The Exhibitor (Nov 1938-May 1939)

BM-12 BETTER MANAGEMENT Conditioning Council of Western New York. "Air conditioning offers two general classes of hazards — life and property. Under the first class, perhaps the most important is the panic hazard in places of public assemblage, due to the possibility of smoke and fire appearing in such buildings through the medium of air-conditioning systems. The second life hazard of importance is based on the toxic effect of smoke and gases which may be propagated through air-conditioning systems or a ventilating system, due to fire in the combustible linings of ducts or elsewhere in the building, or to the release of volatile refrigerants. The third life hazard has to do with the propagation of fire itself through conditioning ducts, in accumulated dust or lint or other combustible material. "Air-conditioning installations may present a long list of property hazards, including the spread of fire and smoke throughout a building; the increase in exposure hazard from adjacent property which may be on fire; the breakdown within air-conditioned buildings of effective vertical and horizontal fire divisions; and the incorporation of combustible insulation in ducts. Other property hazards include the accumulation of combustible dust and lint in ducts that are relatively inaccessible, either for cleaning, inspection, or fire-fighting; the special hazards involved in the use of combustible filters and the fire hazards of many common refrigerants; the special hazards characteristic of compressors of any type, and the common hazards of bearings and electrical installations. All of these hazards present features that have to be taken into account in measuring the fire insurance rate. "Fire insurance rates on any structure are based, in general, on three factors: first, the construction of the particular building under consideration; second, its occupancy and the process hazards that may normally be presented; and, third, the conditions presented by its immediate neighbors, so far as construction and occupancy hazards are concerned. All of these factors are varied by the degree of protection, either public or private, afforded in the particular building being rated. "The problems presented to the fire insurance rater by an air conditioning installation, with its essential duct system, can readily be appreciated when you realize that the building in question has probably already been rated on the basis of its own physical characteristics, with proper recognition of the MORE IN CONSTANT USE THAN ALL OTHER SAFETY ' DEVICES COMBINED . . segregation of hazards and values. There is now introduced a system of ducts, carrying air under forced draft to all parts of the budding, also presenting frequently the features of combustible linings and added exposure hazards through intake of fresh air at points that may be exposed by adjoining properties of inferior construction or protection, or unusually severe fire hazards. Such an installation may easily nullify all of the steps heretfore taken to sub-divide the building and may well expose the entire building and all of its contents to a single fire of normally small magnitude. "The natural result of a situation such as I have described would be a re-rating of the property, and, in many cases, a material increase in the rate and premium charged for fire insurance protection, and the inevitable aftermath would be a disgruntled customer for both of us, and a feeling that he had become the innocent victim of a completely unintelligent system, which he could not be expected to anticipate. "We have the following recommendations to make to you for the coordination of our activities in the development of your business and the proper protection of the public. First, we believe that proper engineering of an air-conditioning system should include consultation with fire insurance rating authorities having jurisdiction, so that the system may be so designed as to obviate unfavorable effects on insurance rates, and at the same time properly safeguard the property owner and his interests. Second, the special hazards presented by the details of your normal installation, such as compressors, refrigeration coils, electrical devices, filters, etc., should be safeguarded by well understood and accepted standard methods, and all of such special hazards be minimized by complete accessibility and frequent servicing. Third, it seems to us that there is an opportunity afforded for the profitable establishment of periodic service inspections of airconditioning installations, which would tend to maintain a certain level of income for your industry and also make for better satisfied customers, through improved functioning of your equipment. This might involve the development of a policy on your part of selling complete service rather than simply mechanical equipment, and might well result in a change in your whole approach to your customer.” Thank you, Mr. Rice. • Better Management needs not to expostulate further on the pregnant remarks of Mr. Newell and Mr. Rice, their words speak more eloquently than any that we might add. The Editors, however, feel that, in order to show the reader the necessity of diligence in the installation and maintenance of air-conditioning equipment — that he may the better appreciate the significance and the safety angle of his potential seat-selling campaign — another quotation is necessary, the regulations of the National Board of Fire Underwriters for the installation of air-conditioning, warm-air-heating, air-cooling, and ventilating systems. The regulations, according to the NBFU’s Chief Engineer George W. Booth, are used by local fire insurance inspection and rating organizations and frequently municipal authorities either base their ordinances on the NBFU regulations or use the NBFU regulations to supplement the provisions of local ordinances. The regulations are developed by a committee consisting principally of representatives of the fire underwriters and manufacturers and installers of equipment. Advantage has often been taken of local regulations or ordinances, which have proved to be acceptable, but, in general, regulations and ordinances are very often based on the NBFU regulations rather than the other way around. The exhibitor should also bear in mind that an installation in compliance with the NBFU regulations does not always assure acceptability under local requirements, but the number of cities having more restrictive requirements is relatively small, so that, in most places, compliance with the NBFU regulations would meet the specifications of local rulings. Where local regulations are in the form of legal requirements, such requirements must, of course, be complied with, regardless of how they may conflict with the NBFU regulations. Where the local regulations are less rigid than those of the NBFU it is always desirable, although not legally necessary, to follow the more stringent NBFU regulations, as these are used by local fire insurance rating organizations in connection with the making of rates. Accordingly, that exhibitors, property owners, all theatre attaches may know what is best, and that below which presents unwarranted hazards to life and property, Better Management is honored to give you the Regulations of the National Board of Fire Underwriters. • APPLICATION AND SCOPE. These regulations apply to air duct systems employing mechanical means for the movement of air and used for heating and ventilating, including warm air heating systems, plain ventilating systems, combination heating and ventilating systems, air cooling systems, air conditioning systems, and exhaust systems. They do not apply to systems in residences nor to systems for removable flammable vapors and residues nor to systems for conveying dust, stock, or refuse by means of air currents. These regulations are intended to prescribe reasonable provisions based on minimum requirements for safety to life and property from fire. • CONSTRUCTION OF DUCTS. Ducts shall be constructed entirely of non-combustible material, such as iron, steel, or other approved metal. Ducts may be of independent construction or a part of the building structure, provided that they are installed in accordance with the requirements of these regulations. Construction consisting of not less than 54-inch cement or gypsum plaster on metal lath applied to either combustible or non-combustible supports may be used as duct walls. Flexible woven asbestos or other approved fire-resistive material, or sleeve joiners with rope asbestos packing or other approved noncombustible material shall be provided where flexible connections to prevent transmission of vibrations through the duct system are desired. This requirement does not apply to the joint connecting fans, where the intake cf discharge of the fan is in the same room or enclosure as the joint. Only fire-resistive linings acceptable to the inspection department having jurisdiction may be used inside of ducts. Combustible coverings or combustible exterior insulations to ducts are not recom March 15, 19 >9