Welcome to RIMScast. Your host is Justin Smulison, Business Content Manager at RIMS, the Risk and Insurance Management Society.   Ralph Bless currently serves as Telgian Engineering & Consulting’s Executive Vice President, Innovation and Excellence. He has more than 40 years of experience in fire protection, including a broad range of water-based and special hazard system design, code consulting, and fire protection engineering services. Bless holds multiple state and national certifications, including that of Certified Fire Protection Specialist. He also serves on six National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) Technical Committees. These include chair for Record Storage, NFPA 232, as well as NFPA 1, NFPA 13 SSI (Installation) and the Correlating Committees, NFPA 15, and NFPA 915.   Key Takeaways: [:01] About RIMScast. [:27] About today’s episode: Fire Risk in Commercial and Industrial Buildings. [:34] All about upcoming RIMS webinars, and more! [1:13] The RIMS Canada Conference 2023 has been announced for September 11th‒14th in Ottowa! Visit RIMSCanadaConference.ca for more information. [1:30] On September 14th, the Spencer Educational Foundation returns to New York City for its Annual Funding Their Future Gala. The event will be held at the Cipriani 42nd Street. A link is on this episode’s notes. You can also visit SpencerEd.org. [1:47] Head to the RIMS.org/Advocacy page! The RIMS Legislative Summit is returning to  Washington, D.C. on October 25th and 26th. Visit the link in the show notes. [2:01] Be on the lookout for the call for submissions for the RIMS ERM Conference, which will be held November 2nd and 3rd in Denver, Colorado! Check your inboxes. [2:18] RIMS is partnering with Conrad Clark Nigeria for a RIMS CRMP Exam Prep virtual workshop Saturdays in July: July 1st, 8th, and 15th. Start your RIMS CRMP journey today! The link is in the show notes. [2:41] The new and mixed commodities being brought into commercial and industrial buildings are adding to the evolution and omnipresence of fire risks. Ralph Bless is here to discuss how to identify these materials and machines and the need for full-scale testing. Justin welcomes Ralph Bless to RIMScast. [3:05] About Ralph’s 40-year career in the industry with new construction, remodels, maintenance, and testing. [3:46] How Ralph has worked with risk professionals has changed in the past few years, from dealing with the pandemic, how facilities are used, and bringing people back into facilities, including egress and protection issues. [4:30] Fire risk in facilities has evolved in how we’re using the buildings, and what we’re putting in them. The products have changed, from hand sanitizer, batteries, and plastics, to the packaging around them. From the start of Ralph’s career to today, the fire risk has grown significantly. [5:22] The changes in fire risk have been across the board, from offices to storage, to manufacturing facilities. The requirements for sprinklers for multi-rack systems have changed, for example, providing challenges for Telgian’s clients and the industry. [6:17] Batteries, whether for electric vehicles or everyday equipment, have changed the fire risk. A very small battery can create a very large fire. Telgian is exploring how to protect against battery fires. Packaging and the manner of storing products also add fire risks. Plastic pallets have replaced wood pallets. [7:12] Automated storage and retrieval systems (ASRS) are popular. The robots and lift vehicles are battery-powered with their charging stations, creating new risks as workers are returning to facilities. [8:11] The codes, standards, data sheets, and guidelines are behind the times. There has not been enough testing to know to protect these new automated facilities. In a lot of cases, water alone is not the solution. [8:31] Ralph lists data sheets, guidelines, and codes that need to be modernized. One of the significant challenges of code development, for instance, the NFPA code, is the thr