TRSA Teamwork, Surveys Boost Fire-Prevention Efforts

TRSA is collaborating with European Textile Services Association (ETSA) member national associations as 2024 efforts continue to support linen, uniform and facility services operators in reducing fire risk. A survey of ETSA associations’ members is planned to add incident data already accumulated by TRSA and the Textile Services Association (TSA, U.K.).

TSA surveyed members in 2023 and TRSA did so this year; both associations gave their members the same questionnaire to report on each incident’s:

• Time of day the fire began
• Origin by textile product
• Incident type (spontaneous combustion, machinery, etc.)
• Fire management procedures in place at time of incident
• Extent of damage
• Extent of insurance claim or damage (in currency)

It’s anticipated that the ETSA-wide questionnaire will align with the TRSA/TSA survey, generating more data on the same metrics, creating a more useful benchmarking tool thanks to a larger database. More demographics, such as the industry the laundry primarily serves, will likely be added.

Fire safety has been a repeated topic at this year’s TRSA Regional Production Summit and Plant Tour series, presented at the first two such events (January, Las Vegas; April, Milwaukee). This continues at the upcoming regional summit, Oct. 15-16 in Newark, NJ (New York City area). Click here for registration and details.

Don Bock, a 40+ year veteran of industry operations and consulting, is the Summit presenter on fire safety and prevention. He discusses:

• Most common incident types, detailing prevention options for each
• Fundamentals of fire elements, chemical and exothermic reactions, sprinklers, valves
• Systems for thermal imaging, monitoring and abatement

Bock was risk and safety director for Mission Linen Supply (Santa Barbara, CA) after serving the company as a district manager. Currently principal of Seabright Safety Solutions, he is liaison to the TRSA Safety Committee.

Committee Chair Charles Edelman, corporate safety director, Unitex Healthcare Laundry Services (Elmsford, NY), presented a June TRSA webinar, “Enhancing Fire Safety in Commercial Laundries.” He provided in-depth guidance and covered the TRSA survey results. The webinar featured a video of a fire during laundry production and the experience of Johnny Sandras, Sanico Services, with a fire that infiltrated a gas line in the company’s Long Beach, MS plant. Click here to view. Webinar recordings are free to TRSA members.