Unfortunately, As a Design/Build from a contractor's standpoint there is nothing there.
Contractor: "You are building a 50'-0" high building. What are you putting in there and how high" Owner/Developer: "Nothing. We just plan on operating maybe an office and storing some things that are in no way flammable or combustible" (Of course above is over-simplified. But you get the point) I always include big notes on the sprinkler as-built drawings that the system was designed for 1 office, and one wastebasket. The problem always arises after the Occupancy is issued. A couple years later you have a ton of ammonium-nitrate piled in the corner. This kind of thing falls directly to the inspections occurring after. As a sprinkler contractor, I can just recommend that, that big ole pile of stuff over there might not be something the system will control. As longs as it flows water, I have to tag the system as fine. R/ Matt -----Original Message----- From: [email protected] [mailto:[email protected]] On Behalf Of Todd - Work Sent: Friday, April 26, 2013 12:09 PM To: [email protected] Subject: West, TX explosion >From reading the latest reports, the fertilizer facility in West, TX that exploded had 270 tons of ammonium nitrate on site. They had previously told authorities that they had nothing hazardous. They were required to file with DHS if they have more than 400 pounds on site and only exceeded that by 1350 times. (Don't forget, Timothy McVeigh used a lot of that at the OK City bombing). Obviously there is a problem at the management level. So when we evaluate facilities for sprinkler protection, how are people handling hazardous materials? As a PE, I will address it one way. If a contractor is looking at it in a design/build project, how is that being addressed? Todd G Williams, PE Fire Protection Design/Consulting Stonington, CT www.fpdc.com _______________________________________________ Sprinklerforum mailing list [email protected] http://lists.firesprinkler.org/listinfo.cgi/sprinklerforum-firesprinkler.org _______________________________________________ Sprinklerforum mailing list [email protected] http://lists.firesprinkler.org/listinfo.cgi/sprinklerforum-firesprinkler.org
