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
OXIDISING AGENT
FLAMMABLE SOLID
FLAMMABLE LIQUID
FLAMMABLE GAS
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


conduction
convection
radiation
Principles of heat transmission and fire spread
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
burns
27%
other
7%
burns and
overcome
by gas and
smoke
20%
overcome
by gas and
smoke
46%
Art School molotovs
Fire fighting systems -
extinguishers, hose-reels, sprinklers, carbon dioxide & halon
Fire detection & alarm systems -
manual or automatic detection,
types of alarm, signage, emergency lighting
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
Building design -
protection of load bearing structure,
fire compartmentation,
escape distances and routes,
Elements of fire prevention and control
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
laboratory
classroom
office
Classroom protected from
higher fire risks in laboratory.
Office and classroom
similar level of risk
no barrier.
Fire escape route from various rooms are
protected.
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. evacuate the building by the fastest route
2. sound the fire alarm
3. call the fire brigade
4. 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 5 - review and revise
step 4 - recording findings & actions
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 2 - decide who could be harmed
step 1 - identify fire hazards -
fire triangle:
sources of ignition, sources of fuel, sources of oxygen
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 [CO
2
]
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