International Scientific Journals
of Scientific Technical Union of Mechanical Engineering "Industry 4.0"

In 2024, firefighters in Poland recorded 29,271 apartment fires, resulting in 295 deaths and 2,052 injuries. Additionally, due to the emission of “carbon monoxide” [1] , „firefighters recorded 4,329 interventions in which 52 people died from carbon monoxide poisoning, and 1,334 people suffered from poisoning” [2] . An analysis of the causes of fires in previous years, as well as in 2024, indicates several main factors. The most common causes of fires include: arson, improper use of heating devices, defects in electrical equipment and installations, and adult carelessness. The aim of this article is to analyze the state of implementation of technical inspections of utility installations in residential buildings as required by national regulations. The author also presents the results of their own research in this area, along with conclusions drawn from the conducted studies and observations.

This study focused on the fire-retardant treatment of wood and wood-based composites using various methods. The recent developments in the fire-retardant standards and classification of wood and wood-based composites were reviewed. Most commonly used fire-retardants and commercial application methods of fire retardants such as boron compounds and phosphates to improve fire resistance of wood and wood based composites were explained. Furthermore, fire-retardant mechanism was informed. Novel nanomaterials used in the fire resistance of wood and wood-based composites were introduced. Significant criteria in choosing of the suitable fire retardants for wood and wood-based composites were explained

The previously developed new method for detecting poor electrical contacts in low-voltage electrical installations characterised by the TN protection system has been validated by field measurements performed in residential buildings. The method was developed by the establishment of a correlation between the measured line to earth and line to neutral short circuit loop resistances and the degree of the contact deterioration, i.e. the increase of its electrical resistance. The correlation was established by analysing the data obtained from a large number of documents related to periodic verifications of the quality of low-voltage electrical installations in industrial and administrative facilities (issued by the Laboratory for testing low-voltage electrical and lightning protection installations at the School of Electrical Engineering in Belgrade), as well as the data obtained through a large number of experiments in which the impact of poor electrical contacts on the occurrence of „hot“ spots in low-voltage electrical installations was analysed. In those experiments the influence of an incomplete overlap of the surface of the copper conductor and the contact surface at the electrical component terminal (reduction of the contact surface), a reduced pressure force between the contact surfaces of the copper conductor and the screw of the electrical component terminal (reduction of the torque), and an increased oxide layer at the point of electrical contact (old and/or corrosion-damaged contact) on electrical and thermal behaviour of electrical contacts was investigated. The developed method for detecting poor electrical contacts was applied to the verification of the quality of low-voltage electrical installations in 6 flats of old (10–60 years) residential buildings and the measurement results are presented and analysed in this paper.

During the lifelong maintenance of low-voltage electrical installations in any facility special attention must be given to firecausing failures, which cannot be detected by conventional protection devices (miniature circuit breakers, fuse-links, residual current devices, etc.). Such failures are most often caused by poor electrical contacts. International regulations and standards, which define periodic verification of the quality of low-voltage electrical installations, do not contain procedures by which a poor electrical contact would be detected at an early stage. However, one of the techniques used for this purpose today is performing preventive thermographic inspections (a standard covering this area is available only in the USA). By such inspections a poor electrical contact which creates prerequisites for the occurrence of an initial fire in a low-voltage electrical installation can easily and effectively be detected. Detected failures and irregularities can most frequently be eliminated by simple interventions of electricians or facility technical services. Experience from a large number of periodic verifications of the quality of low-voltage electrical installations in industrial and administrative facilities, conducted by personnel of the Laboratory for testing low-voltage electrical and lightning protection installations at the School of Electrical Engineering in Belgrade, showed that many dangerous failures would not be detected without performing preventive thermographic inspections. Several practical examples of such failures, detected in low-voltage electrical installations in industrial and administrative facilities during preventive thermographic inspections, are presented and analysed. The procedure of performing preventive thermographic inspections within periodic verifications of the quality of low-voltage electrical installations, as well as the explanation for proper interpretation of the measurement results based on the ΔТ and absolute temperature criteria, are also given in this paper.

This report discusses the current problems related to the equipment for personal protection of employees from fire safety and civil protection, part of the unified rescue system, for incidents in critical infrastructure sites. It is emphasized on the types of protective equipment used in general or specific fire extinguishing activities. The specific requirements are applicable to the design and manufacture of the individual protection devices, which will ensure the proper appearance and the highest possible level of fire safety in the extinguishing operation, without being an obstacle for his moves during work, despite direct exposure to danger for the parts of his body.