Fire Protection and Electrical Safety PDF

FIRE PROTECTION AND ELECTRICAL SAFETY Presented by: Group 6  Fire safety is the set of practices intended to reduce destruction caused by fire.  Oxygen, heat, and fuel are frequently referred to as the "fire triangle." Add in the fourth element, the chemical react...

FIRE PROTECTION AND ELECTRICAL SAFETY Presented by: Group 6  Fire safety is the set of practices intended to reduce destruction caused by fire.  Oxygen, heat, and fuel are frequently referred to as the "fire triangle." Add in the fourth element, the chemical reaction, and you actually have a fire "tetrahedron." Flammable liquids or combustible substances must be kept in the lowest practical quantity at the workplace. Flammable liquids include petrol, ethanol, methylated spirit, paint thinners, kerosene, acetone and diesel. Flammable substances includes both full and empty gas cylinders. Those substances which can burn are called combustible substances. For Example: Cloth, straw, cooking gas, kerosene oil, coal, charcoal, wood, leaves, paper, wax, hydrogen gas, ethanol, methane, propane, propene.  HOW TO EXTINGUISH A FIRE? One of the most effective approaches in fire extinction is removing the heat. Thus, cooling with water is one of the most popular methods. The heat generated by the fire is absorbed by the water. This remains effective as long as the water can still absorb the heat. Starving the fire from its fuel source is a different approach. When fire runs out of flammable materials, it will eventually burn out itself. The third approach involves the last element in the triangle, oxygen. Smothering is a technique where oxygen is removed from the equation. An example of this is using a fire blanket in a frying pan blaze to reduce the oxygen level below 16% TYPES OF FIRE EXTINGUISHER AND HOW TO OPERATE IT? There are five different fire extinguishers, which are: Water, water mist or water spray fire extinguishers Foam fire extinguishers Dry Powder – standard or specialist fire extinguishers Carbon Dioxide (‘CO2’) fire extinguishers Wet Chemical fire extinguishers  1. PULL THE PIN Pull pin at the top of the extinguisher, breaking the seal. When in place, the pin keeps the handle from being pressed and accidentally operating the extinguisher. Immediately test the extinguisher.  II. AIM Approach the fire standing at a safe distance. Aim the nozzle or outlet towards the base of the fire.  III. SQUEEZE Squeeze the handles together to discharge the extinguishing agent inside. To stop discharge, release the handles.  III. SWEEP While you are aiming at the base of the fire, you should sweep back and forth until the fire is extinguished. If the fire reignites, repeat the process. CLASSIFICATION OF FIRES  Class A Fires: “Ordinary” Fires Class A fires are the most common of the 5 different classes of fires. They occur when common combustible materials like wood, paper, fabric, trash, and light plastics catch fire. These accidental fires are ubiquitous across a variety of industries, so it’s recommended to have adequate protection against “ordinary” fires in addition to other condition- specific fires.  Class B Fires: Liquids & Gases Class B fires involve flammable liquids and gases, especially fuels like petroleum or petroleum-based products such as gasoline, paint, and kerosene. Other gases that are highly flammable are propane and butane, which are common causes of Class B fires. The best way to deal with these types of fires is by smothering them or removing oxygen using foam or CO2 fire suppression equipment.  Class C Fires: Electrical Fires Electrical fires fall under Class C and are common in facilities that make heavy use of electrical equipment, but they can occur in a wide range of industries. For example, data centers might be an obvious risk area for Class C fires. They must have safeguards in place to deal with electrical fires.  Class D Fires: Metallic Fires Class D fires are not as common as the other classes, but they do require special attention because they can be especially difficult to extinguish. Metallic fires involve flammable materials like titanium, aluminum, magnesium, and potassium — all commonly occurring in laboratories.  Class K Fires: Grease Fires or Cooking Fires Class K fires involve flammable liquids, similar to Class B fires, but are specifically related to food service and the restaurant industry. These common fires start from the combustion of liquid cooking materials including grease, oils, and vegetable and animal fats.  PRINCIPLES OF FIRE PREVENTION AND CONTROL  I. Prevent the occurrence of fire To prevent fire, different demands are made on the fire behavior of materials and construction parts. Make sure that a fire cannot develop quickly: The sooner a fire can develop, the sooner a fire is no longer manageable. A rapidly developing fire also hinders escaping to a safe place.  II. Provide fire compartmentalization Requirements for compartmentalization are imposed on a large building or a structure with a specific use function. The size of a compartment is determined by the size of the building, the combination with other rooms or the maximum walking distance.  III. Provide fire compartmentalization Requirements for compartmentalization are imposed on a large building or a structure with a specific use function. The size of a compartment is determined by the size of the building, the combination with other rooms or the maximum walking distance.  IV. Provide safe escape routes The principle of the safe escape route is that people can leave the space that is threatened by fire or smoke as quickly as possible along a safe route to a safe place. For escape routes, depending on the use function, requirements are set for material use and length. Escape routes should of course be free of obstacles.  V. Provide fire alarms The sooner a fire is signaled, the greater the chance that the fire can still be extinguished without the help of the fire brigade, people can escape safely and the fire brigade can act more repressively.  VI. Provide extinguishing agents Fire at an early stage can often be extinguished without the help of a fire brigade. Sufficient extinguishing agents (fire hose reels and hand fire extinguishers) help to extinguish a fire early.  VII. Provide facilities for the fire brigade To facilitate the work of the emergency services, there are requirements for accessibility, fire extinguishing water facilities, the presence of a dry extinguishing pipe and possibly a fire service lift. VIII. Provide adequate control and maintenance Fire prevention facilities are subject to aging and wear. Regular maintenance and monitoring of correct operation are therefore essential. GENERAL FIRE SAFETY PRECAUTIONS Always Have an Escape Plan. Install Smoke Alarms in Your Place. Stay on Top of Your Electrical Wiring System. Keep Your Heating Equipment in Check. Take Special Fire Precautions in the Kitchen. Learn to Use a Fire Extinguisher. Have a Workplace Fire Safety Checklist.  LIGHTNING PROTECTION Lightning protection systems are used to prevent or lessen lightning strike damage to buildings. They protect the internal electrical components of a building, helping to prevent fires or electrocution. Lightning protection comes in the form of a lightning conductor, usually a metal rod, mounted on a building to protect it from lightning strikes.. ELECTRICAL SAFETY Electrical safety is a system of organizational measures and technical means to prevent harmful and dangerous effects on workers from electric current, arcing, electromagnetic fields and static electricity. ELEMENTS OF ELECTRICITY  Voltage (sometimes referred to as electromotive force) is the representation of the electric potential energy between two points in an electric circuit, expressed in volts. Amperes or an amp is the unit measure of the strength or rate of flow of electrical current. Electrical resistance describes the amount of opposition there is to the flow of current. Resistance to electricity– that is, electrical resistance–is a force that counteracts the flow of current. In this way, it serves as an indicator of how difficult it is for current to flow. HAZARDS OF ELECTRICITY Electric shock and burns from contact with live parts Injury from exposure to arcing (when electricity jumps from one circuit to another) Fire from faulty electrical equipment or installations Explosion caused by unsuitable electrical apparatus Static electricity igniting flammable vapours or dusts, for example in a spray-paint booth CAUSES OF ELECTRICAL FIRES  1. Faulty Sockets & Outlets Most electrical fires are caused by faulty electrical outlets or worn out sockets that aren’t properly grounded. With age, the wiring behind sockets and outlets wears, the wires loosen over time and can eventually break and cause a fire.  II. Light Fixtures & Fittings Another common cause of electrical fires are lamps, lightbulbs and light fittings. It’s important to follow the wattage guidelines for all light fixtures and lamps in your home and to never exceed the recommended amount.  III. Extension Leads When large numbers of appliances are plugged into extension leads this can create an excessive power load on a single socket which it may not be able to handle.  IV. Portable Heaters Portable heaters should never be used for an extended period of time or overnight and shouldn’t be placed too close to combustible surfaces like curtains, beds, clothing, chairs, sofas and rugs as this is one of the most common ways for them to start a fire.  V. Outdated Wirings Breakers are triggered when a circuit is overloaded with too much electricity, but old breaker boxes may have worn connectors that don’t work which can cause the system to overload and catch fire. VI. Old or Faulty Appliances Using old or dated appliances can be a fire hazard as they may not be up to standard when it comes to wattage usage, material quality and safety regulations. THANK YOU FOR LISTENING!!! Presented by: Group 6