On July 30, the National Fire Protection Association, National Propane Gas Association and the Propane Education and Research Council announced the completion of a new Fire Safety Analysis Manual, available as a free download from the Web.

The Manual provides both forms and a step-by-step method for completing a written Fire Safety Analysis for all LP-gas storage installations of more than 4,000 gallons water, as required in the 2001 edition of NFPA 58, LP-Gas Code.

"In addition to providing a valuable tool for system installers, consultants, and enforcement officials, the FSA Manual serves as a valuable reference for enforcement officials," according to the NFPA, "especially those who may be unfamiliar with LP-gas facilities and the improvements made to product control features."

The authors of the manual were Theodore Lemoff, principal gases engineer at NFPA, and Phani K. Raj, Ph.D., president of Technology & Management Systems Inc. and a member of the NFPA's Technical Committee on Liquefied Petroleum Gases. Also providing input was an advisory group of more than 15 industry members, including large and small propane marketers, fire service and fire protection engineer representatives and others.

The Manual can be downloaded from the NFPA (www.nfpa.org), NPGA (www.npga.org), and PERC (www.propanecouncil.org) Web sites. Contact information and frequently-asked-questions can also be found on the Web sites.