Dive Brief:
-
Portable heaters are a must-have on job sites during cold weather, and, as usual, they’re being blamed for a number of fires as their use increases.
-
Known as “salamanders” or “torpedo furnaces,” the kerosene or propane heaters are often used inside of buildings under construction to help adhesives dry and keep crews warm.
-
The heaters, which emit a flame, have been blamed for starting a fire that destroyed an unfinished apartment development in Fishers, IN, and a townhouse under construction in Clarksburg, MD, earlier this week.
Dive Insight:
The New Jersey Department of Community Affairs has posted a comprehensive safety checklist for using and storing portable heaters on construction sites. Among the suggestions: don’t operate a salamander heater in an unventilated area; keep heaters a safe distance away from combustible materials; and choose models with 100% safety shut-off valves.