SAFETY IN THE WORKPLACE

FIRE EXINGUISHERS
 Workplace fires and explosions kill 200 and injure more
than 5,000 workers each year. In 1995, more than 75,000
workplace fires cost businesses more than $2.3 billion.

"Fires wreak havoc among workers and their families

and destroy thousands of businesses each year, putting
people out of Work and severely impacting their
livelihoods," said Secretary of Labor Robert B. Reich
(1996, October 8). "The human and financial toll
underscores the serious nature of workplace fires."
 Employers should train workers about fire hazards
in the workplace and about what to do in a fire emergency.
If you want your workers to evacuate, you should train them
on how to escape. If you expect your workers to use firefighting
equipment, you should give them appropriate equipment and
train them to use equipment safely. (See Title 29 of the Code
of Federal Regulations Part 1910 Subparts E and L; and Part
1926 Subparts C and F.)
 Class A fires are ordinary materials like
burning paper, lumber, cardboard,
plastics etc.
Class B fires involve
o

flammable or combustible
o
liquids such as gasoline,
kerosene, and common
organic solvents used in
o

the laboratory.
Class C fires involve energized electrical equipment, such as
appliances, switches, panel boxes, power tools, hot plates and
stirrers. Water is usually a dangerous extinguishing medium for
class C fires because of the risk of electrical shock unless a
specialized water mist extinguisher is used.
Class D fires involve combustible
metals, such as magnesium, titanium,
potassium and sodium as well as
pyrophoric organometallic reagents
such as alkyllithiums, Grignards and
diethyl zinc. These materials burn at
high temperatures and will react
violently with water, air, and/or other
chemicals. Handle with care!!
Class K fires are kitchen fires. This class was added to the NFPA
portable extinguishers Standard 10 in 1998. Kitchen extinguishers
installed before June 30, 1998 are "grandfathered" into the standard.
Here are some typical extinguishers and their uses:
Water extinguishers are suitable for class A (paper, wood etc.)
fires, but not for class B, C and D fires such as burning liquids,
electrical fires or reactive metal fires. In these cases, the flames
will be spread or the hazard made greater!
 Dry chemical extinguishers are useful for class ABC fires and are
your best all around choice. They have an advantage overCO2 extinguishers
in that they leave a blanket of non-flammable material on the extinguished
material which reduces the likelihood of reigniting. They also make a
terrible mess – but if the choice is a fire or a mess, take the mess!
Note that there are two kinds of dry chemical extinguishers!
Type BC fire extinguishers contain sodium or potassium bicarbonate.
Type ABC fire extinguishers contain ammonium phosphate.
 CO2 (carbon dioxide) extinguishers are for class B and C fires.
They don't work very well on class A fires because the material usually
reignites. CO2 extinguishers have an advantage over dry chemical in that they
leave behind no harmful residue. That makes carbon dioxide
a good choice for an electrical fire involving a computer or other delicate
instrument. Note that CO2 is a bad choice for a flammable metal fires
such as Grignard reagents, alkyllithiums and sodium metal because CO2
reacts with these materials. CO2 extinguishers are not approved for class D fires!
Metal/Sand Extinguishers are for flammable metals (class D fires)
and work by simply smothering the fire with
powdered copper metal or sodium chloride (NaCl).
You should have an approved class D unit if you
are working with flammable metals.
 The copper extinguishing agent is preferred for fires involving lithium
and lithium alloys. It is the only known lithium fire fighting agent which
will cling to a vertical surface thus making it the preferred agent on three
dimensional and flowing fires.
Sodium chloride works well for metal fires involving magnesium, sodium
(spills and in depth), potassium, sodium potassium alloys, uranium
and powdered aluminum. Heat from the fire causes the agent to cake
and form a crust that excludes air and dissipates heat.
 Use a mental checklist to make a
Fight-or-Flight Decision.
Attempt to use an extinguisher only
if ALL of the following apply:
 The building is being evacuated (fire alarm is pulled)

The fire department is being called (dial 911).

The fire is small, contained and not spreading beyond its starting point

The exit is clear, there is no imminent peril and you

can fight the fire with your back to the exit.

You can stay low and avoid smoke.

 The proper extinguisher is immediately at hand

You have read the instructions and know how to use the extinguisher.
IF ANY OF THESE CONDITIONS HAVE NOT BEEN MET, DON'T FIGHT
THE FIRE YOURSELF. CALL FOR HELP, PULL THE FIRE ALARM AND
LEAVE THE AREA
Operation of Fire
Extinguishers
Extinguishers have a label on the
front with operating instructions. The
operating principle is the same for all
extinguishers - PASS:
Pull the pin. Extinguishers have a safety mechanism to prevent the extinguisher
from being accidentally discharged. Usually the safety mechanism involves a pin
held in place by a plastic tie. Since the plastic may stretch before breaking or may
be difficult to break, twisting the pin first will break the tie easily.
Aim at the base of the fire at the fuel. Aiming at the fire does no good,
since the fire is only the products of combustion coming off the fuel.
Squeeze the two parts of the handle to
operate the valve and discharge the extinguishing agent.
Sweep the extinguishing agent rapidly back and forth to cover all of the
fuel and separate the fuel from the fire. In the case of flammable
liquid fires, technique is very important. The bigger the fire, the more
chance the fire will flashback because of the heated vapors.
Maintenance of Fire Extinguishers
Extinguishers require routine care. Read your operator's
manual and check the condition of the extinguisher every
month. Shake your dry chemical extinguisher to get the powder
evenly dispersed since the powder has a tendency to cake.
Have the extinguisher serviced once a year by a fire extinguisher
company, which you can find in the yellow pages under
"Fire Extinguishers."
Reusable models must be recharged after every use. Sometimes the
powder will lodge in the valve assembly after one use and the pressure
will bleed off even though your pressure gauge shows pressure is
remaining. A partially discharged unit might as well be empty.
Disposable fire extinguishers can be used only once. They must be
replaced after one use. Disposable extinguishers usually do not have
a pressure gauge and rely on a button to let you know if pressure is
still good. The label will tell you if the extinguisher is rechargeable.
Each extinguisher should be installed in plain view near an escape
route and away from potential fire hazards such as kitchen stoves,
where you can reach it if there's a fire.
Many Fire Departments offer training and practice in the use of portable
fire extinguishers.  Phone or email your local Fire Department office to ask
about training.