FIRE SAFETY

CHEMISTRY OF FIRE
WHAT IS FIRE?

It is an exothermic, self-sustaining
chemical reaction involving a solid,
liquid or gas-phase fuel and it is
usually associated with the oxidation
of this fuel by atmospheric oxygen
with the emission of energy in the
form of heat and light.
THE FIRE TETRAHEDRON
COMBUSTION
DEFINITION OF TERMS
 Fuel – the material being burnt (ex. Wood, gasoline)
 Oxidant - a substance that has the ability to oxidize other substances — in other
words to cause them to lose electrons (ex. oxygen)
 Combustion - rapid chemical combination of a substance with oxygen, involving
the production of heat and light
 Flashpoint - is the lowest temperature that the vapors of a material will ignite
when exposed to an ignition source
 Ignition Temperature - he lowest temperature that the material vaporizes into a
gas which ignites without any external flame or ignition source
 Convection - heat transfer due to bulk movement of molecules within fluids such
as gases and liquids
 Exhaust - new chemical substances created from the fuel and the oxidizer during
combustion (ex. Soot)
HAZARDS OF FIRE
Combustible Dust
Combustible dust is a major cause of fire in food
manufacturing, woodworking, chemical
manufacturing, metalworking, pharmaceuticals, and
just about every other industry you can name. In
addition to the familiar fire triangle of oxygen, heat,
and fuel (the dust), dispersion of dust particles in
sufficient quantity and concentration can cause
rapid combustion known as a deflagration.
Prevention
 Implement a hazardous dust inspection, testing,
housekeeping, and control program
 Use proper dust collection systems and filters
 Use surfaces that minimize dust accumulation
 Use only vacuum cleaners approved for dust
collection
 Locate relief valves away from dust deposits
Hot Work
Hot work is one of the leading causes
of industrial fires across all industries.
Although hot work is commonly
equated with welding and torch
cutting, there are many other
activities — including brazing,
burning, heating, and soldering — that
pose a fire hazard. This is because the
sparks and molten material, which
reach temperatures greater than
1000°F, can easily travel more than 35
feet.
Prevention
 Avoid hot work if possible.
 Train personnel
 Ensure that the area is clear of
flammable or combustible materials
 Use a written permit system
 Supervise the work
Flammable Liquids and Gases

These fires, which often occur at chemical

plants, can be disastrous. Flammable
liquids and gases are commonly used in the
workplace as an essential part of
processing, cleaning, maintenance or in
plant laboratories. Vapors released by
flammable liquids and flammable gases are
easily ignited and can cause an explosion or
fast spreading fire.
Prevention
 Know the hazards
 Store flammable liquids properly
 Control all ignition sources
 Provide personal protective equipment
 Equipment and Machinery

Faulty equipment and machinery are also

major causes of industrial fires. Heating and
hot work equipment are typically the biggest
problems here — in particular, furnaces that
aren’t properly installed, operated, and
maintained. In addition, any mechanical
equipment can become a fire hazard because
of friction between the moving parts. This risk
can be brought down to practically zero simply
by following recommended cleaning and
maintenance procedures, including lubrication.
Prevention
 Awareness
 Cleaning and housekeeping
 Maintenance
 Electrical Hazards

Electrical fires are one of the top five causes

of fires in manufacturing plants. Here a non-
exhaustive list of specific electrical hazards:
wiring that is exposed or not up to code,
overloaded outlets, extension cords,
overloaded circuits and static discharge. The
damage caused by these fires can quickly
compound thanks to several of the other
items on this list. Any of the above hazards
can cause a spark, which can serve as an
ignition source for combustible dust, as well
as flammable liquids and gasses.
Prevention
 Don’t overload electrical equipment or
circuits
 Don’t leave temporary equipment plugged
in when it’s not in use
 Avoid using extension cords
 Use antistatic equipment
 Follow a regular housekeeping plan
 Implement a reporting system
PHASES AND CLASSIFICATION OF
FIRE
Phases of Fire
By most standards there are four stages of fire. These stages
are incipient, growth, fully developed, and decay.
Decay
Classification of Fire
EXTINGUISHMENT OF FIRE AND
SAFETY PROCEDURES
Extinguishment of Fire

Smothering by cutting the oxygen

Cooling the fuel by removing
supply, usually by applying foam,
heat, usually with water
carbon dioxide
Extinguishment of Fire

Starving the fire by removing the fuel, Inhibition by stopping the chain
in case of a pipeline fire reaction, by applying dry chemical
powder
Fire Extinguishers

Water Extinguisher
- They are used for Class A fires.
-Water removes heat and extinguish fire
-Water must not be used on fires involving live
electrical equipment as it can cause
electrocution. Water must not be used on metal
fires.
Fire Extinguishers

Carbon Dioxide Extinguisher

- Mainly used for Class B and C fires
-Extinguishes fire by displacing oxygen in the
surrounding air
- Not suitable for fires involving metals
Fire Extinguishers
AFF Foam Type Extinguisher
- Can be used for Class A and B fires
- The extinguishing agent is aqueous film
forming concentrate in water which forms air
foams when discharged through an aspirating
nozzle. Extinguishes fire by displacing oxygen in
the surrounding air because of its blanketing
effect
- It develops a floating aqueous film of solution
under the foam on fuel surface and cool the
burning surface.
- AFF extinguishers must not be used on
electrical and metal fires.
Fire Extinguishers

Dry Chemical Powder Extinguisher

- Can be used on different types of fire depending
on the specialization of the DCP extinguisher
- DCP extinguishers puts out fire by coating the
fuel surface with chemical powder.
 AFFF –Aqueous Film
Forming Foam
 HCFC-123 - 2,2-Dichloro-
1,1,1-trifluoroethane
Fire Extinguisher Operation
Safety Procedures

Fire Response
1. Life
Safety and Personal
Protection
2. Incident Stabilization
3. Property Conservation
In case of a fire…

 Actuate the manual fire alarm

call point.
 Alert
personnel nearby so that
they can come to your
help/inform security section.
 Determine what is burning.
In case of a fire…
 Use the right type of extinguisher for fighting the
fire. Use the fire extinguisher only if you have
attended practical training.
 Always position yourself with an exit or means of
escape behind you before you attempt to use an
extinguisher to put out a fire.
 If the person who notices the fire feels that it
cannot be tackled by extinguishers, he can
directly inform the fire station without delay.
In case of a fire…
 On hearing the alarm evacuate the
building and assemble at the designated
assembly point.
 As you evacuate close the doors of the
rooms(do not lock) as this will slow down
the spread of smoke and fire.
 While moving out of the building always
use stairways. Do not use lifts, they may
fail mid way trapping people inside.
Precaution
 Keep fire doors of the staircase
closed. If kept open, heat and
smoke will enter the staircase
during fire and prevent escape of
occupants.
 Do not obstruct emergency
equipment. Fire extinguishers
must be easily accessible.
Precaution
 Materials must not be stored
in front of exits or along
stairways blocking them.
 Know the exits in the
laboratory and in the
building.
 Display emergency contact
numbers near the telephone
OVERVIEW OF SITUATION IN PH

Presidential Decree No. 1185

Fire Code of the Philippines
Number of fire incidents in
the Philippines for the first Fire Code of the Philippines of
half of 2017 2008

Response time of fire trucks

Thank you!