A “backflow preventer” does exactly as its name suggests: allows the flow of water in one direction only—making it a critically important component to maintaining the safety of drinking water systems. How a backflow preventer works A backflow preventer responds to changes in pressure. When water flows in the proper direction, pressure pushes the valve[...]
Getz Fire Equipment Company is a leading provider of fire extinguisher services in Illinois, Missouri, Iowa and Wisconsin. Every fire extinguisher we sell meets all National Fire Protection Association Standards. Our team of professionals can help you select the most effective portable fire extinguishers, along with any additional testing products you need. Our team has[...]
Fire doors prevent the spread of smoke, flames and toxic gasses, making them a crucial part of every building’s fire-protection system. To ensure that they do their job when needed most, fire doors and their components require routine inspection, maintenance and, when needed, replacement. Changing standards over the last several decades created a great deal[...]
The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) requires that employers routinely inspect portable fire extinguishers to maintain the safety and security of employees and patrons. Noncompliance is not only expensive (OSHA fines often are high), but it can damage an employer’s reputation and put lives at risk. To keep you in compliance the experts at[...]
When we think of fire-suppression systems our minds immediately turn to sprinklers, where a rush of water from the ceiling douses the blaze. But in some spaces—like libraries and museums—that cure is just about as bad as the disease. In such places, clean agent fire suppression systems are the answer. Clean agents are gaseous suppressants[...]
For workplace safety, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) requires routine inspection of all fire extinguishers. Annual and other involved inspections must be completed by a certified and licensed fire inspector from a fire protection equipment company. (We detail those requirements below.) Monthly inspections are different. Anyone on staff can complete these simple checks to[...]
Fire safety training for your business includes having employees learn to properly use equipment like fire extinguishers. Workplace fires can quickly turn tragic if confusion and panic take hold. The likelihood of that happening is greater without adequate preparation. Having trained personnel on site will go a long way toward protecting the safety of people[...]
Backflow into water systems has the potential to create serious health hazards, given it can introduce harmful impurities into the drinking water we rely on. Backflow preventers eliminate the potential for such contamination given they are safety valves that allow the free flow of water in one direction only. Water held in sprinkler systems is one[...]
The statistics are staggering. According to the National Fire Protection Association, local departments responded to more than 1.3 million fires in 2020 that resulted in 3,500 deaths, 15,200 injuries and $22 billion in property damage. Every 64 seconds there’s a fire in a workplace, every 89 seconds in an individual home. Great strides have been[...]
Fire is a potential wherever heat and volatile materials share space, making industrial sites particularly susceptible to accidents of this kind. According to the National Fire Protection Association, fire departments across the U.S. respond to an average of 38,000 fires at industrial or manufacturing facilities each year, which kill or injure almost 300 and result[...]
Fire safety training comes in many forms. It can be as simple as the fire drills you performed in K-12, to advanced firefighter training involving rescue procedures. For aspiring or current Illinois firefighters seeking advanced training, their local station is likely to offer many training courses for fire rescue pursuits. Those seeking more conventional fire[...]
Business owners throughout Illinois and beyond understand there are numerous codes they must meet when operating a business. Many of these codes are related to operating their business safely and meeting the necessary sanitation requirements for places like restaurants. One of the most important codes a business must follow is their state fire code. At[...]
It is no secret that fire puts out extreme heat. Because of this, many of us may only think about real fire dangers when the weather is a lso hot (i.e. the summer months). This is far from the truth! While some areas may have heightened fire danger during droughts often experienced in the summer,[...]