Fire hazards, prevention

Fire hazards are minimized by minimum inventories of chemicals. Control or miniini/e ignition sources, provide a confining area, reduce the temperature of the material as much iis possible, blanket the material to eliminate air contact. Have available fire protection equipment breathing apparatus, and protective clothing for the fire fighters. Use several hour fire walls to prevent the spread of fire to other process areas. 

Grease A filter used in kitchen air extraction systems to prevent the contamination of the ductwork system with grease, which would be a fire hazard. 

A nonprofit organization that is the authoritative source for developing standards for minimizing the possibility and effects of fire and explosion conducts fire safety programs provides information on fire protection, prevention, and suppression develops systems for prevention and suppression offire and explosions arising from hazardous substances. 

Recently, there has been much interest in developing water-soluble tributyltin biocides to lessen the costs of application, and to prevent fire hazards when treating material in confined spaces. Bis(tributyltin) oxide itself has a very low aqueous solubility ( 0.001%), but it may be made water-dispersible by the addition of certain (534, 535) quaternary ammonium salts. Formulations of this type, although currently under development as wood preservatives (534), have been used extensively in the United Kingdom for the treatment of stonework to eradicate fungal growths, algae, mosses, and lichens (535). 

In the minds of all authors who favour the estimation of flashpoints based on a theoretical model rather than experimental results this approach was temporary and only supposed to be used during the period used by commissions of experts to lay down a standard technique for the determination of flashpoints. As has already been seen, it is less likely that this method will be used in the near future. This is the reason why we think estimation techniques have to be part of the priority tools of risk analysis in work on chemical risk prevention. Why is such work on estimation important We will see later that flashpoint is the cruciai parameter in order to establish the ievel of fire hazard of a substance. 

Transformers filled with combustible oils pose a fire hazard. Transformers should be adequately spaced from other critical or manned facilities per the requirements of NFPA 70 and IEEE. Adequate containment and removal of spillages should be provided. Spillage immediately at a transformer should drain into a gravel covered basin which prevents spillage from being exposed but allows drainage to be collected. 

Damaging fires are uncontrolled chemical reactions, so fire hazards involving ordinary flammable and combustible materials could be included in the above definition of chemical reactivity hazards. However, this publication seeks to supplement basic fire prevention and protection measures by addressing how to successfully manage other chemical reactivity hazards in the work environment. Consequently, the use of the term "chemical reactivity hazards" in this publication will not include explosion, fire and dust explosibility hazards involving the burning of flammable and combustible materials in air. Storage and use of commercial explosives is also outside the scope of this publication. 

Cleaning materials and their methods of use can present significant and, frequently, undetected fire hazards. Any cleaning chemical or material brought into a facility should be reviewed for potential hazards using Material Safety Data Sheet (MSDS) information as a part of the material s hazard identification element of the overall fire prevention program. Cleaning activities should not be allowed to add unreasonable hazards to a facility. 

The elimination of a fire hazard may be the ideal solution, but it is often not possible. In general, the optimum level of fire protection is achieved by selecting from the other appropriate prevention and mitigation options. The higher the performance availability (or lower the probability of failure-on-demand) of each selected fire protection feature, the more effective the overall fire protection system. The generally preferred approach to improve effectiveness is to select a combination oipassive and active fire protection features. 

Protection of facilities that are exposed to a fire hazard from an outdoor storage area is preferably achieved passively by adequate separation distance to the potentially exposed facilities. When the quantity of stored material is large, it should be separated into smaller groups or piles with adequate aisle space maintained to prevent uncontrolled fire spread within the defined storage area. An often used spacing guide for stacked or piled materials is aisle width should equal stack height. 

Fires may be started by one or several of die following so-called "common fire hazards matches and cigarets, rubbish (spontaneous ignition), locomotive sparks, mechanical spartks, friction, open-flame devices, heating appliances, electric wiring and equipment, static electricity and lightning. The primary object of fire prevention and extinction is to avoid loss of life and personal... 

Fire Prevention Fire protection activities that deal with preventing fires starting by eliminating fire hazards through inspection and education programs. 

---