Transcript Health and Safety at RU

Safety, Health & Environmental Office
March 2015
What if?
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Triangle of combustion:
 a fire needs fuel + oxygen + heat
 to start & keep burning
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How fire spreads:
 Direct flame – direct contact
 Conduction – heat moves through solid matter
 Radiation – heat given off, no direct contact
 Convection – heat moves through air!!!
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Heat moves through air by convection
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Build-up of smoke & heat
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Superheated thermal layer spreads
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Building bursts into flame.
A fire fighter’s greatest fear!!
The Station Fire, Feb 2003:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OOzfq9Egxeo
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A. SOLIDS: ordinary solid flammable material
e.g. wood, paper, coal, fabrics, plastic
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Extinguish with WATER
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or dry powder or foam
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B. LIQUID/GAS: flammable liquids & gases
e.g. petrol, paraffin, alcohol, oil, benzene
Extinguish with DRY POWDER
or fire blanket / CO2 / foam
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C. ELECTRICAL: involves live electricity
e.g. overheated portable electrical equipment,
overloaded electrical cables, short circuits
Extinguish with CO2
or dry powder
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D. METAL: involves combustible metals
e.g. magnesium, titanium (used in lightweight
equipment), lithium (batteries)
Extinguish with DRY POWDER
Cause: Faulty
switch  bread in
toaster burned and
caught fire.
Cause: paper lampshade
& light bulb wattage too
high  over-heating 
lampshade caught fire.
Cause: Incorrect
battery fitted to laptop.
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Need to remove one or more:
 fuel / oxygen / heat
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Only attempt to extinguish a fire IF:
 It is small and not spreading
 You know how to use the fire extinguisher
 You have your back to a known SAFE EXIT
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Extinguishers at RU mainly:
 Dry powder (all types of fire - A/B/C/D)
 Water (only A)
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Think P.A.S.S.
Safety pin prevents us
squeezing the trigger
accidentally.
 P – Pull the pin
 A – Aim the nozzle at base of fire
 S – Squeeze the trigger
 S – Sweep the nozzle from side to side
The Role of Senior Management in Health and Safety Compliance
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Check:
 Fire alarms
 Emergency exits & exit routes
 Fire fighting equipment
 Safe use of electrical appliances
e.g. kettles, ironing, heaters, etc.
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Report:
 Problems with any of the above
 Any (potential) fire hazards
NB: It is against the
law to use safety
equipment – such as
fire extinguishers –
for anything other
than its intended
purpose. If found
guilty, you could be
fined up to R50,000.
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Electrical equipment
 Electrical cords, heaters,
tumble driers, irons, etc
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Smoking
RU warden’s greatest fear!!
www.ru.ac.za/safety/fire/firedrills
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Raise the alarm – scream, whistle, push alarm
button…
CPU EMERGENCY 046 603 8999 (save on cellphone)
call no matter how small the fire
Only try to extinguish if safe
Evacuate – crawl to avoid smoke/heat suffocation
Close windows & doors, help people with disabilities
Meet at Assembly Point, for roll call
Don’t take risks – don’t use lifts, do NOT go back
inside.
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YOU need to know YOUR exit routes!
Work it out - from your room:
 How many doors do you pass to your nearest
exit…
going LEFT?
going RIGHT?
 Where is the nearest FIRE EXTINGUISHER?
 Same as when you travel on a plane, or stay in a
hotel, or visit some unknown place.
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Obey house rules for visitors (security risk)
Do not let in strangers
Make sure you are not ‘tailed’ into res
Report suspicious/unauthorized persons to
wardens or CPU immediately
Know your res mates
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Lock away valuables, lock doors, close
windows when you go out
Report to warden if doors, windows etc
damaged/broken – to be repaired
Don’t walk alone at night
Don’t ‘display’ your goods
Get Home Safe
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CPU Blue Security Route
 Prince Alfred Street
 St Peters Campus
 signposted
 well lit
 extra guards on patrol
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Avoid deserted areas or dark roads
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www.ru.ac.za/campusprotection
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Report all incidents on campus to CPU
046 603 8176 or 8177 or 8999
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Report incidents off campus to SAPS
10111 or 046 603 9111
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at www.ru.ac.za/safety
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www.ru.ac.za/safety
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Safety Health & Environmental Officer
046 603 7205 or [email protected]
Thank you!