Fire Protection

OBJECTIVES:By the end of this chapter, you should be able to:-

• Identify fire sources and its safety precautions

• Identify several types of fire extinguishers.

• Respond during emergency situation.

Introduction • General facts about fire protection .

No facility is absolutely fireproof. Nearly everything can burn, by given ignition, adequate fuel, and sufficient Oxygen.

The spread of the heat, smoke, and toxic gases is possibly the greatest single danger to life and takes place in much the same manner as does the spread of fire.

Smoke and toxic gases are responsible for 66% of deaths from fire in buildings.

The use of a building and its occupancy, will influence the degree of fire hazards. The more hazardous the materials handled in a plant area are, the more likely is the chance for a fire to start and rapidly spread.

Fire Protection Engineering

• Fire protection engineering is a highly developed specialized field. The solution of many fire protection problems requires the special training and perspective of an experienced fire protection engineer.

• Achieving the most efficient fire protection system requires the involvement of the architect, interior designer, urban planner, building contractor, electrical and structural engineers, fire detection system manufacturers, building safety engineer, and local fire marshal.

Fire Drills

• Fire drills, conducted at frequent intervals, demonstrate management’s concern and sincere interest in all fire prevention activities. The drills should serve as a reminder to employees and supervisors that all fire prevention practices are important

• Carefully plan and periodically carry out fire drills. Conduct them in a serious manner under rigid discipline. To eliminate panic in the event of an emergency and guarantee the smooth functioning of the emergency plan, carefully develop the plan

Fire brigades• Management cannot depend on automatic fire protection

equipment, municipal fire departments to prevent fire losses. Fires can get out of control before municipal fire department arrives

• One method of providing additional fire protection is to form a fire brigade. Brigade members should be regular plant employees from all departments, thoroughly trained in using the plant’s fire fighting equipment

FIRE DETECTION• Losses would be reduced if each developing fire were detected so it

could be attacked and extinguished.

• Thus, fire detection devices must be a part of every fire protection system

• Means of detection could be a human observer; automatic sprinklers; smoke, flame, or heat detectors; or, more likely, a combination of these.

• The detecting part of a fire protection system has two main tasks: (1) Giving an early warning to enable building occupants to escape (2) Starting extinguishing procedures.

• Each automatic fire-detection system requires a sensor, which observes a physically measurable quantity of smoke, flame, or heat.

• Human Observer• A human observer is a good fire-detection system for the following

reason: He can take immediate action in a flexible way, whether calling the fire department or putting out a fire with an extinguisher. Be sure that employees report any fire that they have put out.

• Automatic Fire-Detection Systems• In general, there are three possible errors in any non-human fire-

detection system:

(1) giving a false alarm,

(2) not detecting a fire,

(3) detecting it too late.

• The cause of false alarms may be human interference, mechanical or electrical faults, or special environmental effects

Cont..• There are many types of fire detectors to handle various situations

and to detect various states of the beginning of a fire

• Most manufacturers and distributors offer several or all of the commonly used types.

Thermal DetectorsFixed-Temperature DetectorsLine Thermal DetectorsSmoke DetectorsFlame DetectorsSensor Systems

ALARM SYSTEMS• Alarm systems can be divided into four groups: local, auxiliary,

central station, and proprietary.

• All types of alarm systems should be equipped with a signal system that clearly communicates to all persons in the building, plant, or laboratory.

• Whenever an alarm is sounded in any portion of the building or area, all employees must know what the sound means.

Local Alarm Systems• A local alarm consists simply of bells, horns, lights, sirens, or

other warning devices right in the building. • Local alarms are generally used for life protection – that is, to

evacuate everyone and thus limit injury or loss of life from the fire.

• A local alarm can be tied in with another system to call the fire department.

• Local alarm systems are inexpensive, available from a wide range of suppliers, and easy to install.

Auxiliary Alarm Systems (supplementary)• Auxiliary alarm systems are even less expensive than local alarm

systems. • Such a system simply ties a fire detector to a nearby fire call box.

In effect, it becomes a transmit station triggered by fire detectors inside the building.

Central Station Systems

• Central station systems are available in most major cities around the country.

• Operated by trained personnel, a central station continually monitors a number of establishments and, in case of an alarm, calls a nearby fire station and alerts the building’s personnel.

• Central station devices are almost always leased.

Proprietary Alarm Systems

• Proprietary alarm systems feed alarms to the building’s maintenance force, and, optionally, to the fire department as well.

• One reason for their acceptance is that insurance regulations generally require security officers.

Fires usually start in a facility’s contents or operations rather than in its structure. Therefore, consider the following:

What materials are flammable? What materials in a process or operation are most likely to ignite? Burn?

Explode? What in the facility could be a source of ignition? Are any open sparks or

flames present? Are high temperatures involved in any operations? Where are flammable and combustible materials located? Are flammable

materials stored together? Do indirect connections exist? If one of the materials should burn, could the others easily ignite?

Might any of the materials ignite because of convection or radiation? What toxic gases might develop into a fire? How much time might it take for a fire to spread to other areas? to

adjacent facilities? Smoke and toxic gases, and sometimes heat, are largely responsible for

fire deaths. What toxic gases might develop from the burning of contents? How many people are likely to be involved in the facility, in adjacent

facilities, or in facilities nearby?

Types of FiresCLASS “A” FIRES - Ordinary combustibles such as wood, paper, cloth, carpet and rubbish .

CLASS “B” FIRES - fires occur in the vapor-air mixture over the surface of flammable liquids, such as gasoline, oil, grease, paints, and thinners .

CLASS “C” FIRES - fires occur in or near energized electrical equipment

CLASS “D” FIRES - fires occur in combustible metals such as magnesium, titanium, zirconium, lithium, potassium, and sodium.

CLASS “k” FIRES - fires occur in cooking appliances that involve combustible cooking media (vegetable or animal oils/ fats)

Different Kinds of Extinguishers

The 4 most common fire extinguishers:

All Purpose Water Carbon Dioxide Multi-Purpose Dry Chemical Dry Powder

Each kind of extinguisher has a specific use

All Purpose Water

Use on CLASS A fires

Pressurized water

Pressure gauge

Carbon Dioxide

Use on CLASS B and CLASS C fires

Hard, plastic nozzle

Multi-Purpose Dry Chemical

Use on CLASS A, CLASS B, CLASS C and CLASS K fires

Fine powder under pressure Pressure gauge

Dry powder

• Use for class Class A, Class B, Class C , Class D and class k.

Fine powder under pressure

Pressure gauge

How to Extinguisher a Small FirePASS1. “P”ULL... Pull the pin. This will also break the

tamper seal.

2. “A”IM... Aim low, pointing the extinguisher nozzle (or its horn or hose) at the base of the fire.

Note: Do not touch the plastic discharge horn on CO2 extinguishers, it gets very cold and may damage skin.

3. “S”QUEEZE... Squeeze the handle to release the extinguishing agent.

4. “S”WEEP... Sweep from side to side at the base of the fire until it appears to be out. Watch the area. If the fire re-ignites, repeat steps 2 - 4.

If you have the slightest doubt about your ability to fight a fire....EVACUATE IMMEDIATELY!

Know what you are looking for….

A fully charged Fire Extinguisher has the arrow in the green section…

Direct the nozzle so the agent falls directly onto the burning metal.

Close the nozzle valve to produce a soft, heavy flow and move closer to cover the fire area.

Do not disturb the agent and fire until it has cooled.

CLASS D FIRES (METAL)

Source: NFPA

FIRE EXTINGUISHERS

IMPORTANT TO REMEMBER

Ensure that each area has the proper type fire extinguisher!

OTHER FEATURES OF FIRE PROTECTION

SPRINKLERS

TYPES OF CONTROL VALVES

OTHER FEATURES OF FIRE PROTECTION

DETECTORS & STOBES

OTHER FEATURES OF FIRE PROTECTION

FIRE DOORS

OTHER FEATURES OF FIRE PROTECTION

SUPPRESSION SYSTEMS

Key Elements to Remember 1. Be familiar with what your company’s policy and what is being asked of you

in the event of a FIRE. 2. Be familiar with how to identify what type of Fire Extinguisher you have.3. Know your work Environment, process, equipment, and what types of

potential fires could start.4. Understand the capabilities and limitations of your Fire Extinguisher5. Know the general steps to responding to a Fire and when a Fire is not safe to

put out.6. Know how to operate a Fire Extinguisher (PASS)7. Confirm if your facility has tested the sprinkler system.8. Ensure your company has a monthly inspection procedure to ensure Fire

Extinguishers are in a safe working order. 9. Ensure your Fire Extinguishers have an annual inspection and are

hydrostatically tested by a qualified 3rd party.10. Coordinate hands on training if you have been designated or assigned to use

a Fire Extinguisher at your facility or place of employment.

QUESTIONS ?