PART 1: INTRODUCTION

1.1 Fire Safety Management

The primary purpose of a fire management system is to design, manage, plan and co-ordinate
appropriate fire safety procedures to reduce the risks of fire and to ensure the safety of building
occupants. A complete fire management system ensures legal compliance and protection of lives
and assets. The plan describes the arrangements for effectively managing fire safety so as to prevent
fire occurring and, in the event of fire, to protect people and property. 

1.1.1 FIRE

Fire is the rapid oxidation of a material in the exothermic chemical process of combustion, releasing
heat, light, and various reaction products. Slower oxidative processes like rusting or digestion are not
included by this definition. Fire is the visible effect of the process of combustion – a special type of
chemical reaction. It needs three elements to occur:

FUEL: any combustible material such as petrol, methanol, paper or wood

OXYGEN: at least 16 percent oxygen is needed to sustain a fire

HEAT: the energy necessary to increase fuel temperature to ignition point

The chain reaction occur when fuel, oxygen and heat are present in proper conditions and
proportions. Fire ignites when rapid oxidation or burning takes place. When any of these factors is
taken away, the fire cannot occur (or will be extinguished if it was already burning).

Combustion is when fuel reacts with oxygen to release heat energy. Combustion can be slow or fast
depending on the amount of oxygen available. Combustion that results in flame is very fast is called
burning. Combustion can only occur between gases. Fuels can be solids, liquid or gases.
1.1.2 COMPLETE COMBUSTION

Complete combustion is the combination of fuel with oxygen without fuel left over requiring time,
turbulence and temperature high enough to ignite all the combustible elements. In complete
combustion, the burning fuel will produce only water and carbon dioxide (no smoke or other
products). The flame is typically blue. For this to happen, there needs to be enough oxygen to
combine completely with the fuel gas.

1.1.3 INCOMPLETE COMBUSTION

Incomplete combustion occurs when a combustion reaction occurs without a sufficient supply of
oxygen. Incomplete combustion is often undesirable because it releases less energy than complete
combustion and produces carbon monoxide which is a poisonous gas. Incomplete combustion can
also produce pure carbon (soot) which is messy and can build up in equipment. Incomplete
combustion is characterized by an orange coloured flame.

1.1.4 CLASSES OF FIRE

CLASSES OF FIRE EXPLANATION

Class A Fires involving solid materials such as wood,

paper or textiles.

Class B Fires involving flammable liquids such as petrol,

diesel or oils.

Class C Fires involving gases.

Class D Fires involving metals and combustible metal.

Class E Fires involving electrical energized equipment.

Class F Fires in cooking appliances that involves cooking

media, cooking oils and greases.