Basic Occupational Safety and Health Course

Fire Protection & Prevention

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 Agenda
 Introduction
 Definition
 Characteristics & Behavior of Fire
– Chemistry of fire
– Four Classes of Fire
– Fire Causes
– Transmission of Fire
– Methods of Extinguishment
 Fire Extinguishers
 Causes of Deaths & Casualties

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 Agenda
 Fire Prevention
– Prime Purposes of Fire Prevention
– 3 E’s of Fire Prevention
– Elements of Fire Safety
– Hazard Recognition & Analysis
 Fire Extinguisher Inspection
 4 Fundamental Rules of Fire Fighting
 Actions to Taken in Case of Fire
 Fire Fighting Drill
 Fire Evacuation Drill
 Fire Losses

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 Basic Occupational Safety and Health Course

Part I -Fire Protection

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 Introduction
 Most of the fires
occurrences in the
Philippines resulted in
catastrophe,
fatalities and major
property damage for
example, the Ozone
Disco fire.
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 Fire - Definition
 Fire - is a chemical reaction known as
combustion
 It is the rapid oxidation of combustible
material
 It is accompanied by a release of energy
in the form of heat and light.

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 Fire - Definition
 Flash Point - the lowest temperature at which a
substance will give off enough vapors to form a
flammable mixture with air near the surface of the
substance that will burn when a flame or spark is applied

 Fire Point - the temperature at which a fuel will continue

to burn after it has been ignited. This is a few degrees
hotter than the flash point

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 Fire - Definition

 Ignition Temperature - is the lowest

temperature when a substance auto-ignites
(without flame or spark)

 Explosive or Flammable Range - is the

concentration of a flammable vapor between
the Lower Explosive Limit and Upper
Explosive Limit in a given quantity of air that
will readily burn.
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Characteristics & Behavior

 The Chemistry of Fire

 The Fire Triangle - as shown in the
following illustration, oxygen and fuel in
proper proportion can be ignited by
heat to create a fire

 if any one of the three elements is

removed a fire cannot exist.
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Characteristics & Behavior

THE FIRE TRIANGLE

at

Ox
He

y
ge
n
Fuel
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Characteristics & Behavior

– Fire Tetrahedron Theory –

– simply adds a fourth component of fire
termed as the chain reaction
– the tetrahedron is a transition from the
plane geometric triangle to a four-
sided pyramid
– The chain reaction will rage until one of
the 3 elements is exhausted.
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 4 Classes of Fire
(illustrated in next slides)
 Class A - fires involving ordinary combustible
materials, such as wood, cloth, paper, plastic,
rubber, etc
 Class B - fires involving flammable or
petroleum products such as gasoline, oil,
paints, thinners, solvent, lubricating
oils/greases , the crude oil itself & LPG
 Class C - fires involving electrical equipment
 Class D - fires involving combustible metals
such as magnesium , titanium, zirconium,
sodium & potassium

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 4 Classes of Fire
 Class A - fires involving ordinary
combustible materials, such as
wood, cloth, paper, plastic, rubber,
etc

•wood
•cloth
•paper
•rubber
•many plastics

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 4 Classes of Fire
 Class B - fires involving flammable
or petroleum products such as
gasoline, oil, paints, thinners,
solvent, lubricating oils/greases ,
the crude oil itself & LPG
•gasoline
•oil
•grease
•tar
•oil-based paint
•lacquer
•flammable gases 14
 4 Classes of Fire
Class C - fires involving electrical
equipment

•energized
electrical
equipment

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 4 Classes of Fire
 Class D - fires involving
combustible metals such as
magnesium , titanium, zirconium,
sodium & potassium
•magnesium
•sodium

D •potassium
•titanium
•zirconium
•other flammable metals
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 •wood
•cloth •energized
•paper electrical
•rubber equipment
•many plastics
A Ordinary C Electrical Equipment

• gasoline •magnesium
• oil •sodium
• grease

D
•potassium
• tar
•titanium
• oil-based
paint •zirconium
• lacquer •other
B Liquids Grease
• flammable D Combusutible Metals flammable
gases metals
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 Fire Causes
 ELECTRICAL (23%) - the leading cause
of industrial fires. Most start in wiring &
motors. Most prevented by proper
maintenance. Special attention needed
for equipment at hazardous processes
& in storage areas.

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 Fire Causes
 SMOKING (18%) - a potential cause of
fire almost everywhere. A matter of
control (self discipline) & education.
 Smoking strictly prohibited in dangerous
areas, involving flammable liquids…
 Provide designated smoking area(s)
 Initiate Quit Smoking programs

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 Fire Causes

 FRICTION (10%) - hot bearing,

misaligned or broken machine parts,
jamming of material, and poor
adjustment of power drives & conveyors.
Prevented by a regular schedule of
inspections, maintenance & lubrications.

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 Fire Causes

 Overheating Materials (8%) - abnormal

process temperatures, especially those
involving heated flammable liquids /
materials . Prevented by supervision &
competent operators, supplemented by
well-maintained temperature controls.

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 Fire Causes

 HOT SURFACE (7%) - heat fom

furnaces, hot ducts, lamps, welding
machines, generators, exhaust
manifolds, etc. Prevented by ample
clearances, insulation & ventilation (air
circulation between hot surfaces &
combustible / flammables).

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 Fire Causes

 BURNER FLAMES (7%) - improper use

of portable torches, boilers, dryers,
ovens, furnaces, portable heating units.
Prevented by adequate ventilation,
combustion safeguards & ample
clearance.

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 Fire Causes

 COMBUSTIBLE SPARKS (5%) - sparks &

embers released from incinerators, ,
furnaces, fire boxes, various process
equipment and industrial trucks / heavy
equipment. Prevented by proper
enclosing of working area & provision of
spark arrestor.

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 Transmission of Fire
 Conduction

 Convection

 Radiation

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Methods of Extinguishments
 REMOVE HEAT - cooling a fire
calls for the application of
something w/c absorbs heat.
Although there are others, water
is the most common agent.
 REMOVE FUEL - often removing
the fuel from a fire is difficult &
dangerous. Shutting or closing off
the valves.
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 Extinguishments
 REMOVE OXYGEN - oxygen can be removed from
a fire by displacing it with a heavier than air gas
like CO2 . O2 flowing into the fire can be also be
stopped by covering the fire with a wet blanket or
cover the burning surfaces with foam or sand.
 STOP THE CHAIN REACTION - recent studies
indicate that the use of dry chemical on fire tends
to inactivate the intermediate processes of
burning resulting in a reduction of the
combustion rate & in the extinguishment of fire.

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Fire Extinguishers
 WATER EXTINGUISHERS - are effective for
Class A fires. Water serves as cooling,
quenching & displacing agent.
 FOAM EXTINGUISHERS - are effective for
Class B fires where the foam forms a
cohesive floating blanket on the surface of
the burning liquid.
 CO2 EXTINGUISHERS - are effective for
Class B & C fires. CO2 reduces the O2
content.

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 Fire Extinguishers

 DRY CHEMICAL EXTINGUISHERS -are

effective for Class A, B & C fires. It
breaks the chain reaction inhibiting the
oxidation process w/in the flame itself.

 DRY POWDER EXTINGUISHERS - are

effective for Class D. It absorbs the
remaining fuel & pervent re-ignition

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DISCHARGE LEVER PRESSURE GAUGE
(not found on CO2
extinguishers)
DISCHARGE LOCKING PIN
AND SEAL
CARRYING
HANDLE

DISCHARGE HOSE
DATA PLATE

DISCHARGE NOZZLE

BODY

DISCHARGE ORIFICE

Fire Extinguisher Anatomy

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 REMEMBER P.A.S.S.
Pull the pin.
This will allow you to discharge the extinguisher

Aim at the base of the fire.

If you aim at the flames (which is frequently the temptation),
the extinguishing agent will fly right through and do no good.
You want to hit the fuel.
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 Squeeze the top handle or lever.
This depresses a button that releases the
pressurized extinguishing agent in the
extinguisher.

Sweep from side to side

until the fire is completely out. Start
using the extinguisher from a safe
distance away, then move forward.
Once the fire is out, keep an eye on
the area in case it re-ignites.
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Causes of Deaths & Casualties
 Inadequate fire exits, fire fighting
equipment
 Lack of detection & alarm devices,
occupants unaware of fire
 Inadequate design: no enclosure for
stairways, elevators shafts & openings
through floors to prevent spread of fire
 Inadequate planning for emergency

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 Fire Losses
 Loss of customer / client
 Loss of return on capital investment
 Loss of profits on finished products or completed
works
 Loss of confidence of stockholders
 Loss of credit standing
 Loss of goodwill of customer / client , employees &
the community.
 Loss of trained personnel who transferred to other job
 Cost of retaining personnel during shutdown

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 Fire Losses
 Seizure of fire insurance payments by uneasy creditors
 Excessive replacement costs due to overtime, inability to
cope the target timing of delivery or completion of project
 Cost of demolition
 Cost of replacing depreciated buildings & equipment w/
new facilities
 Cost of hiring temporary quarters
 Loss of patterns valuable records
 Loss of value of past advertising
 Inability to defend against unjust claims due to loss of
records
 Loss of rent from tenant

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Basic Occupational Safety and Health Course

Part II -Fire Prevention

The best way to deal with fire
is to prevent it from happening

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 Fire Prevention

 Prime purposes of Fire Prevention

– Locate the hazard
– Determine the cause
– Predict the probable effect &
correct the fault.

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Fire Prevention

3 E’s

 Engineering Practice - design

 Education
 Enforcement

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Fire Prevention

 Elements Fire Safety Fire

Protection
 Fire Prevention –Detection
– Fire Safety Engineering –Alarm
–Fire Locator
– Good Housekeeping
–Extinguishments
– Electrical Safety
–Evacuation
– Proper Storage
–First Aid
– Safe Practices
–Salvage
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Hazard Recognition/Analysis
 1. List down Fuel Supply, form, shape, characteristics
 2. List down Heat Sources & heat travel form, i.e.,
conduction, radiation, convection
Working Area Fuel Heat Sources

carpenter shop lumber/shavin cigarette/elect

gs/saw rical
dusts/wwaste equipt./grindin
/wrappers/car g & other spark
tons,etc. producing
equipt./static
electricity

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Fire Extinguishers Inspection
 Accessibility & proper location
 Inspection Tag ( last recharge & inspection)
 Nozzle
 Corrosion & Damage
 Lock pin & seal
 Content (water level/pressure gauge/weight)
 Hose & Hose coupling
 Hydrostatic Test Validation
 Procedure to Use

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 Four Fundamental Rules
of Fire Fighting

1. Save Life

2. Locate Fire

3. Confine Fire / Enclose

4. Extinguish Fire
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 Fire Evacuation Drill
 Twice a year (minimum)
 Evacuation Plan
– Exit
– Route
– Assembly Area
– Fire X Location
– First Aid Location
 Evacuation Procedure
 Permits
 Announced / Unannounced
 Paraphernalia

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 Fire Fighting Drill
 Lecture / Theory
 Preparation
– Fire Extinguishers
– Fire Hoses
– Materials for Creation of Small Fire
 Observer
– Local Fire Rep
– Other Qualified Personnel
 Actual use of fire fighting equipment
– Use of Portable Fire Extinguishers
– Use of Fire Hoses

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Fire Evacuation Drill
1 Immediately stop what you are doing.
2 Go to designated assembly area.
3 Everybody out in 3 minutes.
4 Stay with your department
and your safety marshal.

5 Go back only on the ‘ALL CLEAR’

signal of safety marshal.

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When you see a Fire
1 Upon Discovery of Fire...

2 Call for Help!

DO NOT PANIC!

Activate fire alarm

3 Leave the fire area
if one is nearby.

Go to designated
assembly area 47
If you were to require installation of 2 exits in this
kind of set-up, where will you locate it and why?

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If you were asked to enter into this storage room,
what would be the first thing you must do?
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Basic Occupational Safety and Health Course

Summary: Fire Protection &

Prevention

The best way to deal

with fire is to prevent
fire from happening
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 End of Module:
Fire Protection & Prevention

Thank you
and let us

“Make Safety a Way of…Life”

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