Fire Safety - Essential Concepts, Prevention and Control – Module One

Learn the fundamentals of fire safety management in this online training course to
protect your organization

This concise course on fire safety planning, management and control is designed for people for
whom fire safety management is an important part of their profession. This course includes various
important aspects related to fire safety such as the classification and method of using fire
extinguishers and smoke alarms. You will also find discussions on two important international fire
risk management standards in this course: BS 9997 and OSHA Act.

Module One - The Basics of Fire and Propagation

Having completed this module, you will be able to:

 Discuss the reasons as to why fire starts

 Explain with statistics why fire safety is important considering the incident in the US

 What is the NFPA and how is it helping industries to ensure fire safety

 Analyze the importance of supervised cooking in the kitchens

 Recognize the correct method of using heating equipment 

 Explain the CO prevention in homes and office buildings due to faulty heating
equipment

 Identify the signs of faulty wiring in buildings 

 Define NFPA, its purposes, and its role in fire safety

The Global Problem of Fire Safety

Fire-related destructions and accidents are prevalent globally. Despite implementing strict
fire-safety laws and regulations, compliance remains poor, and there's a lot of work left that
needs to be done in this regard. Fires can incur heavy losses to human lives as well as
infrastructure. Households and companies must bear hefty losses, and millions of dollars
are spent every year compensating for the damages. The situation is so grave that even
developed countries like the U.S. face the consequences of fire-related incidents due to
inadequate fire safety measures.

The following statistics show the damages and destructions caused by the fire alone in the
US in 2020:

 The local fire departments responded to 1,338,500 fires. Cumulatively, these fires
caused 3500 deaths, 15,200 injuries, and $21.9 billion worth of property damages

 Vehicle fires constituted 18% of the fire-related deaths

 Of all the fire-related deaths, 74% of the fire-related deaths resulted from domestic
fires.

 64% of the domestic fires in the US occurred in one-two family homes, while 10% of

the fires occurred in apartments or multi-family housing

 Every 23 seconds, every fire department in the US responded to a fire in the country.
Fires in US homes occurred every 89 seconds, while fires in other structures occurred
at the rate of every 64 seconds

Types of Fire Incidents in the US (2020)

As per the statistics in the US for the year 2020, it is reported that most incidents have
occurred as domestic fire compared with the second most prominent which is vehicle
fire. Industrial and commercial fire incidents are covered in miscellaneous

Domestic Fire 75%

Vehicle fires 20%

Miscellaneous Fire 5%
The
Need of Fire Safety Professionals

Fires are perhaps one of the most notorious hazards due to which thousands of lives are
lost each year. Not only that, but these fires also cause substantial financial and
infrastructural losses in the places they occur. What is essential in this scenario is that
the losses due to fire occur worldwide, despite implementing stringent laws and
regulations to curb the fire hazards.

In this scenario, hiring a fire safety management professional remains among the top priority
of businesses and enterprises. This is because the enterprises always want to ensure that
their fire safety management is robust. Leaving any loopholes in their fire risk protection
systems can cause them losses worth millions of dollars. If a fire occurs in the premises of
these buildings, not only do they incur monetary and infrastructural losses, but they also lose
their reputation among the general public.

What are the responsibilities of a Fire Safety Professional?

 They should be well-aware of the rights, roles, and responsibilities of employees,

employers, and the owners of premises during a fire emergency

 They must know the local laws related to fire-safety

 They should be able to equip the occupants of the buildings with his knowledge and
expertise about the fire safety

The
National Fire Protection Association

When it comes to fire safety, we see a long list of organizations and associations that make
fire safety laws and regulations around the world. However, among these organizations,
there are very few that have gained worldwide recognition. One such organization is the
NFPA, which was created back in 1896. Now this association is recognized globally for its
work related to fire safety in different situations and realities. Many governmental bodies
around the world follow NFPA publications for making their own regulations and guidance
on fire safety.
 When it comes to fire safety and management, NFPA is one of the world’s leading authority
organizations. The mission of this organization is to promote safe practices that eliminate
the likelihood of death, injury, and property losses associated with fire incidents. The main
reason for NFPA's popularity is its more than 300 codes and standards.

The NFPA Codes and Standards and their Purpose

The sole purpose of NFPA codes and standards is to minimize the risk and effects
associated with fire-related accidents and incidents. These codes and standards establish
criteria for building, processing, servicing, designing, and installing the buildings and their
associated structures.

Why Does a Fire Start?

Fires are one of the most common causes of commercial and residential accidents. The reasons
why a fire starts vary. Sometimes, they start just due to utter mishandling. At other times, there
are sheer loopholes in the safety and risk prevention systems in factories, industries, and
enterprises. 

Below, three of such most important causes are given that cause a fire to happen in the first
place. This is more focused on domestic fire in households. However, these reasons can also be
found in industrial or commercial fire.

Fires Due to Heating Equipment

With the arrival of winters, the use of heating equipment increases exponentially in homes
and offices. Similarly, large industrial plants have their own heating systems. But at times,
these systems and appliances can cause an uncontrollable fire. Thus, it is therefore essential
to take all the necessary preventive measures before using this equipment. It would be best
to use these space heaters only to heat a small portion of the premises. It is also important
to keep this space heater away from any substance that can easily catch fire (e.g., blanket,
curtain, laundry, furniture, etc.).

Preventing CO Poisoning in Buildings

Practicing carbon monoxide safety at home and in other buildings is also crucial. CO is a
toxic gas usually produced by fuel-burning devices, such as a stove or a furnace. You can
prevent yourself from dangerous carbon monoxide leaks by installing carbon monoxide
alarms on every floor. For additional safety, test these alarms occasionally, and replace their
batteries every six months to ensure your and your family's safety.

Unattended Cooking

Unattended cooking is the most prevalent reason why domestic fires start in the first place. If
you are cooking in your kitchen or somewhere else in your home, you must ensure presence
over the cooking process for the whole time. If it is not possible for you to keep the watch
the entire time, then don't hesitate to ask another adult in the house to supervise the cooking
process. Also, inserting a timer can help you with keeping track of your cooking time.

Statistics of Losses Due to Unattended Cooking

 Cooking equipment account for 47% of the total reported fires

 Compared to gas stoves, electrical stoves have a 2.5 times higher chance of
catching fire in kitchens

 Due to unattended cooking, 47% of the kitchen equipment can catch fire

 Unattended cooking causes 45% of the injuries and 20% of the civilian deaths 

 Unattended cooking accounted for 50% of the house fires in 2015 in the US

Fires Due to Faulty Wiring

Faulty wiring can potentially start a fire in a building by a short circuit. If you are experiencing
any of these signs, you must know that your building has a problem with its wiring.

Some of the diagnostic signs that indicate faults in your wiring are:

 Dimming of the lights while you use another appliance

 Being able to use only one device at a time, and

 Frequently blown-up fuses, etc.

One of the best ways to prevent electricity-related fires in your house or the factory premises
is to hire a qualified and expert technician. This technician can help prevent a severe mishap
by locating all the faults in the wirings and power outlets and, thereby, saving you from a
major disaster.

The Fire Triangle

The fundamental concept to understand how is a fire is materialized in reality is the fire
triangle. Fire triangle explains that there are three most important components in a fire i.e.
ignition source (or heat), fuel, and oxygen.

You can easily understand the elements that make a fire dangerous by looking at The Fire
Triangle. The fire triangle is also known as the combustion triangle. It is a scientific principle
that explains the essential ingredients of the fires and how fires sustain themselves. A fire
triangle comprises of three components, i.e.,

Heat, Fuel, and Oxygen

Why is the fire triangle important? The fire triangle is an important fundamental concept in

fire safety because it provides the knowledge required to understand how to eradicate fire.
By removing any of these three components, you can collapse the fire triangle and extinguish
the fire quickly. All fire extinguishers and other devices used to suppress fire are based on
the fire triangle. These extinguishers basically remove one of the three components to
suppress the fire.

Components of the Fire Triangle

Heat
A fire ignites in the presence of a heat source. Nearly all the materials can be ignited, but
they all have different "flashpoints." A flashpoint can be defined as the lowest temperature at
which a material can be ignited.

It would be best to take precautions in the case of fires that start due to combustion
reactions. This is because combustion reactions produce heat and further increase the fuel's
temperature.

Fuel

A fire can't begin in the absence of any flammable material. Our houses and offices contain a
lot of flammable materials, e.g., oil, wood, paper, and fabrics, and all of these materials can
work as fuel for the fire. An important point to remember here is that the flammability of
materials varies from each other.  

Fuels are the most challenging side of the fire triangle to be removed. Therefore, you should
always store them appropriately and consider all the preventive measures. The fuel sources
can either be solid, liquid, or gas, and they can also contain oxygen

Oxygen

Oxygen (or an oxidizing agent) is required to ensure the sustainability of the combustion
reaction. The oxygen (or oxidizing agent) reacts with the burning fuel and releases CO2 and
heat. Since oxygen comprises 21% of the total air present in the atmosphere, it can easily
trigger a fire if the other two triangle components are present.

Fire extinguishers or fire blankets are commonly used to remove the "oxygen" side from the
fire triangle. Their components suffocate the fire and cease the combustion reaction.

The Fire Tetrahedron

Unlike the fire triangle, the fire tetrahedron also contains one more critical component, i.e.,
the chemical chain reaction. The fire triangle does not cover it, but the chemical chain
reaction is an essential component in the inception and propagation of a fire.

Just like the fire triangle, the fire tetrahedron is another scientific principle that gives us a
basic understanding of the virulence of fires.  The three components of the fire tetrahedron,
i.e., heat, oxygen, and fuel, are also part of the fire triangle. However, the new addition in
tetrahedron is of chemical chain reaction. The reason for adding a chemical chain reaction
as a separate entity in the tetrahedron is that some fire extinguishers extinguish the fire by
inhibiting the chemical reaction happening at the molecular level.
 The Four Components of the Fire Tetrahedron:

 Fuel: Is any substance that can be combusted

 Chemical Chain Reaction: Sufficient energy from the reaction that can produce
ignition

 Oxygen (Oxidizing agent): Air having oxygen

 Heat: Refers to sufficient heat energy that can cause combustion

What is Combustion?

Combustion is a chemical reaction that usually includes oxygen and the generation of heat
and light as a flame. The reactants' temperature and the reaction's resultant energy are very
high, leading to the rapid acceleration of the chemical reaction.

Classification of Flames Produced from Combustion

The flames produced from combustion are of three different types:

 Premixed flames

 Diffusion flames

 Oxidizing and reducing flames

Types of Flames
Premixed flames - The flame combustion is dominant in the fuels premixed with an oxidant (e.g.,
oxygen or an oxygen-providing compound). The flames' temperature resulting from the reaction
reaches several thousand degrees. This chemical reaction takes place inside a narrow zone and
several micrometers thick. This combustion zone is also known as the flame front.

Diffused Flames - Diffused flames can either be smoothly flowing (laminar) or turbulent. They belong
to the class of those flames whose ingredients are not premixed before entering the burning zone.
The gasses in such flames are mixed via molecular or turbulent diffusion
Oxidizing and Reducing Flames - Burning a premixed flame in the open air with excessive fuel
results in an additional flame zone of diffusion flame. There are two zones in these types of flames,
i.e., an inner cone and an outer cone. In both zones, two different chemical reactions occur.
However, the outer cone is oxidizing in nature due to excessive oxygen in the outside air.

Fire Classifications

There are five classes of fire, and the primary basis of their classification is the fuel on which they
are burning. With this classification system, authorities can assess the hazards ad determine the
most effective extinguishing agent or equipment required to put out the fire.

 Class A Fires: They involve all the common combustibles, such as wood, trash, rubber, and
plastics

 Class B Fires: They occur due to flammable liquids, such as lacquers, solvents, oil, and its
products, gasoline, etc.

 Class C Fires: These are caused by energized electrical equipment, e.g., wiring, motors,
controls, appliances, machinery, etc.

 Class D Fires: Fires in this category are caused by combustible metals, such as magnesium,
titanium, lithium, etc.

 Class K Fires: These items are combustible cooking materials commonly found in

commercial kitchens, i.e., grease and oil

The Four Stages of a Fire

The International Fire Service Training Association (IFSTA) classifies fire into four stages. these four
stages are:

1. Incipient

2. Growth

3. Fully developed

4. Decay

The Incipient Form

This stage results from the fire being caused by the combination of heat, oxygen, and fuel. It is also
called ignition, and the fire in this stage is usually tiny and often goes away on its own. This is the
most ideal during which you can quickly suppress the fire.

Growth

It is the stage during which oxygen and the structure’s overall fire load work as fuels for the fire. This
stage is affected by various factors, such as:

 The starting point of the fire

 The combustibles in their proximity

 Ceiling height of the structure, and

 The potential of thermal layering

Although growth is the shortest stage of all four, it can be hazardous for firefighters.

A flashover usually occurs during this period to trap, injure, and even kill the firefighters.

Fully Developed

When the fire in the growth stage reaches its maximum potential, and all the combustible materials
have caught fire, the fire is said to be fully developed. This phase is the hottest and the most
dangerous phase of the fire for anyone trapped inside the fire.

Decay

The longest stage of a fire is decay. A significant decrease in oxygen or fuel occurs during this stage,
which extinguishes the fire. There are two dangers in this stage of fire:

(1): Non-flammable combustibles that restart the fire all over again
(2): The threat of backdraft, where oxygen reenters a volatile and confined space

Summary

Three of such most important causes are given reasons due to which fire starts in the firs
place are:
  Unattended cooking

 Heating equipment

 Faulty wiring

 To avoid fires due to unattended cooking, adult supervision over the cooking process
is strictly advised

 Heating equipment can emit CO gas. To avoid exposure to CO gas, one must use CO
alarms

 The important signs of an imminent short circuit are dimming of the lights while
using other appliances, not being able to use multiple devices at a given time, and
frequently blown-up fuses

What is Combustion?

Combustion is a chemical reaction that usually includes oxygen and the generation of heat
and light as a flame.

 The three important components of the fire triangle are fire, heat, and fuel

 All the fires start because of a heat source

 A flashpoint can be defined as the lowest temperature at which a material can be ignited

 The four components of fire tetrahedron are fuel, heat, fire, and chemical chain reaction 

Classification of Flames

 Premixed flames: Flame combustion is dominant in the fuels premixed with an

oxidant, and they have a combustion zone known as the flame front.

 Diffusion flames: They belong to the class of those flames whose ingredients are not
premixed before entering the burning zone. The gasses in such flames are mixed via
molecular or turbulent diffusion.

 Oxidizing and reducing flames: Burning a premixed flame in the open air with
excessive fuel results in an additional flame zone of diffusion flame, creating
 oxidizing and reducing flames. There are two zones in these types of flames, i.e., an
inner core and an outer core.

Classification of Fires

 Class A fires involve all the ordinary combustibles, such as wood, trash, rubber, and
plastics

 Class B occur due to flammable liquids, such as lacquers, solvents, oil, and its
products, gasoline, etc

 Class C fires are caused by energized electrical equipment, e.g., wiring, motors,
controls, appliances, machinery, etc.

 Class D fires are caused by combustible metals, such as magnesium, titanium,

lithium, etc.

 Class K fires are caused by combustible cooking materials commonly found in

commercial kitchens, i.e., grease and oil.

The Four Stages of Fire

 Incipient: It is also called ignition

 Growth: Growth is the shortest stage of all four, and a flashover occurs during this stage.

 Fully developed: The fire becomes fully developed when it reaches its maximum potential
during growth

 Decay: It is the longest stage of fire