Unit 101 E2 Carry Out Procedures in the Event of a Fire. The fire triangle. Classification of fuels. Fire procedures & regulations. Types of fire extinguishers.

Unit 101 E2 Carry Out Procedures in the

Event of a Fire.• The fire triangle.

• Classification of fuels.

• Fire procedures & regulations.

• Types of fire extinguishers & how to use them.

Fire Triangle.

In order to understand how fire extinguishers work, you first need to know a little bit about fire.

Fire is a chemical reaction involving rapid oxidation (burning) of a fuel four things must be present at the same time in order to produce fire:

1. FUEL - any combustible material - solid, liquid or gas. Most solids and liquids must vapourise before they will burn.

2. OXYGEN - sufficient oxygen must be present in the atmosphere surrounding the fuel for fire to burn.

3. HEAT - sufficient heat energy must be applied to raise the fuel to it's ignition temperature.

4. Chemical, exothermic reaction - this reaction can occur when all three of the above elements are present in the proper conditions and proportions. Fire (rapid oxidisation) is the result of this chemical reaction.

How to Put Out Fires.• Starvation of fuel source.

A fire requires fuel to burn, if you can starve the fire of fuel it will die out. Remove or turn off the fuel.

• Smothering of oxygen.A fire requires oxygen to burn, if you remove the oxygen the fire is more controllable.

• Cooling of heat source.A fire requires a source ignition to burn, if you cool the heat then it will die.

Classification of fuels.

• Not all fuels are the same, and if you use the wrong type of fire extinguisher on the wrong type of fuel, you can, in fact, make matters worse.

• It is therefore very important to understand the four different classifications of fuel.

• Class A - wood, paper, cloth, plastic.

• Class B - flammable liquids: petrol, kerosene, oil, grease, acetone, paint.

• Class C - flammable gasses: LPG, butane, acetylene, and hydrogen.

• Class D - metals: potassium, sodium, aluminium, magnesium.

• Class E - electrical: fires involving live electrical equipment as long as it's "plugged in," it would be considered a class (E) fire.

• Class F - oil or fat.

Why Are Fires Dangerous? When a fire occurs in a building it is a

threat because:• Toxic fumes: are given off as various

materials burn, especially foam and plastic. These fumes can be deadly.

• Smoke: given off from the fire can also be poisonous, but smoke causes choking, reducing vision and can lead to panic.

• Burning: heat is produced from any fire and can cause serious damage not just to from skin burns but also by inhalation where lungs can be damaged.

• Structural damage: building structures can be weakened by fire and therefore there is a risk of collapse.

Fires Are Caused by.• Poor judgement.

• Lack of thought.

• Failure to follow instructions.

• Human error.

• Ignorance.

Possible causes of fires within the workplace.

Any fire is a frightening experience for everyone. The common reasons for fires starting in the workplace are:

• Mechanical. Old equipment that is not serviced regularly can cause over heating and cause fires.

• Human Error. This category could account for many fires that happen in catering. Such as fat fryers.

• Electrical . Can be dangerous often smouldering wires can develop unseen overnight and be the cause of major incidents. You should check regularly.

• Arson. Fortunately arson is a rare occurrence. It might happen due to a grudge between employee and employer, or insurance fraud.

• Chemical. Not very common now due to the COSHH regulations.

Preventative actions needed to reduce the risk

of Fire.All workplaces should have the

following:• Fire Certificate.

• Fire Emergency Plan.

• Assembly Points clearly marked.

• Fire Drill training sessions.

• Regular fire drills & induction’s for new staff.

• Regular fire checks for fire hazards such as: – Rubbish storage areas.– Kitchen ventilation.– Gas & Electrical equipment.– Flammable chemicals.

Preventing a fire from Starting.

• Hazardous areas must be prominently signed, Store flammable materials safely.

• Ensure staff are trained and updated on fire training.

• Make sure “No Smoking” signs are evident and strictly implemented.

• Be vigilant to the risk of fire.

Fire Procedures and Regulations.

To safeguard people, the law insists that fire regulations are in place to minimise the risk to the public and staff for any given establishment.

The fire Precautions Act 1971 covers most catering business, with the exception of very small establishments.

FCOT Fire Regulations.

The College is governed by the following regulations:

• The Fire Precautions (Workplace) (Amendment) Regulations 1999.

Fire Procedures.

Fires can be very dangerous and you should always be certain that you would not endanger yourself or others when attempting to put out a fire. For this reason, when a fire is discovered:

Assist any person in immediate danger to safety, if it can be accomplished without risk to yourself.

Action on Discovering a Fire.

• Raise the alarm. Break the glass of the nearest alarm point.

• Call the fire services.• If safe to do so tackle the fire, if in

doubt get out.• Leave the building via the nearest

exit calmly. DO NOT run or use lifts.• Evacuate the premises and report

to your designated assembly point.

On hearing the Alarm.

• Leave the building via the nearest exit.

• Do not run.

• Do not use lifts.

• Go to your designated assembly point.

When Not to Fight a Fire.• Fire Extinguishers are designed to fight

small, developing fires. If a fire starts to burn out of control, it is not safe to try and extinguish it yourself.

• NEVER try to fight a fire if:

• The fire is no longer contained and starts spreading beyond where it started.

• You can't fight the fire with your back towards an open escape route. 

• The fire could spread and block your only escape route.

• you don't have the right type of fire extinguisher.

• you don't know how to use your fire extinguisher.

• In any of these situations, CALL FOR HELP. Don't fight the fire yourself.

Air Pressurised Water Extinguishers

• APW stands for "air-pressurized water." APWs are large, red extinguishers, which are filled about two-thirds of the way with ordinary tap water, then pressurized with normal air.

• In essence, an APW is just a giant

squirt gun.

• APWs extinguish fire by taking away the "heat" element of the fire triangle.

• Water (APW) Extinguishers are designed for Class A (wood, paper, cloth) fires only.

•  Never use water to extinguish flammable liquid fires. Water is extremely ineffective at extinguishing this type of fire, and you may, in fact, spread the fire if you try to use water on it.

• Never use water to extinguish an electrical fire. Water is a good conductor, and there is some concern for electrocution if you were to use water to extinguish an electrical fire.

• Electrical equipment must be unplugged and/or de-energized before using a water extinguisher on it.

• Carbon Dioxide Extinguishers are filled with non-flammable carbon dioxide gas under extreme pressure.

• You can recognize a CO2 extinguisher by its BLACK BAND, large wide nozzle shield and lack of pressure gauge.

• They range in size from 2kg to 45kg or larger. In the larger sizes, the wide nozzle will be located on the end of a long, flexible hose.

• CO2s are designed for Class B and (E) flammable liquid and electrical) fires only.

• Carbon Dioxide is a non-flammable gas that extinguishes a fire by displacing oxygen, or taking away the oxygen element of the fire triangle.

• The carbon dioxide is also very cold as it comes out of the extinguisher.

• CO2 extinguishers may be ineffective at extinguishing Class A fires because they may not be able to displace enough oxygen to successfully put the fire out. Class A materials may also smoulder and re-ignite.

• CO2 extinguishers will frequently be found in laboratories, mechanical rooms, kitchens, and flammable liquid storage areas.

• Dry Chemical Extinguishers come in a variety of types. You may see them labelled:

• "DC" short for "dry chem"

• "A B (E)" indicating that they are designed to extinguish class A, B and (E) fires, or "B (E)" indicating that they are designed to extinguish class B and (E) fires.

• These fire extinguishers are filled with a fine powder, which stops the chain reaction (flame) and also reduces air available to the fire. Nitrogen is used to pressurize the extinguishers.

• ABC extinguishers are red with a white band. They range in size from 2kg to 9kg.

• Dry chemical extinguishers put out fire by coating the fuel with a thin layer of dust, separating the fuel from the oxygen in the air.

• The powder also works to interrupt the chemical reaction of fire, so these extinguishers are extremely effective at putting out fire.

Fire Blanket• Fire blankets are

used to cover small fires to exclude the oxygen, they come in a self contained sleeve.

• Used on oil and fat fires or to wrap around a casualty.

• Use on 'Class A, B & D'

General Instructions for use:

• Read instruction plate before use.• Ensure that you are positioned between the fire

and a safe exit/escape route. • Pull tapes to remove blanket from container.• Hold blanket by the tapes and cover burning

material completely (using the blanket to shield your face & hands).

• Leave to cool for a least 30 minutes, keeping out of the smoke.

• Turn off the electrical or gas supply and leave the area closing all doors behind you.

Dry Powder.

• Red canister with a blue band.

Contains dry powder.Can be used on Class D

and E fires. (Burning liquid and electrical fires).

• Very messy and not good in a confined space.

Foam Extinguisher

• For use on burning liquid fires.

• NOT to be used on electrical or Flammable Metal fires.

• Class B fires.

PASS

• It's easy to remember how to use a fire extinguisher if you can remember the acronym PASS which stands for

• Pull• Aim• Squeeze• Sweep

Pull the pin.

Aim at the base of the fire.

Squeeze the top handle or lever.

Sweep from side to side.

Recharging & Inspecting Fire Extinguishers.

• Legal requirements dictate that extinguishers should be recharged within 24 hours.

• All equipment should be inspected once a year, however FCOT inspect their equipment twice a year depending on the type.

Always RememberFire Can Kill.Get Out and Stay out.