Niall G. Ramsden: LASTFIRE Testing – new developments
Published: 10 November, 2009
Niall Ramsden describes the specialist fire test for foam developed by the LASTFIRE Group to assess foam performance for the particularly critical and demanding application of storage tank fires. Several major companies have adopted this test as part of their foam concentrate procurement specification. Over recent months it has been used to assess fluorine-free foam as well as the more traditional foams.
A case history of using the LASTFIRE test protocol for batch acceptance will be presented. A short description of the work that LASTFIRE is carrying out on ethanol based fires, boilovers and the use of foam to suppress vapours of unignited spills will be provided.
About the speaker
Niall Ramsden has worked in the Loss Prevention Industry for more than 30 years after having graduated in physics and in mechanical engineering. Prior to forming the independent specialist Fire Hazard Management consultancy Resource Protection International he held engineering and management positions in multinational foam producing and fire engineering companies. With extensive experience of working in more than 60 countries, RPI has been responsible for developing much of the current European and International fuel storage and processing industry’s guidance on fire protection.
This includes the Energy Institute “Model Code of Safe Practice Part 19 – Fire Precautions at Petroleum Refineries and Bulk Storage Installations”, the Society of International Gas
Tanker and Terminal Operators, “Fire Hazard Management” of Liquefied Gas Terminals and the Oil and Gas Producers’ Association guidance on “Fire Systems Integrity Assurance”. Niall is a full voting member of the NFPA 11 and the EN 13565-2 Foam Systems Standards Committees.
He is also coordinator of the LASTFIRE Project, an industry project by international oil companies to review all aspects of Storage Tank Fire Hazard Management. Research work being carried out by this organisation includes foam performance on crude oil, hydrocarbons and ethanol based fuels, vapour suppression using foam and boil-overs.
