During the winter, is it a good idea to use gas fireplaces for residential heating? When properly configured and maintained, gas fireplaces provide efficient and an aesthetically cozy space heating. They account for 10% of all U.S. residential natural gas consumption, and their use can avoid bumping up a central heating thermostat. ANSI Z21.84-2017: Standard For Manually Lighted, Natural Gas, Decorative Gas Appliances For Installation In Solid-Fuel Burning Fireplaces covers decorative gas appliances installed in solid-fuel burning fireplaces. What Is ANSI Z21.84? ANSI Z21 ..read more

More than 1,000,000 acres of land have been planted to grow Christmas trees, with more than 2,000 trees typically planted per acre. Maintaining fire resistant Christmas tree forests and tree farms is critical because it reduces the intensity of a fire, making it easier for firefighters to suppress, and increases the odds that the forest/tree farm will survive a fire. The test methods in ASTM E3082-20: Standard Test Methods For Determining The Effectiveness Of Fire Retardant Treatments For Natural Christmas Trees provide a two-step process to determine the effectiveness of surface applied fire ..read more

Mechanical lighters appeared in the early 16th century. They worked with gunpowder and ignition, running like with firearms. They were very noisy and produced a tremendous amount smoke and hence could be dangerous to life. Nowadays, utility lighters can adhere to consumer safety specifications like ASTM F2201-20: Standard Consumer Safety Specification for Utility Lighters. Invention of the Everyday Lighter During the 19th century, there was an increased focus on creating self-igniting friction matches and developing lighters. Before pocket lighters, people had to rely on tinder boxes and then ..read more

For many professionals, flame-resistant (FR) clothing is an essential tool of the job. High-quality, specially engineered FR garments protect the wearer from burns caused by flash fires, electric arcs, and combustible dust, preventing severe injuries and even saving lives. ISO 11612:2015—Protective Clothing – Clothing To Protect Against Heat And Flame – Minimum Performance Requirements provides performance requirements for protective clothing for heat and flame. Importance of Flame Resistant Clothing Flame-resistant (FR) fabrics help prevent the wearer from burns from both initial exposu ..read more

The ancient Romans developed the wicked candle in the year 500 BCE by repeatedly dipping rolled papyrus in melted tallow wax, derived from the fat of cows and sheep, and attaching it to a strand of twine. It was not until the 1500s when beeswax was introduced, but it was difficult to obtain, resulting in its use primarily by the upper class and Church in Europe. Although candles were once exclusive and difficult to make, they are now widely available, which is why ASTM F2058-07(2021): Standard Specification For Candle Fire Safety Labeling specifies fire safety warnings on candles units o ..read more

Fire fighting was a sport at the 1900 Summer Olympics in Paris, France. Teams of professional and volunteer firefighters competed, and they were required to extinguish a fire and perform a rescue from a burning six-story building. With its famous engine and hook and ladder company No.1., Kansas City, Missouri, USA earned the gold medal. Like the Olympian firefighters, ASTM E84-22: Standard Test Method For Surface Burning Characteristics Of Building Materials ensures safeguards to property and personnel with its fire-test method of building materials. What is ASTM E84-22? ASTM E84-22 is a ..read more

In 250 BCE, Ancient Greeks and Romans used a device called the Archimedes screw: the first water pump, which was shaped as a giant screw and used to raise water. ANSI/HI 14.6-2022: Rotodynamic Pumps For Hydraulic Performance Acceptance Tests provides critical performance test procedures for rotodynamic pumps to ensure they are safe to use. Invention of the Water Pump: Archimedean Screw Although some may cite the Ancient Egyptians as the inventor of the first water pump in 2,000 BCE, their pump (shadoof) was a bucket tied to a rope that removed water from a well for irrigation. Archimedes (237 ..read more

The test method detailed in ASTM D1230-22 evaluates the flammability of consumer textile fabrics. It is applicable to apparel items other than children’s sleepwear or protective clothing. Fire testing is necessary for assessing factors, such as burn time, flame-spread time, and flammability, that can influence the potential for apparel to erupt in flames and the capability for that ignition to cause serious harm. However, while fire testing ultimately limits the flame-related hazards of consumer clothing, the process itself is inherently hazardous for those conducting the testing. Therefore ..read more

In some workplaces, exposed skin can mean skin exposed to danger. In fact, under certain conditions, the damage can go beyond subcutaneous and even be life threatening. This is why protective clothing exists. Users can reference the measurable results captured from ASTM F1506-22: Standard Performance Specification for Flame Resistant and Electric Arc Rated Protective Clothing Worn by Workers Exposed to Flames and Electric Arcs. Flame Resistant (FR) and Arc Rated (AR) Clothing Flames are common hazards to workers, so it is important to wear flame resistant (FR) clothing when in contact with fi ..read more

Wildfires are dangerous and costly. It costs nearly $3 billion a year to fight wildfires, and prime fire conditions will continue for the foreseeable future. As such, homeowners in wildfire-prone areas of America might want to consider retrofitting their homes for added fire resistance. Homeowners can bolster their homes with specialized, fire-resistant materials to stay prepared. Fire-resistant products are less likely to catch on fire, and they resist heat much longer than standard material. Likewise, a solid plan of wildfire preparation can help keep a property safe in the face of an oncom ..read more