As a way to help professionals stay up to date on the fast-paced world of electrical, fire and life safety, the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) launched a twice-monthly podcast earlier this month. Founded in 1896...
Electrical contractors focus more on installation codes, such as the National Electrical Code and the National Fire Alarm and Signaling Code, and they may not pay as much attention to building code requirements. However...
Installing a code-compliant fire alarm system requires you to follow more than one code. Each code relating to cable has specific requirements based on the system performance desired by the owner. Both NFPA 70, National...
Although not an official rule, the “two-second rule” for assumed arc durations originated with the 2002 edition of IEEE 1584—IEEE Guide for Performing Arc-Flash Hazard Calculations. It is also in the 2018 edition of the...
The Department of Homeland Security reports approximately 255 amusement and theme parks and 135 water parks operate in the United States. The parks vary in size, and annual attendance ranges from 100,000 to more than 10...
Adding the Circuits and Pathways chapter was one of the many changes made in the 2010 edition of NFPA 72 as part of the restructuring of the National Fire Alarm Code. The primary reason for restructuring was to add a chapter...
If you have ever installed fire alarm systems, you more than likely have run into issues that have made you question the design or installation drawings. Many of these questions develop into installation blunders due to a...
Most contractors feel confident that they have the qualifications to install any fire alarm system, regardless of size or complexity. You likely already know that only an unfinished fire alarm system can delay the occupancy...
The standards development system for the National Electrical Code is a public, consensus-driven process. The NEC receives thousands of public inputs and comments every cycle. But how can a book be consistent if it has...
As more governments around the world adopt international fire protection standards, sales of fire protection systems are increasing dramatically, according to the “Fire Protection System Market Research Report--Global...
In my September article, I wrote about ways to improve chances of passing the fire alarm acceptance test the first time. It takes some effort on the part of the fire alarm contractor, but it can be done. This will improve job...
As I finish my last of 10 cycles as Secretary of the NEC, I marvel at the changes during the nearly 40 years of my involvement. We have seen numerous new technologies, from electric vehicles to solar photovoltaic systems to...
Thousands of annual job-related injuries and hundreds of fatalities can be attributed to electrical hazards. Although the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has regulations in place to prevent these types of...
According to a new report from the National Fire Protection Agency (NFPA), "Fatal Electrical Injuries of Contract Workers," the construction industry experienced a "substantial share" of contractor deaths involving electrical...
As more employers use contract and temporary workers, concerns over the safety of their working conditions have also increased. A recent study shows that this concern is justified, as fatal electrical injuries to contract...
I have written a couple of articles about NFPA 4, Standard for Integrated Fire Protection and Life Safety System Testing, in the past. The last one in December was about getting it referenced in the model codes to make its...
According to data from “Fires in Structures Under Construction,” published in this month by the NFPA Research, Data and Analytics Division, and other media reports, fires occurred at 3,820 U.S. construction sites with an...
The International Code Council (ICC), the Solar Rating and Certification Corp. (ICC-SRCC) and the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) have teamed up to release the 2018 International Solar Energy Provisions (ISEP)...
The National Electrical Code (NEC) is the most important and comprehensive document created for the practical safeguarding of persons and property from the use of electricity and its hazards. Right now, the 2020 edition is...
Many contractors wish for some form of recurring revenue that keeps on giving while they keep busy bidding or working on their installation projects. Fire alarm system maintenance can meet this goal. As with any business...
