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Are You Playing in the Zone?
Understanding all the available options is critical when looking for a network solution that will support convergence, intelligent building systems, data center reliability, Internet protocol (IP) everywhere, "green" buildings and more, all while saving money and improving efficiency. Read the full article ...
Inspect Before You Connect
Fiber connectors are widely known as the weakest and most problematic points in a network making proper handling of the optical fiber connections more critical than ever. Read the full article ...
The Elements of Fiber Cable Management
As business, university and government network managers continue upgrading their networks to transport high-bandwidth broadband services, an increase in fiber usage is essential to meet both the bandwidth and cost requirements. But just deploying this additional fiber is not enough. A successful, well-built network also must be based on a strong fiber cable management system. Read the full article ...
A new cabling system that promotes safety and performance at home and work
Across the country, computer and Internet communications are extending tentacles into every space that we occupy. The residential and small office frontier is being swept up in the need for speed and the power to connect. FTTH (Fiber To The Home) is rushing into the communities across the land. With the BIG PIPE comes a host of valuable and convenient services: On-line banking, security with video surveillance, fire alarm and emergency alert services, video (Television), telephone, Internet access, voice mail, e-mail, medical – accounting - legal and smart home services not even dreamed of yet. Read the full article ...
AN ADVISORY TO JMME, INC. CLIENTS AND ASSOCIATES REGARDING ALLEGATIONS AGAINST STEEL CONDUIT COUPLINGS
Profit motivated information has been submitted informally to the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) in an apparent attempt by a fluoropolymer chemical manufacturer seeking to discredit non-fire rated cable used in steel electrical metallic tubing (EMT) conduit to potentially increase demand for "plenum rated cable" or "other fire-rated cables to be installed in conduit." Read the full article ...
Self-Defense for the Contractor
There are many pitfalls for the contractor. They need self-defense. Costs can sneak up and wipe out the profit from a project. Some of the surprises cannot be prevented, but most of the nasty developments can be avoided. Planning is crucial, and the agreement for the project should be well defined, with some clauses to address the unforeseen and unexpected expenses. Read the full article ...
JMME, Inc.: Consultant, Advisor, Advocate and Strategist
An Unwavering Voice in the Debate Over Safe and Effective Plastics
(Philadelphia, PA March 22, 2006)
JMME, Inc. (http://www.jmme.com) is a consulting firm providing manufacturers, end users and regulators with advice and strategic guidance on the important role plastics play in today's corporate and personal worlds. Since its inception, JMME has been dedicated to corporate responsibility for developing safe products, effective protections provided by codes and standards for the safe use of plastic products and the overall protection of sports participants and spectators through effective testing and development of plastic sports equipment. Read the full article ...
CABLING SAFETY NEWS ALERT
Cabling News from the NFPA World Safety Conference & Exposition® June 6-10, 2005 & results of the Technical Committee Session (National Fire Protection Association www.nfpa.org)
NFPA 90A = The NFPA body voted to return the entire document to the committee. This means that the committee will be asked:
1) Should the deliberations on the ENTIRE document including all wire, cable and damper issues be scheduled for new public comments or new public proposals?
2) How should the committee address the request of NFPA Standards Council to have a single minimum for cable?
As the NFPA meeting was in Vegas, there was a lot of speculation about the Technical Committee on Air Conditioning and its future. "Vegas money" put the best bet with the committee being disbanded and the committee responsibilities being shuffled to other committees within NFPA. There was no official position presented as this is just conjecture, based on comments from numerous attendees.
The issue of toxicity testing was entered into the record from the floor. Regarding CMP-50 cable, a formal proposal for toxicity testing is likely for the next code cycle.
The next step is for NFPA Standards Council to hear any appeals on the matter. It is expected that the fluoropolymer manufacturers will file an appeal to have the document issued as the committee developed.
The initial voting had our proposal to have NFPA 90A Chapter 4 returned pass 80%-20% (about 240-60).
There were additional proposals adopted by the body that addressed definitions and they were officially adopted at 188-108.
Proposals on dampers were likewise approved by about the same 63% margin.
A motion was then made by Tom Dusza (a member of NFPA 90A) to return the entire document to committee; that measure passed by 12 votes and all prior actions were negated. The commercially driven proposals pushed by the fluoropolymer manufacturers did not win or lose, but they are still alive.
If the issue was just about fire and smoke, and not about SAFETY; then we would still be using ASBESTOS. Safety is too important to ignore.
But that’s just my opinion.
Frank Bisbee
"Heard On The Street" column
www.wireville.com
Jacksonville, FL
(904) 645-9077
frank@wireville.com
AFCOM Celebrates 25 Years at Data Center World 2005
Hundreds of IT Professionals to attend this important
educational conference in Las Vegas, Nevada.
Hundreds of IT professionals are registering to attend AFCOM’s 25th anniversary celebration at Data Center World 2005. This conference embodies the goals of AFCOM: to bring our members education, to provide leadership and to assist with knowledge management.
Data Center World 2005 offers over 75 educational sessions, in-depth and full day tutorials, a dedicated expo and keynotes from leading IT professionals. Attendees also use this conference as a prime opportunity to meet with fellow IT professionals to discuss trends, successes and opportunities in the data center. These opportunities rate as highly as the educational sessions. Social functions such as the Emerson Network Power/Liebert Salsa Lounge and AFCOM´s Silver Anniversary Celebration sponsored by ConTech are additional opportunities to meet fellow professionals and experts.
An anniversary is a rare opportunity to use past success, and the values and strengths underlying that success, to connect to the future. This year marks the 25th anniversary of AFCOM; an association steeped in assisting data center professionals with setting goals and obtaining success. It is important to share the perspective one gets by viewing AFCOM´s success over time. From the beginning, AFCOM has striven to be the answer to the growing perplexity of the data center industry; has striven to have a “History of Excellence.”
www.afcom.com
XML Symposium 2005
The 2005 XML Symposium will communicate the significant role that XML and Web Services continue to play. As the industry witnesses further IT convergence, these technologies have become the most vital enabling technology for the future of integrated and intelligent buildings. XML and Web Services technologies are primarily utilized in the IT industry as well as many other industry groups that leverage the Internet as a connectivity and automation vehicle.
www.xml-symposium.com www.caba.org
Watchdog Group to Petition for All Government Records on Meetings with Chemical Maker
WASHINGTON, Oct. 14 - Environmental Working Group (EWG), whose investigation led to a potential federal fine against DuPont for covering up studies showing they had polluted human blood and drinking water supplies, will demand the release of all records of discussions of the issue between the company and federal officials.
Today EWG announced a broad and aggressive public information campaign using the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) to seek release of all federal government records of conversations — including notes and agendas — with DuPont about a Teflon chemical that has contaminated drinking water near Parkersburg, WV. The petitions will demand all information pertaining to DuPont officials, employees of DuPont or their lobbyists, having meetings — official or otherwise — or engaging in any other type of communication with government officials about the Teflon chemical's health effects.
Agencies targeted for FOIA petitions include the Council on Environmental Quality; Environmental Protection Agency; Consumer Product Safety Commission; Office of the U.S. Trade Representative; and the Departments of Justice and Commerce.
The effort will lift the veil of secrecy that allowed a large corporation like DuPont to evade for decades government accountability for the health risks of the highly-profitable Teflon chemical called PFOA.
In response to an EWG petition, in 2003 the U.S. Environmental Protection began investigating how the Teflon chemical, in use for 50 years, found its way into the blood of virtually every American. In July the Agency announced it would fine DuPont for hiding information about the chemical. The amount of the fine has not been announced, but it could be a record $300 million.
The official requests to FOIA officers at the abovementioned federal agencies will be available Friday, October 15 on EWG's website, www.ewg.org.
# # #
The Environmental Working Group is a nonprofit research organization based in Washington, DC that uses the power of information to protect human health and the environment. Four years' worth of EWG research on Teflon chemicals and related substances is available at http://www.ewg.org/issues/PFCs/index.html.
A number of scientists and environmental groups warn that a critical mass of cable sitting unused in buildings multiplies the risk of fires and associated health problems to office employees. Once the cable deteriorates, it can release a witch's brew of nasty toxins.
See the full article: Houston, we still have a problem
Source: CNS Magazine Online
Wireville pays tribute to Jon R. Ruhlman, Chairman and Director of
Preformed Line Products Company, (Nasdaq: PLPC).
In May 2004, the communications industry lost Jon R. Ruhlman, a pioneer and an important visionary leader. Jon Ruhlman made an indelible mark on the development of the communications world. His passing is a real loss for the IT world. For more than fifty-two years, his leadership shaped Preformed Line Products Company.
During the past five decades, under his leadership of the team at PLP helped create many valuable products that supported the development of today's information technology. Ruhlman was extremely proud of the achievements made by everyone involved with the company's progress. Many of their products and systems are employed in the construction and maintenance of overhead and underground networks for energy, communications and broadband network companies.
Preformed (PLP) world headquarters are in Cleveland, Ohio, and the Company operates three domestic manufacturing centers, located in Rogers, Arkansas, Albemarle, North Carolina, and Asheville, North Carolina. The Company serves its worldwide market through international operations in Australia, Brazil, Canada, China, England, Japan, Mexico, New Zealand, South Africa and Spain.
www.preformed.com
Abandoned
Cabling
The Big Disconnect:
Who’s
Responsible for Abandoned Cabling in Your Building?
On December 11, 2003, BOMA International presented an audio seminar on the new 2002 National Electric Code (“NEC”) requirements concerning abandoned communications cabling in commercial buildings. The two-hour seminar highlighted the potential impact of new national code requirements, and presented various questions that local building owners, property managers, engineers and leasing agents need to consider in the management of their buildings and the negotiation of leases. About 10 BOMA San Francisco members gathered in BOMA’s conference room to participate in the seminar (which BOMA San Francisco hosted at no charge for its members). As one of the attendees at the BOMA San Francisco seminar location, I volunteered to summarize the highlights of the program for presentation to all BOMA San Francisco members.
CABLING: What
You Don't See Can Blind You
Imagine a fire drill (office building, hospital, or school) where everyone was required to wear a blindfold while exiting the building. That seems sort of ridiculous, but that may replicate part of the scenario that may occur if there is a real fire. Thick black smoke or colorless and odorless gas can have the same effect on the individual.
Read this article
REXEL Electrical & Datacom Products - POWER OUTLET Magazine
All articles found under the DATACOM section of these publications
HOT
TOPIC - Abandoned Cable Removal - Who Pays?
In the world of cabling, we have seen many advances in technology during the past two decades. The net result of cabling and re-cabling for improved networks is a vast quantity of abandoned communications cables in the structure. Several experts estimate there is considerably more than 8.5 million feet of abandoned cable in the US workplace. The National Electric Code (NEC 2002), which has been adopted by most states and most Authorities Having Jurisdiction (AHJ), requires the removal of abandoned communications cabling, unless marked for future use. Admittedly, the code is poorly written in terms of clarification, however, the intent is clear. Miles of abandoned cable may constitute fire and health threats to the building occupants. Commercial real estate and electrical contractors are struggling to deal with this new requirement.
DuPont's Teflon Dilemma
DuPont is making major changes and revving up the Teflon business. DuPont, no longer the number one chemical maker in the United States, is moving away from its traditional businesses, like textiles. Previous strategies, like the biotech/seed venture, took a $4.2 billion write down. Benlate related legal costs and settlements soared into the billions. Additionally, the acquisition strategy of Pharma and plans to build it into a drug powerhouse fell flat on its face. And now, corporate losses are being blamed on energy costs. It seems like everything that has gone wrong was somebody else's fault and the management team is irreproachable.
Read more...
Cabling Systems August/September issue
Commentary: Fiber to the Desktop... Not Yet!
For many years, the proponents of fiber optic cable have claimed total victory over copper-based cabling. We have heard the predictions of fiber to the desktop for more than a decade. Well, we are still waiting.
Cabling Systems Magazine - May 2003
Structured Health Risks
By Perry J. Greenbaum
The industry currently has two burning issues it needs to confront. One relates to environmental air plenums being turned into a toxic fire hazard. The other involves the lead used as a stabilizer in many plenum-rated cables becoming an airborne toxin. There are new developments occurring on both fronts.
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