CCAI-70-WEB-cl
image image image image image image

SAVE THE DATE

CCAI October 21-24

Fire Investigation Training Seminar

 

Watch the video


CLICK HERE

From Out of the Abyss...

This week’s article from the past is titled Incendiary Fires Can Be Spotted and was written by Benjamin Horton, CPCU, who was President of the National Adjuster Traing School in Louisville, Kentucky..  It is taken from the Decembe 1968 Vol. XVI No.5 issue.

Incendiary Fires Can Be Spotted 

In the new issue of NFPA Journal®, President Jim Shannon said the Association will focus on the leading causes of home fires, including cooking. "We also need to continue to push hard for home fire sprinklers. That's still a large priority for NFPA, and we plan to work very aggressively in 2014 on our residential sprinkler initiative," he said.

Read more...

From the Danish Journal of Archaeology

Abstract

During excavations of the Viking-age ring fortress Borgring, Denmark, traces of a devastating fire was uncovered. The National Forensic Services of the Danish Police were invited to participate in a novel collaboration, applying contemporary forensic fire investigation to an archaeological site. This paper presents the results and sets a benchmark for future applications. The investigation leads to a revised reconstruction of the fortress and the development of the fire. The application of fire investigation methods, following the Daubert standard criteria, enhance the documentation and analysis of archaeological sites, while archaeological methods show significant potential at modern fire scenes.

Read more...

BY VYTO BABRAUSKAS

SHOCK, INJURY, OR DEATH {ELECTROCUTION) from the passage of electric current through a human body has been studied for more than a century. The level of response or injury depends on the magnitude of the current and also on the frequency, whether it is direct current (DC), power line alternating current (AC), or AC voltages of higher frequency. Some typical values are shown in Table 1.1 Children are generally more sensitive than adults; thus, guidelines often assume that a child is the person to be protected. With firefighting, however, this assumption is not reasonable. Furthermore, protection against a startle reaction is the most severe level of protection. A startle reaction is described as one in which a person jumps because of a small shock that does not injure the person. No direct electrical injury occurs because of startling; there is some hazard caused by jumping, but it is remote.

The "inability to let go" of an energized conductor that has been accidentally grabbed can cause pain and injury if the current increases to an injurious level. This is also called "muscle tetanization." Thus. Many safety requirements are based on a safety-factor-reduced value of the let-go current, even though this is quite a conservative stance. Matters are further complicated. Since individuals show variation in their responses and standards, bodies typically pick a very conservative level (often the 0.5 percentile) instead of the 50-percentile value. Physiological effects of electric current, furthermore, depend strongly on frequency. The most dangerous frequencies are the 50- or 60-Herz (Hz) power line frequencies. The human body becomes less sensitive to electric current at high frequencies.2 Dalziel3 has published a useful summary of safety guidance on electric shock.

Read more...

70th-banner

CCAI Seminar

October 21-24, 2024

 

Member $495.00 - Non-member $605.00

Click here to register in the CCAI Online Store


 The Embassy Suites Hotel

805 549-0800


Code or standard?

What's the difference between a code and a standard?
Michael Heinsdorf, PE, LEED AP, CDT, ARCOM
07/01/2015

Almost every consulting engineer works with codes and standards on a daily basis, but do you know the difference between a code and a standard?

According to the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) Circular No. A-119, Revised, a standard is "[t]he definition of terms; classification of components; delineation of procedures; specification of dimensions, materials, performance, designs, or operations; measurement of quality and quantity in describing materials, processes, products, systems, services, or practices; test methods and sampling procedures; or descriptions of fit and measurements of size or strength." In plain English, a standard consists of technical definitions, procedures, and/or guidelines that specify minimum requirements or instructions for manufacturers, installers, and users of equipment. This can be done by specifying either the methods or the results; the latter is known as "performance specifying." Most importantly, a standard provides standardization or agreement within the industry, which translates to a common reference among engineers, manufacturers, and bidders.

 

In the United States, there are several types of standards, but engineers are most familiar with "voluntary consensus standards" such as ASHRAE Standard 90.1ASTM D975IEEE SI-10NECA 1, and NFPA 70. These standards are developed in a manner that is, according to NIST A-119, "open, (considers) balance of interest, (has) due process, an appeals process, (and relies on) consensus, which is defined as general agreement, but not necessarily unanimity." There are also requirements that the standard be maintained on a consistent schedule by the organization that sponsors the standard.

A code is a standard that has been enacted into law by a local, regional, or national authority having jurisdiction so that the engineer or contractor is legally obligated to comply with the code. Noncompliance can result in being prosecuted. The code may be an industry, government, or voluntary consensus-based standard. A code can include references to standards, which means the standards are incorporated by reference and therefore are part of the code and legally enforceable.

It's important to note the difference between a code and a model code such as the International Building Code (IBC). A model code is developed by a standards organization, typically using the voluntary consensus standard process and subject matter experts. The intent of a model code is to have an industry-wide standard that can be adopted and customized by local jurisdictions, thereby saving the jurisdiction the time and expense of developing and maintaining their own code. This also allows for a certain level of standardization across jurisdictions, permitting contractors to have a understanding of the Owner's expectations and potentially lowering the cost of manufactured goods due to similar requirements across jurisdictions. A model code is not enforceable until it is adopted by a jurisdiction, and typically a jurisdiction will require significant review and some modification of the code to ensure that the code is acceptable to the jurisdiction. This is often why a jurisdiction's adopted code may be several cycles behind the latest model code.

To recap, "voluntary consensus standards" are commonly used in the United States to specify what subject matter experts consider to be the minimum requirements and instructions for manufacturers and users of equipment. Codes are standards that are adopted by jurisdictions and are legally enforceable; however, model codes are not legally enforceable.


Michael Heinsdorf, PE, LEED AP, CDT is an engineering specification writer at ARCOM MasterSpec. He has more than 10 years of experience in consulting engineering, and is the lead author of MasterSpec Electrical, Communications, and Electronic Safety and Security guide specifications. He holds a BSEE from Drexel University and is currently pursuing a master's in engineering at Drexel University.

Banner

Advertise Your Business Here!

 

CCAI Advertisers enjoy unprecedented exposure to professionals in the public and private sector with tens of thousands of targeted visitors each year looking to arson.org for critical information on the state of fire and arson investigation in the United States and worldwide!  

Banner ads should be formatted to 699 x 125 pixels, JPEG or animated GIF or Flash SWF, 100Kb or less. 

Annual advertising rates available.

Gold Club Members

Gold Club Sponsors
nugget_border_smaller

Titanium
~ ServiceMaster Restoration
~ Carmel Fire Protection

Platinum/Corporate
~ Bill Kilpatrick
~ Fee Investigations
~ Jeff Campbell
Forensic Fire Investigations
~ Glenn Solem
~ In Honor of Smokey
~ Scotty Baker
Peek Fire Investigations

Gold
~ 4x Forensic Engineering
~ Advanced Analysis
~ Ed Nordskog
~ Exponent
~ Dale & Jacob Feb
F.I.R.E. Associates
~ InFocus Fire Investigations
~ Terry McMahan

Silver
~ Andrew Derrick
~ George White
~ Rob Rappaport
Rappaport Consulting
nugget_border_smaller

Join CCAI Today!

Member Benefits:  

~Training in Fire/Arson
   Investigation
~Semi-Annual
  Training Seminars
~Regional Roundtable
  Meetings held
  throughout the State
~Fire Investigative Resources
~Networking between public
  and private agencies:
       Fire, Police, Insurance,
       Private Investigators,
       Attorneys
~Legal Updates
~Certification Development
~Annual Membership Card
~CCAI-CFI Program
~Field Training Exercises
~Videos on
   fire/arson investigations
~Members only area
~Attend Seminars at a
  greatly reduced rate!
~Weekly E-Newsletter

Location

1279 North White Avenue
Pomona, California 91768
Phone:  (909) 865-5004
Fax (909) 865-5024
8:00 am - 5:00 pm
Monday - Friday

Disclaimer

This is the official website of the California Conference of Arson Investigators.

The information published on this website... more... 

 

Login