Fire Precautions PDF

CHAPTER VI FIRE PRECAUTIONS 10600 Duties of Electrical Department Staff 1 It is the duty of every railway officer and supervisor to ensure by periodical inspections that installations, offices, shops and rolling-stock under his control are: - a) well protec...

CHAPTER VI FIRE PRECAUTIONS 10600 Duties of Electrical Department Staff 1 It is the duty of every railway officer and supervisor to ensure by periodical inspections that installations, offices, shops and rolling-stock under his control are: - a) well protected against risk of fire; b) well equipped with fire-fighting equipment, and c) that staff are well trained and fire-fighting appliances are properly maintained to fight the fires, should they develop. 2. The majority of fires are preventable if only those in charge are security minded and make it a point to check the installations under their control from the point of view of fire risk and take necessary precautions. Accumulation of debris and rubbish near offices, workshops and installations should never be permitted even from the point of view of cleanliness -- much more so because it is such accumulations that are responsible for most fires. 3. Points which should be checked during periodical inspections are :- a) Whether the fire fighting appliances are maintained in working condition, and if each installation has the full complement of fire buckets, extinguishers etc. b) How well staff are trained to fight a fire. b) Whether close liaison is maintained by the local official with the Fire Fighting Organization and telephone numbers of Fire Station are properly displayed. c) When the last fire drill was conducted, a fire drill register should be maintained at each installation by subordinate incharge. 10601 Classification of Fires For all practical purposes the basic types of fires can be grouped into following four classes; Class A Fires: Fires involving combustible materials of organic nature, such as wood, paper, rubber and many plastics, etc., where the cooling effect of water is essential for extinction of fires. Class B Fires : Fires involving flammable liquids, petroleum products, or the like, where a blanketing effect is essential. Class C Fires: Fires involving flammable gases under pressure including liquefied gases, where it is necessary to inhibit the burning INDIAN RAILWAYS - AC TRACTION MANUAL - VOLUME 1 gas at fast rate with an inert gas, powder or vaporizing liquid for extinguishment. Class D Fires: Fires involving combustible metals, such as magnesium, aluminium, zinc, sodium, potassium, when the burning metals are reactive to water containing agents, and in certain cases carbon dioxide, haloginated hydrocarbons and ordinary dry powders. These fires require special media and techniques to extinguish. 10602 Precautions to be Observed 1. Class A Fires: Fires of this type can be readily extinguished by water or a solution containing large amount of water due to the cooling and quenching effect of water. The following precautions should be taken to prevent Class A Fires: - a) Glowing cigarette butts and matches shall not be thrown into waste baskets, oil rag bins, or other places of fire hazard. b) Smoking and use of open flames shall be prohibited in oil storage rooms, battery rooms and places where combustible material is kept. c) High standard of cleanliness shall be maintained. Waste material, oily waste or rags etc. shall be removed from the premises daily and suitably disposed of. d) Trees and rank vegetation shall not be permitted to grow in the neighbourhood of sub-stations, switching stations or other buildings. Roofs of buildings and the whole area of the sub-stations and offices shall be kept clear of dry leaves, packing cases or other dry combustible material. e) Before starting welding and cutting operations, it shall be ensured that sparks arising therefrom do not lodge in wood-work or ignite other combustible material in the area. f) While installing heating device, hot water pipes, etc. suitable clearances from the combustible material shall be maintained. 2. Class B Fires: For extinguishing these fires some blanketing agent is required such as foam which deprives the fire of its oxygen requirement. If water is used, there is greater danger of the fire spreading. The following precautions are required against Class B fires :- a) Cable trenches inside stations containing cables shall be filled with sand or pebbles or covered with non- inflammable slabs. b) Oil-filled containers and equipment in receiving stations, sub-stations, buildings, store rooms, etc. be so located that fire and smoke from oil is not likely to do any damage. c) Concrete dykes or floor drains and loose rock-filled pits shall be provided near oil storage rooms and oil filled equipment to prevent spread of spilled oil [(I.E. Rule 64 (2) (e) ]. d) Empty oil drums, boxes or other combustible material shall never be piled near storage oil tanks and oil-filled equipment. e) Petroleum containers shall be labelled and kept securely stoppered. INDIAN RAILWAYS AC TRACTION MANUAL VOLUME 1 (59) f) When a vehicle is re-fuelled or petrol transferred from one container to another, no smoking or open flames shall be permitted in the vicinity. g) Places where paints, varnishes, lacquers, thinners, etc. are stored or used shall be kept scrupulously clean. 3. Fires in Electrical Equipment: Fires that occur in electrical equipment or in equipment close to electric circuits preclude the use of water spray or foam type extinguishers. Such fires are extinguished by employing some insulating agent like sand, carbon tetra- chloride or carbon dioxide or halon type fire extinguishers. The following precautions are required against such fires: - a) Electrical equipment shall be installed, operated and maintained properly and in such a manner as to eliminate arcs due to poor contacts in switches and fittings, damaged insulation, crossed wires, opening of switches carrying large currents, etc. b) Leakage on and/or overloading of circuits with consequent heating up of wiring must he guarded against. c) Motors shall be equipped with over-current and under-voltage protection to prevent excessive heating. d) Insulation strength of the equipment and cable shall be checked periodically. e) Temperature and loading conditions of the equipment shall be recorded and studied. f) Electric lamps shall not be surrounded by or laid on combustible material. g) The vicinity of cables should be kept clear of oily dirt or other combustible material. h) Battery rooms shall have no loose connections and there shall be no sparking devices e.g., bells, buzzers, relays, fuses or switches in the room. Smoking shall be prohibited and rubbish and other combustibles shall not be permitted to accumulate in the battery room. i) Metal parts of oil tanks, electrical equipment and buildings shall be adequately bonded and earthed to prevent fires by lightning and static electricity. The earth resistance shall be checked periodically. j) Flammable gases and materials shall not be stored near electrical equipment. In designing, electrical installations in buildings, Indian Standard 1646 (Code of Practice for Fire Safety of Buildings (General): Electrical Installations and IS 3034: Code of Practice for Fire Safety of Industrial Buildings: Electrical Generating and Distributing Stations )should be followed. 10603 Fire Extinguishers 1. The types of extinguishers mentioned below against each class of fire are generally most suited. Details of suitability as a guide of each type of extinguisher is, shown in Table 1. It may, however, be noted that this is only for guidance and does not cover special cases. a) Class A Fires - Water expelling type extinguishers. b) Class B Fires - Foam, dry powder, vaporizing liquid, carbon dioxide extinguishers. c) Class C Fires - Dry powder and carbon dioxide extinguishers. d) Class D Fire - Extinguishers designed for expelling special dry chemical powder. INDIAN RAILWAYS -AC TRACTION MANUAL –VOLUME I  Table 1 Suitability of Different Types of Fire Extinguishers for Different Class of Fires ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- S.No. Types of Extinguishers Types of Fires ------------------------------------------- A B C D ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 1. Fire extinguisher, soda acid (see IS..934) S NS NS NS 2. Fire extinguisher water type, gas cartridge (see IS:940) S NS NS NS 3. Water type bucket pump (see IS:6234) S NS NS NS 4. Water type stored pressure (see IS:6234) S NS NS NS 5. Fire extinguisher chemical foam (see IS:933) S S NS NS 6. Fire extinguisher dry powder (see IS: 2171) NS S S NS@ 7. Fires extinguisher carbon dioxide type (see IS:2878) NS S S NS 8. Fire extinguisher using Halon gas (see IS: 11108) S S S S ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- S - suitable. NS - not suitable, @ - suitable if special dry powder for burning metal is used. 2. Where the energized electrical equipment is involved in a fire, the non-conductivity of the extinguishing media is of utmost importance and only extingushier expelling dry powder or carbon dioxide (without metal horn) or halon should be used. Once the electrical equipment is de- energized and extingusher suitable for Class A, B and C Fires may also be used safely. Where cleanliness is of importance and contamination of sensitive electrical equipment should not be caused, only carbon dioxide or Halon type fire- extinguishers should be used in case of fire in such equipment. 3. At times it may become necessary to use water from a fire hydrant to control a major fire involving electrical equipment or in the vicinity of electrical equipment. In such cases, it must be ensured that the electrical equipment is made dead before using the fire hydrant. 10604 Training of Staff 1. Sr. DEEs concerned should ensure that categories of staff listed below are adequately trained in fire precautions:- i) Drivers, Motormen, Asst. Drivers, Engine Turners:- They should be fully familiar with the physical location of fire fighting equipment in locos/EMUs and the correct method of operation of the equipment including the precautions to be followed. Guards of trains hauled by electric locos and of EMU trains should be similiarly trained by the Operating Department. INDIAN RAILWAYS AC TRAC.TION MANUAL - VOLUME 1 (61) ii) All supervisors and skilled artisans of Loco and EMU sheds, OHE depots, PSI & RC sections:- They should be familiar with the physical location of all fire fighting equipment including fire hydrants in their place of work, the correct method of operating the equipment and precautions to be observed, as well as location of and means of summoning of Railway and Municipal Fire Brigades. Immediately after coming on duty the supervisor must daily check the fire fighting equipments. 2. The Security Department of the Division will train the staff in operation of fire fighting equipment on requisition from the Electrical Department. A register should be maintained in each Loco/EMU shed, OHE depot, TF(R)'s office etc. indicating the name of staff who have been so trained. Divisional Fire Inspector be contacted for advice and training in fire fighting. 10605 Technical Investigations of Fires 1. Constant study and investigation of causes of fires are very essential. Every case of fire minor or major, irrespective of the location, whether in power, auxiliary or control circuits, should he investigated very carefully, even though an enquiry in accordance with the Accident Rules may not be called for. The causes as established by the investigation should be analysed by the SR.DEE periodically to identify areas requiring further investigation and to tighten up preventive measures. The Divisional Fire Inspector should always be associated in any fire enquiry. 2. A report on each case of fire should also be furnished to CEE as well as the Divisional Fire Inspector concerned. 10606 Fire Accidents 1. Fires in trains, whether carrying passengers or not, resulting in loss of human life or injury to any person or loss of or damage to railway property to the extent of Rs.500 or over are required to be treated as "accidents" and have to be inquired into in accordance with the "Rules for Reporting and Inquiring into Accidents". Fires in other railway premises resulting in damage to railway property of Rs.500 or over are also to be treated as "accidents". Fire accidents involving loss of human life or injury to persons or damage to railway property estimated to cost Rs. 300,000 or over have also to be reported as soon as possible on telephone to the Railway Board by the Operating (safety) Branch. 2. When electrical installations or electric rolling-stock are involved or when there is possibility that the fire was caused by electrical short circuit or due to defect or malfunctioning of electrical equipment, a representative of the Electrical Department should invariably be a member of the inquiry committee. Rules also require that a representative of the Security Department should be associated with all inquiries into fire accidents. 3. The composition of the inquiry committee and the method of disposal of the report of the inquiry committee will be as laid down in the "Rules for Reporting and Inquiring into Accidents" issued by the Zonal Railway, with which the officers and supervisor should be fully conversant. 10607 Organisation for Fire Fighting 1. On each railway a fire-fighting organisation exists primarily to look after major fires and to render help to the Department in imbibing good fire fighting practices and achievement of high fire fighting efficiency. 2. The administration and control of the Fire Service organisation in the Zonal Railways is under the control of the Chief Security Commissioner of the Railway with an Assistant Security Commissioner (Fire) in direct overall charge of the work in the Headquarters office. ASC (F) is a specialist officer responsible not only for exercising technical supervision over the fire service organisation on the entire railway but also for advising other Departments in regard to fire precautions. 3. The day-to-day control over all Fire Fighting units in the divisions is exercised by the Divisional Security Commissioner of the Division/Security Officer of the Division. INDIAN RAILWAYS AC TRACTION MANUAL VOLUME I (62) 4. The responsibility for providing adequate fire fighting equipment, initially as well as on replacement account, rests with the Departments concerned. The type and scale of fire fighting equipment to be provided in each installation as also on rolling-stock should be decided on the advice of ASC (F). 5. All fire fighting equipment in traction installations, loco sheds etc. excluding the mobile fire engines and trailer pumps, if any, should be borne on the books of the Electrical Department. The mobile fire engines and trailer pumps will be on the books of the Security Department. 6. Repairs and maintenance of the fire fighting equipment will be undertaken by Fire Service Section of Security Department.Detailed local instructions should be issued jointly by the Sr. Divisional Electrical Engineer concerned and the Divisional Security Commissioner fixing the periodicity of inspection of the fire fighting equipment by the Security Department, the procedure for requisitioning the services of the Fire Service personnel for repairs and maintenance of the equipment and similar connected matters. 7. Officers and supervisors in charge of traction installations and rolling-stock will render all necessary assistance to the Security Department in inspection, maintenance and operation of the fire fighting equipment. Although ultimate responsibility for efficient working of fire service organisation is that of the Security Department, the officials of Electrical Department may also organise surprise fire drills in loco and EMU sheds, OHE depots etc. and record the same in Fire drill register. 10608 Maintenance and Inspection of Fire Extinguishers 1. Inspection and testing: Routine maintenance of all fire extinguishers in respect of mechanical parts, extinguishing media and expelling means should be carried out by properly trained personnel at frequent intervals but at least once in a month to make sure that these are in their proper condition and have not been accidentally discharged or lost pressure or suffered damage. Following procedure should be followed for monthly maintenance, inspection and testing. Divisional Fire Inspector should be approached for this purpose. a) Clean the exterior of the extinguisher :polish the painted portion with wax polish, the brass parts with metal polish, chromium plated parts with silver polish. b) Check the nozzle outlet vent holes and the threaded portion of the cap for clogging and check that plunger is in fully extended position and is clean. c) Check the cap washer, grease the threads of cap plunger rod and wipe clean. d) Make sure that the extinguisher is in proper condition and is not accidentally discharged. In case of stored pressure extinguisher, pressure gauge is to be checked for correct pressure. e) Check all mechanical parts thoroughly. f) All fire buckets should be refilled, some with clean water and others with dry sand and checked daily by the supervisor incharge of the maintenance. 2. Annual Inspection At least once in a year, inspection and maintenance of extinguisher, including chemical charge inside and expellent should be carried out by trained personnel. Any extinguisher showing corrosion or damage to the body internally or externally should be replaced. Faulty, damaged and corroded parts shall be replaced by correct component. Illegible labels should be replaced. 10609 Code of Practice for Prevention of Fires of EMU Stock Guide lines for prevention of fires on EMU stock have been laid down in Code of Practice for Preventon of Fires of EMU stock (first revision) issued by RDSO in October 1991. The Code lays down detailed instructions regarding prevention of fires on the EMU stock which is newly built and also instructions regarding prevention of fires on EMU stock already in service. INDIAN RAILWAYS - AC TRACTION MANUAL VOLUME I (63)