Part 1 in this series identifies the need for hydrostatic testing of self contained breathing apparatus used by firefighters and rescue personnel. Self-Contained Breathing Apparatus (SCBA) are one of the most important items of personal protective equipment used by firefighters and rescue personnel. SCBA allow firefighters to enter hazardous environments to perform essential interior operations…
Author: Travis Jolliff
Part 1 in this series provided a summary of each step in the hydrostatic testing process for rechargeable portable fire extinguishers through the actual hydrostatic test. Part 2 in this series will provide a summary of the steps following the hydrostatic test through final reassembly and recharging the portable fire extinguisher. Portable fire extinguishers designed…
Part 1 in this series will provide a summary of each step in the hydrostatic testing process for rechargeable portable fire extinguishers through the actual hydrostatic test. Portable fire extinguishers designed to combat type A, B and C class fires are the most common type of fire extinguisher used in businesses today. In order to…
Fire suppression systems for commercial kitchens prevent the spread of an already burning fire. Suppression systems use a combination of dry chemicals and wetting agents to suppress cooking equipment fires. Wetting agents are a form of concentrate added to water contained in the system. They improve the fire suppression performance of water by reducing its…
Restaurant operators know that wet chemical systems are the only solution to their fire suppression needs. In fact, commercial cooking cannot be done without a state of the art Fire Suppression system. Voluminous cooking with today’s vegetable oils cause high heat conditions therefore creating a hazardous environment to say the least. The potential for a…
Fires are more likely to occur in a restaurant’s commercial kitchen than nearly any other kind of business. Fires can break out for a variety of reasons, but regardless of why a fire starts out, what is important is suppressing the fire as quickly as possible. Water typically is not an option, as grease fires…
This is the final Part 4 of a 4 part series of articles intended to provide a better understanding and detailing of the OSHA requirements for portable fire extinguishers since a thorough understanding of requirements and expectations is the first step in becoming compliant. The applicable governing regulations and sections are identified where appropriate to…
This is Part 3 of a 4 part series of articles intended to provide a better understanding and detailing of the OSHA requirements for portable fire extinguishers since a thorough understanding of requirements and expectations is the first step in becoming compliant. The applicable governing regulations and sections are identified where appropriate to allow the…
This is Part 2 of a 4 part series of articles intended to provide a better understanding and detailing of the OSHA requirements for portable fire extinguishers since a thorough understanding of requirements and expectations is the first step in becoming compliant. The applicable governing regulations and sections are identified where appropriate to allow the…
This is Part 1 of a 4 part series of articles intended to provide a better understanding and detailing of the OSHA requirements for portable fire extinguishers since a thorough understanding of requirements and expectations is the first step in becoming compliant. The applicable governing regulations and sections are identified where appropriate to allow the…
Fire extinguishers are pretty easy to forget about. They sit in your workplace or home day after day “just in case,” but of course you hope you’ll never have to use one. Even though fire extinguishers may not always be top of mind, there’s nothing worse than needing an fire extinguisher in an emergency only…
Food, family, and friends—the holidays are a wonderful time to celebrate the good things in life! While Thanksgiving and Christmas are two of the top holidays celebrated by cooking and great meals, cooking obviously continues throughout the year. Throughout the year, not just for the holidays, be sure to keep yourself and your loved ones…
Portable fire extinguishers are typically a key element of any business’s fire safety plan. Understanding the fundamental principles of firefighting, the different types of fires that might occur within a business or building, the proper use of portable fire extinguishers and the different types of portable fire extinguishers and the fires they are effective against…
Existing Halon and CO2 control systems are ideally suited for use with FM200 and can be modified to operate as part of a FM200 Fire Suppression System. The fire suppression agent used in FM200 Fire Suppression Systems (HFC-227ea) is an acceptable replacement for Halon 1301. HFC-227ea has a zero ozone depleting potential, a low global…
The extinguishing agent used in FM200 Fire Suppression Systems is a compound of carbon, fluorine and hydrogen. It is colorless, odorless and electrically non-conductive. If a discharge occurs in an occupied space, personnel will be able to see and breathe, permitting them to leave the area safely. Fires are extinguished rapidly, typically knocking out class…
OSHA rule 29 CFR 1910 establishes the requirements for portable fire extinguishers in a business. Employers are generally required by the OSHA rule to provide employees with portable fire extinguishing equipment for use in fighting incipient stage fires in the workplace. An “incipient-stage fire” means initial or beginning stage that can be controlled or extinguished…
What is your company’s fire-fighting policy? Fires are the most common type of emergency for most companies, and many fires start out small enough to be put out with a portable fire extinguisher. But that doesn’t necessarily mean that all employees need to know how to use a fire extinguisher. Why It Matters According to…
Restaurants have all the ingredients for a small kitchen fire to to quickly become an out of control blaze. Open flames, cooking oils and hot cooking equipment contribute to the nearly 8,000 restaurant fires that are reported each year. Restaurant owners know all too well what a fire can do to their business. A devastating…
In order to ensure that your commercial kitchen fire suppression system operates properly when needed, federal certification as well as state licensure require facilities to properly inspect, test and maintain the exhaust hoods, filters and fire-extinguishing equipment making up their commercial kitchen fire suppression systems relied upon to protect their commercial kitchen cooking equipment. Applicable…
For restaurant owners, their commercial kitchen is the heartbeat of their livelihood. But as that old saying goes, where there is heat, there is the risk of fire. Fires are more likely to occur in a restaurant than nearly any other kind of business. Regardless of why a fire starts out, what is important is…
If you operate a commercial kitchen, you know how important your fire suppression system is to protecting your kitchen and the people that work in it in the event of a fire. Regular inspection and maintenance are critical to keeping your fire suppression system in good working order. At Jay L Harman Fire Equipment, we…
OVAL Fire Extinguishers are the only fire extinguishers which may be surface mounted in the corridors of healthcare facilities while maintaining compliance with the NFPA-101 Life Safety Code, the ADA, ANSI A117.1 and recent requirements issued by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS). Due to OVAL Fire Extinguishers new low profile design, OVAL…
Time and time again, we at Jay L Harman Fire Equipment hear questions about the proper use, proper maintenance and proper testing of fire extinguishers. This article addresses some of the frequently asked questions and provides short easily understandable answers. Again, this is only SOME of the FAQs. If you have questions regarding fire extinguishers,…
Do you own or manage a restaurant in El Paso TX or La Cruces NM? The commercial kitchens in these establishments require the right fire suppression system in order to ensure the safety of the staff and patrons AND to remain code compliant. If your commercial kitchen fire suppression system is not kept in proper…
Most business have portable fire extinguishers located around the workplace to aid in the initial response to small fires or fires when they first start. BUT, as a business owner, did you know that OSHA prohibits you from allowing your employees to use one of those fire extinguishers in the event of a fire unless…
There are many OSHA requirements for portable fire extinguishers that businesses may not be aware of and may be surprised to learned. Here are four of the frequently asked questions associated with these requirements that help explain some of these requirements to help take away some of the mystery surrounding state and federal OSHA requirements…
The environment in modern commercial kitchens is one of open flames, red-hot cooking surfaces, and heavily grease-laden surfaces. These conditions combine to make the typical modern commercial kitchen a potentially dangerous fire hazard. Kitchen fires can spread quickly and can be very difficult to extinguish. In fact, kitchen fires are the leading cause of structural…
Inspecting restaurant and commercial kitchen fire suppression systems for proper function requires more than just a visual overview or a system test. Proper maintenance from a factory authorized, trained service technician is essential for compliance and warranty. Restaurant and commercial kitchens require their own set of safety considerations. These facilities are a common place for…
As a commercial fire equipment company, we are often asked, “Is it acceptable for a businesses to perform their own monthly fire extinguisher inspections?” The simple answer is, yes. Frequently, professional fire equipment companies are hired to perform monthly fire extinguisher inspections for businesses simply because we help minimize the business interruption. Also, we are…
Clean agent fire suppression systems are your first line of defense against the damage that fire can create. When it comes to protecting your restaurant, office, retail outlet, or other enterprise, the following are some of the systems we recommend to our commercial clients in the El Paso TX region. Each of these systems feature…
Quality components in your clean agent fire suppression system ensure that everything works the way it should when the system is called upon to protect lives and property. For this reason, Jay L. Harman Fire Equipment uses only the highest quality components during both installation and subsequent maintenance replacements. Smoke detectors are the first line…
Fire extinguishers are generally placed indoors in visible and easily accessed areas. They are designed to prevent the spread of fires or to put them out completely. When a fire extinguisher is activated, it will send a spray consisting of flame-retardant chemicals into the fire which will stop the flames. These units require scheduled service…
A fire extinguisher is one of the most important pieces of equipment owned by any business. The quality and condition of your business’s fire extinguishers can make the difference between a minor inconvenience and a catastrophe involving injuries, loss of life and property damage. The best way to cut down and even eliminate the danger…
The most effective prevention of fires and the best way to minimize damage from one is to have a workplace safety program in place. A fire suppression system will detect fires automatically and is able to prevent fires in the workplace. A gaseous fire suppression system is the better choice over the water-based fire suppression…
A clean agent fire suppression system uses chemical agents and inert gases to extinguish fires. The agents used must be approved by the National Fire Protection Association Standard for Clean Agent Fire Extinguishing Systems. A system typically includes the agent, storage containers for the agent, valves to release the agent, fire detection system that consists…
It is crucial to ensure that your fire extinguisher is in proper working order at all times. Conducting annual fire extinguisher maintenance is the best way to make sure that everything will function the way it is designed in the event of an emergency. The following are annual fire extinguisher maintenance steps that should be…
No one expects to experience a fire. Fires can break out unexpectedly in your commercial business, home, car and even your camping vehicles. Fire extinguishers are invaluable items to have in every situation. Most of us don’t think we’ll ever have to use our fire extinguisher – but we all need to know where they…
Fires happen fast and your business needs fire suppression systems that can snuff them out as quickly as they start. The FM-200 fire suppression system is a highly versatile system that is designed to protect office spaces, restaurant kitchens, server rooms, and much more. The system’s versatility and ability to protect physical assets and personnel…
Commercial kitchens and restaurants are a hotbed of activity. Chefs, wait staff, managers, and many others jostle their way through these often confined spaces at top speed trying to get orders out the door. Surrounded by everything from grills and fryers to hot plates and warming trays, one small mistake is all it takes to…
The kitchen is the most likely place in your restaurant where a fire will start. Commercial kitchens require specific fire suppression systems that are installed and maintained by certified and highly trained specialists. These systems must be accessible and must be able to quickly extinguish fire flames in order to reduce your loss of property…
Fires spread quickly and leave a path of destruction in their wake. Using a clean agent fire suppression system can not only help minimize the risk of personal injuries and damage the fire can cause, the system can make clean-up easier and more efficient. Clean agent systems use fire extinguishant that is nonconductive, inert, or…
Common frequently asked questions most businesses in El Paso TX and Las Cruces NM want answers to when purchasing fire extinguishers are: How many fire extinguishers do I need in my building? While the exact number of fire extinguishers required for each building varies based on the unique layout and hazard level, as a general…
Fire extinguisher guidelines require that you have your equipment professionally inspected, tested, and tagged annually. But since fire extinguishers are designed to be a quick-response means of defending your building against fires, they need to be able to work at a moment’s notice all year long! In addition to annual professional inspections, here are some…