Facility Managers in Puerto Rico Advised to Test Fire Curtains for Asbestos Hazards

Fire curtains, also referred to as safety curtains, are a fire safety device used in theaters and auditoriums. Modern fire curtains are often made of fiberglass or iron, but in the past they were typically made with asbestos due to the minerals unique fire resistant properties of being non-flammable and non-combustible.
 
Unfortunately, many original fire curtains that contain asbestos can still be found in buildings. Earlier this year there were news reports about theaters in New Hampshire and Connecticut that were replacing asbestos-containing fire curtains with new curtains that did not contain the carcinogenic fibers. Just last year, an auditorium at a university in South Carolina had to be temporarily closed after asbestos was discovered following an annual test of the facility’s fire curtain found asbestos fibers on the stage and not surprisingly in the material used in the fire curtain itself.
 
“Fire curtains containing asbestos were used extensively in theaters and auditoriums across the globe to protect against fires and these curtains are still present in many cases,” said Harry Pena, President of Zimmetry Environmental. “These curtains are just one of over 3,000 known products that were made in the past that contained asbestos. Many of these materials and building products, not just fire curtains, still remain in buildings of all types. Facility managers should be aware of these materials and products and take the appropriate steps to identify those that contain asbestos. If discovered, steps need to be taken to respond to possible exposure risks for building occupants as asbestos is known to cause asbestosis, mesothelioma and lung cancer.”
 
Helping to identify and resolve situations involving asbestos-containing materials and exposure risks in Puerto Rico and the surrounding region are the indoor environmental quality (IEQ) professionals at Zimmetry Environmental. They offer comprehensive testing, monitoring and consulting services to protect building occupants and keep companies and institutions in regulatory compliance.
 
To learn more about Zimmetry Environmental and their asbestos, indoor air quality (IAQ), environmental, or compliance testing and consulting services, please visit www.zimmetry.com, call (787) 995.0005, or email info@zimmetry.com .
 
About Zimmetry Environmental
Since 2002, Zimmetry Environmental has been providing environmental consulting services to building owners and managers, architects, engineers, EHS professionals, and Fortune 500 companies.  The company is based in Puerto Rico and provides services across the Caribbean and Central America.  The professionals at Zimmetry offer environmental compliance, indoor air quality, asbestos, lead-based paint, Phase I ESAs, and general environmental consulting services.
 

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Paul Cochrane

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Cochrane & Associates, LLC

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