Fire Safety 101

Each year, fires take lives and burn numerous structures resulting in mounting costs that have enormous impact on families, communities and businesses. Fires also have devastating impacts on the environment and wildlife. Below is a list of zero and low cost safety precaution measures you can take to protect your home and workplace:

Candles

• Ensure candles are in sturdy metal, glass, or ceramic holders and placed where they cannot be easily knocked down. Most importantly, keep candles out of the reach of children and pets. (Source: USFA)
• Never leave the house with candles burning and never leave burning candles unattended. (Source: USFA)

Electrical

• Routinely check your electrical appliances and wiring. (Source: USFA)
• If an appliance has a three-prong plug, use it only in a three-slot outlet. Never force it to fit into a two-slot outlet or extension cord. (Source: USFA)
• When buying electrical appliances look for products evaluated by a nationally recognized laboratory, such as Underwriters Laboratories (UL). (Source: USFA)

 Gas

• When lighting a gas fireplace or gas space heater, strike your match first, then turn on the gas. (Source: NFPA)
• Never use a gas range as a substitute for a furnace or space heater. (Source: NFPA)

 Install

• Purchase an ABC type extinguisher for extinguishing all types of fires. Fire extinguishers should be mounted in the kitchen, garage, and workshop and should only be used on small fires. If there is a large fire, get out immediately and call 911. (Source: NFPA)
• Smoke alarms should be installed in each sleeping room/bedroom, outside of sleeping rooms/bedrooms and on each level of your house. Make sure to test your smoke alarms each month and change the batteries at least once a year.

Additional Tips

• Cooking equipment is also the leading cause of unreported fires and associated injuries. Stay in the kitchen when you are frying, grilling, or broiling food. If you leave the kitchen for even a short period of time, turn off the stove. (Source: USFA)
• Plug microwave ovens and other cooking appliances directly into an outlet. Never use an extension cord for a cooking appliance, as it can overload the circuit and cause a fire. (USFA)
• Over half (55%) of home candle fires start because the candle is too close to some combustible material. If you do use candles, ensure they are in sturdy metal, glass, or ceramic holders and placed where they cannot be easily knocked down. (USFA)

Courtesy of the International Code Council

May is National Building Safety Month!

Three decades ago a group of building officials started raising safety code awareness after a series of tragedies caused needless deaths and injuries. Countless accidents still occur in homes across the country and around the world where codes are poorly understood and used improperly. This year, four core themes will be highlighted throughout the month of May to mark the 30th anniversary of the International Code Council's (ICC) National Building Safety Month.

Week One: Energy and Green Building. Spotlighting the latest advancements in sustainable design and greed building

Week Two: Disaster Safety and Mitigation. Raising awareness about how to prepare for a natural disaster and take action when one strikes

Week Three: Fire Safety and Awareness. Protecting our homes and workplaces with essential safety precaution measures

Week Four: Backyard Safety. Keeping kids safe at play

Update Your Home Safely with a Certified Remodeler

You’ve made the decision to finally remodel the outdated kitchen and living room of your home. But if you live in a house built before 1978, a new federal law regulating the removal of lead paint may affect your home remodeling project.  
 
In 1978, the use of lead paint was officially banned from residential construction. Before that, however, lead paint was used in more than 38 million homes, according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). 

Beginning in April 2010, contractors performing renovation, repair and painting projects that disturb lead-based paint in homes, child care facilities, and schools built before 1978 must be certified and must follow specific work practices to prevent lead contamination.

What are the Dangers of Lead Paint?
During a renovation or remodel, dust from lead paint removal can fill the air and be breathed in or small children could ingest lead paint chips that fall from the wall. For young children, lead poisoning can cause learning disabilities, hearing loss and behavior problems. In adults, lead poisoning can lead to hypertension and high blood pressure. Pregnant women run the risk of passing the poison on to their unborn child.

It is important that you find a remodeler who is trained in lead-safe work practices rather than try to do the work yourself. To ensure the safety of the home’s occupants, the EPA’s new regulation requires that any major renovation to homes built before 1978 must be performed by a certified remodeler or renovator.
 
What are Lead-Safe Work Practices?
EPA has a free brochure on its website called “Renovate Right” that provides guidance to home owners and contractors about the safe removal of lead paint. Your contractor should follow specific work practices, including these three simple procedures: 

• Contain the work area so that dust and debris do not escape. Warning signs should be put up and heavy-duty plastic and tape should be used to seal off doors and heating and cooling system vents and to cover the floors and any furniture that cannot be moved.
• Minimize dust. There is no way to eliminate dust, but some paint removal methods create less dust than others. For example, using water to mist areas before sanding or scraping; scoring paint before separating components; and prying and pulling apart components instead of breaking them. Methods that generate large amounts of dust and should not be used include open flame burning or torching; sanding, grinding, planing, needle gunning, or blasting with power tools and equipment not equipped with a shroud and high efficiency particulate air (HEPA) filter vacuum attachment; or using a heat gun at temperatures greater than 1100°F.
• Clean up thoroughly. When all the work is done, and before taking down any plastic that isolates the work area from the rest of the home, the area should be cleaned up using special cleaning methods. These include using a HEPA vacuum to clean up dust and debris on all surfaces, followed by wet mopping with plenty of water.

How Do I Find a Certified Remodeler?
To become lead-safe certified, a firm, and a contractor within that firm, must submit an application to the EPA and complete a federal or state-administered eight-hour class with two hours of hands-on training. To find a lead-safe certified contractor or firm near you, visit www.epa.gov/lead.
 
For more information on this and other building issues, contact the New River Valley Home Builders Association at 381-0180 or info@nrvhba.com.