THE UNDERWRITERS’ LABORATORIES

THE UNDERWRITERS’ LABORATORIES

成员威廉·h·美林员工的Chicago Underwriters’ Laboratories, read a paper on the above subject at the recent meeting of the International Association of Fire Engineers from which the following is taken:

Mr. President and Members: Underwriters' Laboratories, Incorporated, as many of you know, is an institution operating under the direction of the National Board of Fire Under writers. Its principal offices and testing sta tion are located in Chicago. It has branch offices for the conduct of its business in thirtytwo other cities in the United States and Canada. The Chicago plant occupies a 3-story and basement building of fireproof construction containing something over 20,00 square feet of floor space with a frontage of no feet. Yard space is provided for huts and large testing furnaces. The main building in Chicago is, perhaps, the best example in America of absolutely fireproof construction furnished with fireproof finish and equipment. It has been designed as a model to show a practical solution of many of the problems raised by the enormous and disproportionate loss by fire in the United States. Brick, terra cotta, concrete, stone, steel and iron, are exclusively used in the structural features. The window frames and sash are of metal with wired glass, the doors are metal, the desks and filing cases in the main office are of steel, and even some of the picture frames are of the same material. No wood or other combustible material is used in any portion of the finish or equipment. In addition, the plant is equipped with automatic sprinklers, and the lighting and heating hazards arc safeguarded with every known precaution applicable to their installation in buildings of frame construction. From this description you will realize that in this case the underwriters have gone to the extreme in adopting in their own property all of the measures they are known to recommend in the property of others. Forty-five persons are employed in the Chicago plant, which has a value of approximately $100,000. The business of this institution is the examination and testing of appliances, devices, systems and materials having a bearing on the fire hazard. These include appliances designed to aid in extinguishing fires such as automatic sprinklers, pumps, band fire appliances, hose, hydrants, nozzles, valves, etc., materials and devices designed to retard the spread of fire such as structural methods and materials, fire doors and shutters, fire windows, etc.: and machines and fittings which may be instrumental in causing a fire such as gas and oil appliances, electrical fittings, chemicals and the various machines and appurtenances used in lighting and heating.