APPROVED Enhanced

Approval Guide

PRODUCT
Corporate
Reorganization

NEWS
Flame Detector
Certification

VOLUME 30 NUMBER 1 | 2014

ROOFING SYSTEMS
FLASHING
SYSTEMS

ROOF-MOUNTED
SYSTEMS

FENESTRATIONS

WALLS

A Well-Protected Facility
FM Approved products and Approval Standards,
along with FM Global loss prevention expertise,
turns a building’s exterior into a protective shield
APPROVED
PRODUCT
NEWS VOLUME 30 NUMBER 1 | 2014

ADVISORY BOARD HEADQUARTERS hong kong

Robert Azimi, Richard Dunne, Richard Ferron, Cynthia Frank, Robert Lovell, James Marquedant, 1151 Boston-Providence Turnpike Unit 1601, Level 16, Tower One
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Norwood, MA 02062 193 Prince Edward Rd West
MANAGING EDITOR Bob Gulla
United States Mongkok, Kowloon
robert.gulla@fmglobal.com
Phone: +852 2622 6588
ASSISTANT EDITOR Alicia Kamm Phone: +1 (1) 781 762 4300 Fax: +852 2622 6500
alicia.kamm@fmglobal.com Fax: +1 (1) 781 762 9375 asia@fmapprovals.com
information@fmapprovals.com
ART DIRECTOR Liz Kenty shanghai

Unit 03-06, 3rd Floor, Building One,

BRASIL
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information@fmapprovals.com
and services, not manufacturers or product lines, are FM Approved. Because many manufacturers produce
a variety of products, readers should consult the online Approval Guide at approvalguide.com to determine GERMANY
JAPAN
which are FM Approved. Queen’s Tower A, 8th Floor,
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2 APPROVED PRODUCT NEWS VOLUME 30, NO. 1 | 2014
contents : VOLUME 30 NUMBER 1 | 2014

05 Enhanced Approval Guide 16 Flame Detector Certification

Advanced search mechanism renders EN 54 helps manufacturers reduce cost.
navigation effortless.
19 Trade Show Calendar
06 A Well-Protected Facility
Approval Standards and FM Approved products, 20 Standards and Committees
combined with FM Global loss prevention guide-
lines, gird your property against the next big event.

12 Global Reorganization
New corporate structure is designed to strengthen
delivery and foster growth.

VOLUME 30, NO. 1 | 2014 APPROVED PRODUCT NEWS 3

ARE YOU JUGGLING
TOO MANY AUDITS?
Are you spending more time with auditors than
your own staff? Are quality registration services
not adding enough value to your business?
If you’ve answered “Yes” to these questions, then
FM Approvals has a solution.
As a single registrar, FM Approvals can help consolidate
your certifications into a comprehensive program.
Businesses pursuing ISO 9000 registration can feel
confident that, with FM Approvals, they’re working with
an established, internationally recognized organization
that can provide the right value-added service.
To learn more about FM Approvals and how you can
benefit from transferring or initiating your ISO 9000, QAN,
QAR and/or FPC quality system certifications, please visit
fmapprovals.com or contact John Hill, manager of quality
system registrations, at john.hill@fmapprovals.com
or by calling +1 (781) 255 4972.

4 APPROVED PRODUCT NEWS VOLUME 30, NO. 1 | 2014

Enhanced Approval Guide
Now equipped with an advanced, Google-like search capability

L aunched in 2008, FM Approvals’ online

Approval Guide remains the number one
source of information on more than 60,000
Recently, the Approval Guide was enhanced
with Google-like search capabilities
intended to help users find information faster
Predictive searching is the latest way to find
information on FM Approved products and
their manufacturers. Other Approval Guide
listings for FM Approved fire protection and browse easier. The new predictive search search shortcuts include:
equipment, electrical products and building feature­
—added to Product and Company ■■ Text searches that allow entire word
materials. More than 70,000 people from searches—provides “best guess” results searches for specific subject areas;
152 countries are registered users of the free based on any search term or word fragment. ■■ Green product searches that launch
online guide. Users include architects, con- A drop-down box containing result sugges- with the button on the main search
tractors, consultants, manufacturers, build- tions appears just below the search box. page or by selecting “Green-yes” in
ing owners, authorities having jurisdiction Advanced Data Search;
and many others. ■■ New products that can be found with
the button on the main page; and
■■ Advanced Data Search that enables
users to set filters based on a range of
attributes to quickly find products that
best meet their needs.

The Approval Guide also includes addi-

tional search options such as Tree searches
that display products by categories such as
Building Materials, Electrical Equipment,
Fire Protection and Specification Tested;
Country searches; and Certification Type
(e.g., CPR, ATEX, Canada). ■

New search capability allows Approval Guide users to quickly obtain results based on
keywords and word fragments. Here, by entering the word fragment “sprink” a drop-down
box appears containing suggestions.

VOLUME 30, NO. 1 | 2014 APPROVED PRODUCT NEWS 5

A Well-Protected Facility
FM Approvals product testing standards and FM Approved products, combined with
FM Global loss prevention guidelines, gird your property against the next big event

ROOFING SYSTEMS
FLASHING
SYSTEMS

ROOF-MOUNTED
SYSTEMS

FENESTRATIONS

WALLS

F or many property owners and managers,

the beat of impending natural disas-
ters such as hurricanes, tornadoes, tropical
increased. This is according to the Centre
for Research on the Epidemiology of Disas-
ters at the Université Catholique de Louvain
Typhoon Haiyan that hit Southeast
Asia, and Typhoon Fitow, which struck
Japan and China.
storms, flooding, earthquakes, winter storms (Brussels, Belgium). ■■ Flooding in Alberta, Canada, and
and hail storms can cause sleepless nights, northern and southwest China cost an
and for good reason! A single large-scale In 2013, approximately 84 percent of all estimated US$14.7 billion.
event can have devastating consequences economic losses occurred outside the United
that can lead to extended business interrup- States, well above the 2003-2012 average Despite these and other losses, most people
tion, lost market share, supply chain disrup- of 65 percent, according to an Aon Benfield continue to believe disasters won’t happen
tion, labor shortages and reduced consumer Analytics report. In fact, the following natu- to them. A survey conducted by the Whar-
spending. ral disasters were considered the most costly ton School of Business just before Hurricane
in terms of 2013 economic losses: Sandy made landfall in the Northeastern
There’s no denying that the frequency and ■■ Days of record rainfall in Central United States in the fall of 2012 found that:
value of catastrophic events due to natural Europe in May of last year, cost an ■■ Only 16 percent of people surveyed
hazards are on the increase from a historical estimated US$22 billion. who said they lived in a mandatory
perspective. While the number of geophysi- ■■ A 6.6-magnitude earthquake in evacuation zone actually planned to
cal disasters has remained fairly stable since Lushan, China, cost US$14 billion. evacuate;
the 1970s, the number of climate-related ■■ A total of US$23 billion in estimated ■■ Only 38 percent of those surveyed
(hydrometeorological) disasters has greatly economic loss was attributed to who lived within a block of the ocean

6 APPROVED PRODUCT NEWS VOLUME 30, NO. 1 | 2014

 or a bay believed the main threat from ucts, advice and proven guidelines from Roofing assemblies and roof
Sandy was from flooding; and FM Approvals and FM Global to create the perimeter flashing systems
■■ Just 54 percent of those surveyed had most highly protected facilities possible. Roofing assemblies are the first line of
flood insurance. This holistic approach to loss prevention can defense against the elements in the complete
result in a building envelope that is highly building envelope. Roofing assemblies must
Businesses are lax in disaster preparedness, resistant to the most common natural haz- be able to protect a structure from natural
as well. A recent survey by FM Global found ards, including windstorms, rain, hail, tem- hazards associated with the local environ-
that many U.S. businesses were not prepared perature extremes, snow, ice and windborne ment, including rain, hail, snow, high winds,
for the severe winter of 2013-2014. The sur- debris impact (see Table 1). temperature extremes—even fire.
vey found that:
■■ 41 percent of respondents did not have
an emergency plan in place to keep
their businesses running in the face of

■■
extreme weather events;
45 percent reported that their busi-
WHAT BEGAN AS A METHOD TO IMPROVE
nesses experienced financial hardship THE RISK PROFILE OF INSURED CLIENTS
as a result of the extreme winter
weather. HAS EVOLVED INTO FORMALIZED AND
At FM Approvals and parent company
PUBLICLY AVAILABLE LOSS PREVENTION
FM Global, the core philosophy—backed by RESOURCES.
research and over 130 years of experience
and extensive testing—is that the majority
of losses are preventable. What began as a
method to improve the risk profile of insured
Engineering to create Flashing and other edge securement compo-
clients has evolved over the years into for-
worry-free construction nents help seal the edge of the roof from the
malized and publically available loss preven-
What follows is a look at a “typical” indus- elements and help secure the roof membrane
tion resources, including Approval Standards
trial building and the critical components along the perimeter of the roof. The major-
(FMApprovals.com), the Approval Guide
that comprise the protective shell or build- ity of roof covering failures resulting from
(an online guide to FM Approved products
ing envelope. In addition, we’ll consider the windstorms involve improperly designed or
at approvalguide.com), RoofNav®, a web-
FM Approvals and FM Global resources constructed perimeter flashing systems.
based roofing design tool (roofnav.com)
available to the general public to assist in
and FM Global Property Loss Prevention Flashing, fascia and coping are evaluated
preventing loss (see Table 2). From a loss
Data Sheets (fmglobal.com). according to Approval Standard 4435, Edge
prevention perspective, the building enve-
lope is the outer shell that protects the inte- Systems Used with Low Slope Roofing Sys-
FM Approved loss prevention products are
rior from the elements, including excessive tems. If the flashing system fails, a sizable
available worldwide from local suppliers. It
heat or cold, moisture, wind, hail, snow and amount of roof covering will likely be lost.
should be noted that the FM APPROVED
fire. The basic building envelope consists of: If the roof cover securement is also inade-
mark on products is not a replacement for
■■ roof assembly (i.e., decking, insula- quate, the expected loss will be even greater.
local market regulatory requirements, such
as the CE mark in the European Union, but tion, fastening system, membrane,
The failure of a building’s roof can have a
indicates that a globally accepted voluntary flashing);
devastating impact from which a business
certification mark, that adds an additional
■■ roof-mounted systems (e.g., cooling
may not be able to recover. When a roof is
level of value and performance assurance, towers, photovoltaic panels);
damaged or destroyed, the building contents
has been achieved.
■■ walls; and
can be exposed to moisture and contamina-
■■ fenestrations (i.e., windows, doors,
tion, further compounding the loss.
Companies and other organizations that shutters).
choose to embrace the belief that most Most property loss, including those
losses are preventable are welcome to use involving the roof, can be prevented.
the planning tools, performance tested prod- FM Approvals is doing its part to help prop-

VOLUME 30, NO. 1 | 2014 APPROVED PRODUCT NEWS 7

 Natural Hazards FM Approvals Resources FM Global Resources
General n  pproval Guide, a web-based publication of FM
A fmglobal.com/nathaz
Approvals providing information on more than
60,000 FM Approved products
Wind, Windborne Debris, See Table 2 See Table 2, page 10
Rain, Hail Impact, Fire
Flooding n  pproval Standard ANSI/FM2510,
A n F M Global Property Loss Prevention
Flood Abatement Equipment Data Sheet 1-40, Flood
n Understanding the Benefit: Flood Abatement n FM Global Property Loss Prevention
Data Sheet 10-2, Emergency Response
n Understanding the Hazard: Flood
n Emergency Checklist: Flood
n Flood Emergency Response Plan
Earthquake n  pproval Standard 1950, Seismic Sway Braces for
A n Understanding the Hazard:
Pipe, Tubing and Conduit • Earthquake Shake Damage
n Approval Standard 7740, Firesafe Valves • Fire Following Earthquake
n Approval Standard 7400, Liquid and Gas Safety • Lack of Earthquake Bracing
Shutoff Valves on Sprinkler Systems
n Understanding the Benefit: • Lack of Seismic Gas Shutoff Valves
Seismic Sway Bracing • Nisqually Earthquake
n Earthquake Checklist
n Protecting Your Facility from the Dangers
of Earthquakes

Table 1 – FM Approvals and FM Global resources are available to help mitigate the risk posed by most common natural hazards.
All standards and other resources noted in this table are free to the general public.

erty owners avoid losses by continually takes the guesswork out of configuring an Cooling towers are an important heat
improving Approval Standards and by help- FM Approved roofing assembly by putting removal system used in conjunction with
ing to make it easier for designers, architects all roofing-related information, including chillers as part of a building’s heating, venti-
and contractors to specify and install locally a ratings calculator and related installation lation and air condition system and as direct
available FM Approved roofing assemblies recommendations from relevant FM Global cooling system for machinery or heat gener-
anywhere in the world. Property Loss Prevention Data Sheets, in ating processes in industry.
one place.
FM Approvals is the only organization in A widely held misconception is that cooling
the world that tests complete roof assem- Roof-mounted systems towers are inherently safe from fire hazards
blies when subjected to multiple perils such Cooling towers and photovoltaic systems are because water flows through them. In fact,
as fire testing above and below the deck, often mounted on the roofs of commercial cooling towers are not only vulnerable to fire
wind-uplift testing, hail-damage testing, and public buildings to save footprint space risks, but may contain one or more combus-
accelerated weathering, water leakage, foot and take advantage of an elevated location. tible materials such as polyvinyl chloride,
traffic and corrosion-resistance testing of Both of these important systems are subject fiberglass-reinforced plastic or acrylonitrile
metal parts. to the same natural hazards and fire risk as butadiene styrene.
the roof itself and, as such, are covered by
FM Approved roofing products and assem- Cooling towers are evaluated in accor-
Approval Standards.
blies are listed in RoofNav. This web- dance with Approval Standard 4930, Cool-
based system is free to the public and ing Towers, a comprehensive standard that

8 APPROVED PRODUCT NEWS VOLUME 30, NO. 1 | 2014

covers all tower designs including single Wall to wall zone categories, based on product perfor-
cell, multi-cell and rooftop mounted units. Exterior wall building panels designed with mance, including the highest category, Zone
Under Approval Standard 4930, the cooling a facer that is exposed to the outdoors are HM for hurricane-force wind with missile
tower must be designed to withstand seismic subjected to a number of natural hazards impact; Zone H for hurricane-force wind
and wind load stresses in accordance with such as wind, hail and hurricane-blown only; and Zone NH for non-hurricane areas.
FM Global Loss Prevention Data Sheet 1-6, debris as well as fire. Exterior walls that
Cooling Towers, as well as cyclic air pres- In addition, Approval Standard 4431, Sky-
have been compromised can pave the way
sure, windborne debris and fire resistance lights, makes it easier for architects, spec-
for serious damage to the building structure
through full-scale fire testing. ifiers and contractors to include certified
and its contents, and result in other costly
products in daylighting designs. Skylights
impacts such as business interruption.
Photovoltaic (PV) systems are becoming are susceptible to damage from natural haz-
increasingly popular as energy costs rise FM Approvals is the only organization that ards such as hail, wind uplift, foot traffic
and businesses and other organizations are tests exterior wall systems for fire perfor- and debris impacts. Skylights, particularly
under pressure to control their carbon foot- mance as well as their ability to withstand those made from plastic, also pose a fire risk
print. Commercial and private rooftops are natural hazard events without damaging the from both internal and external sources. The
viewed as an underutilized opportunity for building structure. fire test in Approval Standard 4431 evalu-
solar power generation. However, instal- ates the ability of the skylight to limit flame
lation of rooftop photovoltaic systems is a FM Approved exterior wall systems are spread, and measures the sample’s propen-
major undertaking that requires careful con- tested in according with ANSI FM 4880- sity to melt and drip, which could adversely
sideration and analysis in order to optimize 2001(R20007), American National Stan- impact the performance of sprinklers located
performance without damaging the roof cov- dard for Evaluating Insulated Wall or just below.
ering or the underlying structure, or over- Wall and Roof/Ceiling Assemblies, Plastic
stressing the support structure of the roof. Interior Finish Materials, Plastic Exterior Flood and seismic protection
Building Panels, Wall/Ceiling Coating Sys- In addition, for organizations that are already
Rigid PV modules are currently the most tems, Interior or Exterior Finish Systems located within known flood and seismic
common form of solar energy system and Approval Standard 4881, Class 1 Exte- zones, FM Approved products also are avail-
and typically require a metal rack system rior Wall Systems. These standards evaluate able to protect the building envelope from
for roof or ground mounting. These rigid the fire performance of a wall system, as these natural hazards (see Table 1).
modules are evaluated by FM Approvals well as natural hazard performance such as
using Approval Standard 4478, Rigid wind loading, windborne debris resistance For instance, FM Approved seismic sway
Photovoltaic Modules. and hail resistance. bracing is available worldwide to protect
pipe, tubing and conduit from the impact
Flexible PV modules can be secured directly Fenestrations of earthquakes. This bracing can be used to
to roofing assemblies and represent a The building envelope is only as strong as secure piping systems, including automatic
smaller, but growing segment of the solar its weakest link. Windows, doors, skylights, sprinkler systems, from potentially damag-
energy market. Flexible thin-film PV mod- shutters and impact-resistant films—fenes- ing seismic movement.
ules may be integrated with roof membranes trations—should not be overlooked when
in the factory or on location to form a com- The failure of sprinkler systems is a major
designing a building to withstand hurricanes,
plete waterproof system. Flexible PV mod- concern due to the likelihood of fires devel-
powerful windstorms, hail and windborne
ules are evaluated by FM Approvals using oping following a significant earthquake.
debris. Damage to fenestrations can lead to
Approval Standard 4476, Flexible Photovol- Following the 6.9-magnitude 1995 Hanshin
serious damage to the building contents and
taic Modules. (Kobe) earthquake, 108 fires were reported
the building structure itself.
resulting in the loss of 5,000 structures.
Both rigid and flexible PV modules are Approval Standard 4350, Windstorm Kobe’s water distribution system sustained
evaluated for combustibility from above the Resistant Fenestrations, provides perfor- approximately 1,750 leaks and breaks.
roof deck, wind uplift resistance, hail dam- mance-based requirements for simulated
age resistance, electrical safety and perfor- FM Approved flood-abatement products
static and cyclic wind loading, windborne
mance, seismic resistance, windborne debris are now available to help keep flood waters
debris (choice of small and/or large missile
resistance and the long-term impact of high away from critical facilities and structures
impacts) and hail resistance. FM Approvals
heat absorption on roof covers. and the interior of buildings dry. Thanks to
provides customers with several windstorm

VOLUME 30, NO. 1 | 2014 APPROVED PRODUCT NEWS 9

 Building Envelope FM Approvals Resources FM Global Resources
Component
General n Approval Guide, a web-based publication of
FM Approvals providing information on more than
70,000 FM Approved products
n RoofNav – free web-based roofing design tool for
roofing professionals
Roofing Systems n  pproval Standard 4454, Lightweight Insulating
A n F M Global Property Loss Prevention
Concrete for Use in Class 1 and Noncombustible Roof Data Sheets:
Deck Construction • 1-9, Roof Anchorage
n Approval Standard 4470, Single-Ply, Polymer-Modified • 1-28, Wind Design
Bitumen Sheet, Built-Up Roof (BUR) and Liquid Applied • 1-28R, Roofing Systems
Roof Assemblies for Use in Class 1 and Noncombustible • 1-29, Roof Deck Securement and
Roof Deck Construction Above-Deck Roofing Components
n Approval Standard 4471, Class 1 Panel Roofs • 1-31, Metal Roof Systems
n ANSI FM 4473, American National Standard for Impact • 1-32, Existing PVC Roof Covers
Resistance Testing of Rigid Roofing Materials by • 1-33, Safeguarding Torch-Applied Roof
Impacting with Freezer Ice Balls Installations
n ANSI FM 4474, American National Standard for • 1-35, Green Roof Systems
Evaluating the Simulated Wind Uplift Resistance of • 1-52, Field Verification of Roof Wind Uplift
Roof Assemblies Using Static Positive and/or Negative Resistance
Differential Pressure • 1-54, Roof Loads for New Construction
n Approval Standard 4475, Class 1 Steep n Publications:
Slope Roof Covers • Protecting Your Facility Against Major
n Approval Standard 4477, Vegetative Roof Systems Windstorms
n Understanding the Benefit: Roofing • Severe Windstorm Checklist
n Understanding the Benefit: Lap Seam Roofs
Flashing Systems n  pproval Standard 4435, Edge Systems
A n F M Global Property Loss Prevention
Used with Low Slope Roofing Systems Data Sheet 1-49, Perimeter Flashing
Roof-Mounted Systems n Approval Standard 4930, Cooling Towers n F M Global Property Loss Prevention Data Sheet
n Approval Standard 4476, Flexible Photovoltaic Modules 1-6, Cooling Towers
n Approval Standard 4478, Rigid Photovoltaic Modules
n Understanding the Benefit: Cooling Towers Understand-
ing the Benefit: Photovoltaic Modules

Table 2 – Building envelope components and the FM Approvals and FM Global resources available to protect them. All standards and
other resources noted in this table are free to the general public and address a wide range of natural and manmade hazards, including
Wind, Rain, Windborne Debris, Hail Resistance, and Fire.

10 APPROVED PRODUCT NEWS VOLUME 30, NO. 1 | 2014

a partnership between FM Approvals, the services. According to Ferron, following Jean-Philippe Roisin, FM Approvals man-
United States Army Corps of Engineers, and Andrew, FM Global and FM Approvals took ager of business development for Europe
the Association of State Floodplain Manag- a fresh look at loss prevention during wind notes that “FM Approved products can
ers (ASFPM), the ASFPM National Flood events and natural hazards in general. help architects, designers, contractors and
Barrier Testing and Certification Program building owners worldwide specify perfor-
offers four levels of certification for tem- “We’ve introduced new, stronger perfor- mance-tested assemblies and components
porary perimeter flood barriers and opening mance-based standards that help provide that can help protect a business from the
barriers. The new program is based on the for FM Approved products that are natural hazards expected in their local envi-
nationally recognized Approval Standard optimized for the expected intensity of nat- ronments.” ■
ANSI/FM2510, Flood Abatement Equip- ural hazards in a given location,” said Fer-
ment (nationalfloodbarrier.org/). ron. He continued, “We know we’ve had a
significant impact because when Katrina
Hard knocks lead to savings hit in 2005, FM Global clients who fol-
“Hurricane Andrew in 1992 taught us some lowed the loss prevention recommenda-
hard lessons and we had to apply changes tions, which included recommendations for
across the board,” explains Rich Ferron, FM Approved products, reduced their
operations vice president and manager of losses by 85 percent compared to those
FM Approvals testing and certification who didn’t.”

VOLUME 30, NO. 1 | 2014 APPROVED PRODUCT NEWS 11

Global Expansion
Reorganization strengthens service delivery and fosters growth

I n January, FM Approvals initiated a reor-

ganization effort designed to strengthen
service delivery and provide the infrastruc-
ture and resources required for continued
business growth. As part of this initiative,
FM Approvals has streamlined its man-
agement structure and added a first-ever
business development organization for the
Americas.

Since the early 2000s, FM Approvals has

seen a major shift in its customer base from
predominantly North American-centric to a
truly global distribution. In fact, last year a

12 APPROVED PRODUCT NEWS VOLUME 30, NO. 1 | 2014

full 47 percent of customers who obtained mission of its area directors was to support organizational changes are to 1) enhance
product approval during the year hailed from FM Approvals fledgling global offices, delivery of services, and 2) promote strategic
outside the Americas (North, South and including frequent travel to visit the offices, business growth.
Latin America), up from 19 percent in 2002. meeting with customers and providing tech-
nical support as needed. To achieve the first goal of improved service
delivery, the three managers of the technical
areas—electrical systems, building materials
and fire protection—now report to Rich Fer-
THIS DRAMATIC GLOBALIZATION IS THE ron, operations vice president and manager
of testing and certification (see Figure 1).
RESULT OF THE EXPANSION OF MANY Formerly director of fire protection, Ferron
NORTH AMERICA CUSTOMERS, AND AN is now responsible for overall service deliv-
ery improvement, including:
ACTIVE PROGRAM OF GROWTH CARRIED ■■ maximizing customer service and

OUT BY FM APPROVALS TO MEET ■■

satisfaction;
improving delivery of services; and
CUSTOMERS’ NEEDS. ■■ promoting technical innovation.

“I want to stress that we’re not fixing some-

thing that was broken with this reorgani-
This dramatic globalization is the result of Today, these global offices have evolved zation; rather, we’re making adjustments
the global expansion of many of its North from start-ups to mature organizations with that we believe enable us to better address
American customers, as well as an active staff drawn from local countries supporting current challenges, enhance the delivery of
program of global growth carried out by indigenous manufacturers of FM Approved our services and position ourselves for con-
FM Approvals to meet the needs of its products. As such, the need for dedicated tinued growth,” notes Ferron. “In my new
own customers as well as those of parent U.S.-based managers to oversee global role, I intend to take the best practices from
FM Global. offices has been significantly reduced. our three technical areas in order to create
greater efficiency through enhanced stan-
With the opening of an office in Windsor, In 2013, FM Approvals worked with an out- dardization and harmonization.”
U.K., in 2005, FM Approvals began the pro- side management consultant to analyze its
cess of formally establishing fully staffed existing organizational structure to deter- Ferron says the reconfigured organization
offices in major markets outside its North mine if it could benefit from a new reor- is tasked with establishing key performance
America base. This office was soon followed ganization. This review coincided with the objectives and the means to measure them.
by similar openings in Frankfurt, Germany; retirement of two longtime directors, George The group will work to streamline proposal
Beijing, Hong Kong and Shanghai, China; Smith (building materials) and Bob Martell generation, testing/analysis and certification
Bangalore, India; Yokohama, Japan; Singa- (electrical systems). with the aim of increasing project quality,
pore; São Paulo, Brazil; and Paris, France. reducing cycle times and enhancing cus-
Based on the advice of its business consul- tomer relationships.
To support this global expansion, tant, and given the departure of two area
FM Approvals reorganized in 2007, estab- directors as well as the relative maturity of The second significant change contained in
lishing two layers of technical manage- its global offices, FM Approvals decided it the reorganization is the formalization of
ment—area directors and group manag- was an appropriate time to make a number business development organizations for each
ers—for its building materials, electrical of key organizational adjustments. As men- key global region: the Americas; Europe,
systems and fire protection areas. A key tioned earlier, the two primary goals of these Middle East and Africa (EMEA); and

VOLUME 30, NO. 1 | 2014 APPROVED PRODUCT NEWS 13

FM Approvals Reorganization
A streamlined management structure and a first ever business development arm highlight the changes

Paris Stavrianidis
General Manager

Richard Ferron
Operations VP, Manager
Testing and Certification

James Richard Dunne Cynthia Frank Sandhya Malur Jean-Philippe Robert Azimi Abby So Teresa Robert Lovell
Marquedant Manager Manager Marketing Strategist Roisin Manager Manager Pellegrino Manager
Manager Fire Protection Building Materials Manager New Business New Business Manager Quality and
Electrical New Business Americas Asia-Pacific Business Auditing
Systems EMEA Operations

Figure 1 – FM Approvals recently implemented several key organizational changes

Asia-Pacific. As such, the EMEA organiza- challenges, as well as huge opportunities. discern unmet needs among insured clients
tion will continue under the leadership of “The initial challenge is putting in place and how ongoing research might be lever-
U.K.-based Jean-Philippe Roisin; Asia-Pa- the infrastructure we need to get closer to aged into new types of standards.
cific under the newly appointed Hong Kong- our customer base than ever before,” Azimi
based Abby So (see sidebar); and an entirely explains. “In the past, we have taken a some- One recent example of successful innovation
new Americas business development group what passive approach in our home market is the partnership between FM Approvals,
headed by U.S.-based Bob Azimi. of North America. With this new group in the United States Army Corps of Engi-
place, we plan to take a far more proactive neers, and the Association of State Flood-
These business development organizations plain Managers (ASFPM) that led to the
approach and reach out to our existing cus-
report directly to FM Approvals general creation of the ASFPM National Flood
tomer base to identify future needs, new
manager Paris Stavrianidis and are tasked Barrier Testing and Certification Program.
technologies on the horizon, and enable
with fulfilling the second key goal of the This new program, based on FM Approval
FM Approvals to meet customer needs
reorganization—promoting strategic busi- Standard ANSI/FM 2510, Flood Abate-
before they ask for help.”
ness growth. The well-established EMEA ment Products, is providing the market with
and Asia-Pacific business development According to Azimi, the new group will also a growing range of FM Approved flood
groups will continue as is. reach out to secondary or nontraditional cus- protection options.
tomers to educate them and learn if they have
The new Americas business development “For our established customers, this reor-
unmet needs. In addition, the business devel-
group, under manager Bob Azimi, is the first- ganization will not result in any immedi-
opment group will work to establish even
ever for FM Approvals and faces substantial ate changes they will be aware of,” says
closer ties with FM Global in an attempt to

14 APPROVED PRODUCT NEWS VOLUME 30, NO. 1 | 2014

Paris Stavrianidis. “Customers will continue
to have the same contact points at
So Assumes Role
FM Approvals and go through the same New Business Development Manager for Asia-Pacific Region
process to get their products tested and While Abby So always have a vision for future growth and
FM Approved. Ultimately, customers should is new to his to not become complacent, but to always
see more frequent communications from
position as stretch yourself into new areas.”
us. One of our key goals is to become more
FM Approvals So says his earliest visits to businesses
involved in our customers’ product planning
process in order to provide timely, targeted
manager of across China were primarily introductory
standards and certification programs that business meetings in which most business managers
lead to faster time to market, and compre- development had never heard of either FM Approvals
hensive one-stop services.” ■ for the Asia- or FM Global, but were fascinated by
Pacific region, he’s an experienced veteran the FM Global loss prevention business
when it comes to the FM Approvals model. “It takes months and years to build
organization and the region’s business relationships and trust,” So notes. “Many
environment. manufacturers are not keen on talking to a
Hired in 2007 as an FM Approvals engi- certification agency, particularly one they
neer, So started on the ground floor of the have never heard of. However, once they
fledgling Asia-Pacific operations and has understand about the benefits we offer
played a key role in the dramatic growth of and the synergistic relationship between
FM Approvals throughout the region. The FM Approvals and FM Global, they become
base of FM Approvals customers across the more receptive.”
region has grown 15-fold since 2002. These days, So says some of his great-
So began managing FM Approvals Asia- est challenges are to ensure sustainable
Pacific operations outside of China in 2010 growth for FM Approvals and to educate
under the tutelage of Bob Azimi who, at influencers such as specifiers, engineers,
that time, was manager of FM Approvals end users, standards organizations and
Asia-Pacific operations. Earlier this year, local building authorities on the benefits of
Azimi turned over the management of using FM Approved products and systems.
Asia-Pacific operation to So in order to take Born in Hong Kong, So moved to Toronto,
a new position as FM Approvals manager of Canada, with his family at the age of 10.
business development for the Americas. He later earned his Bachelor of Science
“I was only the third person hired for this degree in human biology at the University
region,” So recalls. “Initially, I was on the of Toronto. Soon thereafter, he returned
road about 70 percent of time covering to Hong Kong where he earned a Masters
about half of China. Today, I travel about degree in industrial engineering from the
50 percent of the time. Bob Azimi was my University of Hong Kong.
mentor and taught me all I know about our
business. In particular, he taught me to

VOLUME 30, NO. 1 | 2014 APPROVED PRODUCT NEWS 15

Flame Detector Certification
EN 54 provides a critical opportunity for manufacturers to reduce cost and
accelerate time to market

F rom aircraft hangers and petrochemical

plants to semiconductor manufactur-
ing and power generation, the need for fast
There are many facilities where smoke and
heat detectors alone may not provide an ade-
quate level of protection due to the smoke
detection and control of fires resulting from and heat generated by industrial processes.
ignitable liquids and gases is an essential In large open areas such as aircraft hangers
part of loss prevention. or turbine halls, the smoke produced by fires
from ignitable liquids and gases may take

16 APPROVED PRODUCT NEWS VOLUME 30, NO. 1 | 2014

too long to reach ceiling-mounted detectors, Automatic Fire Alarm Signaling. Approval expanded the scope of our business into new
resulting in a delayed response. In addition, Standard 3260 is also an American National regions and new markets. The addition of
the flame produced by some ignitable liquids Standards Institute (ANSI) standard. Evalu- EN 54-10 to our offerings provides our cus-
and gases (e.g., hydrogen) may be nearly ation for environmental or hazardous loca- tomers with a new way to combine certifica-
invisible to the naked eye. tion ratings requires additional evaluation tion and audit programs with FM Approvals
to accelerate time to market, reduce costs
and save on administrative overhead.”

“OUR NEW EN 54-10 CERTIFICATION CAPA- The majority of flame detector manu-

BILITY PROVIDES A MAJOR facturers throughout the world already

rely on FM Approvals for certification to
BENEFIT TO ANY MANUFACTURER WHO Approval Standard ANSI/FM 3260 for
hazardous (classified) location certification
CURRENTLY HAS AN FM APPROVED FLAME to FM Approvals standards as well as other
DETECTOR AND WANTS TO GAIN THE CE locally required standards.

MARK FOR THE EUROPEAN The new capability of FM Approvals to

provide EN 54-10 certification means
MARKET AND OTHER MARKETS THAT manufacturers who wish to sell into

REQUIRE OR ACCEPT CE MARKING.” the European Union market and other

regions that recognize this important
standard can now turn to FM Approvals
David Waite
Technical team manager, FM Approvals for this certification, a requirement for
CE marking.

FM Approvals is also a Notified Body for

In these environments, flame detectors are to other standards, such as Approval Stan- ATEX (ATmosphères EXplosibles), the EU
often deployed as a key element in a three- dard 3600, Electrical Equipment for Use in standard for hazardous locations certifica-
part system designed to detect, control and, Hazardous (Classified) Locations - General tion, as well as an Ex Certification Body
in many cases, suppress or extinguish fires. Requirements. (ExCB) and Ex Testing Laboratory (ExTL)
These systems can quickly detect a fire and
for the Electrotechnical Commission Explo-
sound an alarm, trigger a process shutdown In January, FM Approvals received accredi-
sive Scheme (IECEx) certification.
and/or initiate a fire extinguishing system tation as a Notified Body to evaluate and cer-
such as CO2, foam or water mist. tify flame detectors according to EN 54-10, Each certification comes with its own set of
a European Norm (EN) standard under the initial and periodic follow-up audits. Prod-
Most flame detectors work by “seeing” a European Union’s Construction Products uct, quality and facilities audits are not only
flame using one or more optical methods Regulation (CPR). EN 54-10, Flame Detec- a critical requirement of all FM Approvals
such as ultraviolet (UV), infrared (IR) or tors - Point Detectors, is a requirement for programs, but also required for EN 54-10,
visual imaging by means of a charge-cou- CE marking, which is now mandatory under ATEX, IECEx and other certification pro-
pled device (CCD) such as that used in CPR for all 30 countries in the European grams. For instance, ATEX requires a Qual-
video cameras. Flame detectors are designed Economic Area (EEA). ity Assurance Notification (QAN) audit,
to detect the absorption of light at specific
and IECEx requires a Quality Audit Report
wavelengths, allowing them to discriminate “We go where our customers ask us to go,
(QAR) audit, both of which FM Approvals
between flames and false alarm sources both FM Approvals customers as well as
can provide.
(e.g., arc welding, sunlight, lightning). FM Global customers,” notes Jim Mar-
quedant, manager, FM Approvals electrical FM Approvals conducts thousands of prod-
FM Approvals evaluates flame detectors systems group. “The tremendous global uct and quality audits throughout the world
according to Approval Standard 3260, expansion we­­
—and our customers—have to validate the production of FM Approved
Radiant Energy-Sensing Fire Detectors for experienced over the past decade or so has products and to meet the requirements of
many other certification programs. Current

VOLUME 30, NO. 1 | 2014 APPROVED PRODUCT NEWS 17

and prospective FM Approvals customers source, shutter/aperture, cooling system, vary unduly. Other test categories carried
are able to consolidate multiple certification light intensity radiometer, a “dazzling” out using the EN54-10 test fixture include
programs under one roof and thereby achieve device and a graduated means to rotate the reproducibility, repeatability and directional
greater efficiency and cost reductions. DUT in two axes. dependence.

The EN 54-10 flame detector standard is one The test fixture—installed late last year The EN 54-10 flame detector standard
of 19 active standards included in the EN in the Alarm and Signaling Laboratory at defines three classes of sensitivity (Class 1,
54 family of standards covering fire detec- FM Approvals in Norwood, Mass., USA— 2 or 3) based upon the device’s response to
tion and fire alarm systems. Other EN 54 is designed to establish a set of conditions two pan fires using n-Heptane for one and
standards cover heat and smoke detectors, (e.g., aperture size, distance from flame Ethanol for the other. The detector is clas-
power supplies, input/output (I/O) devices, source) so that the DUT responds to the sified according to the greatest distance at
voice alarms and much more. EN 54-10 flame in close to, but not exceeding, 30 sec- which eight specimens all respond to both
standard provides requirements for the con- onds. The particulars of this initial response fires within a 30-second exposure.
struction and robustness of flame detectors, point are recorded, and the test is repeated
as well as for their performance under cli- later after all other environmental tests have FM Approvals current scope as a Noti-
matic, mechanical and electrical interference been conducted. The EN 54-10 standard sets fied Body for EN 54 testing includes Part
conditions. limits on how much the response point is 10 for flame detectors, as well as Part 2
allowed to vary—the ideal being no change fire alarm control panels and Part 4 power
FM Approvals developed its own Base- at all. supply equipment. Because fire detection
line Response Measurement Fixture (see and fire alarm systems involve many parts,
Figure 1), using guidelines provided in the The so-called dazzling device uses two light FM Approvals plans to add additional EN
EN 54-10 standard and input from custom- sources to expose the DUT to both contin- 54 components to its scope each year going
ers who have undergone EN 54-10 testing uous and intermittent false stimuli. This forward.
elsewhere. The test fixture includes a slid- test, one of 17 test categories, is used to
ing mounting bracket and rail for the device determine if the DUT is susceptible to false For instance, plans are now underway to add
under test (DUT), a methane-powered flame alarms and that the response point does not EN 54 Part 5, heat detectors; Part 7, smoke
detectors; and Part 18, input/output devices
to the FM Approvals scope over the com-
ing year. The Lorenz Test Tunnel, installed
in the Alarm and Signaling Laboratory at
FM Approvals in Norwood, Mass., USA,
and recently upgraded, will play a key role
in those certification programs.

“Our new EN 54-10 certification capability

provides a major benefit to any manufacturer
who currently has an FM Approved flame
detector and wants to gain the CE mark for
the European market and other markets that
require or accept CE marking,” explains
David Waite, technical team manager for
FM Approvals electrical group. “For custom-
ers with new flame detectors, we can tailor a
test program for both the FM APPROVED
mark and EN 54-10 certification that provide
reduced costs, quicker turnaround, and less
administrative overhead than if these pro-
Figure 1 – Baseline Response Measurement Fixture used in EN 54 Part 10 testing grams where conducted separately. This is
of flame detectors. what our customers have asked us for, and
we are ready to provide this service.” ■

18 APPROVED PRODUCT NEWS VOLUME 30, NO. 1 | 2014

 TRADE SHOW CALENDAR

AFSA 2014 Convention Acqua Alta 2014 Hazardous Locations Seminar

Orlando, Fla., USA Essen, Germany Norwood, Mass., USA
Hilton Orlando Bonnet Creek November 18 – 19, 2014 December 8 – 9, 2014
September 27 – October 1, 2014 Acqua Alta is a platform for the exchange and This information-packed, two-day semi-
Organized in 1981, American Fire Sprinkler transfer of knowledge for everyone in flood nar hosted by FM Approvals is an opportu-
Association (AFSA) is a nonprofit, interna- prevention: from local authorities, politicians, nity to learn more about employing elec-
tional association representing open shop science and research and disaster manage- trical equipment in hazardous locations.
fire sprinkler contractors dedicated to the ment, meteorologists, the hydraulic engineer- For more information, contact Josephine
educational advancement of its members and ing industry, architects and engineers. Mahnken, senior business process specialist,
promotion of the use of automatic fire FM Approvals, at +1 (1)781 255 4813 or at
sprinkler systems. josephine.mahnken@fmapprovals.com.

Voice Your Approval

Write to us at approvedproductnews@fmapprovals.com

At FM Approvals, we value your feedback. So, whether you want to offer your
input and opinion on a recent article, find out more about an FM Approvals
topic, suggest an article idea, send a letter to the editor or more, write to us at
approvedproductnews@fmapprovals.com

VOLUME 30, NO. 1 | 2014 APPROVED PRODUCT NEWS 19

APPROVAL STANDARDS AND COMMITTEE PARTICIPATION

Electrical Systems Fire Protection Standards (New) Approval Standard 2510—

Standards (Updated) Approval Standard
Flood Abatement Equipment,
February 2014.
(New) Approval Standard 3650— 1630—Steel Pipe for Automatic Fire
This standard has been approved as an Amer-
Electric Submersible Motors for Sprinkler Systems, November 2013.
ican National Standard (ANS). The standard
Use in Class I, Division 1, Hazard- This standard has been revised in order to
covers perimeter barriers, which are tempo-
ous (Classified) Locations, Decem- better address the requirements and limita-
rary emergency structures used to protect the
ber 2013. tions for the piping/tubing used in branch
area surrounding an occupancy from flood
This new standard states the approval lines with mechanical press type connec-
conditions; opening barriers, which are
requirements for the evaluation and test- tions. Additionally, editorial updates were
devices capable of preventing flood water
ing of Electric Submersible Motors for use made to update naming conventions for
from passing through an opening in a struc-
in Class I, II and III, Division 1, Hazard- nominal pipe sizes, as well as updating
ture; backwater valves, which are devices
ous (Classified) Locations. The standard industry standard references.
installed in building drainage systems utiliz-
addresses the electrical and mechanical tests
(Updated) Approval Standard ing a check valve to prevent backflow; and
specific to electric submersible motors.
1230—Anti-Water Hammer Check flood abatement pumps, which are pumps
(New) Approval Standard 5320— Valves, December 2013. used for the removal of unwanted water.
Dry Chemical Extinguishing This revised standard encompasses the
Systems, December 2013 design and performance requirements for
Building Materials
This new standard states the approval anti-water hammer check valves. The stan- Standards
requirements for the evaluation and testing dard was reorganized and reformatted to (Updated) Approval Standard
of total flooding and local application dry provide better clarity to the reader. The 4440—Explosion Venting Systems
chemical extinguishing systems for the pro- intended application of these devices is to Including Fasteners and Latches
tection of single and multiple Class A and permit the flow of water in one direction for Damage Limiting Construction,
Class B industrial fire hazards. only, thus preventing flow in the opposite December 2013.
direction. The device also moderates the This standard was revised to incorporate
(New) Approval Standard 6061— potentially destructive effects of pressure products that were previously covered by
Flame Arresters, December 2013. surges or water hammer due to pump start- 7351—Explosion Venting Door Latches.
This new standard states the approval ing and stopping and valve opening and Additionally, the revised standard eliminates
requirements for the evaluation and testing closing. These devices are typically found in the larger-scale explosion tests originally
of static (dry type) flame arresters. These the discharge line of a fire pump where con- required with small-scale static and dynamic
flame arresters are for vent pipes of storage ditions may be expected to cause pressure tests. When the small-scale static tests are
tanks (end-of-line), in-line deflagration type surges or water hammer. not applicable, tests will be conducted using
and in-line detonation type. small-scale dynamic tests. The small-scale
(Updated) Approval Standard dynamic test apparatus uses compressed air
(New) Approval Standard 7730— 1034—Air Dry Units for Refriger-
Explosion Venting Devices, April to simulate an explosion, whereas the origi-
ated Area and Drying Pipe Systems, nal tests were larger in scale and used actual
2014. November 2013.
This new standard states the approval explosions.
The revised standard has been reorganized
requirements for the evaluation and testing and reformatted to provide better clarity to
of standard and flameless explosion venting the reader.
devices for the protection against explosions
in vessels due to combustible dust hazards.
It includes component-level testing as well
as performance testing criteria.

20 APPROVED PRODUCT NEWS VOLUME 30, NO. 1 | 2014

 APPROVAL STANDARDS AND COMMITTEE PARTICIPATION

(Updated) Approval Standard (Updated) Approval Standard ISA

4991—Firestop Contractors, 6049—Storage Buildings and Bill Lawrence, Steve Henney and Tim Adam
October 2013. Lockers, December 2013. attended the spring 2014 ISA12 (Hazardous
This standard was revised with a new defi- This standard was revised to include the stor- Locations) meetings held in Wilmington,
nition of Continuing Education Unit (CEU); age of flammable gases and general storage Delaware, USA, at the end of March 2014.
the addition of a new term called Learning as well as ignitable liquids. In addition, the This was the first meeting of STP60079
Unit (LU); a clarification for branch offices term “locker” was added. Lockers will be which has now assumed responsibility for
in respect to Designated Responsible Indi- limited to outdoor usage. New tables were the development of the American National
viduals (DRIs) and workforce; the addition also added for the design of damage limit- Standards formerly developed under the
of minimum requirements on the content ing construction. The new tables will allow responsibility of the International Society
of a submittal package; the requirement of manufacturers to take credit for stronger of Automation (ISA). ISA has changed their
a written policy on destructive testing; the pressure-resistant construction, which will focus and transferred the responsibility for
elimination in the follow-up program of the reduce the required area of the pressure-re- the ANSI standards development to UL. The
need to take a written re-exam every three lieving panels. All units will be limited to responsibility for the U.S. Technical Advi-
years if certain other criteria are satisfied; outdoor usage unless specific design and/or sory Groups for the U.S. National Commit-
and a change to the due dates of re-exam- construction features are incorporated that tee of the IEC now belongs to FM Approvals.
inations to either the end of June or end of will allow the units to be used indoors.
December each year instead of when the A series of 17 meetings were held over
previous/original exam was taken. Committees a one- week period, culminating in the
STP60079 Plenary meeting where all the
Electrical Systems Committees
(New) Approval Standard 6036— task group leaders presented status reports
IEC TC31
Flexible Hose Assemblies for and the future direction of the STP was
Bill Lawrence, Dave Baer and Nick Ludlam
Flammable Gases and/or Ignitable established. The next group of STP60079
attended the IEC TC31 (Explosive Atmo-
Liquids, December 2013. meetings will be in September 2014 in Pitts-
spheres) meetings held in Braunschweig,
This new standard states the approval burgh, Penn. USA.
Germany, at the end of March 2014. A series
requirements for corrugated stainless steel
of 23 meetings were held over the two-week
tubing, with an optional non-metallic cover-
period, culminating with the two-day Chair-
ing, and related threaded end fittings which
man’s Advisory Group meeting where TC31
are used to attach appliances or machinery to
leadership, along with the maintenance
a flammable gas or ignitable liquid source.
team, the working group and the project
The intent of the design and performance
team leaders, collaborated to plan and coor-
requirements is for the flexible hose assem-
dinate activities for the coming year.
blies to withstand stresses imposed by shift-
ing or tipping appliances and machinery and/ The next group of TC31 meetings will be
or by damage to structural framing caused held in Northbrook, Ill., USA, and com-
by earthquakes, without fracture or leak- mence at the end of October 2014.
age. The new standard clearly defines the
purpose, function, design and performance
requirements for flexible hose assemblies.

VOLUME 30, NO. 1 | 2014 APPROVED PRODUCT NEWS 21

APPROVAL STANDARDS AND COMMITTEE PARTICIPATION

NFPA 18 ISO TC21/SC3/WG24 to smoke color and particle size distribution.

Chairman Armand Brandao was granted The culmination of two years of committee Those opposing the new PU fire tests cite an
cycle extensions for NFPA 18 (Wetting work has resulted in the first draft release increased false alarm rate that would have an
Agents), NFPA 18A (Water Additives) and of a new Fire Detection and Alarm Systems overall negative effect on the use of smoke
NFPA 1150 (Standard on Foam Chemicals Part 29: Video Fire Detector Standard. This detection and life safety. More testing will
for Fires in Class A Fuels). All three stan- draft will remain in the public domain for be done toward the creation of additional
dards will now be on the fall 2016 revision comments until July 1, 2014, and if success- (new) false alarm criteria to go into effect
cycle. The revisions were done for two ful, could be voted for release at the Septem- with the new test fires. UL continues to push
reasons, the first being an ongoing NFPA ber 2014 meeting in Australia. The ISO and for the new test fires much harder than the
research project that has the potential to IEC have a collaboration agreement ensur- rest of the STP. An actual effective date is
provide new information on testing meth- ing the VID Standard should become part difficult to estimate.
ods for NFPA 18A. Since NFPA 18 and 18A of the CPR in the near future. Bob Elliott
contain many similar provisions, it is appro- is a member of the U.S. delegation and rep- ANSI/UL 864
priate to also delay NFPA 18 so it is on the resents FM Approvals. New proposals to the 9th edition—23 in
same cycle as NFPA 18A. Since NFPA 1150 all—have been submitted to better align the
is new to this committee (it was previously IEC TC79 product standard with changes incorporated
administered by the Forest and Rural Fire The U.S. delegation has offered to host the into NFPA 72 (2010 and 2013 editions).
Protection Committee), the delay will give next meeting of TC/79. Underwriter Labo- The majority of the proposals relate to the
existing committee members more time to ratories has offered their facilities in North- new Mass Notification sections, now a part
familiarize themselves with this new addi- brook, Illinois, USA, as the meeting venue. of NFPA 72, The National Fire Alarm and
tion and for the committee to recruit addi- The dates that have been selected by the Signaling Code. Although the sweeping
tional expertise specific to NFPA 1150. Chair of the Committee, in agreement with changes are not being sold as a 10th edition
the Central Office, are September 29 and to the standard, there is justification based
NFPA 72 October 3, 2014. on the quantity of changes being proposed
Bob Elliott, Walt Kessler and Paul Crowley to do just that.
will be attending a Second Draft Meeting The first three days are reserved for working
(previously called Review of Proposals) to groups and the final two days are the Plenary Fire Protection Committees
be held June 23 - 27 in La Jolla, California, Meeting. Bob Elliott is a member of the U.S. NEMA SC10
USA. This meeting is a review where the delegation and represents FM Approvals. Aaron Butler, advanced engineer, attended
public comments made since the release of the NEMA SC10 semiannual meeting in
ANSI/UL 217/268 Arlington, Virginia, USA on April 22-23,
the First Draft in 2013 are considered.
Bob Elliott participated in a Standards 2014. Among other topics related to the
NFPA 12/12A/2001 Technical Panel (STP) meeting held March fire pump controller industry, attendees dis-
Ray Stacy attended the Second Draft Meet- 17-21, 2014 at UL’s Research Triangle Park cussed proposed NFPA 20 changes, remote
ing for the NFPA Gaseous Fire Extinguish- facility in Raleigh, North Carolina, USA. connectivity and communication with the
ing Systems committee (NFPA 12, NFPA The STP continues to debate the merits and pump room, use of aluminum wiring and the
12A, NFPA 2001) in San Antonio, Texas, concerns associated with the addition of new forthcoming revision to Approval Standard
USA, as Bob Kasiski’s alternate. flaming and smoldering Polyurethane (PU) 1321/1323 for Electric Motor and Diesel
foam fire tests, but they are closer to reach- Engine Driven Fire Pump Controllers in line
ing a consensus. The rationale to include with the recent changes to FM 1333 (Diesel
new testing is based on a need to increase Drivers) and NFPA 20 2013.
egress times through broader responsiveness

22 APPROVED PRODUCT NEWS VOLUME 30, NO. 1 | 2014

 APPROVAL STANDARDS AND COMMITTEE PARTICIPATION

FM/UL/NFSA and ISO TC21 SC5 section of ISO 7076 as part of the TC21/ CTI
USTAG SC6 USTAG. In the coming months, TC21/ Chris Spencer attended the Annual Win-
Claude Bosio, technical team manager, SC6 will be asked to weigh in on sections ter Conference and Education Seminar of
participated in the FM/UL/NFSA and ISO 3 and 4 of ISO 7076, which are medium the Cooling Technology Institute (CTI) in
TC21 SC5 USTAG standards development and high expansion foam, respectively. ISO Houston, Texas, USA, during the week of
committee meetings. The current 7076-5:2014 specifies requirements, test and February 2, 2014. At the conference, Chris
FM Approvals method for EC sprinkler dis- assessment methods and performance crite- chaired a meeting of the task group for Ther-
tribution was presented for inclusion in the ria for fixed compressed air foam equipment moplastic Products for Fill Material, Drift
U.S. working draft of the ISO sprinkler stan- of fixed foam extinguishing systems for Eliminators and Louvers.
dard and was unanimously accepted without indoor and/or outdoor utilization.
revisions. This test will be recommended by FCIA
USTAG as the test method to be adopted in NFPA 11 Jeff Gould attended the November 2013
a future combined ISO standard. The TAG is Bob Cordell, advanced engineer, continued Firestop Contractors International Associ-
now the process of consolidating all existing participation on the NFPA 11 Technical ation Industry Conference in Albuquerque,
sprinkler standards (parts 1, 7, 10 and 13) Committee, focusing on the 2015 revision N.M., USA. He presented on Management
into a single ISO standard. Once completed, cycle of the NFPA 11 code, which recently System Manual Development, DRI exam-
this will significantly streamline the process underwent a second review of public com- ination prep course and the state of the
for new work item reviews by the group. ments and second draft balloting. Firestop Contractor Approval program. He
also administered written examinations to
IWMA Building Materials Committees 12 new candidates and four renewal exam-
Jonathan Carpenter, advanced engineer, ASTM inations.
participated in the 2013 International Water Phil Smith recently joined ASTM E06,
Mist Association (IWMA) conference and Performance of Buildings. NFPA 80/ 105
the IWMA Board of Directors meeting in Jeff Gould attended the NFPA 80 (Fire
ASTM D-08 Doors and Other Opening Protectives) and
Paris, France, October 16 -17, 2013. Asso-
Len D’Angelo attended the December 2013 NFPA 105 (Smoke Door Assemblies and
ciation business was discussed as well as the
ASTM Committee D08 on roofing. Len is Other Opening Protectives) Technical Com-
organization of water mist seminars and the
the chairman of a task group that is develop- mittee where the committee reviewed first
2014 IWMA Annual Conference to be held
ing a standard on impact resistance of roof draft proposals. Jeff was also appointed to a
in Istanbul, Turkey, October 22 - 23, 2014.
covers. He is also the chairman of a task task group to address fire and smoke (fabric)
ISO 7076-5 group that is reaffirming a current ASTM curtain concerns.
Bob Cordell, advanced engineer, continued Standard titled Field Testing Uplift Resis-
participation within the ISO 7076-5 foam tance of Fully Adhered Membrane Roofing SPRI
fire extinguishing systems (Part 5: fixed Systems. Phil Smith is on the canvass group for ANSI/
compressed air foam equipment) commit- SPRI WD-1 Wind Design Standard Practice
ASTM D-02 for Roofing Assemblies.
tee working group in the drafting of this
In December 2013, Chris Spencer attended
the winter meeting of the ASTM Committee
on Petroleum Products and Lubricants held
in Tampa, Fla., USA.
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