to happen. But when they do occur, life and fire safety signs that illuminate the path to safety or the location of critical life safety equipment can save lives. In this blog, we examine model code requirements for some of the most important...#326 – Are Photoluminescent Exit and Egress Signs OSHA Compliant?
Highly-visible signage is an essential life safety measure Most people can figure out how to exit a building in normal circumstances. But add fear and an emergency, and normal tasks suddenly become difficult. Darkness after losing power and a fire’s smoke make everything worse. This is why it’s so essential to make egress—the act of escaping a building—simple and easy...#325 – Fire Safety Signs from Around the World: Exits to Equipment
Safety signs are everywhere. In dangerous situations, they tell you what to do, where to go, and where to find vital equipment. In addition to the million or so exit signs you’ve seen in your life, other common life and fire safety signs include: Egress markers showing the way out of complicated or tall buildings Markers for AEDs and fire...#324 – Electric & Photoluminescent Exit Signs: Choosing Illuminated Exit Signs
Electric, photoluminescent, and tritium exit signs are listed and tested to the same standards as their electric counterparts. But the choices you make can lower lifetime costs, reduce maintenance requirements, and keep signs in compliance with local laws.#323 – Which Codes Require Photoluminescent Egress & Exit Signs?
Photoluminescent egress markers or safety signs guide people to exits in tall, supertall, and megatall structures—but when do life safety codes require them?#322 – Contractors’ Preference: Alarm Bells, Water Motor Gongs & Fire Alarms
Learn how a balance of cost, code, and a love of the craft influences contractors’ choice of fire alarm bells, water motor gongs, and newer electronics.#320 – NFPA 13 Seismic Bracing Requirements: Cable Sway Braces
Learn where seismic cable sway bracing is needed and how to install it In the previous installment of our series on seismic protections for fire sprinklers, we introduced the principles of sway bracing. Here, we take a detailed look at what goes into designing and installing seismic braces for a fire sprinkler system, specifically focusing on cable sway braces. Cable...