Fire extinguishers at work - a surprise conversation yesterday

[underpants]

So we moved into a new building last week. Yesterday I saw the fire extinguisher sitting on the floor so I asked one our "operations" guys if he could hang it on the wall. He said, "Sure but not today". No problem.

BTW - I bought the fire extinguishers myself two years ago when I first started working there because I realized while standing in the break room (with funcitoning oven, 2 microwaves, and a coffee maker) that there weren't any. I bought one for each of the two buildings our company occupies (about 60 employees).

I figure I should run this by the chief operations guy:
"Hey do you think we can hang the fire extinguisher on the wall. There is a mount on it"
Operations guy "I don't think we need to"
"Well, we have it..."
he interrupts "Is it computer safe?"
HUH? Who cares? If there is a fire put the fire out don't worry about computers in another room.
Me "Computer safe??? .....I have no idea".
I had thought about saving the stupid equipment in the case of a fire. I assumed that minimizing damage and protecting the people in the building were the primary concerns.

Then I look up becasue I was going to say "Well I guess it is okay to just have the sprinklers go off ON the computers" when I realized there are no sprinklers in the building.

An HVAC guy was there so I said to him "Why aren't there sprinklers?"
HVAC guy "They aren't required. This building is fire rated. If this was a daycare or retail you would need them"
Me "So what is the plan if there is a fire?"
HVAC guy "You can run can't you?"

I just assumed that every building would have at least sprinklers and, of course, having a fire extinguisher is always a good thing like for when THERE IS A FIRE!!!


I guess not.

[RevStPatrick]

1. Is your building located at...

...23-29 Washington Place in New York City?

[underpants]

2. No. What is at that spot?

we are just outside of Richmond VA.

[RevStPatrick]

5. I've been in that building...

It's now part of the NYU campus, but back in the day it was the location of the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory fire:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Triangle_Shirtwaist_Factory_fire

[Denninmi]

6. 23-29 Washington Place in Manhattan is the Brown Building.

Formerly the Asch Building, the site of the Triangle Shirwaist Company fire in 1911, where 146 garment workers died because management ran a sweatshop in terribly unsafe conditions and locked the workers in so they couldn't go outside to take breaks.

[underpants]

8. The reason that all doors in public building must open OUT

across the country

[elleng]

3. Haven't read it all, but here are MARYLAND rules!

http://firemarshal.state.md.us/pdf/State%20Fire%20Prevention%20Code%202010%20January%2001%20Adopted.pdf

GOOD LUCK!

[underpants]

4. I was also told that there was no need for a fire marshal inspection

I don't know - maybe that is just part of the building code inspection

[rrneck]

7. heh...

Or as we used to say in the office furniture business:

Designed by accountants.
Manufactured by inmates.
Sold by sociopaths.
Installed by idiots.

(I was one of the idiots.)