Fire

Protection

OBJECTIVES:
By the end of this chapter, you should
be able to: Identify fire sources and its safety
precautions
Identify several types of fire extinguishers.
Respond during emergency situation.

Introduction
General facts about fire protection .
No facility is absolutely fireproof. Nearly everything can
burn, by given ignition, adequate fuel, and sufficient
Oxygen.
The spread of the heat, smoke, and toxic gases is possibly
the greatest single danger to life and takes place in much
the same manner as does the spread of fire.
Smoke and toxic gases are responsible for 66% of deaths
from fire in buildings.
The use of a building and its occupancy, will influence the
degree of fire hazards. The more hazardous the materials
handled in a plant area are, the more likely is the chance
for a fire to start and rapidly spread.

Fire Protection
Engineering
Fire protection engineering is a highly developed
specialized field. The solution of many fire
protection problems requires the special training
and perspective of an experienced fire protection
engineer.
Achieving the most efficient fire protection system
requires the involvement of the architect, interior
designer, urban planner, building contractor,
electrical and structural engineers, fire detection
system manufacturers, building safety engineer,
and local fire marshal.

Fire Drills
Fire drills, conducted at frequent intervals,
demonstrate managements concern and sincere
interest in all fire prevention activities. The drills
should serve as a reminder to employees and
supervisors that all fire prevention practices are
important
Carefully plan and periodically carry out fire drills.
Conduct them in a serious manner under rigid
discipline. To eliminate panic in the event of an
emergency and guarantee the smooth functioning
of the emergency plan, carefully develop the plan

Fire brigades
Management cannot depend on automatic fire
protection equipment, municipal fire departments to
prevent fire losses. Fires can get out of control
before municipal fire department arrives
One method of providing additional fire protection is
to form a fire brigade. Brigade members should be
regular plant employees from all departments,
thoroughly trained in using the plants fire fighting
equipment

FIRE DETECTION
Losses would be reduced if each developing fire were detected so
it could be attacked and extinguished.
Thus, fire detection devices must be a part of every fire
protection system
Means of detection could be a human observer; automatic
sprinklers; smoke, flame, or heat detectors; or, more likely, a
combination of these.
The detecting part of a fire protection system has two main
tasks:
(1) Giving an early warning to enable building occupants to
escape
(2) Starting extinguishing procedures.
Each automatic fire-detection system requires a sensor, which
observes a physically measurable quantity of smoke, flame, or
heat.

 Human Observer

A human observer is a good fire-detection system for

the following reason: He can take immediate action
in a flexible way, whether calling the fire department
or putting out a fire with an extinguisher. Be sure that
employees report any fire that they have put out.
Automatic Fire-Detection Systems

In general, there are three possible errors in any nonhuman fire-detection system:
(1) giving a false alarm,
(2) not detecting a fire,
(3) detecting it too late.

The cause of false alarms may be human

interference, mechanical or electrical faults, or
special environmental effects

Cont
..
There are many types of fire detectors to handle
various situations and to detect various states of the
beginning of a fire
Most manufacturers and distributors offer several or all
of the commonly used types.
Thermal Detectors
Fixed-Temperature Detectors
Line Thermal Detectors
Smoke Detectors
Flame Detectors
Sensor Systems

ALARM SYSTEMS
Alarm systems can be divided into four groups: local,
auxiliary, central station, and proprietary.
All types of alarm systems should be equipped with a
signal system that clearly communicates to all
persons in the building, plant, or laboratory.
Whenever an alarm is sounded in any portion of the
building or area, all employees must know what the
sound means.

Local Alarm Systems

A local alarm consists simply of bells, horns, lights,
sirens, or other warning devices right in the building.
Local alarms are generally used for life protection
that is, to evacuate everyone and thus limit injury
or loss of life from the fire.
A local alarm can be tied in with another system to
call the fire department.
Local alarm systems are inexpensive, available from
a wide range of suppliers, and easy to install.
Auxiliary Alarm Systems (supplementary)
Auxiliary alarm systems are even less expensive
than local alarm systems.
Such a system simply ties a fire detector to a nearby
fire call box. In effect, it becomes a transmit station
triggered by fire detectors inside the building.

Central Station Systems

Central station systems are available in most major
cities around the country.
Operated by trained personnel, a central station
continually monitors a number of establishments and,
in case of an alarm, calls a nearby fire station and
alerts the buildings personnel.
Central station devices are almost always leased.

Proprietary Alarm Systems

Proprietary alarm systems feed alarms to the buildings
maintenance force, and, optionally, to the fire
department as well.
One reason for their acceptance is that insurance
regulations generally require security officers .

Fires usually start in a facilitys contents or operations

rather than in its structure. Therefore, consider the
following:

What materials are flammable?

What materials in a process or operation are most likely to ignite? Burn?

Explode?

What in the facility could be a source of ignition? Are any open sparks or
flames present? Are high temperatures involved in any operations?

Where are flammable and combustible materials located? Are flammable

materials stored together? Do indirect connections exist? If one of the
materials should burn, could the others easily ignite?

Might any of the materials ignite because of convection or radiation?

What toxic gases might develop into a fire?

How much time might it take for a fire to spread to other areas? to
adjacent facilities?

Smoke and toxic gases, and sometimes heat, are largely responsible for
fire deaths. What toxic gases might develop from the burning of contents?

How many people are likely to be involved in the facility, in adjacent

facilities, or in facilities nearby?

Types of Fires
CLASS A FIRES - Ordinary combustibles such as wood,
paper, cloth, carpet and rubbish .

CLASS B FIRES - fires occur in the vapor-air mixture

over the surface of flammable liquids, such as gasoline,
oil, grease, paints, and thinners .

CLASS C FIRES electrical equipment

fires occur in or near energized

CLASS D FIRES - fires occur in combustible metals

such as magnesium, titanium, zirconium, lithium,
potassium, and sodium.

CLASS k FIRES - fires occur in cooking appliances

that involve combustible cooking media (vegetable or
animal oils/ fats)

Different Kinds of
Extinguishers
The 4 most common fire extinguishers:

All Purpose Water

Carbon Dioxide
Multi-Purpose Dry Chemical
Dry Powder

Each kind of extinguisher has a

specific use

All Purpose Water

Use on CLASS A fires

Pressurized water

Pressure gauge

Carbon Dioxide

Use on CLASS B and

CLASS C fires
Hard, plastic nozzle

Multi-Purpose Dry
Chemical

Use on CLASS A, CLASS

B, CLASS C and CLASS K
fires
Fine powder under
pressure
Pressure gauge

Dry powder
Use for class
Class A, Class B,
Class C , Class D
and class k.
Fine powder
under pressure
Pressure gauge

How to Extinguisher a Small Fire

PASS
1. PULL... Pull the pin. This will also
break the tamper seal.
2. AIM... Aim low, pointing the
extinguisher nozzle (or its horn or hose)
at the base of the fire.
Note: Do not touch the plastic discharge horn
on CO2 extinguishers, it gets very cold and
may damage skin.

3. SQUEEZE... Squeeze the handle to

release the extinguishing agent.
4. SWEEP... Sweep from side to side at
the base of the fire until it appears to be
out. Watch the area. If the fire re-ignites,
repeat steps 2 - 4.
If you have the slightest doubt about your
ability to fight a fire....EVACUATE
IMMEDIATELY!

Know what you are looking

for.
A fully charged Fire Extinguisher
has the arrow in the green
section

CLASS D FIRES (METAL)

Direct the nozzle so the agent falls directly onto the burning met

Close the nozzle valve to produce a soft, heavy

flow and move closer to cover the fire area.

Do not disturb the agent and fire until it has cooled.

Source: NFPA

FIRE EXTINGUISHERS

IMPORTANT TO REMEMBER
Ensure that each area has
the proper type fire
extinguisher!

OTHER FEATURES OF FIRE

PROTECTION
SPRINKLERS

TYPES OF CONTROL
VALVES

OTHER FEATURES OF FIRE

PROTECTION
DETECTORS & STOBES

OTHER FEATURES OF FIRE

PROTECTION
FIRE DOORS

OTHER FEATURES OF FIRE

PROTECTION
SUPPRESSION SYSTEMS

Key Elements to
Remember
1. Be familiar with what your companys policy and what is being asked
of you in the event of a FIRE.
2. Be familiar with how to identify what type of Fire Extinguisher you
have.
3. Know your work Environment, process, equipment, and what types of
potential fires could start.
4. Understand the capabilities and limitations of your Fire Extinguisher
5. Know the general steps to responding to a Fire and when a Fire is not
safe to put out.
6. Know how to operate a Fire Extinguisher (PASS)
7. Confirm if your facility has tested the sprinkler system.
8. Ensure your company has a monthly inspection procedure to ensure
Fire Extinguishers are in a safe working order.
9. Ensure your Fire Extinguishers have an annual inspection and are
hydrostatically tested by a qualified 3 rd party.
10. Coordinate hands on training if you have been designated or assigned
to use a Fire Extinguisher at your facility or place of employment.

QUESTIONS ?