for the entire duration of the project, maintaining adequate fire safety protection during each and every phase through to completion is rarely the norm. Implementing a fire safety plan on a construction site is a logistical complication when you factor in the constantly changing evacuation routes, slow response times for workers out of earshot of alerts, and adding round-the-clock fire watch to the payroll. Increased education efforts on the NFPA 241 standard are necessary to help alleviate the problem of improper implementation, according to the NFPA. But that only addresses part of the issue. The other part? Lack of effective, adaptable equipment that can hold up to the task. All too familiar with this gap in the market, it only took one presenta- tion with Ramtech for McDermott to know he wanted this system in place. Calling it “new and innovative,” he pushed for his supervisors to seriously consider the purchase for the Hopper Hall site. He executed two fire evacuation drills to prove his point. “When you have a six-story building like this and you're using an air horn, you're not very effective at getting people to hear that,” Mc- Dermott says. It typically takes several people several trips through the building to alert everyone—and by then it can be too late. Conse- quently, the first fire drill saw a meager 120 people evacuate the site within eight minutes. After installation of the WES3 system, the second fire drill resulted in all 240 workers getting out the building in less than six minutes. Another part of McDermott’s test was the fact that the drywall was hung and precast was up on the outside by the time the second drill took place, but the workers inside confirmed that the system was very
loud and the strobe lights visible throughout the building. He found the customizable options for the sounds and lights to be useful but settled on the factory preset sound because it seemed to project the best. One of his other favorite features of the WES3 system is mobile phone notifications: McDermott says, “I can be somewhere else and get noti- fied on my phone when an alarm goes off in the building.” Smart sensors also rank high on the list of reasons for McDermott’s recommendation: “Smoke is going to have a much smaller particle size to it than dust. And the system is able to differentiate between the two.” This prevents a lot of false alarms on a jobsite where airborne dust can be a potential problem. Because the system provides 24/7 monitoring of the site, the need for a person to stand guard as fire watch each night is eliminated even when its necessary to heat the building for drying and curing overnight. This can save money and satisfies regulations in some local jurisdictions. Another strong selling point for McDermott was the ease of set up and relocation, which he handled himself with support from the local WES3 distributor, Space Age Electronics, as well as a representative from Ramtech who came to visit the site. “It was very easy to set up the system,” he recalls. “The instruction manual was very helpful.” After mounting the units to boards they can be hung anywhere, including bare studs or drywall. “My carpenters and drywall guys will take it down off of the wall, put the drywall up, and then hang it back up.” He adds, “I've got a couple extra units that I can move to unusual areas. Like right now, I have one up on the roof. I've got work going on in the elevator machine rooms—my HVAC guys are up there installing fans.” A base unit, in a trailer fairly far away from the structure under construction, alerts the management team of emergencies as well. Even with the distance, he reports that they had no trouble receiving the wireless signal and responding to the alarm. Lastly, McDermott points out the ability to program in location codes to cut down on response time. He says, “If there were someone up on a top floor that was injured and they pressed a button to call for help, on the base station it tells me what floor and what area of the building the individual is in by the code that I set up.” With three stairwells, one in each corner of the triangular building, it was important to him to be able to program the system to recognize specific locations. “It's a very high-visibility military project,” McDermott says. “We have senior leadership from NAVFAC on site. Everyone so far has been extremely impressed with the capabilities it has.” Thinking back to our YouTube video where, in the space of just two short minutes a man almost lost his life, it's clear to see exactly how critical every second is when it comes to any kind of fire. WES3 pro- vides solutions in every phase of construction to protect both work- ers and property. Until Turner’s efforts are complete in 2020 and the protection of the building is passed on to the owner, Hopper Hall is a safe place to work. For more information on this and other Ramtech products, please visit wessafety.com.
S t r u c t u r a l E n g i n e e r s A x i o m # 7 Structural Engineers Axiom #7
Professional Liability is essential. Overpaying is not. Professional Liabi ity is Essential. Overpaying s Not.
I t pays to have the right profes- sional liability coverage. But you shouldn’t overpay. At Fenner & Esler, we’re more than just brokers. We’re A/E specialists. Delivering the right coverage and value to design firms of all sizes since 1923. With multiple insurance carriers. At Fenner & Esler, we’re more than just brokers. We’re A/E specialists. Delivering the right coverage and value to design firms of all sizes since 1923. With multiple insurance carriers. And a proven track record serving the unique risks of structural engineers. And a proven track record serving the unique risks of structural engineers. It pays to have the right profes- sional liability coverage. But you shouldn’t overpay.
Get a quote—overnight. Visit: www.fenner-esler.com Click “Need a Quote” Call toll-free: 866-PE-PROTEK (866-737-7683 x. 208) Ask for Tim Esler. Email: tesler@fenner-esler.com im@Insurance4Structurals.com ww .insurance4structurals.com Get a quote—overnight. Visit: w.insurance4structurals.com lick “Need a Quote” ll toll-free: 866-PE-PROTEK ( 66-737-7683 x.208) Ask for Tim Esler. Email: tim@Insurance4Structurals.com
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may 2020
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