Formula One

To suffer one engine fire in your car is unfortunate, to have two… French Formula One driver Sebastien Bourdais managed to cross the chequered flag in 18th place in the Hungarian Grand prix, despite two flash fires during refuelling. It wasn’t the fires that slowed him down however, it was having to make a third pit stop to have fire extinguisher foam removed from the inside of his visor…

Think Before You Speak

Award for this year’s most inappropriate use of the phrase “Fire Extinguisher” must go to US press secretary Dana Perino. In May 2008, the White House announced that it would not sell crude oil from the US Strategic Petroleum Reserve to boost supply and lower prices. Perino described the oil reserve thus: “It’s like the fire extinguisher in case of an emergency.”

If they are putting out fires with oil in the US, Houston, they have a problem!

Olympic Torch

The world-wide progress of the 2008 Beijing Olympic torch procession was not the smooth-running exercise the Chinese organizers had hoped for. In London, over 35 people were arrested for trying to obstruct the torch procession.

After two men had tried to put out the torch with a fire extinguisher, the torch-protecting authorities decided that it was safer on a double-decker bus. A large naked flame, in a large metal ice-cream cone, on a London bus. Hmmm.

Fire Training Nigerian Style

A second electrical fire at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Nigeria in September 2008 shows the importance of fire safety maintenance – and training. When the office’s electrical control room burst into flames, according to the Nigerian newspaper “Business Today”, the civil defense corps allegedly, “Ran away from the scene instead of deploying the disaster management training they are reputed to have gained.”

Quick-thinking security staff grabbed the nearest fire extinguishers, only to discover they were empty. So, one guard ran to a nearby building and borrowed one of their extinguishers instead. It was almost an hour before a ‘rapid intervention’ fire truck arrived, finally putting out the fire.

Whilst praising those quick-acting security staff, Minister of Foreign Affairs Chief Ojo Maduekwe was generally not amused; “The response to the incident was reasonably above average and there can still be improvement.”

Absolutely, Minister!

And Finally…

A German anti-smoker was so annoyed when his girlfriend lit up a cigarette in his flat, that he set off a fire extinguisher to extinguish it. The resulting powder covered her, him and most of the flat by the time the police arrived to the flat, in the town of Bielefeld.

With due concern for fire safety, a police spokesman explained how “It looked like a bomb had gone off in there… He managed to put the cigarette out though.” The anti-smoker is now single, again.

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Smoke Detectors: Pull Your Finger Out!

As the recent campaign fronted by Julie Walters showed, a smoke detector without a battery is as useful as a bicycle for a haddock. In fact, it’s worse than useless, because it can lull you into a false sense of security. Luckily, the new generation of 10-year battery alarms and mains alarms take away that worry, and they are surprisingly cheap too.

Not all Smoke Alarms are Equal

There are three main types of alarm that can protect you and your home:

1. An ionisation smoke alarm detects fires that burn fast and with flames, such as furniture or fabrics. So, you should place these types of smoke detectors in your lounge and bedrooms, but NOT next to an en-suite bathroom. (Learn why a little later.)

If this alarm alerts you to a fire, the best extinguisher to have handy would be a 2kg domestic multi-rating ABC powder extinguisher.

2. A photoelectrical or optical smoke alarm detects smouldering or slow-burning fires that give off smoke and ash, rather than burst into flames. This is the best type of alarm to have near a kitchen or bathroom door, as they are not set off by steam or cooking particles. Place them in your hallway or landing, or anywhere near a bathroom door.

Again, make sure you also have easy access to a domestic-sized fire extinguisher upstairs, to save precious seconds running downstairs to fetch one.

3. A mains heat alarm only activates if the temperature rises above 57 degrees C (135 degrees F), so they are ideal for use in your kitchen. They are ideal as they won’t go off every time you fry or overcook a cake, but will alert you to a more serious incident.

Your kitchen fire safety kit should consist of at least a wall-mounted fire blanket and a multi-rated domestic fire extinguisher. If you have a lot of electrical equipment in your kitchen, you might like to also consider a CO2 fire extinguisher, to minimise damage to your expensive fridge or mixer!

Tackling Home Fires with a Fire Extinguisher

When your smoke detector alerts you and your family to a fire, always get the family outside first. If you consider the fire to be small enough to tackle with your fire extinguisher, do so, but don’t be a hero.

If in doubt, always get out, stay out and call the Fire Brigade.

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Wrong! The US National Fire Protection Association discovered that in the past 10 years, more than 15 percent of all residential fire deaths, more than 29 percent of all injuries and approximately 30 percent of all residential fires were the direct result of kitchen fires. In the UK, 376 people died in domestic fires in 2005, and over 11,500 people were injured.

Protect Your Kitchen, Protect Your Home

Kitchen fire safety remains a concern for UK authorities. The latest Code of Practice BS 5839-6:2004 recommends a heat alarm in every Kitchen, and new Building regulations require new homes to have mains operated alarms. Yet, there is no requirement to fit any fire detection alarms in your existing kitchen.

Fire Safety: Kit Out Your Kitchen

Providing fire safety for your kitchen is really easy – and remarkably cost-efficient too, with just three steps to fire safety.

1. Feel the Heat

If you love to cook, you’ll know how a kitchen can quickly fill with steam, or hazy smoke from that lovely sizzling steak. Normal smoke alarms would be going crazy by now, which is why most new kitchen are fitted with a heat alarm instead.

A heat alarm only sounds when the temperature rises above 57 degrees C (135 degrees F), the temperature of a fire rather than just cooking.

2. Smother with Love

A fire blanket is just what you need to smother small fat fires in a frying pan, for example. Fire blankets work by excluding air from the fire, and extinguishing it.

If a pan catches fire, turn off the heat and immediately throw the blanket completely over the pan.

DO NOT MOVE THE PAN!

3. Fight the Fire

Your third essential item of kitchen fire safety kit is a 2k domestic fire extinguisher, such as an ABC multi-rated power extinguisher. This extinguisher is ideal for tackling fires NOT involving fats or electrics, such as a burning tea-towel or paper packaging.

Mount your handy fire extinguisher on a wall, so it’s easy to grab and use if and when you need it. If you have expensive electrical equipment in your kitchen, invest in a CO2 fire extinguisher as well, which will reduce any potential damage when sued on or near your electrical appliances.

So, keep safe in your kitchen this year, and may the only smoke be from your partner burning the toast – again.

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Fire Safety Signs: What the Law Says

Health and Safety regulations require all owners of premises to use safety signs, quote, “Where there is a significant risk to health and safety that has not been avoided or controlled by the methods required under other relevant law, provided the use of a sign can help reduce the risk.”

All signs also need to conform to the British Standard Code of Practice for safety signs (BS 5499-10:2006)

Seeing Red: Fire Extinguisher Safety Signs

All fire equipment signs feature a red background with white graphics. These familiar red signs indicate where you and your colleagues can find fire extinguishers and other firefighting equipment, such as fire hoses or breathing apparatus.

 Fire extinguisher signs often combine vital information for users on one easy-to read sign. For example, a combination sign might include:

• a red fire equipment sign for an extinguisher at the top
• a blue information sign detailing the extinguisher type
• green information symbols indicating the types of fire the extinguisher can be used on

So, your fire extinguisher sign can be a ‘one-stop shop’ of vital information in an emergency. Now you need to ensure everyone can see it!

Fire Safety Sign Placement

Placing your signs in the right places can give you staff vital extra seconds in an emergency. Make sure that every fire extinguisher has an appropriate sign not just at extinguisher level, but at eye level as well. Remember that not everyone is the same height, so eye level for some is sky level for others! Also consider the needs of any disabled members of staff, whose eye-line may be different again.

Always place your fire extinguishers where they can easily be accessed, and their associated fire safety sign can be seen at all times, so don’t site them behind a door or near a coat rack, for example.

If you have new premises or are renovating your old offices, your local Fire Officer or a professional fire risk assessor will be happy to help with advice on correct and effective placement.

Fire Extinguisher Stands and Signs

Despite modern advances in technology, fire extinguishers are still heavy items. Modern office partition walls and old brick walls in older premises may not be robust enough to support the weight of an extinguisher mounted on the wall. A better option is a fire extinguisher stand , which also protects your fire extinguishers from accidental knocks.

These red, grey or cream rigid plastic floor stands give your extinguishers a safe and sturdy home, and protect your carpets too! For external use, tough steel frame Fire Point stands are also available.

Walking Fire Extinguishers: Do They Exist?

From the number of times office fire extinguishers seem to move from their original positions to prop open doors, etc, you might be forgiven for thinking they had legs! Fire extinguisher signs can help you instantly identify any gaps, as some designs feature a “Missing” graphic.

Simply place your extinguisher in front of the graphic, and if the extinguisher is subsequently moved, you’ll see “Missing” in large letters.

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Fire Chief Mike Kobel’s patch is the Eastern Prairie district of Champaign, Illinois, and his particular bétè noir is a disused grain elevator, just across the street from his fire station.

The old grain elevator and the silos are being reclaimed by crews of contractors, and this process is when Chief Kobel’s problems started. Kobel was quoted in the local News Gazette, explaining that when the crews use cutting torches to remove parts, the flames ignite remnants of grain, their oils, and grain dusts, resulting in the smoldering fires.

Kobel is also resigned to the particular problems of fires involving dried organic produce: “Last week, we put several hundred gallons on one area. We knocked it down and the smoke quit. Rest assured, when you’re dealing with a pile of grain, it’s going to start smoking again.”

Site owner Chris Knipfer told the newspaper that he often doesn’t even know about fires at the grain elevator until the fire engine arrives, as the alarm has been raised by drivers on the nearby interstate highway, spotting smoke.

Chief Kobel is certainly using the grain elevator fires as an excellent source of training for his volunteer force of firefighters – and the contractors. He has instructed all contractors on site to put out smaller fires using fire extinguishers, whilst his crew make the most of each incident as training for a potentially major emergency.

For example, when their fire truck was called to a recent incident at the grain silos, the firefighters decided to check if their ladder would be long enough to reach the top of the silo if a fire broke out there. It wasn’t. So, if your company exports 140 foot long fire ladders to the US, you know who to call.

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FE-36 works almost as effectively as the illegal halon, is less toxic, and does not deplete the ozone layer. FE-36 also leaves no residue, is non-corrosive, non-conductive, and will not cause thermal shock damage to machinery.

How Fire Extinguishers Containing DuPont FE-36 Work

These extinguishers discharge a stream of gas and liquid droplets that are propelled into the heart of the fire, stopping combustion through a chemical reaction and by absorbing the fire’s heat.

Since FE-36 becomes a gas at -1.4 degrees C (39 degrees F), it leaves no residue behind and after the fire, dissipates into the atmosphere. FE-36(tm) fire extinguishers can be used on fire classes A and B, and directly on electrical equipment.

FE-36 Fire Extinguishers in Europe

Although not yet widely available in the UK and Europe, these extinguishers are used in medical facilities across the USA. In addition, portable fire extinguishers containing FE-36 can be used in sensitive locations such as computer rooms, document stores, clean rooms, telecommunications facilities, control rooms, switch rooms, marine craft and installations, banks, museums, archives, laboratories, and airplanes.

The most common range of fire extinguishers containing FE-36 are Cleanguard extinguishers from Ansul.

In the UK Today

Motorsport participants might also be interested in the Zero 360, an FE-36 extinguisher especially for high performance racing and rally cars from Lifeline.

Also seen in small automatic extinguishers, the defunct Firemaster company’s previous management have set up a new company called Fireblitz Extinguisher and are now supplying 1kg and 2kg automatic sizes again.

“Total Flood” Fire Suppressant Systems

DuPont FE-36 can now be used to replace Halon 1301 in fixed fire protection systems. Fire extinguisher systems with FE-36 come into their own where a ‘total flood’ fire suppressant system is required. This involves ‘flooding’ an entire room or enclosed area with sufficient fire fighting agent to extinguish the fire. (If CO2 gas were used instead, the volumes involved would prove fatal to anyone in the area.)

FE-36 and Hydrogen Fluoride

When combusted, under certain conditions, FE-36 can produce hydrogen fluoride (HF). Whilst this gas is generally produced in small quantities, and the gas itself boils just below room temperature, you should make sure that after a fire, the area is fully ventilated before staff return.

You should also avoid breathing in any fumes from an FE-36 extinguisher treated fire, as on contact with moisture, including human tissue, hydrogen fluoride converts to hydrofluoric acid. This acid is highly toxic and corrosive.

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How MRI-Safe Fire Extinguishers Work

MRI-safe fire extinguishers are essentially the same as normal extinguishers on the inside. However, MRI-safe fire extinguisher cylinders must be non-magnetic, as the magnetic field of an MRI machine is strong enough to attract a normal fire extinguisher with bone-crushing force.

It is not often realised but the magnetic potency of an MRI machine stays for a long time after it is turned off. This prevents fire-fighters from entering with something as simple as a metal belt buckle. There have been incidents of people being “sucked” into an MRI with tragic results.

The same rule applies to any machinery with a strong magnetic field, such as nuclear magnetic resonance spectrometers (NMR’s). Non-magnetic fire extinguishers should also be used in health centres, clinics, and any premises where magnetic interference might affect the performance or operation of sensitive equipment.

Non-magnetic fire extinguishers are made with a non-magnetic stainless steel or aluminium shell, and non-magnetic fittings such as valves, nozzles and pins.

Specially manufacturerd 2kg CO2 fire extinguishers are the most popular non-magnetic type in the UK, since they can be used to extinguish fires in, on or around electrical equipment, are clean to operate and do not leave any residue after use. The non magnetic fire extinguisher is are available online from Fire Protection Online and is made by Chubb Fire (and also sold under their sister company name of Thomas Glover).

Water Mist Fire Extinguishers

Amerex Corporation of the USA developed their water mist extinguisher for use in clean rooms, telecoms areas and health care facilities. Using distilled water instead of tap water, it has a specially-developed misting nozzle that atomizes the water making it non-conductive.

These are available in 1.75 gallon and 2.5 gallon size but, due to the cost of testing weighed against the demand, are not tested in the UK to BS EN3. However, they have full UL approval in the USA.

As you can imagine, high specification non-magnetic fire extinguishers do not come cheap, retailing at a premium to the standard models. But, they can be found online at much lower prices.

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The Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005, as it is known (or RRO), is designed to turn almost all the earlier pieces of UK fire safety legislation into one all-inclusive law.

Here is a short précis of the important parts of the Order that concern all those who run a business or institution situated in a building, based on key words used and their meanings:

• Responsible Person: the person who owns or controls the business or premises
• Competent Person: this could be an employee or an outside contractor appointed and trained to carry out fire fighting duties, contact the emergency services, and assist in evacuations
• Enforcement: failing to satisfy the applicable articles of the Order may result in a fine or up to two years imprisonment
• Fire Risk Assessment: if the responsible person employs 5 or more people, or if the premises are licensed, or if the inspector wants it, this vital plank of the Order must be officially documented

Application

The Fire Safety Order applies to all buildings in use, except domestic premises and some kinds of premises that are a specific risk and where other regulations apply. It also places duties on a ‘responsible person’ not only to protect employees but members of the public.

Don’t forget that every building is going to be different – different fire hazards in different places affecting different people.

Fire Risk Assessment

The Law requires that Risk Assessment be done, consistent with most of the new regulations regarding health and safety. It is important to consider how a fire would affect the people in the building, starting with those immediately at risk from the fire.

The outcomes of the Risk Assessments must be presented in writing where five or more people are employed, in line with many other regulations.

Fire Prevention

One of the reasons for Fire Risk Assessment is to lessen the chances of fire occurring. A fire prevention plan should be easy to put together and should be a matter of common sense for most workplaces.

Some measures to consider include making sure rubbish is not stored near the premises, and ensuring that the electrical wiring is tested and inspected frequently.

Fire Precautions

There are a number of general fire precautions required by the regulations but it is important to remember that every workplace is different and every work location has different needs. What works in one building might not work elsewhere.

The most important fire safety regulations to consider include:

• A whistle or an electric fire alarm, or some other kind of fire warning
• Automatic fire detectors might be needed in some buildings, especially if a fire could be a risk to people if it is not detected (such as a two-story building) or there are large numbers of people in the building
• There must be fire extinguishers in the building, not only to maintain exits while people evacuate but also to control small fires
• There must be enough fire exits in the building for the numbers of people who use it and exits must lead as directly to safety as possible
• Exits must be clearly marked with exit signs and they must be kept clear and readily available
• Fire exit routes might need to be protected so that the smoke and flames won’t affect people evacuating the building
• Emergency lighting might be needed in some situations to light exit routes and rooms in the event of a power failure
• Fire equipment must be maintained and looked after, so that they are in working order
• There must be a fire procedure for the building, outlining people’s responsibilities and the evacuation plan in case of fire

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Why the Summer Months Pose a Bigger Threat

When summer comes you are likely to want to enjoy every moment of sun that you are given. This means that BBQ’s and picnics out there in garden are often enjoyed all throughout summer.

Now a BBQ can be fun; especially if you invite plenty of people! But there is also a risk that a fire could break out; especially if alcohol is involved. So you need to ensure that you follow the right summer fire home safety guidelines.

• Some Fire home safety guidelines that you should follow include:
• Ensure that the BBQ is away from fences and sheds
• Keep all pets and children away from the BBQ
• Once all of the food has been cooked, turn off the gas cylinder before the BBQ controls
• Make sure any guests to the picnic/BBQ do not throw cigarettes on the lawn
• Be sure to get rid of any glass and bottles in your garden

If you follow these guidelines then you will ensure that you and your guests are as safe as possible.

You may not think that your BBQ could be a potential fire risk, but if not done properly, accidents do happen. By leaving bottles and glass on the lawn for example, the sunlight can cause the lawn to set on fire through the glass.

Also if guests are drinking and they then throw a cigarette onto the garden, which can also start a fire as the lawn will be dry due to the hot summer weather. So it is always better to follow these safety rules in order to have the best possible time at your picnic/BBQ.

Children and Fire Safety

If you have children, or if you are having children around the home throughout summer, you will need to keep a close eye on them. Many times a fire can be started simply because a child has been left unsupervised.

Also, when you are having a BBQ, children can often get too close to the BBQ and it could easily be knocked over. So always keep your children away from the BBQ and never leave them unsupervised in the home either.

It is possible that whilst you are outside, a fire could be started in the home. Perhaps you have left something cooking and due to the heat and perhaps the distraction from friends and family, you have forgotten about it. This can start a fire and you may be blissfully unaware of it until it is too late.

So you really need to ensure that you keep an eye on everything that you are cooking. Also never leave children unattended in the home whilst all of the adults are outside as this is only asking for problems. You can purchase various fire safety home improvements such as smoke detectors which really do prove to be vital if there is ever a fire.

Overall by following simple fire home safety guidelines you can easily enjoy the summer months with friends and family.

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Why Invest in Quality Fire Safety Training?

As a business owner, you have probably already invested heavily in fire safety equipment for your premises. Yet all that investment will effectively go to waste if your staff does not know how to use fire safety equipment such as fire extinguishers, as they may well be the first person to discover a fire.

What Your Staff Need to Know about Fire Safety

The occasional fire drill and some faded escape notices are no longer acceptable to fulfill your legal obligations under the Fire Safety Order. Your staff needs to be aware of:

• your business fire safety policy, and who to contact when in the case of an emergency
• your fire safety and evacuation procedures; when and how to act if they discover a fire
• the fire safety equipment used on your premises, and how to operate them if required
• the fire safety signs, what they mean, and how to act accordingly
• The Best Fire Safety Training Delivery Method

Fire safety training could help save both lives and property, but only if it is delivered properly and in such a way that staff engage and learn the important information effectively.

Fire safety manuals can be dull and hard to read, and many people find it tricky to understand how to use fire safety equipment from a drawing or series of diagrams. In addition, you or your competent person can never be 100% sure the information has been fully read and absorbed!

Offsite or Onsite fire safety training gives your staff the opportunity to focus solely on fire training, but it can be costly both in terms of the fees charged by external companies and the time taken to deliver training to all staff.

Online courses in fire safety training are a useful aid for staff that like to learn in their own time and at their own pace, but again you as the business owner, cannot be sure the information has been fully absorbed and understood.

Fire Safety Training DVDs and CD-ROMS

One of the best ways to ensure training is delivered in a consistent way across your entire business is to use DVD or CD-rom training courses. By dividing your staff into small groups, your personnel can learn together in a structured way, without the need to remove large numbers of staff from the workplace at one time, as with outside raining.

They can learn from top experts featured on the DVDs, and actually see how to operate fire extinguishers and other safety equipment, rather than learn from diagrams. And, of course, if anyone needs a recap, you simply play the DVD segment again!

Unlike paper manuals that can become out of date and forgotten on a shelf, a DVD training course can be renewed on a subscription basis each year, to give your staff the most up to date training information available. It is also useful for refreshing your staff fire training on a regular basis, by revising individual modules rather than the whole course.

Fire safety training is the essential element that will keep your business and staff safe when combined with the right fire safety equipment; one without the other is as good as useless.

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