Commercial Truck Repair Shop Violations

Todays post is provided by Roy Poteete.  Roy regularly blogs on issues related to business safety and the fire prevention. You can read his blog at http://www.rpoteete.blogspot.com/.

In this article I will post some pictures of a place I use too work at. These pictures were taken with premission of said employeer and I took these pictures the same night the fire inspector came and did his so called fire inspection and pass the building as being compliant with State, Local, County Building and BOCA Building Codes. Just look at the gross neglect and how careless the inspector was! Allowing storage of Caustic, Paint Thinners, Paint, Caulk, gallon of WD40, combustibles and several packs of steel wool......you are asking for trouble. These are stored in a plactic storage locker and about 25' away is a marked flammable storage locker. But look at the pictures.....from NO SMOKE DETECTOR TO FIRE EXTINGUISHERS NOT MARKED, SERVICED, INSPECTED AND IMPROPER PLACEMENT OF SAID EQUIPMENT TO THE USE OF AN OIL TRANSFEER PUMP THAT IS NOT FOR THE USE ITS BEING USED FOR. THE PUMP DOES NOT HAVE APPROVAL FOR HAZARDS LIQUIDS OR FOR IN HAZARDOUS ENVIRONMENT!

EPIC FAILURE ON THE PART OF THE FIRE CHIEF, THE FIRE INSPECTOR AND THE BUILDINGS OWNER AND THE MECHANIC THAT IS SUPPOSE TO PLACE THE SAID FLAMMABLES AND CAUSTIC IN THE PROPER PLACE.

MISSING SMOKE DETECTOR, THIS IS THE ONLY LOCATION IN THIS FACILITY FOR SMOKE DETECTOR

 IMPROPER STORAGE UNDER WOOD STEPS

FLAMMABLE LIQUIDS STORED IN A PLASTIC STORAGE CABINET

IMOPROPER UNSECURED STORAGE ON A WOOD COMBUSTIBLE MADE SHELF, ABOVE A TANK OF OIL.

ABOVE IS A STORAGE TANK FILLED WITH DIESEL FUEL NOT MARKED, ABOUT 2' AWAY FROM THE ELECTRIC CIRCUT PANEL

STORAGE UNDER THE STEPS OF COMBUSTIBLE FORM, ALSO A DIESEL ELECTRIC POWERED STEAM WASHER THAT IS IN USE EMITTING HOT GASES INTO THE BUILDING CAUSING A CO INCREASE AND NO EXHAUST SYSTEM TO EXTRACT THE CO FROM THE BUILDING.

STORAGE OF MIXED PARTS WITH FLAMMABLE COMPRESSED CLEANERS IN THE CARDBOARD BOXES ON THE SHELF

STORAGE OF PAINT, PAINT THINNERS, CAUSTIC ACIDS, CAULKS, WD40 AND OTHER COMBUSTIBLES IN A PLASTIC STORAGE LOCKER.

OIL DUMP AREA....THE PUMP IS NOT MARKED FOR HAZARD OR FLAMABLES LIQUIDS. LOOK AT THE PLACEMENT OF THE FIRE EXTINGUISHER. IF A FIRE WAS TOO HAPPEN IN THE AREA YOU WOULD NOT BE ABLE TO RETREIVE TO EXTINGUISH THE FIRE.

NO EMERGENCY ESCAPE LIGHTS ANYWHERE IN THE BUILDING. THE DUAL LIGHTS ON THE MOTION DETECTOR ONLY WORKS ON MOTION AND WHEN NO LIGHTS ARE ON. NOT APPROVED FOR EMERGENCY ESCAPE LIGHTS.

STORAGE OF COMBUSTABLES UNDER WOOD STEPS, WITH A PARTS WASHER SITTING AGAINST THE STAIR RAILINGS. UNDER THE STEPS IS BRAKE CLEANERS, GALLONS OF OIL, TUBES OF GREASE, PAPER, AND WORK CLOTHES. THERE IS NO STORAGE CONTAINER FOR WORK/SHOP TOWELS IN THE BUILDING. THE MECHANIC TOSSES THE TOWELS IN WITH HIS WORK CLOTHES.

ALUMINUM LADDER LEANING AGAINST A BANK OF BATTERIES....WHAT YOU CANNOT SEE IS THAT THE LADDER IS TOUCHING ONE OF THE POSTS ON THE BATTERY.

Additional note: This building has outside electric oultlets that are not GFCI Protected nor is the Electric panel and they lay electric cords on the ground not waterproofed plugs. Make sure when you inspect the building that at least the panel is GFCI portected on the panel if the outlets are not GFCI protected.

Note: the fire inspector completed this building in 15 minutes and it passed.....complete failure on his part too allow this to pass.


Be Fire Safe, Be Fire Wise and do a complete thorough inspection, as well as a complete fire building pre-plan include that they (business operators) have a complete MSDS for all chemicals that they use.

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State Fair FD

This post was provided by Roy Poteete.  Roy is a retired firefighter/emt, he blogs on fire and safety issues.  His blog can be read at rpoteete.blogspot.com.

In 1962 the Missouri State Fair Fire Department was born. Like a baby it was coddled and brought to life to be a premier and elite all Volunteer Fire and EMS Department in the USA today. 


This a fully volunteer Fire and EMS Service that is staffed by dedicated Fire, Rescue and EMS Professionals. During the 11 full days of the State Fair; the work week prior to the Fair opening. Then after the fair closes these professionals do not just pack up and go home. NOPE! These professionals are still on duty for the work week after the fair closes to provide fire and first aid to the workers taking down the fair. This unique Fire and EMS Department functions with a mixture of Union and Volunteer Firefighters, Paramedics, EMT's,  who give there vacation time to staff this department. 


The State Fair Fire Department comprised of the following that is donated for use to the State Fair:

• Fire Trucks can come equipped or not equipped
• Rescue Equipment, fire hose, tools, medical equipment etc
• Ambulances, basic medical supplies stocked or an empty ambulance
• Some Fire Equipment Dealers offer tools, or other equipment for use to the fair via the Manufacture.
• EMS Rapid response Carts

The Fair usually has about 4 to 5 fire trucks and even could have a ladder truck and or a tanker. There is usually 5 to 6 Ambulances there as well


Firefighters/Paramedics, EMT's:


These proud professionals dedicated there vacation time from there full time job to Protect and Serve the State Fair and that fair attendees. These men and women are from all over the State of Missouri. You may have Fireifghters/Paramedics/EMT from different fire departments that may take advantage of being on this elite group of professionals during the Fair. The fair fire department has about 75  men and or women will participate and sleep in the separate bunk houses.

The work week prior to the Opening Day of the Fair:


This work week is when fireifghters, staff member's arrive and open the Fire Station. The work week is just that. Cleaning the fire station, bunk rooms, getting the water turned on, making sure the ice machine works, inventorying the equipment donated. If a fire truck arrives unequipped then its there task to gather donated equipment and stock a fire truck. The same goes for the ambulances. While these proud professionals are working to get the equipment ready they are also on stand by for emergency responses to any and all calls on the fair grounds and mutual aid to the city of Sadelia, MO. As each day passes more and more fireifghters and equipment arrives. Once all the arriving crews have arrived got there assignments, trucks they get to pick out a bunk and make there bunk. 


Fair Week:


Once the fair starts the fire department functions like a paid 24/7/365 days department. They will do building inspections, fire extinguisher inspections, hood system inspections, sporting event inspections (stands, electrical, rigging) carnival inspections. They also test fire hose, scba's, and other equipment. They run actual medical calls and transport to the local hospital or call for air evac to Columbia, MO to the University Level 1 Trauma Center or to Kansas City, MO other Level 1 & 2 Trauma Centers. They also provide fire protection service and fire extinguisher training to the workers of the tents/stands to make sure that everyone know how to handle a fire extinguisher.  They provide Fire, Rescue, EMS services to sporting events, concerts, demonstrations and at the direction of the State Fair Officials. 
On Sporting events that take place you may have to watch bull riding while your friends are watching a concert like George Strait. Some may be watching a dirt track race while others are doing a demonstration at the fire station. Not everyone can work everyday so you can be rotated off the fire truck to the ambulance or ambulance to the fire truck. The only way you will be allowed to be on the ambulance is you must have a current EMT or Paramedic License. You may also have the night off and attend a concert like Wynona Judd and catch a ride to the concert in the back of the ambulance. You may be off but if a mass casualty incident arises your expected to be able to assist.


This year is the first time in the State Fair Fire Departments history that they provided mutual aid to the City of Sadelia, MO Fire Department since 1962.


Fair over and ending work week:


the fair is over you made friends, meet new people, shaked many hands received many Thank You's for your participation. Now is the time you inventory the equipment. Get the donated equipment ready to be taken or shipped back to the rightful Fire and or EMS department. Your there for the fair workers taking down the tents, stands. If there is a fire, or medical emergency your there to serve them. Once all workers are gone, the Fair buildings have been winterized it is a ghost town. Then the dreadful day comes. You wake up say your good byes to the others that have been there with you. The fair has end and the workers are gone. 


The work begins on organizing the Fair Fire Dept for the next year as soon as Command gets the date. Many man hours goes into the planning, running of the department. 


More information can be obtained from their facebook.com/Missouri State Fair Fire Department, Fire Fighters Association of Missouri.


Perks for being on the Missouri State Fair Fire Department:

• 3 Free Meals a day, 
• Clothing Provided to wear so everyone is dressed in the same white jump suites with the FFAM (Fire Fighters Association of Missouri  http://ffam.org/) and State Fair Fire Department Logo on the back
• Free Concerts
• Free admission to the State Fair and parking. 
• The fun and joy of meeting new friends that will last a lifetime and seeing smiles on the children's faces as you allow them to jump climb on the fire trucks. 

It is believed to be the only State Fair that has a fully functional volunteer Staffed Fire Department for about 25 days a year. 


I have been personally on this department many times. I thoroughly enjoyed my time on this elite group of men and women that protect the fair, fair goers, staff and event attendees. 

Spidey Sense Tingling?

Enjoy this guest post from Roy Poteete.

It is all the rage Light Weight Building Material. From Wood I Beams to Open Web Floor Truss. Cities and local building codes are allowing these materials to be used to save the contractor money on the front end of there cost to make a huge profit on the back end.

But what is really instore is a potential Fatal Hazard for the Firefighters, the Home Owners or anyone that might be trapped inside the structure. Open Web Floor Truss; check out the video link as you can see that there is only 2x4's top and bottom and a steel web gusset palte that is stamped/rolled into the wood. These gusset paltes only penetrate the wood about 1/4".

Firefighters you need to know where these houses are being built, subdivisions and the homes that these are built with. They have a faster burn thru time vs. a #1 Southeren Yellow Pine 2"x12" floor joist. 

Yes, they offer a ease of building, open floor web trusses allow for duct work, electric, plumbing to be ran thru it. But the danger of failure is the same as in any roof truss. Failure in any web member and you have a total failure in all web members and the truss system. 

Wood I beams......where to start. They should be outlawed as well. I am sold on traditional building materials of a #1 Southern Yellow Pine 2" X 12" floor joist.

Check out this video of a Wood I Beam. You can cut a hole in them allowing the threat of fire to potentially travel thru the hole to another floor joist. Allow the fire to attack the wood fibers of the OSB Board that they are made with. They are attached with a 8 penny nail. A nail that is about 2.5" in length. A 16 penny nail is about 3.5" in length. So the depth of an 8 penny nail is shorter then a 16 penny. so attachment is 1" less. 


Know where these products are being used. Make sure that the crews are aware of these building materials being used. You may want to go on a defensive attack when encountering these structures. Make sure that the home owners are aware of the potential danger of trapping a firefighter and failure of the floor systems could cause the structure to collapse.

Washed A-Shore

Enjoy this guest post from Roy Poteete.

Ever since the building boom of the housing industry since the 1980's and the ever increasing regulations of putting electrical water and sewer lines undergound for added safety we foregot one thing and it is TRENCH WORKER SAFETY AND TRECH COLLAPSE.

Having taken a Trench Collapse Rescue Course thru Missouri Fire Rescue Training Institute, Columbia, MO; we learned one major thing.......the weight of the dirt is enough to crush your body at 5' depth and a 16" wide hole.

As a firefighter do you know the weight of a cubic yard of dirt? if not you need to do some research and learn this answer.

So why are the Fire Departments not inspecting these operations and putting in place along with the City and or County Councils to ensure worker safety with a regulation such as:

"TRENCH WORKER SAFETY, INSPECTIONS AND WORK PERMIT

Q: So should Trench Work be inspected daily by the fire department and or the local building inspectors?
A: YES! By not having this you are only creating a problem for workers. You may have a mom and pop plumbing company that has to replace a sewer line like above. If the trench would of collapsed with the worker inside the trench it would of cost them their business and a huge fine from OSHA. 

By mandating in a regualiton that all TRENCH WORK must have a permit and the operations while in the trench has the proper shoring equipment in place while working will save the oeprations money in fines and death benefits. 

Q: So why are not Fire Departments and local building codes not enforcing this issue?
A: Money, staffing/manpower; and local mom & pop plumbing business.

Mandating a Regualtions and a permit fee you can offset the cost of manpower to inspect these work sites.

Q: What if a mom & pop does not have the money to purchase the equipment (Shoring)?
A: They can rent them from local equipment rental supply companies. 

Understanding the importance of shoring properly, using fans to help circulate air to prevent methan gas explosions in the trench and or methane gas back up and other gases. These gases are Deadly and they have no smell. 

Q: Should Fire Department give a Trench Worker Safety Class?
A: Yes, most fire departments has a training officer. He/She can be used to teach this class. Most constuction companies do not work in the cold/snowy months. This is the best time to give these classes. Go to the companies and offer the class. Use the training officer to aid in promoting your department. That is there job. To train. Yes, to train the fire department but expand your area of training to include construction workers. Go to the Union Halls. Most unions mandate some sort of training requirments for the workers. This is your time to shine and show your department off and cross train with them.

Got you interested in something about this blogspot? Then go learn TRENCH COLLAPSE RESCUE and teach the workers that are inside this potential DEATH TRAPS.