I have a fire inspection scheduled next week at my craft studio- Is there anything in particular that I need to know regarding the glowforge in a business space that may be of concern for inspection?
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Probably wouldn’t hurt to make sure to have a fire extinguisher mounted nearby, needs to be rated for electric fires. All scraps and debris should be put into some kind of Rubbermaid bin or container far from the main unit, storage of anything close to the forge should be non wooden if it’s a non movable area.
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If you have one of the ones with a passthrough slot - have both the guard, and the glasses you wear when not using the guard at hand.
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Has K always been around or is that newish?
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That is fairly newish, when I had to take fire safety training a few years back when I switched jobs on the Mil base I work on, K was in an experimental stage, and they were telling us about the pros and cons especially in specific aspects of the base.
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If you have volatiles (finishes, paint thinner, etc.) you might have to store them in a different room, and you might be required to have a safety cabinet.
Attend to the studio’s cleanliness — dust, debris, proper waste containers.
Make sure you’ve followed the electrical guidelines (no extension cords, grounded outlet, maybe dedicated circuit?).
If you have a passthrough slot, there are other laser safety precautions you’re supposed to take, including signage and access control (see Glowforge docs).
You may be able to look up the city’s fire ordinance.
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To pass the inspection, you’ll need appropriately labeled and mounted ABC-type extinguisher(s) in your maker space.
That being said, the best extinguisher to actually USE in case of a fire in your Glowforge is one charged with Halotron – this is the only extinguisher that can be used in and around electronics that will put out a fire without destroying its electronics.
Btw, welcome to the community!
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Welcome to the community! It sounds like you’re going to be doing a good business if you’ve got a craft studio that needs to be inspected by the fire department (more than just a home hobby). So congratulations on that! Apart from what everyone else is saying, also be sure that you have your laser vented properly.
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The best fire extinguishers for use in electrical equipment is CO2 because it gets the job done, and does not leave the corrosive dust ABC extinguishers leave.
Also be sure the date on the extinguisher is not expired.
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i thought CO2 was still bad for electronics. it used to be halon that was recommended, but that’s not legal in the US any more and now the recommendation was halotron.
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CO2 works fine on electrical fires, but can cause serious damage to static- or thermal-sensitive electronics (laser tubes for example). Halotron poses no thermal or static shock hazard.
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