Engineered Floor I-Joists and Firefigher Safety: Basic Insights

The following videos provide some Basic insights on Engineered Floor I-Joists and Firefigher Safety. The first two video reports are a few years old, but provide some good visual and narrative insights into the current building construction trends, operational limitations and fireground tactical safety considerations.

Take the time to review these video clips and gain some new insights or refresh and reinforce your past knowledge of engineered floor systems, assemblies and tactical safety considerations. References and links to mission critical reports, studies and incidents is provided for your to expand your knowledge and skill base; for every rank and level of operations from firefighter, company or command officer.

Some insights on Engineered I-Joist construction and uses from a manufacture’s perspective….

Some insights on a newer type of I-Joist Hanger System interated into an Insulated concrete formwork system (ICF)

Cut-outs in I Joists for HVAC runs

If you’ve been paying attention to the latest news and on the job reports the past two month, you should have noticed there’s been an adverse emerging trend evident in near miss, close-calls resulting in maydays, RIT deployments and self-rescue resulting from floor compromise and floor collapse.

I previously posted some research and links related to the first one or two events on Buildingsonfire on Facebook HERE, It became evident that there was an immediate opportunity to get some learning’s and insights out.

If you have a chance head over to Facebook and link into Buildingsonfire and check out the incident links posted as well as some immediate report links from the December/January time frame

In the meantime here are some links I pulled together that you should take the time to read and share with your companies, personnel and staff…..

Take the time to have a ten minute drill on these events as Operating Expeeince (OE) on floor systems and operational safety with your company, station or department.

Take a look at your current SOP and SOG’s and determine if you have the right “stuff” in place to provide operational guidance and direction based upon your organization’s operational profile and capabilites.

Is your training up to speed on size-up, risk profiling and command and compay level operations for conducting work at buildings and occupancies with actual or suspected engineered floor systems?

Reference Links for Operational Insights and Operating Experience (OE)

• Eleven Minutes to Mayday; What You Need to Know
• Career Engineer Dies and Fire Fighter Injured After Falling Through Floor While Conducting a Primary Search at a Residential Structure Fire – Wisconsin
• Volunteer deputy fire chief dies after falling through floor hole in residential structure during fire attack – Indiana
• A career captain and a part-time fire fighter die in a residential floor collapse – Ohio
• Career fire fighter dies after falling through the floor fighting a structure fire at a local residence – Ohio
• Career lieutenant dies following floor collapse into basement fire and a career fire fighter dies attempting to rescue the career lieutenant – New York
• Floor collapse at commercial structure fire claims the lives of one career lieutenant and one career fire fighter – New York
• First-floor collapse during residential basement fire claims the life of two fire fighters (career and volunteer) and injures a career fire fighter captain – New York
• NIOSH Alert: Preventing Injuries and Deaths of Fire Fighters due to Truss System Failures
• NIOSH Alert: Preventing Injuries and Deaths of Fire Fighters due to Structural Collapse (1999)
• Preventing Deaths and Injuries of Fire Fighters Working Above Fire-Damaged Floors
• CommandSafety.com: Operational Safety at Basement Fires: Close Call
• CommandSafety.com: Buffalo, NY Three Alarm Fire and Double LODD Report
• CommandSafety.com: Remembering Brackenridge 1991 Floor Collapse and LODD
• CommandSafety.com: Engineered Structural Systems- Hazards

Here’s some screen shots from Buildingsonfire on Facebook. Go HERE or follow the link at the left column. Join the growing list of 3500 fans with Buildingsonfire on Facebook and Buildingsonfire.com (fully launching in January, 2011)

UL Testing

UL Fire Academy CBT

• UL Structural Stability of Engineered Lumber in Fire Conditions
• This two-hour presentation summarizes a research study on the hazards posed to firefighters by the use of lightweight construction and engineered lumber in floor and roof designs. This free on-line computer based presentation will allow fire professionals to better interpret fire hazards and assess risk for life safety of building occupants and firefighters.
• This online firefighter training course is the result of a research partnership among UL, the Chicago Fire Department, IAFC, and Michigan State University, funded in part by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security. This self-guided course, which focuses on the structural stability of engineered lumber under fire conditions, is targeted toward the 1.1 million fire service personnel in the United States and Canada. The knowledge developed and shared in this course is critically important to firefighter and civilian safety.
• This two-hour presentation summarizes a research study on the hazards posed to firefighters by the use of lightweight construction and engineered lumber in floor and roof designs. This free on-line computer based presentation will allow fire professionals to better interpret fire hazards and assess risk for life safety of building occupants and firefighters.
• Program Objectives:
• Provide brief history of events leading up to DHS Grant tests
• Identify the fire test hypothesis, parameters, and steps completed in the testing process
• Compare tests results (legacy vs. modern construction)
• Communicate learnings from our partners representing the fire service
• Discuss code recommendations
• UL University on-line Program HERE

Here’s a link to a past informative posting related to engineered systems and their relationship to firefighter safety and operations, HERE. There’s some great contributed information and manufacturer “insights” on the subject engineered wood I-joists and beams and firefighter safety. There are some interesting statistical extrapolations, correlations and conveniences’ that attempt to make the case. But then again, You be the judge. Take at look at the presentation developed by the American Forest and Paper Association, HERE and HERE.

If you haven’t done so yet, don’t forget to check out the free online training program on Structural Stability of Engineered Lumber in Fire Conditions at the UL University developed and provided by Underwriter’s Laboratories (UL), HERE 

Here’s an additional series of other important Reference Links that provide some insights on operational safety, incident conditions and factors ;

• NIOSH Publication No. 2009-114: Preventing Deaths and Injuries of Fire Fighters Working Above Fire-Damaged Floors HERE
• NIOSH Publication No. 2005-132: Preventing Injuries and Deaths of Fire Fighters Due to Truss System Failures HERE
• NFPA Report on Light Weight Construction, HERE
• Informative USFA Coffee Break series postings related to Building Types & Fire Resistance: HERE. HERE, HERE, HERE, and HERE
• Remember, Building Knowledge = Firefighter Safety (Bk-F2S)

Buildingsonfire.com and the Command Institute

Coming Spring 2011

We’re finishing up with the content development and working on the supportive case studies and interactive group activities for an exciting new one day seminar program on that will address the leading issues, studies and reports specific to engineered floor and roof systems, incorporating the lastest UL and NIST test data and insights with cutting edge methodolgies and practices for firefighting operations.

• Engineered Structural Systems & Fireground Operations will be available for training bookings commencing in May 2011. Contact us for a new brochure and program details.

In addition, look for a new updated 2011 Training Seminar brochure to download with a series of revised training seminars incorporating the newest operational insights

• Building Construction for the Command & Company Officer
• Building Construction and Tactical Operations
• Tactical Operations and the New Rules of Combat Fire Engagement
• Dynamic Risk Assessment of Occupancies for Operational Safety
• Reading the Building: Predictive Profiling Predictive Occupancy Profiling