FIRE SAFETY

NEBOSH Certificate

FIRE SAFETY Aims to minimise consequences of fires

PREVENTION
make sure fires dont start PRECAUTIONS

minimise the damage from fire

PROCEDURES action to take in the event of fire

HAZARDS OF FIRE

flames and heat

toxic/combustible smoke and gases structural failure of buildings oxygen depletion

FIRE TRIANGLE principles of combustion

Sources of fuel
FLAMMABLE SOLID

FLAMMABLE LIQUID

FLAMMABLE GAS

OXIDISING AGENT

SOURCES OF IGNITION - examples

- Radiant or convected heat from heaters - friction - hot surfaces - chemical - sparks - smoking

- electricity [static or mains] - internal combustion engines - tools

- Flame

Principles of heat transmission and fire spread

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

Remove one element or more of fire triangle, by:

starving it of fuel; smothering it to exclude oxygen; cooling it to reduce temperature.

Fire-fighting revolves around these principles

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]

Fatalities by cause of death UK 1999

other 7% burns and overcome by gas and smoke 20% burns 27%

overcome by gas and smoke 46%

Art School molotovs

Elements of fire prevention and control

Building design protection of load bearing structure, fire compartmentation, escape distances and routes, Management housekeeping, organisation, limitation of fire loadings, wastes, etc review of fire risk assessments, modifications to buildings, planning consent and fire authority approval, fire drills, instruction & training for building users

Fire detection & alarm systems manual or automatic detection, types of alarm, signage, emergency lighting
Fire fighting systems extinguishers, hose-reels, sprinklers, carbon dioxide & halon

Interaction of fire legislation

The Building Regulations 1991: Approved Document B Fire safety

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

BS5588-11:1997 Escape distances

Fire compartmentation in buildings

Fire escape route from various rooms are protected.

office

laboratory

Office and classroom similar level of risk no barrier.

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

Building fabric - Building Regs 1991, Approved Document B

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

EVACUATION PROCEDURE - the recommended order of business

1.
2. 3. 4.

evacuate the building by the fastest route

sound the fire alarm call the fire brigade assemble at the designated location

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

Fire Precautions Act 1971

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

Fire Precautions (Workplace) Regs 1997 (99)

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

5 steps of fire risk assessment

step 1 - identify fire hazards fire triangle: sources of ignition, sources of fuel, sources of oxygen

step 2 - decide who could be harmed

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

step 4 - recording findings & actions

step 5 - review and revise

Building management of fire risks

Good housekeeping by those responsible for managing buildings is a combination of: Following fire risk assessment/Fire Certificate recommendations; Constructing compartments, fire escape routes, and installing fire detection and alarm systems as necessary; Reducing potential for fuels and ignition sources to mix; Maintaining readiness to evacuate safely through organising staff, instruction and training, conducting fire drills and reviewing performance of people and systems.

BS 5839, part1:2002 - Fire detection and alarm systems

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

Carbon dioxide [CO2] extinguishers

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.

Other fire fighting equipment

Hose reels Fire blankets Automatic sprinklers Carbon dioxide/Halon systems Drenchers

HFL & LPG Regs - definitions

HFLs - flashpoint (below 32o C) and combustibility. Test methods in schedules 1 & 2 of Regs.

LPG - commercial butane, commercial propane, or combinations thereof.

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

Where this is impracticable, such a warning is to be placed as near to storage as possible.

Precautions against spills and leaks

Conveyed through factory in vessels designed to prevent spills. Process use to be kept as low as r.p. Steps taken to prevent storage tanks from leaking. Spills should be drained off to a safe place.

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