Factory Insurance Association

Dust Explosions Analysis and Control, Factory Insurance Association, Hartford, Conn., 1969. 

A. Available Design Methods for Vent Sizing. Several methods are available to size the vent with a wide range of sophistication. The FIA chart, Fig. 1 prepared by the Factory Insurance Association in the mid 1960 s is a simple chart summarizing a wealth of experience. Reactions are classed by the degree of exothermic reaction. With vessel size and a judgment of reaction type a vent size range can be selected. 

Many methods have been used to size relief systems area/volume scaling, mathematical modeling using reaction parameters and flow theory, and empirical methods by the Factory Insurance Association (FIA). The Design Institute for Emergency Relief Systems (DIERS) of the AIChE has performed studies of sizing reactors undergoing runaway reactions. Intricate laboratory instruments as described earlier have resulted in better vent sizes. 

The FIA (Factory Insurance Association) method has been withdrawn since it is based on heat release per unit volume, rather than rate of heat release, and is independent of fluid properties, pressure, number of phases, line length and fill ratio. 

There are five large insurance organizations, however, that serve a wide range of casualty and property insurers and contribute to fire protection in many ways. They are (1) American Insurance Association, (2) American Mutual Insurance Alliance, (3) Factory Mutual System, (4) Industrial Risk Insurers, and (5) Insurance Services Office. 

Associated Factory Mutual Insurance Companies, IEC 32, 882(1940) 4) F. Adickes,... 

Associated Factory Mutual Fire Insurance Companies (Factory Mutual)... 

Associated Factory Mutual Insurance Companies, 1151 Providence Highway, Boston. 

Paper-based sources of particular relevance to the safety adviser include the Annual Reports of Her Majesty s Chief Inspector of Factories, Government reports on population statistics and trends, including sickness rates and disease incidence, and a large range of publications from insurance companies and industry trade associations. 

There are requirements for entire rooms as well. Inside storage rooms have design criteria that must be met. Inside storage room design and amounts may be found in 29 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) 1910.106. For example, storage rooms must have a ventilation syston that accomplishes six air exchanges per hour (29 CFR 1910.106(d)(4)(iv)). This may also go beyond OSHA requirements and be based upon the fire suppression capability of the protective system. Your liability insurance company will inspect and provide requirements usually based upon National Fire Protection Association or factory mutual standards. 

The insurance carrier, often through the loss control representative, can provide assistance in the development of the emergency program. Also, professional fire organizations such as Factory Mutual or the National Fire Protection Association are very helpful. 

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