Fire Prevention
Disclaimer
• This training material presents very important information.
• Your organization must do an evaluation of all exposures,
applicable codes and regulations, and establish proper controls,
training, and protective measures to effectively control exposures
and assure compliance.
• This program is neither a determination that the conditions and
practices of your organization are safe nor a warranty that reliance
upon this program will prevent accidents and losses or satisfy local,
state or federal regulations.
• All procedures and training, whether required by law or not, should
be implemented and reviewed by safety and risk management
professionals, and legal counsel to ensure that all local, state and
federal requirements are satisfied.
Course Outline – Fire Prevention
1. Why Take Fire Prevention Training?
2. Fire Chemistry
3. Fire Prevention Program
4. Emergency Notification
5. Fire Sprinkler Systems
6. Other Controls
7. Portable Fire Extinguishers
8. Flammables and Explosives
9. Summary
Why Take Fire Prevention Training?
• Fire prevention training is essential in an effort to protect
against injuries, deaths, business interruption, and property
damage resulting from fires.
• Organizations must develop a Fire Prevention Program with
several key components, and employees must be trained on all
aspects of the plan.
• Understanding the basic components of fire and how to protect
against it will protect your organization from property, financial
and human loss.
• Understanding evacuation methods, fire extinguisher use, and
good housekeeping are just a few of the critical elements!
Fire Chemistry
Fire Tetrahedron:
•
Traditionally, the study of fire has been based on the fire
triangle. Each side of the tetrahedron is a component which
is necessary for fire to occur.
Fire Chemistry
Three necessary components:
• Fire is a rapid oxidation reaction (oxygen combining with a fuel)
which produces energy in the form of heat and light.
• The three necessary components that will precede a chemical
chain reaction are:
– Fuel
– Heat (energy)
– Oxygen
• Removal of any of these components results in the extinguishment
of the fire.
Fire Prevention Program
Defined:
• A fire prevention program describes the actions to prevent a fire
event from occurring.
• A well defined program and proper staff training will reduce the
risk of severe injury and structural damage.
• The program must take into account worksite layout, structural
features, special hazards, and emergency systems.
• Commitment and support at all levels is critical for the program’s
success.
Fire Prevention Program
Program elements:
• Fire hazards defined: A list of all major fire hazards, proper
handling and storage procedures for hazardous materials,
potential ignition sources and their control.
• Fire protection equipment: Types of fire protection equipment
necessary to control each major hazard onsite.
• Control methods: Address control methods to reduce
accumulations of flammable and combustible substances.
• Fire suppression system: Fixed and portable fire extinguishing
system to protect buildings and valuable equipment.
Fire Prevention Program
Program elements (continued):
• Emergency Response Plan: Defines all response information,
procedures, and assignments.
• Incident Commander: Manager with authority, as pre-determined
in the Fire Prevention Plan, to take command of the emergency
response.
• Evacuation procedure: Escape route assignments for all personnel
to follow in the event of an emergency.
• Assembly area: A safe area for people to take refuge, receive
medical care, and communicate. It is critical that all staff members
are accounted for at this time.
Fire Prevention Program
Program elements (continued):
• Emergency notification:
Description of the alarm system
that signals the evacuation.
• Reporting emergencies: Includes
dialing 911, internal emergency
number, and pulling manual alarm.
• Maintenance: Regular maintenance
of safeguards installed on heatproducing equipment to prevent
ignition of combustibles
Fire Prevention Program
Evacuation procedures:
• Required for each building and must be a section of the Emergency
Response Plan.
• Must include facility diagrams, floor plan, and exit routes that
illustrate routes of egress.
• Drills must be completed by all personnel on a regular basis to
ensure preparedness.
− Use the Emergency Response Plan as the drill guide.
− Evaluate effectiveness of evacuation plans and the drill.
− Make corrective actions as needed.
Fire Prevention Program
Review fire, rescue and
medical services:
• Invite the local fire department to
conduct a walkthrough of your
facility so they are familiar with
the layout and special hazards that
may exist. They can assist in drills.
• Establish a relationship with your
area ambulance carrier to improve
efficiency during an emergency.
Fire Prevention Program
Review fire, rescue and medical services (continued):
• Make preparations with local medical centers to handle
emergency cases and provide medical care.
• Verify telephone numbers, addresses, and directions in the
Emergency Response Plan for accuracy.
Fire Prevention Program
Emergency Response Plan:
• Defines incident command system, evacuation routes, emergency
contact information, and all response procedures and assignments.
• It must take into account all types of expected emergencies, in
addition to fires, e.g. toxic chemical release, natural disasters etc.
• It should clearly state each action carried out by specified staff
members for each emergency scenario and for each step of the
emergency response process.
Fire Prevention Program
Emergency Response Plan
(continued):
• It must be in writing, kept in the
workplace, and made available for
employees to review.
• Regular training should take place
so the plan is fully understood by all
staff members.
• Practice drills, using the plan,
should be executed with all staff on
a regular basis.
Emergency Notification
Types of emergency signal transmission:
• Central Station Monitoring: A “UL” listed central station specially
constructed with standby power sources. Trained personnel are on
duty at all times recording, maintaining, and monitoring the fire
alarm system.
• Remote system: A third party receiving station that is attended 24
hours a day.
• Organization owned and operated: Manually triggered system that
is constantly attended.
• Auxiliary system: Alarm is transmitted directly to fire department.
Emergency Notification
Reporting emergencies immediately:
• Report fires immediately to management,
or to “911” if the incident is not an
immediately controllable situation.
• Evacuate the immediate and impacted
areas.
• The Incident Commander, as defined in
the Fire Prevention Plan will take charge of
the scene and all personnel and make
decisions regarding proper procedures.
Note: Some phone systems require dialing “9” before calling an outside line
including 911 – Check with your facility on how to call for emergencies
Fire Sprinkler Systems
The most effective method:
• Automatic fire sprinkler systems are widely known as the most
effective method of controlling the spread of fire.
•
There are five types of fire sprinkler systems:
− Wet pipe
− Dry pipe
− Pre-action
− Deluge
− Antifreeze
Ensure the right system for your
worksite’s hazards and characteristics.
Fire Sprinkler Systems
Wet pipe systems:
• Automatic sprinklers are attached to a piping system that contains
water from a water supply source.
• Sprinkler heads are activated by fusible link, which are heat
sensitive.
• When discharged, water immediately drops from opened sprinkler
to control area of fire.
• Wet pipe systems are the most simple and reliable of sprinkler
system designs.
• Over 75% of all systems are wet pipe.
Fire Sprinkler Systems
Dry pipe systems:
• Dry pipe systems are used where piping is subject to freezing.
• The piping system contains air or nitrogen under pressure.
• When the system is activated, air pressure releases which allows
for water pressure to open the dry pipe valve, thereby allowing
water to flow through the system.
Fire Sprinkler Systems
Pre-action systems:
• Pre-action systems are installed for locations
where high value contents are kept and
accidental discharge of water would destroy
those contents.
• This system is attached to a piping system that
may or may not contain air under pressure.
• In order for the system to discharge water it
must be activated by both a supplemental fire
detection sensor, and heat fusion of the
sprinkler head.
• These systems are commonly used in computer
rooms and high tech facilities.
Fire Sprinkler Systems
Deluge system:
• Deluge systems differ from pre-action systems in that their
sprinklers remain open; whereas, in pre-action systems the
sprinklers are closed.
• When the system is activated water discharges from all sprinklers.
• Typically used in high hazard areas that require direct application
of water over the entire hazard.
Fire Sprinkler Systems
Antifreeze systems:
• Antifreeze systems are used as a secondary system off of the main
wet pipe system.
• It is a wet pipe system that’s connected to the water supply via
piping which contains a water-antifreeze solution.
• Designed to protect unheated areas such as canopies and loading
docks.
Fire Doors
An important engineering control:
• Protect openings in fire resistance rated walls used to separate
buildings or building sections, exit routes, and stairways.
• Designed to slow the spread of fire, heat, and smoke.
• Doors are automatic and self-closing.
• Regular preventive maintenance is required.
• Fire door protection ratings can be designated by “hours”,
“alphabet”, or a combination of both.
Fire Doors
“Hourly” fire protection designation:
• The hourly designation refers to the
duration of fire exposure tested to the
door.
• The Underwriters Laboratories (UL) uses
this hourly rating:
− 4 hour
− 3 hour
− 2 hour
− 1½ hour
− ¾ hour
− ½ hour
Fire Doors
“Alphabetical” fire protection designation:
• Class A: 3 hour approved for doors in dividing fire walls that
divide a single building into separate fire divisions.
• Class B: 1½ hour approved for doors in openings of vertical
communication through buildings, e.g. stairwells, elevator shafts.
• Class C: ¾ hour approved for doors in corridor or room-partition
opening between rooms.
Fire Doors
“Alphabetical” fire protection designation (continued):
• Class D: 1½ hour approved for doors in exterior walls that have
potential for severe fire exposure from outside the building.
• Class E: ¾ hour approved for doors with openings in exterior
walls subject to light or moderate fire exposure from outside the
building.
Other Controls
Fire detection equipment:
• Smoke detector: Detects visible or
invisible products of combustion.
• Heat detector: Detects extreme
ambient high temperatures or
increase of temperature rates.
• Fire detector: Detects ultraviolet,
visible, or infrared energy that is
emitted from combustion
reactions.
• Gas detector: Detects gases
produced by a fire.
Other Controls
Fire brigade:
• May be warranted onsite for
facilities that require quick
response time for larger fires.
• Fire fighting equipment must be
properly maintained and inspected
at least annually.
• Fire fighting protective clothing
and equipment must meet
requirements of the National Fire
Protection Association (NFPA).
Other Controls
Fire brigade (continued):
• Training for all fire brigade members must reflect those duties
and functions fire brigade members are expected to perform.
• Training is to be conducted frequently to assure that each
member of the brigade is able to perform the assigned duties
and functions with a high level of competence and in a safe
manner.
• The quality of training of all fire brigade members shall mirror
those conducted by accredited fire training schools.
Other Controls
Fire brigade (continued):
• Fire brigade members must be
aware of all special hazards onsite
such as flammable liquids and
gases, toxic chemicals, radioactive
sources, and water reactive
substances.
• Brigade members must have
experience in interior structural fire
fighting.
• They need to be physically capable
of performing duties which may be
assigned to them during
emergencies.
Portable Fire Extinguishers
Primary functions:
• To control or extinguish small or
incipient stage fires.
• Protect evacuation routes that may
become blocked by fire and/or
smoke.
Portable Fire Extinguishers
Fire designations:
• Class A – Fires of ordinary combustible materials, such as wood,
paper, and cloth.
• Class B – Fires in flammable liquids, oils, grease, lacquers, and oilbased paints.
Portable Fire Extinguishers
Fire designations (continued):
• Class C – Fires that involve energized
electrical equipment.
• Class D – Fires in combustible metal,
such as magnesium, titanium,
zirconium, sodium, lithium, and
potassium.
• Class K – Fires in commercial kitchens.
Portable Fire Extinguishers
Common fire extinguisher types:
• Air-Pressurized Water Extinguisher: for Class A fires,
i.e., wood, paper, cloth.
Portable Fire Extinguishers
Common fire extinguisher types (continued):
• Carbon Dioxide Extinguisher: Designed for Class B and Class C
fires, i.e., flammable, liquid, and electrical.
Portable Fire Extinguishers
Common fire extinguisher types (continued):
• Dry Chemical Extinguisher: Designed for use on all three fire
types: Class A, Class B, Class C.
Portable Fire Extinguishers
Requirements:
• Fire extinguishers must be located throughout your facility and readily
accessible in the event of a fire.
• Fire extinguishers must be maintained in a fully charged and operational
condition.
 Discharged extinguishers must be serviced immediately.
• Fire extinguishers must be kept in their designated places at all times
except during use.
• An annual maintenance check must be conducted, with a new inspection
tag secured.
• Annual maintenance date must be recorded and retained for one year
after the last entry or the life of the shell, whichever is less.
Portable Fire Extinguishers
Training:
• Where portable fire extinguishers have been
provided for employee use in the workplace,
employees must be provided with an
educational program:
− Must include general principles of fire
extinguisher use.
− Must include the beginning stage hazards
of fire fighting.
• Employees that are designated to use extinguishers must
receive instruction and hands-on practice in the operation of
equipment.
Portable Fire Extinguishers
Fire extinguisher use:
• Just remember the acronym
P.A.S.S. to help make sure you
use it properly.
−
−
−
−
Pull
Aim
Squeeze
Sweep
Portable Fire Extinguishers
Fire extinguisher use (continued):
• Pull: The first step is to pull the pin that prevents the handle from
being squeezed.
• Aim: Then aim the spray nozzle at the fire. Aim low at the base
of the fire.
• Squeeze: Squeeze the handle and remember the standard fire
extinguisher has less than 30 seconds of spray time.
• Sweep: Sweep back and forth as you spray the base of the fire.
Fight or Flee Response
Fight or Flee Response:
• This is a critical decision your organization needs to plan for.
• The time to use an extinguisher is in the incipient, or beginning,
stages of a fire. If the fire is already spreading quickly it is best
to evacuate, closing doors behind you.
• The decision to use a fire extinguisher is a judgment call that
must be made by the trained user.
Fight or Flee Response
Fight or Flee Response (continued):
• Designated staff members must understand the use and
limitations of fire extinguishers and the hazards associated with
fire fighting.
• Do
−
−
−
not fight the fire in these cases:
If you don’t have adequate or appropriate equipment.
If you might inhale toxic smoke.
If your instincts tell you not to.
• Final rule: Always position yourself with an exit or means of
escape at your back before you attempt to use an extinguisher.
Flammables and Explosives
Flammables:
•
Flammable materials present not only toxic
hazards, but the ever present danger of fire and
explosion!
•
The staff member who may be called to enter
this type of environment must have a good
understanding of the basic principles and
terminology of fire, flammables, and safe work
practices.
•
Additionally, there are thousands of bulk
storage plants, refineries, pipelines, tanks, and
industrial applications where flammables are
stored, used, or processed.
Flammables and Explosives
Explosives defined:
• Any substance or article including a device which is designed to
function by explosion; or, by way of chemical reaction within itself, is
able to function in a similar manner even if not designed to function
by explosion.
• An explosion is a chemical reaction that generates high temperatures
and large amounts of gas at a very fast rate. If the explosive material
is under confinement, it may produce shock wave and missile
hazards.
Flammables and Explosives
Flash point:
• Flash point is defined as the temperature at which a liquid
fuel gives off significant vapor to form an ignitable mixture.
• When a fire burns, it is the vapor from the fuel that is
burning, not the liquid or solid fuel itself. As more heat is
generated, more vapor is produced and the fire grows.
• Vapor production is a function of pressure and temperature
Gases do not have flash points because they
are already in a vapor state.
Flammables and Explosives
Ignition source:
• An energy source of sufficient
temperature to cause ignition of a
flammable vapor.
• Common ignition sources:
− Matches
− Smoking
− Electrical equipment
− Static electricity
Flammables and Explosives
Ignition temperature:
• The minimum temperature required to initiate or
cause self-sustained combustion independently of any
outside ignition source.
• Any flammable will burst into spontaneous flame at a
certain temperature without additional ignition
sources.
• The ignition temperature of a liquid has no
relationship to its flash point.
• For example, there is a 1,000º difference between
acetone's flash point and ignition temperature.
Flammables and Explosives
Flammable liquid
• Flammable liquids have flash points below 100º F and are divided
into three classes according to NFPA 30 standard.
Combustible liquid
• Combustible liquids have a flash point at or above 100º F.
NFPA Classifications
Class
Example
Flashpoint
Boiling Point
IA
Ethyl Ether
<73º
<100º
IB
Gasoline
<73º
=/>100º
IC
Turpentine
73º - 100º
II
Kerosene
100º - 140º
IIIA
Olive Oil
140º - 200º
IIIB
Transformer Oil
=/>200º
Flammables and Explosives
Storage:
• The quantity of flammable and
combustible liquids kept in the vicinity
of spray finishing areas needs to be
kept to a minimum and is limited to
the amount used in one day or work
shift.
• Keeping more than minimal quantities
of flammable and combustible liquids
will increase the intensity of a fire if
one breaks out, possibly causing the
fire to spread and resulting in severe
damage.
Flammables and Explosives
Storage (continued):
• Storage cabinets for flammable and combustible
liquids:
− Approved storage cabinets are used when storage exceeds
incidental amounts not sufficient enough to warrant a
separate storage room.
• Features of storage cabinets:
− Double wall construction and 1.5 in. air space.
− 2 inch sill for containment of spills.
− Made with 18 gage sheet steel.
− Door(s) contain three point latching.
− Must have provisions for grounding.
− Must be marked “Flammable – Keep Fire Away”.
Flammables and Explosives
Storage (continued):
• No more than 120 gallons of flammable and combustible liquids (660
gallons in portable tanks) can be stored in an area of a building except
in an approved storage room.
• For extremely flammable liquids with a boiling point below 100 F (i.e.
ethyl ether) only 25 gallons in approved containers can be stored in a
location outside of an approved storage room.
• An approved storage room must have special fire-resistant
construction, explosive-proof wiring and lighting, and meet other
specified requirements.
Flammables and Explosives
Ventilation:
• Two common methods are gravity and mechanical.
• Gravity: An acceptable form provided there is no dispensing or
mixing.
• Mechanical: Ventilation for flammable liquid storage rooms
where mixing or dispensing occurs requires 1.0 cubic feet per
minute (CFM) or ventilation for every square foot area with a
minimum of 150 CFM.
Flammables and Explosives
Grounding and bonding:
•
When flammable liquids, such as Propylene
Glycol, are transferred from one container to
another, a static spark may ignite chemical
vapor.
•
To prevent this, an electrical connection or
bonding wire should connect the two (metal)
containers.
•
The two containers can also be connected to
electrical grounds to prevent sparks.
•
Dispensing containers such as drums, always
need to be grounded.
Flammables and Explosives
Ground and bonding (continued)
• Containers with more than one quart need to be grounded and
bonded.
• Piping systems for flammable liquids need to be permanently
grounded.
• Be sure that grounding systems are continuous to the earth.
Flammables and Explosives
Residues and wastes:
• Residue scrapings, used rags, waste
paper, and other debris which contain
flammable or combustible liquids and
paint residue need to be removed and
placed in specific containers.
• Containers must be made of metal, have
self-closing metal and sealed lids, and
be properly labeled.
• Containers must be emptied at least
once a day.
Summary – Fire Prevention
•
Fire prevention program: Lists all major fire hazards. Includes proper
•
Adequate engineering controls: Protect facilities and personnel, e.g., fire
•
Fire Extinguishers: Ensure all staff are trained and drilled.
•
Flammables and Explosives: Require proper processes and facilities for
•
Training: A well defined supported program and proper staff training will
handling and storage procedures for hazardous materials, potential
ignition sources and their control, and the type of fire protection
equipment necessary to control each major hazard onsite.
sprinklers, fire doors, smoke detection, fire brigades.
storage, ventilation, grounding, bonding, and handling waste.
reduce the risk of severe injury and structural damage.
Summary – Fire Prevention
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