LAB FIRE SAFETY AND FIRE
EXTINGUISHER TRAINING
Department of Public Safety
Environmental Health and Safety
Fire and Life Safety
Emergency Management and Homeland Security
1
CBLS TRASH CAN FIRE
Fire Extinguisher
30 Gallon Plastic
Trash Can
Safety Shower
Bunsen Burner
Combustible Materials
2
LAB SAFETY ORIENTATION
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Checklist
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Fire Alarm Pull Station
Fire Extinguisher
Safety Shower
Videos
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Introduction Video
Meet Jimmy Video
3
CBLS SAFETY EQUIPMENT
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Fire Alarm Pull Station
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Entrance to stairwells
Fire Extinguisher
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Recessed Enclosures
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Research Labs – In lab
Teaching Labs – In hallways
Safety Shower
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Pull down handle on the wall
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Research Labs – In lab
Teaching Labs – In hallways
4
HELP IS AVAILABLE
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Emergency Numbers
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Kingston Fire Department
URI Public Safety Department
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On campus: 2121
Off campus: 874-2121
Fire Alarm Pull Stations (near stairwells and exits)
University Police and Security
Fire and Life Safety
Environmental Health and Safety
Emergency Management and Homeland Security
URI Emergency Medical Services
5
HOW DOES A FIRE WORK?
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Three components
Need all three
components to start a
fire
Fire extinguishers
remove one or more
of the components
6
POTENTIAL IGNITION
SOURCES IN THE LAB
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Bunsen Burners and Torches
Electrical Equipment
Oil Baths
Furnaces/Ovens
Flammable Solvents
Air and Water Reactive Chemicals
Static Electricity
7
PRUDENT PRACTICES
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Minimize use of open flame
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Use electrical heating sources such as heating
mantles
Alternatives to flame sterilization include
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Safety laboratory burner
Micro sterilizers
Disposable sterile loops
If using open flame, remove combustible
materials from the immediate area
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Lab notebooks, trash cans, bench liners, etc.
Pull back long hair
No loose clothing, scarfs, etc.
Wear a flame resistant lab coat
8
PRUDENT PRACTICES
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Keep flammable liquid containers closed
Store flammables that are not actively in use in
a flammable storage cabinet
Minimize the amount of flammables in the lab
Use proper grounding and bonding for flammable liquid
transfer
Use water and air reactive chemicals in a glove box
under an inert atmosphere
Minimize storage of combustibles in the lab (paper,
cardboard boxes, etc)
Do not store anything within 18” of sprinkler heads or 24”
of the ceiling
9
PRUDENT PRACTICES
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Keep Emergency Equipment Accessible
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Fire alarm pull stations
Fire extinguishers
Safety showers
Electrical panels
Evacuation routes
Keep Fire Doors Closed
Know Evacuation Routes and Rally Point
10
UCLA LAB ACCIDENT
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Sheri Sangji, 23-year-old chemistry research assistant
Using tert-butyllithium (tBuLi), a pyrophoric chemical
which was accidentally exposed to air and ignited
Open flask of hexane was knocked over, also ignited
Sangji’s clothes ignited
She did not use the nearby safety shower
First responder tried to smother flames with a lab coat
then used water from a nearby sink
Sanji passed away from her injuries
two weeks later
Chemical & Engineering News August 3, 2009
11
FIRE AND SMOKE CAN
SPREAD QUICKLY
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National Institute of Standards and Testing Video
Living Room Fire (1:15, 4:15)
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Smoke Density
Flashover
Exit slide show to show video
12
EMERGENCY PROCEDURES
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If you find or suspect a fire or smell smoke
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Activate the fire alarm pull station
Leave the building
Proceed to the designated evacuation location.
Notify Public Safety Dispatch at 874-2121. Call from a safe location.
Report to first fire truck on-scene or command post to brief responders.
Don’t delay calling for help, fire and smoke can spread very
quickly
If there is a fire, you will not get in trouble for pulling the fire
alarm or calling Public Safety Dispatch
By letting the fire department know what is going on, the
response will be more effective allowing the building
operations to return back to normal more quickly.
13
FIRE ALARM PULL STATIONS
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Most are dual action
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Tamper proof units
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Local alarm when cover is lifted
Pull down to activate building alarm
Location
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Lift and pull
Push and pull
At exit doors
At stairwells on each floor
Alarm sounds
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Generally consist of a standardized temporal code 3 audible tone
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New buildings may have voice warning three times, then tone
14
SURVIVAL INFORMATION
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Feel doors prior to opening. If cool, open slowly.
Crawl low under smoke. Cleaner, cooler air will be near
the floor.
Look for the exits and take the closest route.
Close all doors as you exit. Doors are designed to keep
heat and smoke from spreading through corridors and
stairwells that would prevent escape.
Elevators are not operational during a fire alarm. Never
exit via an elevator. Heat and smoke can travel up an
elevator shaft, power can fail and you could become
trapped in the elevator car.
15
SURVIVAL INFORMATION
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If smoke or heat is not tolerable, or the door is hot to the
touch, keep door closed and remain in the room.
Seal cracks around the door with a wet shirt or towel.
Open windows from the top and bottom. Smoke will go
out the top, and fresh air will come in from the bottom.
Dial 874-2121 and let Public Safety know your exact
location. Hang or wave a shirt or towel from the
window.
Do not climb or jump out of windows - Help is on the
way.
16
SURVIVAL INFORMATION
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If your clothing catches fire, do not run for help.
Drop to the ground, pull your arms in to your side and
roll to smother the flames.
A safety shower can be used to extinguish the fire, if
available
Use only cool water on burns, never use ointments and
seek professional help immediately.
17
TYPES OF FIRES
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Class A - Wood, paper,cloth,trash
Class B - Flammable liquids, oil, gas, grease
Class C - Electrical, energized electrical
equipment
Class D - Combustible metals
18
TYPES OF EXTINGUISHERS
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All Purpose Water (A)
Carbon Dioxide (B,C)
Multi-Purpose Dry Chemical (A,B,C)
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Provided in the labs
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Monoammonium Phosphate
Non-toxic
Limit inhalation of powder
Combustible Metals (D)
19
WHEN NOT TO FIGHT A FIRE
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Never fight a fire if:
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You don’t have the proper fire extinguisher
The fire is between you and the exit (unless
you need to fight it to get out)
The fire has spread beyond the point of origin
You have emptied the fire extinguisher
Your instincts tell you to get out
Keep the extinguisher with you until safely
out of the building
20
WHEN TO USE A FIRE
EXTINGUISHER
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You have been properly trained
There is an extinguisher nearby
The extinguisher is the correct type
You are comfortable using the extinguisher
Your back is to the exit
The fire has not spread from its origin
No more than one extinguisher is needed
21
P.A.S.S. METHOD
Pull the pin
This will allow you to
squeeze the handle in
order to discharge the
extinguisher
Prop
22
P.A.S.S. METHOD
Aim at the base
of the fire
Aiming at the middle will
do no good.
The agent will pass
through the flames.
23
P.A.S.S. METHOD
Squeeze the
handle
This will release the
pressurized
extinguishing agent
24
P.A.S.S. METHOD
Sweep side to
side
Cover the entire area
that is on fire.
Continue until fire is
extinguished. Keep
an eye on the area for
re-lighting.
25
HANDS ON TRAINING
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Fire Extinguisher Training Simulator
26
SAFETY BRIEFING
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Training involves live fire
Training is voluntary
Do not approach within 6' of the flames
Resist the urge to move closer to the flames
Pull back long hair
No loose clothing (scarfs, etc.)
Hold the fire extinguisher vertically
No smoking or other potential ignition sources
allowed in the burn zone
27
EMERGENCY PROCEDURES
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Call Public Safety Dispatch 874-2121
Controller has "deadman" switch releasing the button extinguishes the
flames
Clothing fires - stop, drop and roll
Dry chemical fire extinguisher available
First aid kit available
28
FIRE SAFETY SUMMARY
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Prevention
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Preparedness
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Take care when working with open flame, eliminate combustibles
from the area
Store flammable chemicals properly, keep containers closed,
eliminate ignition sources
Know where emergency equipment is located
Risk assessment – protect yourself first
Response
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In the event of a fire, pull the fire alarm pull station and evacuate the
building – get the fire department on the way as quickly as possible
Only use a fire extinguisher if it is safe to do so
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Report all fires that have been extinguished to Public Safety Dispatch
Do not cleanup the fire area until it has been inspected by the Fire Department
Contact the Fire Safety Inspector for a replacement extinguisher
Take these lessons home with you!