Transcript Fire Extinguisher Training

B Phaneuf 2014
The Fire Triangle
In order to understand how fire extinguishers work, you first need to
know a little bit about fire.
Four things must be present at the same time in order to produce the
fire:
Enough Oxygen to sustain combustion,
Enough Heat to raise the material to its ignition temperature,
Some sort of Fuel or combustible materials.
Then we have a Chemical, Exothermic Reaction that is fire.
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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.” The important thing to remember
is: take any of these four things away, and you will not have a fire or
the fire will be extinguished.
Essentially, fire extinguishers put out fire by taking away one or more
elements of the fire triangle/tetrahedron.
Fire safety, at its most basic, is based upon the principle of keeping
fuel sources and ignition sources separate.
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Not all fires are the same, and they are classified according to
the type of fuel that is burning. If you use the wrong type of
fire extinguisher on the wrong class of fire you can, in fact,
make matters worse. It is therefore very important to
understand the different fire classifications.
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wood
cloth
paper
rubber
many plastics
solid combustible materials that are
not metals
gasoline
oil
grease
tar
oil-based paint
lacquer
flammable gases
Acetone
Any non-metal in a liquid state on fire.
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energized electrical equipment
As long as it’s plugged in, it would be
considered a Class C fire.
magnesium
sodium
potassium
titanium
zirconium
other flammable metals
Class D fires produce an intense
flame that may be water reactive.
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Class K Fires – Cooking Media
Recognized by NFPA 10
Fires involving combustible
vegetable or animal nonsaturated cooking fats in
commercial cooking equipment.
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Water
CO2
Foam
Dry Chemical
FM-20 (takes the place of halon)
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Pressurized Water
Class “A” fires only
2.5 gal. Water at 150-175 psi (up to
1 minute discharge time)
Has pressure gauge to allow visual
capacity check
30-40 ft. Maximum effective range
Can be started and stopped as
necessary
Extinguishes by cooling burning
material below the ignition point
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Carbon Dioxide (CO2)
Class “B” or “C” fires
2.5-100 lbs of CO2 gas at 150-200
psi (8-30 seconds discharge time)
Has NO pressure gauge – capacity
verified by weight
3-8 ft. maximum effective range
Extinguishes by smothering burning
materials
Effectiveness decreases as
temperature of burning material
increases
All CO2 extinguishers need to undergo hydrostatic testing and
recharge every five (5) years.
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Multipurpose Dry Chemical
Class “A”, “B”, or “C” fires
2.5-20 lb dry chemical (ammonium
phosphate) pressurized to 50-200 psi
by nitrogen gas (8-25 seconds
discharge time
Has pressure gauge to allow visual
capacity check
5-20 ft. maximum effective range
Extinguishes by smothering burning
materials
These extinguishers are extremely effective at putting out a fire.
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Combustible Metal
Class “D” combustible metal fires only
30 lb pressurized dry powder
optimized for specific combustible
metal (also available in bulk
containers for hand scooping onto fire
to extinguish)
6-8 ft. maximum effective range
To activate, must first open nitrogen
cylinder on back to pressurize body
Extinguishes by smothering burning
materials
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Fire extinguishers will have their rating
(A,B,C, etcetera) displayed on the body of
the cylinder.
Some type A and B extinguishers also
have numbers.
The number in front of the “A” is the
equivalent number of US gallons of water
x 1.25 the contents represents. ( A 5A
extinguisher would contain the equivalent
suppressant of 6.25 US gallons of water)
The number in front of the “C” represents
how many square feet of coverage the
unit contains.
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Know department emergency procedures and evacuation routes.
Know locations of extinguishers in your area and how to use them.
Always sound the alarm regardless of fire size.
Avoid smoky conditions.
Ensure area is evacuated.
Don’t attempt to fight unless:
-
alarm is sounded
-
fire is small and contained
-
you have safe egress route (can be reached without exposure to
fire).
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available extinguishers are rated for size and type of fire.
If in doubt, get out!
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However, before deciding to fight the fire, keep these rules in
mind:
Never fight a fire if:
You don’t know what is burning. If you don’t know what is
burning, you don’t know what type of extinguisher to use. Even if
you have an ABC extinguisher, there may be something in the fire
which is going to explode or produce highly toxic smoke.
Chances are, you will know what’s burning, or at least have a
pretty good idea, but if you don’t, let the Emergency Response
Team handle it.
Or...
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The fire is spreading rapidly beyond the spot where it
started. The time to use an extinguisher is in the incipient, or
beginning stages of a fire. If the fire is already spreading
quickly, it is best to simply evacuate the building, closing doors
and windows behind you as you leave.
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This will allow you to discharge the extinguisher.
If you aim at the flames (which is frequently
the temptation), the extinguishing agent will
fly right through and do no good). You want
to hit the fuel.
This depresses a button that releases the
pressurized extinguishing agent in the
extinguisher.
Until the fire is completely out. Start
using the extinguisher from a safe
distance away, then move forward. One
the fire is out, keep an eye on the area in
case it re-ignites.
Just remember, always keep an exit at your back.
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An AFFF (aqueous film forming agent) agent forms an
aqueous film of the surface of hydrocarbon fuel.
An alcohol-resistant concentrate (ARC) will form a polymeric
membrane on a polar solvent fuel. Firefighting foam agents
suppress fire by separating the fuel from the air (oxygen).
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Depending upon the type of foam agent, this is done in several
ways:
Foam blankets and the fuel surface, smothering the fire and
separating the flames from the fuel surface.
The fuel is cooled by the water content of the foam.
The foam blanket suppresses the release of flammable vapours
that can mix with air.
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Inspection
An inspection is a "quick check" that an extinguisher is
available and will operate. It is intended to give reasonable
assurance that the fire extinguisher is fully charged and
operable. This is done by verifying that it is in its designated
place, that it has not been actuated or tampered with, and
that there is no obvious or physical damage or condition to
prevent its operation. Fire extinguishers should be inspected
when they are initially placed in service and thereafter at 30day intervals. They may require more frequent inspections if
circumstances dictate.
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Inspection Procedures:

Located in designated place

No obstruction to access or visibility

Operating instructions on nameplate legible and facing outward

Safety seals and tamper indicators not broken or missing.

Fullness determined by weighing or "hefting". The pressure is at the recommended
level. On extinguishers equipped with a gauge that means the needle should be in
the green zone - not too high and not too low.

Examination for obvious physical damage, corrosion, leakage, or clogged nozzle.
There are no dents, leaks, rust, chemical deposits and other signs of abuse/wear.
Wipe off any corrosive chemicals, oil, gunk etc. that may have landed on the
extinguisher.

Pressure gauge reading or indicator in the operable range or position. Note: Internal
pressure is affected by temperature.
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Dry Chemical
Stored-Pressure
Water
Foam (FFFP)
Halon 1211
Monthly inspection
(by user)
Monthly inspection
(by user)
Monthly inspection
(by user)
Monthly inspection
(by user)
Yearly maintenance
Yearly maintenance
Yearly maintenance
Yearly maintenance
6-year maintenance
Hydrostatic test
(every 5 years)
Foam replace (every
3 years)
6-year maintenance
Hydrostatic test
(every 5 years)
Hydrostatic test
(every 12 years)
Hydrostatic test
(every 12 years)
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
When a fuel and an oxidizer react so
rapidly on being mixed at room
temperature that combustion starts
immediately without an outside
ignition source. The term, hypergolic
reaction, originated with rocket
propellants. Similar chemical
reactions have caused accidental
fires in the oil and gas industry.
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
Summarize the most significant critical risk factors
affecting fire and explosion hazards. Each one listed on the
following page has a critical affect on fire and explosion
safety and requires careful consideration in operational and
control decisions.

Because operation-specific variables make it impossible to
prescribe controls that will work effectively in every
circumstance, companies must do the homework necessary
to evaluate whether or not planned control measures will
be effective.

If critical risk factors exist, a site-specific fire and explosion
prevention plan may be required to effectively manage
potential fire and explosion hazards.
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1. Presence of liquid hydrocarbons and other flammable
liquids
2. Presence of hydrogen sulphide (H2S) The introduction of airoxygen into ‘systems’ containing H2S should be avoided altogether.
3. Addition of hydrocarbon-based workover fluids
4. Fluid mixtures with different chemical properties
5. Elevated operating pressures and temperatures
6. Potential for rapid pressure or temperature changes
7. Flowing explosive mixtures into ‘closed’ systems
8. Pre-existing trapped air
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The regulations require employers to first try to
eliminate hazards.
 If elimination is not possible, hazards should be
controlled using one of the following options:
 Engineering controls
 Administrative controls
 Personal protective equipment
 A combination of controls.
 The options should be considered in the order
listed.

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There are three widely recognized types of
hazard controls, each with different
functions.
They are listed in the order of their
effectiveness, with engineering controls
being more dependable than those that rely
solely on human behaviour.
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The objective of engineering controls is to
eliminate or reduce the hazard. This is the
preferred type of control whenever feasible.
These controls relate to the design of the
processes, equipment, and tools being used.
They are the standards, specifications, and design
criteria that apply to an operation.
The basic functions engineering controls perform
include:
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• Elimination: Designing equipment to minimize the
release of hazardous substances.
• Substitution: Utilizing non-hydrocarbon drilling or
workover fluids, where possible.
• Isolation: Enclosing equipment or adding
emergency shutdowns to eliminate or reduce the
amount of hazardous substances that will be released
in the event of a failure.
• Ventilation: Providing mechanisms for exhausting
hazardous substances from the work area.
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Administrative controls address hazards through
the development and application of suitable work
systems. Their effectiveness depends on the
integrity of the processes used to develop them,
and their proper implementation and enforcement.
Examples include:
Work
practices and procedures
On-the-job
Worker
training
selection and supervision
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Protective equipment is “the last line of defense”.
PPE does not control or prevent incidents; it will
only protect workers from injury should an incident
occur.
Examples include:
respiratory
protective equipment
hand and body protection including Fire Resistant
Clothing (FRC), hearing protection, etc.
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The safety of jobsite operation relies on effective communication
of the hazards involved, and effective implementation of the
steps required to eliminate or reduce those hazards. Those
conveying such information are reminded that:
Communication
needs to be two-way.
Communication
should be documented (i.e. safety meeting
summary).
Communication
needs to include factual information about: the
planned operations, the hazards, and the steps required to
eliminate or reduce the hazards.
Communication
between site personnel as activities progress is
essential to keep the work on track according to the fire and
explosion prevention plan.
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