Firestopping devices are forms of passive fire protection used to seal the openings or passages in fireproof floors, walls, or ceilings and to impede the spread of flames, smoke and toxic gases. A firestop device fills the holes created during the installation of communication or electricity cables, plumbing, or ventilation ducts. It contains a soft fire-retardant material (usually red) that closes the gaps between pipes, cables, ducts, holes, edges, etc.– thus blocking fire and smoke from spreading and enhancing safety for building occupants. Firestopping is currently required for top of walls, curtain walls, slab edges, joints, and pipe penetrations. Note that firestopping should not confused with fireproofing which is the spray-on product applied to building materials.
Category: HETI Horizons Newsletters
EPA’s Revised Lead & Copper Rule
In older homes and buildings, lead can leach from service lines, solder, and fixtures into tap water and become a significant source of lead exposure. In children, lead exposure can cause irreversible and life-long health effects – including decreasing IQ, focus, and academic achievement. 1 Continue Reading →
Connecticut’s New Spill Reporting Requirements
New spill reporting regulations from the Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (DEEP) are now in effect. The regulations (RCSA §§ 22a-450) require reporting to DEEP for a broad spectrum of spills – including many which would likely be considered minor or of little concern by the regulated community. Continue Reading →
Spray Polyurethane Foams
It’s been more than eight years since we reported on the health & safety and risk management issues related to spray polyurethane foams. So, we decided to re-visit the HETI Horizons we published in November 2013 – updating, as appropriate, based on we what we know today.
One of the cutting-edge advances in new construction was the use of spray polyurethane foam insulation for energy conservation. Although the chemistry has been around since the 1940s, the past twenty years have seen the application expand in commercial buildings and high-end homes. The use of spray foam is likely to reach $2.1 billion by 2025, with an annual growth rate of 5%.
EPA’s Plan To Regulate Perchlorate In Drinking Water
In April 2022, the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced its final plan for regulation of perchlorate in drinking water. The plan formalizes the agency’s withdrawal of its 2011 decision to promulgate a Maximum Contaminant Level (MCL) for perchlorate, and announces actions that will be taken to minimize perchlorate impacts in the future. Continue Reading →
What Is Crystalline Silica? What Are The Hazards?
Crystalline silica is a common mineral found in the earth’s crust. Materials like sand, stone, concrete, and mortar contain crystalline silica. It is also used to make products such as glass, pottery, ceramics, bricks, and artificial stone. Respirable crystalline silica – very small particles at least 100 times smaller than ordinary sand found on beaches and playgrounds – is created when cutting, sawing, grinding, drilling, and crushing stone, rock, concrete, brick, block, and mortar.
Building Design: Lessons Learned From COVID-19
For many years, offices were designed to be “open” to facilitate better internal communication. Large areas of cubicle “farms” – row after row of desks partitioned with five-foot-high walls with fabric covers – were the norm. However after leaning toward this open workplace style for quite some time, architects and building owners are now “all in” on changing that basic design due to COVID-19.
Naturally Occurring Asbestos In The United States
In November 2021, many news outlets carried the story of the landslide in Washington state that caused elevated asbestos levels by dumping sediment containing naturally occurring asbestos (NOA) into the waterways of Swift Creek downstream from Sumas Mountain. The state’s ecology department warned that it could be especially dangerous during the summertime when the sediment dried and asbestos could be aerosolized by winds and inhaled by people visiting the area.
OSHA’s Ten Most Cited Violations For 2021
The Occupational Safety & Health Administration (OSHA) has released the “Top Ten List” for Fiscal Year 2021, providing the data for the first full year of reporting violations since the COVID-19 pandemic began. While the pandemic has introduced much uncertainty into our lives, we can still rely on Fall Protection–General Requirements topping this list…now for the 11th consecutive year.
Oil & Gas Environmental Issues: Spills And Releases
During the last two decades, the oil & gas industry has experienced significant swings in petroleum hydrocarbon drilling and production. Technological advances – including horizontal drilling capabilities and widespread hydraulic fracturing (“fracking”) of shales – have greatly expanded domestic oil & gas exploration and production.