Health and Safety

• Lowering hot surface temperatures
• Preventing accidental burns

Thermal insulation is one of the most effective means of protecting workers from burns resulting from contact with hot or extremely cold piping and equipment. For hot surfaces, especially, insulation reduces the surface temperature of piping or equipment to a safer level, resulting in increased worker safety and the avoidance of worker downtime due to injury. With today's specification tools it's very easy to calculate the insulation thickness needed to bring the surface temperature of your piping and equipment to safe levels.

In addition to the safety benefits of insulation, NIA member companies take job site safety very seriously and strive to meet the highest standards to protect their own personnel.

The Theodore H. Brodie Distinguished Safety Award

• For More Information
• To Learn More About the 2007 Safety Award Winners

Health and Safety Committee

The NIA is committed to the health, safety and welfare of its members, customers, and the insulation industry. Through professional safety leadership, the Committee will actively promote the highest standards of safety and health excellence, to ensure a safe working environment.

If you are an NIA member and would like more information about joining this committee, please contact the membership department. You may also log in to the Members Only to download committee minutes.

Articles

• Mold on Mechanical Insulation Systems
  Date: March 2008
  Author: Alec J. Rexroat

  Most people think of mold as a problem on ceilings or walls. Seldom do people consider mold as it pertains to mechanical insulation. Mold growth on mechanical insulation is usually a result of insulation failure, poor design conditions, or improper piping installation techniques. In many cases, the problem results from a combination of these factors.

  Mold needs water, an organic food source, and oxygen to survive. The oxygen supply is virtually everywhere in buildings. Therefore, the water source and food supply have to be controlled. This article describes various building mold ...READ FULL ARTICLE
  
  

• Firestop Systems Contractor Quality and Inspection: A Standardized Process
  Date: February 2008
  Author: Bill McHugh

  In January 1999, 40 contractors met to form the Firestop Contractors International Association (FCIA). Four committees formed immediately to work on the development of a body of knowledge for firestopping, a technical committee, an accreditation program for firestop contractors, codes and standards, and liaison work with the outside world. Eight years later, there are real standards for firestop installation and inspection quality that are catching on in other compartmentation disciplines. The purpose of this article is to provide a brief update on the firestopping industry.

  ...READ FULL ARTICLE
  
  

• Ask the Professional
  Date: October 2007
  Author: Gary Auman

  This recurring Insulation Outlook column features Gary Auman, the National Insulation Association’s (NIA’s) legal counsel. While attorneys cannot legally be called experts, Auman has agreed to answer some questions about business and legal issues. In addition to being NIA’s general counsel, Auman is an attorney at Dunlevey, Mahan & Furry and is actively involved with OSHA regulations. Contact him at 937-223-8550 or gwa@dmfdayton.com.

  Q: I have heard th...READ FULL ARTICLE
  
  

• Commitment to Safety Leads to Success
  Date: October 2007
  Author: Gary Auman

  The National Insulation Association (NIA) is committed to the safety of all who work in the commercial and industrial insulation industry. This commitment was furthered in 1998 when the organization re-established its Health and Safety Committee. In 2004, NIA instituted the Theodore H. Brodie Distinguished Safety Award. Rather than focus the award only on statistics, NIA determined that the award winner must demonstrate its commitment to safety in communicating and enforcing its safety program.

  A few years after the award was established, NIA’s Board of Directors decided th...READ FULL ARTICLE
  
  

• Side Effects
  
  One workplace accident can set off a chain of events for employers to handle. When it comes to on-the-job safety, prevention really is the best cure.
  Date: October 2007
  Author: Gary Auman

  Employers in every industry are deluged with information concerning on-the-job safety. Everyone knows that safety is the right thing to do and that it is the law, yet most employers do not take safety seriously. They talk a good game, but that is as far as it goes. Very few employers truly confront the potential for serious on-the-job injuries. Most will not accept the fact that with a serious injury, their world can collapse without warning like a house of cards.

  The first thing employers must accept is that without a well-planned, well-drafted, well-implemented, and well-enforce...READ FULL ARTICLE
  
  

• Introduction to Molds
  Date: September 2007

  Introduction to Molds

  Molds live in the soil, on plants, and on dead or decaying matter. Outdoors, molds play a key role in the breakdown of leaves, wood, and other plant debris. Molds belong to the kingdom fungi. Unlike plants, they lack chlorophyll and must survive by digesting plant and other organic materials for food. Without molds, our environment would be overwhelmed with large amounts of dead plant matter.

  Molds produce tiny spores to reproduce, just as some plants produce seeds. Mold spores can be found in both indoor and outdoor air, and on indoor and outdoo...READ FULL ARTICLE
  
  

• Quality Check
  
  Certification program creates a new resource for purchasers of building materials.
  Date: September 2007
  Author: Kalli Rasbury

  Improving indoor air quality and reducing mold growth are quickly becoming top priorities for all types of commercial building projects. Many factors—including the presence of moisture and volatile organic compounds (VOCs)—can affect indoor air quality. Testing for microbial growth helps point to problems that can lead to product deterioration. One organization leading the way in testing, studies, and indoor air quality certification is the GREENGUARD Environmental Institute (GEI). This industry-independent, nonprofit organization oversees the GREENGUARD Certification Program, w...READ FULL ARTICLE