Case Studies
J.S. Held Acquires Technorm, Québec’s Leading Forensic, Building Safety & Compliance Experts
Read MoreA fire suppression system was inadvertently activated in various equipment rooms on multiple floors of a building. Although the fire suppression aerosol was supposed to be a “clean agent,” it caused various types of equipment (e.g., network switches, servers, audio/video, surveillance, access controls, fire alarms, UPS systems, etc.) to fail or experience latent functional issues. The value of the exposed equipment was approximately $2M.
J.S. Held’s Equipment Consulting Practice was tasked to confirm the signature of the fire suppression aerosol, evaluate the equipment, determine the scope of the damage, develop corrective action plans, and measure the recovery costs.
We gathered wipe samples on the exterior and interior surfaces of the equipment. The samples were sent to an independent laboratory for chemical analysis. Chemical analysis (ion chromatography) determines the potential concentrations of corrosive cations and anions. We were particularly interested in the elements nitrate, nitrite, and potassium for this analysis, which (according to the Safety Data Sheet) are the chemicals that comprise the aerosol agent. The chemical analysis detected high concentrations of corrosive cation potassium and anion nitrite, likely resulting in the reported equipment failures. Additionally, we inspected, documented, and compiled a comprehensive RCV analysis for all impacted equipment for the client to establish reserves and ultimately settle the claim.
Chris Antinora
Executive Vice President | Regional Lead
Equipment Consulting Practice
+1 848 208 3268
[email protected]
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