U. S. Department of LaborOccupational Safety and Health AdministrationDirectorate of Science, Technology and MedicineOffice of Science and Technology Assessment

Safety and Health Information Bulletin

SHIB 01-07-2004

This Safety and Health Information Bulletin is nota standard or regulation, and it creates no newlegal obligations. The Bulletin is advisory innature, informational in content, and is intended toassist employers in providing a safe and healthfulworkplace. The Occupational Safety and HealthAct requires employers to comply with hazard-specific safety and health standards. In addition,pursuant to Section 5(a)(1), the General DutyClause of the Act, employers must provide theiremployees with a workplace free from recognizedhazards likely to cause death or serious physicalharm. Employers can be cited for violating theGeneral Duty Clause if there is a recognizedhazard and they do not take reasonable steps toprevent or abate the hazard. However, failure toimplement these recommendations is not, in itself,a violation of the General Duty Clause. Citationscan only be based on standards, regulations, andthe General Duty Clause.

Star ME-1 Dry Fire Sprinklers

Preface

The Consumer Product Safety Commission(CPSC) issued warnings [1,2,3,4] to consumersregarding the use of Star ME-1 Dry Fire Sprin-klers manufactured from 1961-1998 by variousmanufacturers. The CPSC warns that the StarME-1 sprinklers present a serious safety risk andthat the heads should be replaced immediately.The following companies have manufactured over3.5 million ME-1 sprinklers during the specifiedtime period and have issued voluntary recalls:

• Mealane Corporation (www.cpsc.gov/CPSCPUB/PREREL/PRHTML99/99152.html), Philadelphia, PA, from 1961-1976. (NOTE: This notice also includes D-1,RD-1, RE-1 and E-1 sprinklers.)

• Chemetron Corporation (www.cpsc.gov/CPSCPUB/PREREL/prhtml03/03116.html),2381 Executive Center Drive, Boca Raton,FL 33431, an inactive subsidiary of AmericanHousehold Inc., from 1977-1982.

• Sprinkler Corporation of Milwaukee Inc.(www.cpsc.gov/CPSCPUB/PREREL/prhtml03/03117.html), formerly known asStar Sprinkler Corporation, 307 West LaytonAvenue, Milwaukee, WI 53207, from 1983-1995.

• Central Sprinkler Company (www.cpsc.gov/cpscpub/prerel/prhtml03/03133.html),Lansdale, PA, an affiliate of Tyco Fire

Products LP, from 1996-1998.

Purpose

The purpose of this Safety and Health Infor-mation Bulletin is to:

• Inform employers who may have the Star ME-1 sprinkler that the CPSC has issued warnings regarding their use.

• Recommend employers replace Star ME-1sprinkler heads that were installed between theyears of 1961-1998.

Background

CPSC received two reports of failures involv-ing Star ME-1 dry sprinklers, one report concerninga 1976 sprinkler and the other on sprinklers installedin 1990 [2].

Several sprinklers were removed fromlocations and tested by independent testinglaboratories. The results showed that 64 percentof the tested Star ME-1 sprinklers did not activateas required and failed the testing. In addition,many of the Star ME-1’s failed at water pressuresfar exceeding requirements [5]. For example,activation of some sprinkler heads required waterpressures higher than may be available in somebuildings. Water pressure requirements varydepending upon building use, occupancy, andhazards as defined by National Fire ProtectionAssociation.

Findings reported in the referenced CPSCadministrative proceeding allege that the sprinklersare defective, will likely fail to operate during afire, and could expose employees to death orserious injury [5]. The proceeding, which wasrecently resolved, led to the recall of the sprin-klers.

Description

The Star ME-1 is intended to operate inaccordance with applicable installation codes andlistings, such as National Fire Protection Associa-tion or Underwriter’s Laboratory, Inc. The StarME-1 is designed so that when the temperaturereaches a particular level, the thermal sensingelement at the exposed end of the sprinkler willmelt and allow water to flow through and dis-charge from the sprinkler. Due to inadequatedesign and/or manufacturing, the Star ME-1sprinkler will likely fail to operate as intendedduring fires [5].

Star ME-1 sprinklers are identified with thename “Star,” the designation “ME-1,” and a yearof manufacture, for example “81” represents1981. Figure 1 shows where to locate theidentifying information on a sprinkler head. TheStar ME-1 sprinklers have been installed in anumber of workplaces, including factories, hotels,hospitals, schools, resorts, office buildings,warehouses, nursing homes, and supermarkets.

Recommendations

OSHA recommends that employers whoseworkplaces are equipped with dry sprinkler

systems take steps to identify and then replace StarME-1 sprinkler heads. Employers should checkwith a fire protection engineering consultant orsprinkler design company when replacing thesesprinklers and when evaluating existing systems ordesigning a new installation.

Local and state regulations may require thatthe replacement work be performed either by alicensed party, or under an issued permit, or both.The local and state authorities having jurisdictionshould be contacted prior to the replacement.

In addition to the Star sprinklers identified,certain other sprinklers are being recalled. Addi-tional information can be obtained about productrecalls through the CPSC Press Releases andRecalls website at: www.cpsc.gov/cpscpub/prerel/prerel.html

References

1. U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commis-sion. CPSC, American Household Inc., (For-merly Sunbeam Corp.) Announce Recall of StarME-1 Dry Sprinklers, Administrative LawSettlement. Washington, DC. Release #03-116.April 25, 2003. www.cpsc.gov/cpscpub/prerel/prhtml03/03116.html

2. U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commis-sion. CPSC Warns Consumers to Replace StarME-1 Dry Fire Sprinklers Made by SprinklerCorporation of Milwaukee -- AdministrativeLawsuit Settled, Firm Financially Unable toConduct Recall --. Washington, DC. Release#03-117. April 25, 2003. www.cpsc.gov/cpscpub/prerel/prhtml03/03117.html

3. U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commis-sion. CPSC, Central Sprinkler Company Up-date Voluntary Recall To Replace O-Ring FireSprinklers. Washington, DC. Release #03-133.April 28, 2003. www.cpsc.gov/cpscpub/prerel/prhtml03/03133.html

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4. U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commis-sion. CPSC, Melanie Corp. Announce Recall ofStar Fire Sprinklers. Washington, DC. Release#99-152. April 4, 1999. www.cpsc.gov/CPSCPUB/PREREL/PRHTML99/99152.html

5. U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commis-sion. Administrative proceeding in the matter ofChemtron corporation, Chemtron Investments Inc.,Sunbeam Corporation, Sprinkler Corporation ofMilwaukee Inc., and Grucon Corporation. Wash-ington, DC. CPSC Docket No. 02-1. October 9,2001.

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Links/Citations to the websites listed above areoffered for reader’s convenience. Since OSHAdoes not control the information contained in thewebsites, OSHA cannot assure the accuracy,relevance, timeliness, or completeness of all of thisinformation. Moreover, providing links/citations tosuch websites does not constitute an endorsementof the websites, or their content, nor does itsuggest that these websites are the exclusive ormost useful sources of relevant information.