Professional Documents
Culture Documents
NEBOSH Certificate
PREVENTION
make sure fires dont start PRECAUTIONS
HAZARDS OF FIRE
Sources of fuel
FLAMMABLE SOLID
FLAMMABLE LIQUID
FLAMMABLE GAS
OXIDISING AGENT
- Radiant or convected heat from heaters - friction - hot surfaces - chemical - sparks - smoking
- Flame
convection
radiation
conduction
Spread of fire Conduction - spread of heat energy through solids; Convection - heat transfer through a fluid or gas, involving expansion and movement; Radiation - emission of heat energy through electromagnetic radiation in the infra-red part of the spectrum, which is then absorbed by matter to varying degrees
Extinction of fires
Causes of fires
Arson discarded cigarettes and matches faulty plant & equipment flammable liquids & materials storage & use hot processes heating appliances combustible wastes Arson accounted for 41% of the 43,600 fires that occurred in non domestic premises in 1999 [source: Home Office]
Fire detection & alarm systems manual or automatic detection, types of alarm, signage, emergency lighting
Fire fighting systems extinguishers, hose-reels, sprinklers, carbon dioxide & halon
Covers means of escape; internal fire spread (linings and structure); external fire spread; access and facilities for the fire service. Requirements do not apply retrospectively, but will apply to new buildings, or modifications, etc to existing buildings
BS5588 parts 1 11 Fire precautions in the design, construction and use of buildings Escape routes horizontal and vertical Number of escape routes Travel distances within each storey Width of exits and escape routes Number of persons per floor Fire compartmentation Fire resistance
office
laboratory
classroom
Classroom protected from higher fire risks in laboratory.
Means of escape
A route that can be followed by an occupant, unaided or without risk from fire, that will lead to safety clear marking of route, H&Safety (Signs & Signals) Regs 1996 + BS 5499: 1990 Fire safety signs, notices and graphic symbols, parts 1 & 3
Escape [2]
Calculated Time available for escape greater than Time needed for escape time available calculated on assessment of time from fire start and its making escape route unsafe; time taken for everyone to evacuate once the fire has been discovered & warning given. More than one route - 25m(HR), 32m(Norm sleeping area), 45m(NR), 60m(LR); One route - 12m(HR), 16m(NR sleeping), 18m(NR except factories), 25m(incl. Factories), 45m(LR).
Escape [3]
Protected and unprotected zones Escape distances [18m hazardous processes, 45m offices] Fire compartments Fire doors - self-closers, smoke seals, etc
Number & width of exits - Escape [4] There should be enough available exits of adequate width, from every room, storey or building. Adequacy is assessed on:
doorways min. width 0.75m for upto 40 people/minute; doorways min. width 0.8m for wheelchair users; doorway min. width 1m for upto 80 people/minute; where more than 80 people/minute need to escape, the min. width should be increased by 0.075m for every additional 15 people.
Calculate above on the people in the building divided by the time available for escape
0.5 or 1 hour fire resistance of doors, walls and ceilings materials from which escape routes constructed; Fire resistance of load bearing elements of structure; Compartmentation, to reduce spread of fire, complementary to construction of escape routes; Other - external fire spread, fire service access, ventilation
1.
2. 3. 4.
FIRE DRILLS
legal requirement effective means of escape training exercise practice evacuating the building by the fastest route and use of assembly points test emergency procedures role of fire marshals to aid evacuation and prevent re-entry
All premises meeting certain criteria must have a valid fire certificate; hotels, boarding houses > 6 people, or bedrooms above/below ground floor; workplaces, ie. Factories, OSRP premises 20+ in workplace at one time, or; 10+ above ground floor, or; explosives or HFs stored or used Cert. Issued subject to adequacy of escape routes, alarm systems, fire fighting equipment, etc
Require provision and maintenance of measures to detect, fight and warn of fires, ensure safe evacuation Now, with MHSWR, require FRAs for premises Revising FRAs ensures steady improvement, and covers buildings not included in FPA 71 and fire certificates
step 1 - identify fire hazards fire triangle: sources of ignition, sources of fuel, sources of oxygen
step 3 - evaluate the risks and decide whether existing precautions are adequate preventing spread of fire, reducing ignition sources & fuels, limiting fire's access to oxygen fire detection & alarm systems, means of escape, fire fighting measures, maintenance & testing, fire procedures & training, disabled people, security
Manual - ie. People, who trigger the alarm system by activating a break-glass
Automatic - detectors placed carefully and sensitive to heat, smoke or combustion products
BS5839 part 1: 2002 Fire detection and fire alarm systems for buildings
Purpose of fire alarm systems protection of life and property; System categories: M Manual systems; L [1 5] incorporate automatic fire detection to some degree, for the protection of Life; P [1 2] incorporate automatic fire detection to protect Property.
Fire alarms
Triggered by automatic smoke or heat detectors or person activating a break-glass Audible warning, klaxon or bell (can also be visual [flashing lights] for deaf, or vibrating pagers for deaf/blind) can be shouting fire! or hand-bell in small premises Detection & alarm systems to comply with BS5839: part 1
Classification of Fires - BS EN 2
A - Free burning materials, paper, wood, plastics etc. B - Flammable liquids, petrol, meths, solvents etc. C - Flammable gases, methane, hydrogen etc. D - Metals, potassium, sodium, magnesium etc. Electricity can be involved in any class of fire
Water extinguishers
Red body Suitable for use on Class A Fires, wood and paper etc. Not suitable for combustible liquids, cooking fats etc. Not safe to use on fires involving electricity; Extinguishes by cooling
Foam extinguishers
Cream body (Old type) or Red Body with Cream label. Suitable for Class A and B Fires. Not suitable for use on fires involving electricity; Extinguishes by cooling and sealing the surface of a burning liquid.
Powder extinguishers
Blue body (Old type) or Red body with blue label. Best on Class B fires but safe to use on any type of fire. Works by chemically interfering with the combustion reaction
Black body (Old type) or red body with black label (New type). Best on Class B and C fires but safe to use on any type of fire; Safe to use on fires involving electricity; Extinguishes by reducing oxygen levels and cooling.
Hose reels Fire blankets Automatic sprinklers Carbon dioxide/Halon systems Drenchers
HFLs - flashpoint (below 32o C) and combustibility. Test methods in schedules 1 & 2 of Regs.
Storage
Suitable fixed storage tanks in safe positions; suitable closed vessels in open air and protected from direct sunlight; or closed vessels in storerooms in safe position or fire resisting structure; or in workroom in fire resisting cupboard which is fire resisting structure.
Marking
Every storeroom, cupboard, bin, tank, and vessel used for storing HFLs should be clearly and boldly marked Highly Flammable or Flashpoint below 32oC
Sources of ignition
No ignition sources shall be present where a dangerous concentration of vapours from hfls is expected to be present.
Example references:
Fire Precautions Act 1971 Fire Precautions (Workplace) Regulations 1997 [as amended] Building Regulations 1991, Approved Document B Fire Safety [not retrospective] BS5588 Fire precautions in the design, construction and use of buildings [parts 1-11] BS5839 pt 1:2002 Fire detection and alarm systems for buildings