CONSTRUCTION QUESTIONS
Research the 2005 fire at the Patrick Air Force Base Officers’ Club. Write a short description of the incident to include the cause of the fire, the amount of damage, and measures that could have been used to prevent the fire.
In 2005, a fire burned down part of Patrick Air Force Base Officer’s club, which was known not only for housing the military activities but also as a social center for the residents of the beach town. The club hosted dinners, wedding receptions, and other social functions. The investigation report established that the fire started from the kitchen. A roofer’s torch was responsible for the outbreak as it had ignited a flammable material at the roof of the kitchen. The roof smoldered unnoticed, and within a short time, the fire had spread to other parts of the kitchen. The presence of other flammable ingredients, materials, and electrical devices amplified the fire further.
Over 70 firefighters, public safety officials, and the surrounding community members tried to extinguish the fire, but it overwhelmed them. The respondents could not enter inside the building to control it from spreading quickly; therefore, it razed and expanded to other parts of the club. Luckily, 22 people were rescued without incidence of death (Patrick Air Force Base, 2005). Nonetheless, the fire destroyed 40,000 square foot of the area since the response to the tragedy was not immediate. The damage could have been reduced had the roof and kitchen facility fitted with anti-fire and smoke detectors. Furthermore, the roof should have been made of inactive and flammable materials.
Material Storage and Handling.
What is the maximum allowable height for stacking bricks? What other requirements apply to stacked bricks?
The maximum allowable height for stacking bricks is 7 feet. However, it is necessary for workers to give an allowance for the height and stack the bricks below the 7 feet requirement. Moreover, after the 4 feet height, the user should taper them at 2 inches for each foot of height (Occupational Safety and Health Administration, 2005). When packaged, one should be keen not to exceed a height of three units. In addition to observing the height and other measurement limits, various types of bricks should be stacked separately. For instance, modular, non-modular, clay, perforated, hollow, and solid bricks should be stacked separately to enable the workers to handle them efficiently. Furthermore, they should be stored near the site to avoid the risk of breakage and time wasting during offloading and transportation.
What is the maximum allowable height for stacking lumber? What other requirements apply to stacked lumber?
The maximum height for stacking lumbers depends on the method an individual prefers, for instance, when stacking them manually, the maximum height should not exceed 16 feet. Otherwise, those stacked by a forklift can reach but not exceed 20 feet (Occupational Safety and Health Administration, 2005). Before stacking them, the operator must ensure that all nails in any of the lumber are removed to reduce the risk of injuries during the loading, offloading, and transportation process. The stack of lumber should sit approximately 150 mm above the ground to avoid direct contact with a wet surface or untreated areas that could lead to rotting piles. The storage facility should be away from direct sunlight wind or rain. The excess sun can cause non-uniform expansion and contraction of the lumber into undesired shape.
Similarly, high wind speed can topple the stacks and damage the nearby items. After stacking the lumber to the maximum height, it is recommended that the operator places a heavy object on top with a heavy and large section of wood or metal rail to avoid warping or distortion of individual timber in the stack (Suryakanta, 2014). Equally, if the user plans to store the lumber for more than ten months, they should coat the ends and edges with micro-crystalline wax, aluminum leaf paints, or coal tar to prevent them from cracking.
What is the rated capacity of a ½ inch diameter Grade 80 alloy steel chain sling when used in a double leg bridle sling configuration at a 45° vertical angle?
According to the US Department of Labor, the standard rated capacity is 17,000 pounds.
References
Occupational Safety and Health Administration, (2002). Materials handling and storage. U.S
Department of Labor, Washington Dc. Retrieved https://www.osha.gov/dsg/guidance/slings/tables-figures.html.
Patrick Air Force Base, (2005). Fire destroys Patrick club. Retrieved
https://www.af.mil/News/Article-Display/Article/135110/fire-destroys-patrick-club/.
Suryakanta, P. (2014). How to store timber on site? CivilBlog. Retrieved