Replacement of Semi – recessed Sprinkler Escutcheons

If the escutcheon is missing for many pendent and sidewall sprinklers it will not negatively impact the operation of the sprinkler. They are just considered an aesthetic issue and are not required to be replaced. During the recent webinar on an Update to NFPA 25, 2017 edition, it was stated that a missing escutcheon for semi-recessed sprinklers can be treated the same – did not have to be replaced. Having given it additional thought, this was an inaccurate statement.

 

The components that make up the family of flushed, concealed, and recessed sprinklers are listed as an assembly. When you replace one of the components, such as an escutcheon of a recessed sprinkler, it must be listed for use with that individual sprinkler. The reason being is that it can affect the time to activation and/or functional operation. That’s why Section 5.2.1.1.5 states, “Escutcheons and cover plates for recessed, flush and concealed sprinklers shall be replaced with their listed escutcheon or cover plate if found missing during the inspection.” This also confirms that the escutcheons for other types of sprinklers do not have to be replaced.

 

It gets a little ambiguous for semi-recessed because the thermal link/bulb protrude beyond the wall or ceiling. As such, the escutcheon does not have a lot of impact on the activation time and merits being treated differently. Unfortunately, the definition says if any part of the sprinkler body other than the shank thread is within a recessed housing (even if it’s only 1/8 of an inch), it’s a recessed sprinkler. This will be discussed further at the next technical committee meeting but until then, a semi-recessed is still part of the recessed family and all are treated the same.

 

It’s also worth emphasizing that the type of deficiency varies depending upon its impact on the effectiveness of the sprinkler to control a fire. As shown in Table A.3.3.7, a missing escutcheon on a recessed sprinkler is a noncritical deficiency if the operating element is in the correct position. If it is not in the correct position, the classification jumps to an impairment. For instance, the escutcheon falls off a recessed sprinkler due to ceiling sag. If the deflector is above the plane of the ceiling, the activation time will be increased and more importantly, the water discharge will likely not control the fire. Thus, it’s classified an impairment.

 

 

 

Tools of the Trade

This is a good read and very educational on your company’s tools as well as yours!!!

 

  • Over the centuries, trade tools have been developed for handling jobs generally, and then, more refined tools were made for handling specific products and jobs
  • A plumber’s tool kit speaks volumes about his abilities, trade knowledge and experience
  • Keeping one’s tools sharp, clean and lubricated is a common sense thing to do, but it isn’t universally done these days
  • A well-made tool, properly cared, for will stand the test of time and be reliable for the professional life of the user

 

The term “tools of the trade” can be applied universally to all forms of endeavor. From manual labor to the most high-tech software applications, each have specific tools that are considered basic to a particular job. Some jobs require more tools than others and some tools are specific to a particular use. In the greater scheme of things, tools, both the manufacture and use of them, are what separate man from the rest of the animal kingdom. There are exceptions, of course, but for the most part this is true.

Over the centuries, trade tools have been developed for handling jobs generally, and then, more refined tools were made for handling specific products and jobs. Originally, tools were invented to solve a particular problem, whether that problem was aiding the user to do something he couldn’t do without the tool, or by making something he could do easier. As tools were invented for specific purposes, they were copied and modified further by others.  Eventually, they were acquired and adapted for use by individuals or groups, and either modified, or taken whole, into specific trades.

A plumber’s tool kit speaks volumes about his abilities, trade knowledge and experience.  What a plumber carries in his tool box, or on his truck, can tell you a lot about that person.  There are ubiquitous tools that almost all plumbers have: water pump pliers, gas pliers, screwdrivers, ball peen hammers, claw hammers, hand sledge hammers, pipe wrenches, crescent wrenches, allen wrenches, cold chisels, etc. Aside from these basics, there are tools which can form a much more nuanced picture of the person to whom they belong. These tools can tell you, for example, if that journeyman does service work, remodel or repair work, new construction, residential, commercial or industrial work or all of the above. They can also inform as to the level of expertise such tools imply.

I’m using generalities here, so please bear with me. A guy who has a full set of “easy-outs” probably has done his share of service work. Likewise, if the truck carries rodding (sewer snake) equipment and portable remote viewing electronics, it’s a safe bet that the owner or driver handles service work. Various types of drills, reciprocating saws and power drivers indicate nothing so much as a plumber’s personal preferences, but laser levels, transits and other such tools would indicate a plumber who does commercial work where the foundations and site prep are too large or broad for simple spirit levels and tape measuring. Ditto, cast iron snappers, ratchet snappers and chop saws.

Pipe threading equipment is not an indicator, because all facets of the trade, at one time or another, might require the threading of a piece of steel pipe, but a production type threading machine with a multi-use cradle of pipe cutter, dies, reamer and recirculating oiler would pretty much indicate a commercial plumbing application.

A broad selection of tools for very specific jobs might indicate a well experienced and widely knowledgeable plumber, while a sparsely filled tool kit might be a sign of an apprentice or someone who has only worked in one small area of the trade.

How someone treats their tools is another indicator. In times past, many journeymen would soak their tools in cutting oil when they went on vacation or had some time off, so that they were well, and fully, lubricated when needed to return to work. Keeping one’s tools sharp, clean and lubricated is a common sense thing to do, but it isn’t universally done these days.

“Personally, I have tools which were handed down from my grandfather and are well over 100 years old.”

Nothing says “amateur” more than someone who treats the tools of their trade as expendable. Personally, I have tools which were handed down from my grandfather and are well over 100 years old. Some are for processes and materials which are no longer used, but others, such as ceiling irons, for “yarning” a hub and spigot cast iron joint close to a ceiling where it would otherwise be impossible to do, and other specialty cast iron working tools are still viable today if the need for their use arose.

A well-made tool, properly cared, for will stand the test of time and be reliable for the professional life of the user. Conversely, treating your tools like they weren’t a part of your livelihood, and not doing everything you can to make sure that they are well cared for and in good working order is an expensive proposition.

It’s true that some tools today are relatively inexpensive, but for the most part, a good tool is pricey, and having to replace one can be an unpleasant experience. Every craftsman worth his salt has a tool kit that, in addition to helping him make his living, tells a story about him. What does your story say?

The Brooklyn, N.Y.-born author is a retired third generation master plumber. He founded Sunflower Plumbing & Heating in Shirley, N.Y., in 1975 and A Professional Commercial Plumbing Inc. in Phoenix in 1980. He holds residential, commercial, industrial and solar plumbing licenses and is certified in welding, clean rooms, polypropylene gas fusion and medical gas piping. He can be reached at allen@proquilldriver.com.

Fatigue’s Contribution to Workplace Injuries

Fatigue’s Contribution to Workplace Injuries

I recently came across an article on the risks associated with fatigue in the transport industry and it got me thinking about how prevalent this hazard was on construction sites and whether or not it was a contributor to workplace injuries in the sector.

According to statistics construction is amongst the most high risk industries in Australia and it is also one of the most strenuous, with most of the work being conducted on work sites involving manual labour. It is this nature of construction work, coupled with the pressures associated with safety and the stress linked to productivity demands that makes the construction industry one of the most demanding and most tiring.

Ultimately fatigue can affect anyone, in any industry or profession but when it affects a person whose job depends on their alertness, such as those in high risk industries including construction, the risks and need to avoid fatigue is even more crucial because it becomes not just a matter of making mistakes which cost financially but a matter of life and death mistakes.

Fatigue can affect a worker’s health and according to statistics, can drastically increase their chances of workplace injuries. Fatigue also reduces a person’s performance and productivity.

The issues that can induce fatigue in workers include a mentally and physically demanding job, work schedules and planning or lack thereof, working shifts, environmental conditions and other individual factors such as eating, sleeping and living habits.

Employers should identify whether the working conditions and environment may promote fatigue among workers, for example is working night shifts part of the job? If fatigue is a factor, it needs to be addressed by employers before it results in an incident.

Experts warn that fatigue can be caused by work-related factors, factors outside work and/or a combination of both, and may accumulate over time, employers should be aware of this. Scheduling patterns, length of shifts, proof work scheduling and planning, time worked and timing of shifts all affect a person and can cause fatigue. Another factor is a lack of rest and recovery time between shifts of long periods of time awake.

Employers are wise to manage fatigue because so doing includes a number of benefits including

  • Lowering the rate of accidents and human errors
  • Increasing productivity
  • Decreasing general maintenance costs with respect to human resources
  • Lowering the levels of absenteeism and staff turnover

Ultimately by helping an employee improve their ability to concentrate on the task at hand, employers contribute to the organisation’s growth and development – this can be done by identifying and managing fatigue among workers.

The Importance of Sleep

Getting enough, quality sleep is vital to avoiding fatigue. Difficulty sleeping and insomnia is a major problem for many people and can have severe consequences on a worker’s health and safety by contributing to fatigue. Some of the recommended tips for sleeping include:

  • Draw the blinds or curtains and use sound insulation to reduce light levels and noise within the room or sleeping cabin
  • Make sure the people in your life know of the hours that you will be sleeping so as to avoid disruptions from friends and family.
  • Try to develop ways of unwinding after an afternoon or night shift such as taking a walk or watching television till you fall asleep
  • Have a shower or a relaxing bath before going to bed, this will soothe and relax you making it easier to fall asleep.

Heat Stress Changes

Heat Stress AwarenessEarlier this year California rolled out a major update to the country’s flagship heat stress program; effective May 1, 2015, this FAQ can help explain how it will be enforced.

The rationale behind the update is this: mild heat illness can quickly become severe, leading to new elements in training, shade, water, preventative breaks, first aid response, acclimatization, and emergency procedures.

Plan Requirements
There must be a written plan to establish, implement and maintain heat illness protection. It must be in in English and any other language understood by most employees, such as Spanish. Make this plan a chapter of your Injury Illness Prevention Plan (IIPP) and make it easily accessible on the worksite. This provision includes tablet and smart phone viewing of the Heat Illness Plan.

Shade
The most obvious change to the requirement is the temperature; mandatory shade is now 80°F, a five- degree drop. Keep in mind, this is the worksite temperature. Be aware of the predicted temperature but also check the temperature at work.

Furthermore, shade must be easy to reach and use. Don’t designate shaded areas where employees have to cross traffic or waterways; sit next to portable toilets, on wet ground; or too close to bushes or branches.

“Cool down” rests are now preventative, as employers need to encourage breaks to prevent overheating. Monitor and ask employees if they have any heat illness symptoms. Instruct them to stay in the shade until symptoms disappear and immediately provide first aid and call 9-1-1.

Water
Potable water now has to be refreshing, fresh, pure, and cooler than the surrounding temperature. Check for discouraging odors, use clean containers, and use approved and tested sources (municipal water is good, untested wells are not). If using hoses and other connections, make sure the manufacturer’s label indicates approved use.
Cal/OSHA warns that inspectors will question the placement of the water container on the worksite. Water containers are smaller than shade structures and can be placed closer than shade. Consider each issue separately: shade and water.

High Heat
Changes to high heat procedures – when the temperature reaches 95°F – include observation techniques that designate who calls 9-1-1, pre-shift meetings, and preventative cool-down rest periods.
While the previous regulation required that employees be observed for heat illness symptoms, four methods are described. The first allows for the supervisor to directly observe small groups of 20 workers or less. For more employees, a buddy system can be established of employees responsible for observing each other. For lone workers, the employer may regularly and frequently check in with them by phone or radio. The fourth, “other effective means of observation,” makes the employer explain the method in use and defend how it is effective.

While all employees can call 9-1-1, the new regulation wants employers to designate a small number of employees per crew to be responsible for calling emergency medical services when necessary.

Pre-shift meetings with supervisors and employees are included in the high heat procedures. These can be merely brief reminders on heat stress topics.

A 10-minute, preventative, cool-down rest period is mandatory every two hours. These breaks can coincide with other scheduled breaks without having to be taken separately. Just be prepared to keep up these breaks to properly coincide with any overtime work, take a 10-minute break at the end of the eighth hour and another break at the end of the tenth hour.

Emergency Response
If emergency response procedures aren’t already established in your IIPP, they are now a specific requirement of the heat stress program.

For instance, the plan must take into account any remote locations and their challenges: difficult access for emergency responders, needed steps to transport employees safely to the emergency responders, and ensuring workers have a map or detailed directions for the worksite location.

Acclimatization
Acclimatization must be part of the plan for new employees in their first 14 days, and all employees during a heat wave. This means taking extra steps to closely observe employees and lessen employee workload.

Training
All of these heat stress components rely heavily on everyone knowing the symptoms and basic first aid responses. With these regulatory updates, it’s now clear that employees need to know about employer responsibilities: providing water, shade, cool-down rests, and first aid access. Employers have to teach workers their rights and why acclimatization is important.

Microbiologic Corrosion (MIC)

There are several types of corrosion that can form in sprinkler pipe. When a pipe is leaking you cannot automatically assume the cause is Microbiologic corrosion (commonly referred to as “MIC”). The following is a list of common corrosions:

  • Galvanic Corrosion
  • MIC Corrosion
  • Localized Corrosion
  • Erosion Corrosion
  • Environmental Corrosion
  • Crevice Corrosion

I will be focusing on the form of corrosion commonly referred to as MIC. While there are visual similarities between the aforementioned corrosions there are some key signs of MIC in fire sprinkler systems. I remember when I was an apprentice in the early 90’s working on a job in San Antonio. One morning there were several “scientific- looking” guys waiting for us to drain down a sprinkler system. My foreman asked one of them what they were doing. The “scientist” said they were taking samples of the water to see what was in it that may be causing the pinholes to appear in the sprinkler piping. My foreman instructed me to go inside and open the two inch drain slowly so they could get their sample. When I returned I could hear my foreman telling the scientist, “there’s nothing in there.” As he poured out the last bit of his coffee he filled his cup with the water coming out of the drain. Then turning it up, he chugged it. I know what you’re thinking…. and yes, he’s still alive today. But I would not suggest doing this. We have other ways of testing in the 21st century. There are test kits available where you take a sample of the water and send it to a lab for testing. This is the simplest to verify a system has MIC. Here are the key signs of MIC:

  • Pinhole Leaks
  • Obstructions (decrease in flow rate)
  • Black or red water
  • Rotten egg smell
  • Tubercles or deposits
  • Exterior rusting and condensation

MIC is used to designate the corrosion due to the presence and activities of microorganisms, including microalgae, bacteria and fungi. Simply put, there are organisms living in the pipe that are causing the corrosion. MIC has been found in 45 states throughout theU.S.Consequently, the chances of it being found in your area are great. Totally eliminating corrosion is impossible. However, the following provide ways to slow the process:

  • Eliminate the bacteria
  • Eliminate the oxygen
  • Eliminate the water

Now comes the “how to” section.

Let’s start with eliminating the bacteria. There are two main types of chemicals used in fire sprinkler systems. These include:

  • Biocides – Used to kill MIC. Normally toxic. Will kill all of the bacteria in the system. Drawbacks include: it is toxic, bacteria can become immune to it and it
    is only for wet systems.
  • Dynamic Biostatic Inhibitors – Protects the pipe walls, offers generalized corrosion protection, often non-hazardous and usually have biocidal properties.

For obvious reasons the inhibitors are the best way to go. They may not kill the bacteria but the product is not toxic. Be sure to check for back flow requirements in your area. The inhibitor is simply injected into the water supply as you fill the system. There are several different companies and units used to accomplish this. The unit I prefer is made by Potter. It comes with a pump and two 15 gallon tanks. (Potter is also a great source of information with brochures to aid in selling the system). The pump and tanks come in a self-contained cabinet with a stainless steel braided hose to connect to the sprinkler system. A qualified electrician will be required to connect the pump power supply.

Next, we need to eliminate the oxygen. This is not easy. If possible you will need to eliminate any areas of the system that trap air. These areas may be due to an offset in the piping. Where it is impossible to do this, an automatic air vent will need to be installed. As with the chemical delivery system there are several from which to choose. Their basic function is to release the air as the system is being filled and shutting off as soon as the water hits it. It is similar to the air vent on a fire pump casing.

Finally, eliminate the water. Unless you can change the wet system to a dry system this is close to impossible. Even if you could, you would have the same problems because no dry system is totally dry. If you tried this method you would then be faced with using a nitrogen generating system.

Once you install the inhibitor injection system, introduce the inhibitor into the wet system and vent the trapped air as much as possible; the only thing left to do is install a corrosion monitoring station. This is a unit in which we can make the conditions perfect for MIC and monitor it through site glasses and corrosion coupons. This is how you can tell you are making a difference in the sprinkler system. This monitoring station should be installed at the riser.

In closing, I would recommend that salesmen do a little research on this before talking to your customers. Put your presentation together, go in with confidence and make your pitch. More and more customers are becoming familiar with this and they are looking for an expert o help them.

Fatigue’s Contribution to Workplace Injuries

Fatigue’s Contribution to Workplace Injuries

I recently came across an article on the risks associated with fatigue in the transport industry and it got me thinking about how prevalent this hazard was on construction sites and whether or not it was a contributor to workplace injuries in the sector.

According to statistics construction is amongst the most high risk industries in Australia and it is also one of the most strenuous, with most of the work being conducted on work sites involving manual labour. It is this nature of construction work, coupled with the pressures associated with safety and the stress linked to productivity demands that makes the construction industry one of the most demanding and most tiring.

Ultimately fatigue can affect anyone, in any industry or profession but when it affects a person whose job depends on their alertness, such as those in high risk industries including construction, the risks and need to avoid fatigue is even more crucial because it becomes not just a matter of making mistakes which cost financially but a matter of life and death mistakes.

Fatigue can affect a worker’s health and according to statistics, can drastically increase their chances of workplace injuries. Fatigue also reduces a person’s performance and productivity.

The issues that can induce fatigue in workers include a mentally and physically demanding job, work schedules and planning or lack thereof, working shifts, environmental conditions and other individual factors such as eating, sleeping and living habits.

Employers should identify whether the working conditions and environment may promote fatigue among workers, for example is working night shifts part of the job? If fatigue is a factor, it needs to be addressed by employers before it results in an incident.

Experts warn that fatigue can be caused by work-related factors, factors outside work and/or a combination of both, and may accumulate over time, employers should be aware of this. Scheduling patterns, length of shifts, proof work scheduling and planning, time worked and timing of shifts all affect a person and can cause fatigue. Another factor is a lack of rest and recovery time between shifts of long periods of time awake.

Employers are wise to manage fatigue because so doing includes a number of benefits including

  • Lowering the rate of accidents and human errors
  • Increasing productivity
  • Decreasing general maintenance costs with respect to human resources
  • Lowering the levels of absenteeism and staff turnover

Ultimately by helping an employee improve their ability to concentrate on the task at hand, employers contribute to the organisation’s growth and development – this can be done by identifying and managing fatigue among workers.

The Importance of Sleep

Getting enough, quality sleep is vital to avoiding fatigue. Difficulty sleeping and insomnia is a major problem for many people and can have severe consequences on a worker’s health and safety by contributing to fatigue. Some of the recommended tips for sleeping include:

  • Draw the blinds or curtains and use sound insulation to reduce light levels and noise within the room or sleeping cabin
  • Make sure the people in your life know of the hours that you will be sleeping so as to avoid disruptions from friends and family.
  • Try to develop ways of unwinding after an afternoon or night shift such as taking a walk or watching television till you fall asleep
  • Have a shower or a relaxing bath before going to bed, this will soothe and relax you making it easier to fall asleep

More than a feeling? Behavioural safety in the workplace

positive attitude

Get your SKATES on

One thing you should be familiar with is the acronym SKATE (Skill, Knowledge, Attitude, Training and Experience). It is usually used when discussing a person’s or organization’s competency and is relevant whether you are recruiting a new employee, promoting an existing one, offering tenders to contractors or even benchmarking your organization in the marketplace.

Competence hinges on attitude within SKATE and this attitude can be one of corporate responsibility or an individual’s responsibility at any level from sitting on the board to being a junior in the warehouse.

The ‘right’ attitude

When I write about `job attitude, the technical meaning is a set of evaluations that constitute a person’s feelings Success Road Signtowards, beliefs about, and attachments to their job. An overall job attitude can be conceptualized in two ways – as job satisfaction that constitutes a general or global subjective feeling about a job, or as a composite of objective cognitive assessments of specific job facets, such as pay, conditions and opportunities.

We can measure an employee’s attitude without trying to reinvent the wheel. Tools that can be used are freely available online and include anonymous questionnaires, such as the Health & Safety Executive (HSE) climate safety tool, or an attitude survey. Once you know these attitudes, you can then do something about influencing them.

The benefits of behavioural safety training

One way to influence an employee’s attitude is through behavioral safety training. This tends to come into play for employees at lower levels in an organization, but we must not forget those on the board of directors, who hold between them a corporate attitude to safety. There is excellent information available through the Institute of Directors (IOD) for board members and senior managers, which gives very useful guidance in many areas.

However, to get the best out of your most expensive asset, you need to understand how they can benefit from behavioral safety training. Therefore, when planning this training, it is worth the time and effort to assess which employees would benefit the most and plan your training matrix appropriately. My remit of heading a team of consultants and trainers highlights just how many organizations are taking this area very seriously indeed. Many blue chip companies, SMEs and the self employed have made in-roads in this area and have benefited accordingly.

There are many health and safety organizations promoting behavioral training in a variety of forms, and looking at many of the health and safety blogs and forums out there, it is clear that many are talking about these issues. All we have to do as health and safety professionals is to keep pushing and promoting the great importance of having the correct attitude at work. After all, it is recognized in our profession as one of the most difficult things to change.

Exceptions to the rule

There is one exception, however, to what I see on these forums and that is how we should be targeting new recruits. Let us aim to persuade human resources departments to make it part of induction training instead of waiting weeks, months or even years before we make a difference.

Reading a forum comment the other day, there was one very good question. Why are there so many organizations using “health and safety traffic wardens”? These wardens are tasked with looking for near-misses and incidents and this is indeed important information if it is gathered in the right atmosphere (real inspections, safety tours and so on).

Where this information is shared and communicated in the right way, it can help to mould a positive health and safety culture and gain commitment from all levels of the organization. By including all employees and making them feel a respected part of the organization, you will see the results in a very positive attitude, which continues to feed a glowing health and safety culture.

Fire Department Connection (FDC) Caps or Plugs | What Are My Options?

Fire Department Connection (FDC) caps or plugs are used to cover the inlets on an FDC, which is the fitting that your fire department uses to connect their fire hose(s) when on-scene at a fire. They can be located both inside and outside a building, and are used to provide delivery of water to the fire via either a sprinkler or fire hose. If your building is equipped with these connections they have to be covered to prevent debris accumulated inside the inlet from impeding the delivery of the water, while still providing the easiest possible access for the fire department.
FDC without Covers
FDC without covers – Notice the crayon and other junk inside?
As demonstrated by the image above, when an FDC inlet is not covered it is prone to collecting junk. In a fire emergency, the fire department will connect hose between a pumper truck full of fire-impeding water and the FDC and actually pump water into the building, supplementing the building’s water supply and pressurizing the sprinkler or standpipe system. If debris is inside the FDC inlet and the water is pumped in, that junk ultimately moves its way through the system and can disrupt a sprinkler’s operation.
FDC Inlets Properly Protected by FDC Caps
FDC inlets properly protected by aluminum FDC caps
Are all FDC covers the same? No, they differ in size and type of material. FDC covers come in two main styles, commonly referred to as breakable caps or plug and chain. The plug style cover requires the use of a wrench to remove, while the FDC breakable caps are designed to be removed by breaking the caps, usually with the butt of a fireman’s ax. Since FDC fittings are female threaded, as called for in NFPA 13, FDC plugs are designed to fit those threads. Always check with your local fire department or inspector to be sure your FDC connections will match up with their equipment. FDC caps, in comparison, use eye-bolts to connect to the FDC inlet’s swivel as demonstrated in the image above.
 
The materials used in these covers include brass, aluminum and plastic. Plugs are almost always made of brass though recently aluminum alternatives have been introduced into the market. Plastic FDC caps are the most common and the least likely to be stolen by thieves looking for recyclable metals, a phenomenon that has increased due to the recent recession. Their lower cost also makes keeping a few on hand in case of damage or theft a cost-effective addition to building safety.
 
Plastic Breakable Caps from QRFS! Plastic FDC Caps – 2 1/2 inch

  • Most Popular Option!
  • Fire engine red for easy identification
  • Easily breakable with the butt of an ax
Aluminum FDC Break Caps from QRFS! Aluminum FDC Caps – 2 1/2 or 3 inch

  • Won’t Fade or Crack!
  • Easily breakable with the butt of an ax
  • Available in 3 inch for San Francisco and New York markets
Brass FDC Plug and Chain Brass FDC Plug and Chain – 1 1/2″ or 2 1/2″

  • Durable Rough Brass Exterior 
  • Thread types to meet your local requirements
  • Includes chain to avoid loss during emergency

MAYBE IT’S TIME FOR A HISTORY LESSON: DO YOU REALLY UNDERSTAND WHY YOU GET NEXT MONDAY OFF?

Memorial Day, an American holiday observed on the last Monday of May, honors men and women who died while serving in the U.S. military. Originally known as Decoration Day, it originated in the years following the Civil War and became an official federal holiday in 1971. Many Americans observe Memorial Day by visiting cemeteries or memorials, holding family gatherings and participating in parades. Unofficially, at least, it marks the beginning of summer.

The Civil War claimed more lives than any conflict in U.S. history, requiring the establishment of the country’s first national cemeteries. By the late 1860s Americans in various towns and cities had begun holding springtime tributes to these countless fallen soldiers, decorating their graves with flowers and reciting prayers.  Each year on Memorial Day a national moment of remembrance takes place at 3:00 p.m. local time. It is unclear where exactly this tradition originated; numerous different communities may have independently initiated the memorial gatherings. Nevertheless, in 1966 the federal government declared Waterloo, New York, the official birthplace of Memorial Day. Waterloo—which had first celebrated the day on May 5, 1866—was chosen because it hosted an annual, community-wide event, during which businesses closed and residents decorated the graves of soldiers with flowers and flags. Decoration Day On May 5, 1862, General John A. Logan, leader of an organization for Northern Civil War veterans, called for a nationwide day of remembrance later that month.

“The 30th of May, 1868, is designated for the purpose of strewing with flowers, or otherwise decorating the graves of comrades who died in defense of their country during the late rebellion, and whose bodies now lie in almost every city, village and hamlet churchyard in the land,” he proclaimed. The date of Decoration Day, as he called it, was chosen because it wasn’t the anniversary of any particular battle. On the first Decoration Day, General James Garfield made a speech at Arlington National Cemetery, and 5,000 participants decorated the graves of the 20,000 Union and Confederate soldiers buried there.

Many Northern states held similar commemorative events and reprised the tradition in subsequent years; by 1890 each one had made Decoration Day an official state holiday. Many Southern states, on the other hand, continued to honor their dead on separate days until after World War I.  Memorial Day, as Decoration Day gradually came to be known, originally honored only those lost while fighting in the Civil War.  However, during World War I the United States found itself embroiled in another major conflict, and the holiday evolved to commemorate American military personnel who died in all wars.

For decades, Memorial Day continued to be observed on May 30, the date Logan had selected for the first Decoration Day. But in 1968 Congress passed the Uniform Monday Holiday Act, which established Memorial Day as the last Monday in May in order to create a three-day weekend for federal employees; the change went into effect in 1971. The same law also declared Memorial Day a federal holiday.

Cities and towns across the United States host Memorial Day parades each year, often incorporating military personnel and members of veterans’ organizations. Some of the largest parades take place in Chicago, New York and Washington, D.C. Americans also observe Memorial Day by visiting cemeteries and memorials.

Veterans who survived the war or wars in which they served, deserve to be taken care of.  They should be at the top of any list, whether it’s healthcare, physical therapy, or other needs.  Any way that you can help a veteran by finding him/her a job, or any assistance they may need would be a big help in showing your appreciation for their service to our country.  Hire a Vet if you are a business person.

We all need to say “Thank you for your service” when we see anyone in the military.  I recently told a young man I had met that I appreciated his six years of Army service, both in Iraq and Afghanistan.  He responded “Thank you for your support.”  It made me feel ashamed that I haven’t done more to support our troops.  Let’s all show our gratitude for our warriors.

Brass Sprinkler Extensions: Essential Information

Brass sprinkler head extensions are used in a fire sprinkler system to extend fixed nipples (drops) that have been cut too short to place the sprinkler head at the proper working height. They are manufactured to fit both half (1/2) inch and three-quarter (3/4) inch pipe and are available in various lengths to allow for exact placement of the sprinkler head.

Brass sprinkler head extensions are a convenient and cost effective way to reduce assembly time due to manufacturing or engineering errors, or to retrofit existing systems. They provide good thread-to-thread contact at both the male and female connection. As is true at any time the original design of the system is being altered, be sure to check with local authorities to obtain approval for the modification.

Fire Sprinkler Extensions: Half Inch Brass Sprinkler Extensions: Half Inch

  • 1/2″ x 1/2″
  • 1/2″ x 3/4″
  • 1/2″ x 1″
  • 1/2″ x 1 1/2″
  • 1/2″ x 2″
Brass Extensions: Three-Quarter Inch Brass Sprinkler Extensions: Three-Quarter Inch

  • 3/4″ x 1/2″
  • 3/4″ x 3/4″
  • 3/4″ x 1″