Fire Safety in Laboratory

Kinds of Substances that may

cause the Fire or Explosion

Sources of Ignition
1. Open flames
2. Smoking
3. Static electricity
4. Cutting and welding
5. Hot surfaces
6. Electrical and mechanical
sparks
7. Lightning

National
Fire
Protection
Associatio
n

4 classes of Fire

Class A

Class B

Class C

Class D

Kind of Fire Extinguisher

a) Water Extinguisher : Water, Foam, and Acid Soda

b) Solid Extinguisher : chemical Powder
c) Gas Extinguisher : Carbon Dioxide, Halon,
Halotron, AF-11

Dry Chemical

Carbo
n
Dioxid

Water and
Foam

How to Extinguishing
Fire
Breaking
Chain
Starvation
Cooling
Smothering
Reaction

What to do if You Catch on

Fire
Find a safety shower.
remove your lab coat and use the
shower long.
drop and roll on the floor

How to Avoiding Fire

A. Ensure that the laboratory is provided with adequate fire extinguishers appropriate to
the potential hazards.
B. Where inflammable liquids are used, smoking must be forbidden. Notices should be
displayed to enforce this.
C. Beware since fine powders or dust can spontaneously ignite under certain conditions.
Empty vessels having contained inflammable liquids can contain vapour and explode
if ignite.
D. Bulk quantities of inflammable liquids should be stored outside the laboratory in
accordance with local regulations.
E. Storage tanks on equipment should not be overfilled. All spillages should be
immediately cleaned up, carefully disposing of any contaminated cloths etc. beware of
slippery floors.
F. When liquids giving of inflammable vapours are handled in the laboratory, the area
should be ventilated by an ex-proof extraction system. Vents on the equipment should
be connected to the extraction system.
G. Students should not be allowed to prepare mixtures for analysis or other purpose
without competent supervision.

discussion
1. Why does every laboratory need to be equipped with fire
extinguisher ? (because exploding or fires can happen anytime in
laboratory. So we need to provided the right fire exthinguisher)
2. May you smoke when you are using inflammable liquids ? What
can you do to prevent this to happen ? (no, you cant smooking in
laboratory. If you wanna smoking, go outside or go far away from
inflammable liquids)
3. Where are you supposed to keep the bulk quantities of
inflammable liquids ? ( outside the laboratory)
4. What treatment can you do when there is a spillage ? (must be
cleaned up immediately)