Thank you for mentioning the sealed flooring. I did not know that was in NFPA 45 and had to fight to get it done in the corners where I have safety showers. I know my floors aren't sealed.

Monique Wilhelm
Laboratory Manager
Department of Chemistry & Biochemistry
University of Michigan - Flint

-----Original Message-----
From: ACS Division of Chemical Health and Safety [mailto:DCHAS-L**At_Symbol_Here**PRINCETON.EDU] On Behalf Of TILAK CHANDRA
Sent: Monday, February 18, 2019 9:13 AM
To: DCHAS-L**At_Symbol_Here**PRINCETON.EDU
Subject: Re: [DCHAS-L] Fwd: [NAOSMM] interesting read: science fire at St. Andrews Univ in Scotland

Hi Richard:

Very nice comment about the NFPA 45 and preventive measures for the laboratory fire!
Use of an appropriate fire extinguisher could have quickly extinguished the fire. Use of a blanket will not help to extinguish the reactive base and reactive metal fires.

Regards,

Tilak
-----Original Message-----
From: ACS Division of Chemical Health and Safety On Behalf Of Richard Palluzi
Sent: Saturday, February 16, 2019 1:30 PM
To: DCHAS-L**At_Symbol_Here**PRINCETON.EDU
Subject: Re: [DCHAS-L] Fwd: [NAOSMM] interesting read: science fire at St. Andrews Univ in Scotland

While we should all be thankful no one was seriously injured or even killed, the article tends to miss highlighting that there were a number of things that could have been done to avoid the problem. None are cheap nor easy but they are well know and available for consideration.

Had the labs been sprinklered as required by NFPA -45 Fire Protection for Laboratories Using Chemicals it is very doubtful that the fire would have spread beyond the individual laboratory. (The NFPA 45 committee knows of no case where a laboratory that followed NFPA 45 has ever lost more than the room which was the scene of the fire. ) Had the laboratory been sealed as NFPA also requires. water damage to lower floors should have been minimal.

It is wonderful no one was hurt but in 2019 the "textbook" response to a fire involves a fire Blanket? I would have hoped it used an appropriate extinguisher which also might well have prevented the spread of the fire.

The article is unclear as to what the fire spread to thus becoming such a major catastrophe. NFPA 45 requires fire resistant building construction, limits the type of flammable materials allowed in lab furnishings ,and limits the total amount of flammable materials. All of these measures might well have saved losing a building and holding the damage to just one laboratory.

Many older laboratories, particularly in academia, are poorly constructed from a fire safety perspective. It is sad that it takes something as terrible as this fire to suggest that there are many steps that might be taken before a catastrophe occurs to limit its extent and consequences. I encourage anyone with an older laboratory to seriously consider getting an assessment of their compliance with NFPA 45 and considering if some (admittedly probably expensive) renovations might not be a very prudent investment. Even if it takes some years to secure the funding and do the work, it could avoid a similar problem - and even potential injuries or fatalities -later.

Richard Palluzi
PE, CSP

Pilot plant and laboratory consulting, safety, design,reviews, and training Linkedin Profile

Richard P Palluzi LLC
72 Summit Drive
Basking Ridge, NJ 07920
rpalluzi**At_Symbol_Here**verizon.net
908-285-3782

-----Original Message-----
From: ACS Division of Chemical Health and Safety On Behalf Of Wilhelm, Monique
Sent: Saturday, February 16, 2019 12:57 PM
To: DCHAS-L**At_Symbol_Here**PRINCETON.EDU
Subject: [DCHAS-L] Fwd: [NAOSMM] interesting read: science fire at St.
Andrews Univ in Scotland

Very unteresting indeed

Sent from my Verizon, Samsung Galaxy smartphone

-------- Original message --------
From: Allison Koster
Date: 2/16/19 12:44 PM (GMT-05:00)
To: naosmm**At_Symbol_Here**listserv.rice.edu
Subject: [NAOSMM] interesting read: science fire at St. Andrews Univ in Scotland

I'd read news about the fire early last week, but just now had a colleague (who matriculated at St. Andrews) pass this along to me. A fascinating read, especially about the -80 freezers.

https://news.st-andrews.ac.uk/archive/anatomy-of-a-fire/

Allison Koster
Concordia College
Moorhead, MN

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