A properly operating fire alarm pull station is of the utmost importance to creating an environment of fire safety. The placement, location and proper maintenance of afire alarm pull station are all factors that are required to make sure the fire alarm functions properly. Remember it is the responsibility of the owner to make sure that a strict schedule is put in place to check the station regularly.

The placement of the station should be in an area where it is clearly visible. No one should be unable to notice the pull station upon even a mere cursory glance around a room or hallway. It needs to be placed on a spot on the wall will it will not be out of the reach of anyone except for a small child. If the person who discovers the presence of a fire is unable to sound an alarm that would save peoples lives, then thefire alarm is totally rendered useless.

Periodic inspections of the station are also necessary. Fire alarm drills are highly advised as not only would this give a clear indication of the levers functionality, but also any deficiencies in individuals reaction to the alarm. If the lever sticks or the alarm itself is defective, then repairs or replacements will be in order.

Probably one of the most unique extras that one could have attached to a fire alarm pull station would be an invisible mist that sprays out of the fire alarm and covers the hand of the person pulling down the alarm handle. The mist that stains the hand is not visible at all without bathing the persons hand under an ultra violet light. Furthermore, the mist stains can not be washed off or removed. It eventually wears away over a period of at least two days. While this accessory for a pull station may not be needed at a private residence, for hotels, motels, businesses or public places, it is an excellent deterrent to anyone creating a false alarm by pulling down on the lever. A wise guy would probably think twice about pulling such a dangerous prank if the ability to prove who pulled the alarm was made possible by the unseen mist.

Installing a system usually turns out to be the wisest move many people ever made. A fire alarm pull station is only worthwhile if it works properly and serves the primary purpose that it is meant to serve: allowing an alarm to sound.

As a home owner, your physical safety is very important. You, your loved ones as well all your personal and most cherished possessions are in your home so it is vital to keep it physically safe from intruders.

On the other hand, if you are a business owner and you lease or own a commercial building or establishment, the physical security of your business’ premises is extremely important.

Not only will you be protecting your investments, you will also ensure that the people whose livelihood depends on your business will not be lacking of something to rely on.

A home or office security system is an essential part in ensuring the physical safety of your house or a business establishment.

Security systems in the home may be personally setup, while a building office security system can be professionally installed.

There are companies which specialize in setting up a home security system for home or office use if you want it professionally installed.

Even in the simplest home or office alarm setup, a video security system is important so that you can visually keep track of the going-on’s within the secured premises.

A reliable security camera system is one of the safety measures that you can take in ensuring that your home or office are safe from harm or any untoward incidents that may damage your property or hurt you physically.

Here are some of the things that you should consider when getting a security camera system for home or office use:

1. The number of security cameras to be installed and the location where they need to be setup.

When installing a security camera system, study the entire perimeter that you want monitored and decide how many cameras you will need, as well as the strategic locations where you can place each camera.

There are security cameras which come with the standard features, but any additional option can be put to good use. For example, a single camera that automatically spans a wide area is better than installing two stillcameras for the same perimeter to be monitored.

2. The additional features that come with the security camera system to be installed.

First, it is good to decide on the ‘level’ of security that you will need. Once you have scanned the entire area where you want to place the security camera system, you can decide on the spots where they can be installed.

Second, you can decide which additional security camera features you need, depending on the level of security.

Most large business establishments would require security camera systems which come with remote viewing features, Internet viewing, plug-and-play functionalities, day and night vision and built-in processing are just some of the advanced features that you can choose from.

Security camera systems would allow you to feel safer, knowing that whether you are at home or in the office, you can be alarmed visually if there is a threat to your safety.

Nothing beats the sense of security that one feels with the proper security system installed, be it at home or in the office, and contribute to your overall well-being and peace of mind.

Apartment Complexes are a popular type of rental living because of its economy. Amenities such as swimming pools, computer rooms, 24-hour gyms, and on site laundry facilities offered by apartmentcomplexes adds to the appeal. Some apartment complexes even have tennis and/or volleyball courts.

As a general rule, apartment complexes have a clubhouse, sometimes equipped with a game room, and large screen television. The clubhouse is usually available for rental. Tenants can rent the clubhouse for social events, and business meetings. This added benefit makes the apartment complex an ideal rental situation for individuals and families who cannot afford living space large enough for entertaining.

Conversely, apartment complexes have become targets for home invasions and burglary. It is not unusual to turn on the nightly news in most major cities only to hear of accounts of auto vandalism, attempted rape, arson, and burglary at gunpoint at one or more local apartment units.

Due to this increase in apartment crime, law enforcement officials have put out pamphlets and news alerts in most major cities with advice on keeping one safe in apartment dwellings. This article is based on aforementioned advice and offers ten tips for a more secure apartment.

Ten Security Tips

1. Chain locks offer little protection and cheap locks can be disabled easily. If the apartment does not have a good deadbolt lock on the door, ask permission of the apartment manager to put one on the door. Do be certain that the management has a key if they need to gain access into your apartment.

2. Never leave your apartment door unlocked. This includes when you leave to get the mail or take out the trash. Someone lurking in the breezeway could gain access quickly.

3 Most apartment complexes have peepholes already installed on the door. If not, ask if you can install one for your added safety.

4. Never open your door to a stranger. Require all utility/repair men to provide identification before opening the door and allowing entry into your apartment. If there is no peephole, have the repairman slip the ID under the door so you can check it out. If still uncertain, look up the telephone number, (do not accept one they give you) and call to verify the information.

5. When away from home , use timers for radios, televisions and lights so that the home looks occupied. If you will be away for a while, get a buddy system going with a trusted neighbor to keep an eye on each other’s home.

6. It is a good idea to buddy up with a neighbor to do laundry. Many complexes keep these doors locked allowing keys only to tenants. Unfortunately this is not always the case and laundry rooms can pose danger if kept unlocked allowing transients and criminals access.

7. Do not hesitate to call the police immediately if you see suspicious activity. Then take steps to report it to the Apartment Manager. If you report it to the manager first it may be too late for would be criminals to be caught in the act. The police cannot do anything after the fact if the apartment manager is slow about calling the police or waits until the next day to reports the incident.

8. Law Enforcement and Crime Prevention officials advise keeping a light on at night. As a general rule apartment complex property is well lit up. If you notice that a light is out, notify the management. It could take days before the management becomes aware. A well-lit area is the best way to prevent vandalism.

9. Because of the large amount of vehicles in one area, complex parking lots are a target for vandalism. To avoid damage to your car, do not leave valuable items within visibility. Do keep doors locked and park in well lighted areas if possible.

10. To prevent someone fooling you with knowledge who you are, use only your first initial on the door, mailbox, and in the phone book. This is especially important for women living alone, as they are often targets for rape and sexual assualt.

While you do not want to be frightened, you do want to exercise caution. Following these security measures will minimize potential danger to your person and your valuables.

Excrement is the major source of dangerous micro-organisms like coliform, fecal coliform, Escherichia coliform, and Enterococcus.

The Health Dangers of Sewage

Being exposed to sewage or its products could result in a number of diseases:

Allergic Alveolitis
Inflammation of the alveoli in the lungs is seldom reported with relation to sewage backup. However, when reported its symptoms include fever, breathlessness, dry cough, and aching muscles and joints.

Gastroenteritis
When irritation is excessive, symptoms of gastroenteritis (an inflammation of the stomach and the intestine) can include diarrhea with vomiting and cramps, and is often associated with fever when caused by an infectious agent.

Hepatitis
Literally, Hepatitis means inflammation of the liver and caused by a virus known as viral hepatitis. When Hepatitis is an outcome ofsewage backup, it is often characterized by jaundice and inflammation of the liver.

Weil’s disease
An acute feverish disease with symptoms of gastroenteritis, mild jaundice, persistent and severe headache.

Occupational asthma
A respiratory disorder, occupational asthma shows symptoms of attacks of breathlessness, chest tightness, and wheezing.

Additional health dangers include fatal liver, kidney, blood damage, and skin or eye infection.

Spreading Disease

There are 3 common ways for micro-organisms to penetrate the human body. Hand-to-mouth is the most common way to spread disease and occurs during eating, drinking and smoking. Contaminated organisms could easily enter the body as we breathe aerosolized particles or contaminated dust. Skin contact with contaminated organisms occurs through cuts, scratches, or penetrating wounds, and can enter the body through the surfaces of the eyes, nose and mouth.

Materials that are extremely hazardous to property, health or the environment (highly toxic gas, explosive, highly water reactive, and pyrophoric materials for example) must not be procured until the necessary permits, administrative, engineering and environmental controls are in place.

Hazardous materials must be stored and used in accordance with numerous regulations including, but not limited to, the Uniform Fire Code and local amendments.

Permits are required for any quantity of highly hazardous material, and for small to moderate quantities of other materials. (For example, a permit is required for any quantity of highly toxic or unstable material and for flammable liquids in quantities in excess of five gallons in a building).
Contact the Fire Department directly or EH&S Facility Safety office (206.543.0465) for assistance.

Rooms where hazardous materials are stored or used in quantities that exceed certain thresholds, and rooms dedicated to storing hazardous materials are required to have a National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) diamond sign on all doors. Call EH&S Facility Safety office at 543-0465 for further information and signs.

Flammable Liquids: The quantity of flammable liquids in a single laboratory stored outside of an approved flammable liquids cabinet must not exceed 10 gallons. All 10 gallons, unless in use, must be stored in approved containers as indicated in the table below.

Peroxide Forming Chemicals: Peroxides may form in some organic compounds by autoxidation. Peroxides can cause serious accidents and, in some circumstances, become low power explosives that can be set off by shock, sparks or other forms of ignition. Some organic compounds form peroxides in a matter of months under the right circumstance. Be aware of organic compounds in your lab and remember to mark the expiration date on each container and review them periodically for disposal. Ether is an example of peroxide forming chemical.

Pyrophoric Material: Pyrophoric material is a material that will spontaneously ignite when it comes into contact with air. This material is only permitted in fire sprinkler protected laboratories in very small quantities (4 pounds aggregate per zone). Potassium metal is an example of a pyrophoric material. Extreme precaution is required when working with this type of material.

Highly Toxic Material: Materials classified as highly toxic are only permitted in small quantities in University buildings (Up to 10 pounds per zone). Highly toxic gas, like Arsine, is not allowed in any quantity without engineering controls and a special permit from the Seattle Fire Department.

Incompatible Materials: Incompatible materials are materials which, when in contact with each other, have the potential to react in a manner that generate heat, fumes, gases, or byproducts which are hazardous. For quantities of greater than 5 pounds or 1/2 gallon, separation by not less than 20 feet, approved cabinets, or a noncombustible partition is required. Smaller quantities should also be isolated whenever practical. A common violation is flammable liquids stored with oxidizers.

Flammable Liquids and Basements: The International Fire Code prohibits storage of flammable liquids in basements. However, there are two general exceptions as follows that apply to the University of Washington:

Existing grandfathered Class H Occupancy rooms (i.e., chemical stockrooms design specifically for bulk storage of flammable liquids). New Class H occupancy rooms for flammable liquids are not allowed in basements.

Your waste will be picked up in two to four weeks. Please plan ahead and be patient. Each waste item must be tracked from the point of generation to incineration, and we do the paperwork for hundreds of containers of waste every week. Chemicals that are corrosive, flammable, toxic, or explosive are by legal definition “hazardous”. Some additional chemicals are handled as hazardous waste because they are carcinogenic, persistent in the environment, or are not allowed in the trash because they generate dusts or other hazard. Large volumes of waste or numbers of containers may take longer to collect due to the long time it takes to process the chemicals (it usually takes an hour to process one Chemical Collection Request) and the limited space on our trucks. Routine collection requests are faster because much of the paperwork is done already. If your waste is accumulated improperly (according the above guidelines), we will stop to discuss the problem with you if you are present. We will not pick up your waste until the problem has been corrected.

All new employees as well as anyone rusty on the basics of hazardous waste management should take this training. It covers hazardous waste definitions, labeling, storage, and disposal and includes a short quiz, all of which should take only ten to twenty minutes to complete. If you pass the quiz, you may request a certificate of completion for your training records at any job that you are working at.