The following are news archives from the inspector911.com site. The links were active at the time of the received press release.
House Passes Code Grant
July 28, 2008
The U.S. House of Representatives approved legislation that will help communities across the country adopt and administer building codes to save lives and protect property. The Community Building Code Administration Grant (CBCAG) Act, sponsored by Congressman Dennis Moore (D-Kan.), would provide awards to local governments to establish and enforce building safety and fire prevention codes. CBCAG funds would be used to recruit, hire, train and equip “First Preventers,” building and fire safety officials who prevent harm by ensuring compliance with safety codes before disasters occur. The bill now goes to the Senate.
New Fire and Building Code in Effect for the City of New York
July 1, 2008
The new City of New York Construction Codes, the first modernization of the Building Code since 1968 is now in affect. Written with the supporting expertise of more than 400 dedicated professionals from the construction industry, real estate, labor, government and academia, the NYC Construction Codes are in line with national standards and will enhance building and construction safety through expanded requirements for fire protection, structural integrity, and job site accountability on all new construction projects. In addition, the new NYC Construction Codes expand the framework for the Buildings Department's enforcement and administrative actions by re-classifying violations to focus enforcement resources on buildings and job sites that pose the most serious safety hazards to construction workers and the public.
View the Mayor's Press Release
Fire Prevention Week Theme Announced
June 2, 2008
The National Fire Prevention Association has announced the theme for the 2008 fire prevention week. The theme is "prevent home fires" which will place the emphasis on home fire safety. From October 5-11, 2008, fire safety advocates will spread the word to their communities that, with a little extra caution, preventing the leading causes of home fires – cooking, heating, electrical and smoking-materials –
is within their power.
Visit NFPA's Fire Prevention Week.org web page
Counterfeit Circuit Breakers labeled as "Square D"
May 27, 2008
The CPSC, in cooperation with the Specialty Lamp International Inc (Deerfield Beach, Fla), announced a voluntary recall of Counterfeit Circuit Breakers labeled as "Square D" Distributor. The recalled circuit breakers labeled "Square D" have been determined by Square D to be counterfeit and can fail to trip when they are overloaded, posing a fire hazard to consumers. The counterfeit circuit breakers are black and are labeled as Square D QO-series models 115, 120, 130, 215, 220, 230, 240, 250, 260 and 2020 and Square D QOB-series models 115, 120, 130, 220, 230, 250, 260 and 1515. Actual Square D circuit breakers have (a) the amp rating written on the handle in white paint on the front of the breaker (authentic Square D circuit breakers manufactured prior to 2003 did not have white paint on the amperage numbers); (b) the Square D insignia molded onto the breaker side, and; (c) a yellow chromate mounting clip with half of the top of the clip visible. If your breaker, labeled as Square D, does not match this description, it could be counterfeit.
Maple Chase Recall of 280,000 combination smoke and carbon monoxide alarms
May 15, 2008
CPSC announced the recall of 280,000 Carbon Monoxide and Carbon Monoxide/Smoke Combo Alarms. The recall indicates that the products may not alarm properly posing a hazard. Manufactured in Mexico for Maple Chase the alarms were eligible to bear the UL and cUL Listing Marks.
$30 Million Dollar Settlement in Station Night Club Fire
May 12, 2008, Providence Rhode Island
Several foam manufacturers have agreed to pay $30 million to settle lawsuits brought by survivors and family members of those who died in a 2003 nightclub fire that killed 100 people, according to court papers filed Monday. The foam companies that agreed to settle include Leggett & Platt Inc. based in Carthage, Mo., Wm. T. Burnett & Co. based in Baltimore and several others.
A.O. Smith Recalls Hot Water Heaters
April 3, 2008 Washington DC
The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, in cooperation with the A.O. Smith, today announced a voluntary recall of certain water heaters due to carbon monoxide and possible fire hazard. Consumers should stop using recalled products immediately unless otherwise instructed.
Deadly Fires Prompt 21 Agencies for Action
March 31, 2008
Fires strike across the country, killing on the average nine people each day (one every 162 minutes) and injuring thousands. Each one is a tragedy, and just within the past two weeks we have seen several particularly horrific ones. Five children died in a house fire in Arkansas, six people were killed in two fires within days of each other in New Hampshire and four more died in Alaska. Fires in Arizona, California, Iowa, New York, Colorado, Michigan, Washington and Delaware have claimed lives, all within just the past few days. On average, more than 3,200 people are killed in fires and 16,400 are injured each year and, ironically, over 82% of these deaths occur in the very place that people feel the safest from fire – their homes. These are tragedies for the families, the communities, the nation.
170 Experts to Meet in Washington DC, to look at the US Fire Problem
March 26, 2008
Fire safety experts from across the nation will convene in Washington, DC, on March 31 and April 1, 2008, to develop a national strategic agenda to reduce the loss of life and property from fire, which claims an average of almost 4,000 lives and $12.7 billion in property damage each year. This meeting is a key part of a year-long project and many state, local and national representatives will be taking part in this landmark meeting.
ICC/Dewalt Partner on Codes
March 17, 2008
New set of International Code reference books, built to withstand tough work environments, is being introduced this year. Developed by industry leader DeWALT in partnership with the International Code Council, each pocket-sized manual in the DeWALT Code Reference Series is made with durable metal binding and tear-resistant pages and contains full-color illustrations to help plumbers, builders and heating/ventilation and air conditioning contractors in the field easily access important information on the job.
“When contractors have a code question on site, they need the answer right away,” said International Code Council Business and Product Development Senior Vice President Mark Johnson. “By partnering with DeWALT on this great series, the International Code Council makes it easier for professionals on the job to get code answers quickly and accurately. In addition to saving time, they help ensure the safety of their clients’ lives and property.”
DOE Challenges US Homebuilders to build 220,000 energy efficient homes
February 14, 2008
U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Secretary Samuel W. Bodman today launched the Department’s Builders Challenge, a voluntary national energy savings program calling for the U.S. homebuilding industry to build 220,000 high-performance, energy efficient homes by 2012. A high-performance home would use at least 30% less energy than a typical new home built to meet criteria of the 2006 International Energy Conservation Code. As part of DOE’s Builders Challenge, 38 homebuilders have already pledged to build an estimated total of 6,000 high-performance homes. Ultimately, DOE aims to see 1.3 million homes of this high standard constructed by 2030, allowing Americans to save $1.7 billion in energy costs, or the carbon equivalent of taking 606,000 cars off the road annually.
“The Department of Energy’s Builders Challenge aims to redefine the way homes across this nation produce and use energy,” Secretary Bodman said while delivering remarks at the International Builders Show. “The Challenge expands public-private sector cooperation to propel the market toward building and selling homes that produce at least as much energy as they consume, and furthers the President’s call to change how we power our homes and businesses by utilizing cutting-edge technologies that increase energy efficiency and reduce emissions.”
Read the complete press release
NFPA Standards Council Contemplates Changes to Fire Works Standard
February 12, 2008
In response to findings presented in a new research report from the Fire Protection Research Foundation (FPRF), the Standards Council of the National Fire Protection Association is considering changes with regard to NFPA’s provisions on the retail sale of consumer fireworks.
NFPA has had requests that the standard shall be evaluated in the interest of public safety, NFPA standards for the retail sales and storage of consumer fireworks should be available in those jurisdictions where the sale of fireworks to the general public are permitted, the NFPA Board of Directors, in 1999, revised NFPA policy in order to permit the Technical Committee on Pyrotechnics to develop such standards. As a result, the scope of NFPA 1124, Code for the Manufacture, Transportation, Storage, and Retail Sales of Fireworks and Pyrotechnic Article, was expanded to include requirements for the retail sale of consumer fireworks and, beginning with the 2003 edition, a new chapter was added to NFPA 1124, which sets forth some minimum fire and life safety requirements for the retail sales of consumer fireworks.
Comment on this action in our discussion forums
Energy Efficient Buildings Encouraged Through Free Download of Advanced Energy Design Guide
January 17, 2008
To encourage energy efficient design in a range of building types, ASHRAE and its partnering organizations are making available for free the Advanced Energy Design Guide series.
Electronic versions of the newest book in the series, Advanced Energy Design Guides for K-12 School Buildings, as well as the existing guides on small office and small retail buildings are available for free. Future guides, including one focused on warehouses to be published this spring, will be available for free electronic download as well.
NFPA Appoints two new members to Standard Council and a New Chairperson
January 16, 2008
The National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) Board of Directors has appointed new members Danny McDaniel of Williamsburg, V A and Dr. Jim Milke of Columbia, MD to the Association’s Standards Council. The Board also appointed Jim Pauley of Lexington, Kentucky as the new chair of the Council. The appointments are effective January 1, 2008.
CPSC Warns Winter Storm Victims to use Generators Outside
January 7, 2008
The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission is issuing a warning to consumers confronted with severe winter weather. When there’s a power outage, exercise caution when using portable generators. Carbon monoxide (CO) is an invisible killer. You can’t see or smell it. A generator’s exhaust contains poisonous CO which can kill you in a matter of minutes. The press release can be utilized by your agency.