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PART 4: IMPLEMENTATION & OPERATION

� 4.7 Basic Fire Fighting

Learning Objectives

� To define the terminology and how a fire may occur or spread.

� To understand how to extinguish a fire using a fire fighting media.

� To use the fire fighting equipments around the workplace.

• Fires and explosions can be the greatest potential hazard in a building etc

• Leads to: property damage, explosion

• Five main hazards: oxygen depletion, flame/heat, smoke, gaseous and structural failure of buildings.

� The theory of combustion and fire should be:

1. Fire precautions

2. Fire prevention

3. Fire protection

Fire precautionsmeasures taken in the provision of the

fire protection in a building

minimize the risk to the occupants,contents and structure from an outbreakof fire.

Fire preventionpreventing outbreaks of fire

reducing the risk of fire spreading

avoiding danger to persons and property from fire.

Fire protectiondesign features, systems or equipment in

a building

reduce the danger to persons

property by detecting, extinguishingor containing fires.

LEGAL REQUIREMENTSIn Malaysia major provisions are contained :

� Fire Services Act 1988

� Fire Services Regulations July 2005

� Factory and Machinery (Safety, Health and Welfare) Regulations 1970

� Uniform Building By-Laws 1984

CHEMISTRY OF FIRE�Three main ingredients: fuel, oxygen & an

ignition source/ a sufficiently high temperature.�Combustion: a heat-generating process, is the

chemical reaction between oxygen and fuel�Flammable liquids and gases cannot cause fire

by themselves�The misuse of flammable liquid alone is

responsible for 15% to 18% of industrial fire losses.

THE FIRE TRIANGLE – (Elements of Combustion)

HEAT OXYGEN FUEL

Heat can be transferredfrom one place toanother.

Four categories:� Conduction� Radiation� Convection� Direct Burning /

Physical Transport

HIGH temperature to a region of LOWtemperature.

� An essential component of any combustion reaction.

� The degree of oxygen supply determines: theefficiency of the fire and the nature of the combustion product formed.

� The main source of oxygen:

-Air contains 21% oxygen and combustion needs only 16% of oxygen.

-Oxidising agents-Combustible substances

� A fuel is a necessary component of allcombustion reactions.

� Almost all organic chemicals are potential fuels.

� Examples: wood, plastic, fibres, petrol, oil, LPG

� Most but not all inorganic substances are not flammable.

CLASSIFICATION OF FIRES� Four categories :

Class A

Normally: an organic nature

Examples: wood, paper, coal and natural fibres.

Extinguisher agent is water either as a jet or spra y

Class B

� Class B (i): involving liquids which are soluble in water such as methanol and acetone.

Extinguished with water spray, alcohol-resistant fo am, carbon dioxide and dry powder.

� Class B (ii): involving liquids which do not dissol ve in water such as petrol oil, fats and waxes.

Extinguished by foam, carbon dioxide and dry powder.

Class C

Involving gases or liquefied gases in the from of liquid gas spillage or gas leaks

Extinguished by either isolating the supply or by inert gas injection.

Class D

Involving metals, such as magnesium and aluminium .

Special dry powder must be used and no other extinguishers; these include powdered graphite, soda, ash, limestone and dry sand.

FIRE FIGHTING� Principle of Fire Extinguishment

� Cooling – cooling of fuel to the point where combustion

� vapors are no longer produced, e.g. water

� Smothering – the removal of oxygen to the point where

� combustion ceases, e.g. fire blanket, foam or sand

� Starving – the removal of fuel to the point where � there is nothing remaining to burn e.g. turning

off valves

� Inhibiting the Flame Chain Reaction – by arresting the

� chemical chain reaction in the flame zone, combustion

� process is terminated, e.g. introduce a dry chemical

� extinguisher

FIRE FIGHTING SYSTEMS

A) Fixed- sprinklers or deluge - fixed extinguishers –

halons or CO2 - hydrants / hose reels - early detection or

suppression

B) Portable- fire extinguishers - fire blankets - dry extinguisher

agents

Fire fighting systems can be divided into 2 types:

Example of Fire Fighting Systems

� Hydrants:

� It is a statutory requirement that all manned � installations have a fire water.

� The main is fed continuously from the fire pumps.

�

� Fire Hose:

� Should be maintained and cared for as follows :� -cleaned after use� -stowed correctly� -stored in a clean and dry condition� -not dragged over ground unnecessarily

� Branches and Nozzles:

� To increase the velocity, to project and direct the flow

� of water onto a fire.

� Hose Reels:

� Advantages of Hose Reels:

� ••••simple to use� ••••endless supply of water� ••••more effective jet� ••••has nozzle control� ••••operator doesn’t need to carry a� heavy extinguisher� ••••cost effective – no recharging required

� Hose Reels:

� Foam :

• Foam is a mixture of foam concentrate, water and air

• To float on the burning liquid and create the barrier

� between the vapour and the air and � thus extinguish the flames

� •••• stability – foam retains its liquid content� •••• expansion – by passing through special aspiration � nozzles, foam will increase it’s surface area coverag e� •••• burn-back – provides security against re-ignition by � remaining intact� •••• flow – will flow across the liquid to be extinguishe d � or protected� •••• contamination resistance – foam has the ability to

resist � contamination by the flammable liquid leading to � foam destruction

� Types of Portable Extinguishers and Their Uses :

� Water Type Extinguishers

� Contents - 9 litres of water pressurized with air

� Duration - 1.5 to 2 minutes� Stream - 8 meters

� Types of Portable Extinguishers and Their Uses :

� Water Type Extinguishers:

� Operation

� •••• check gauge

� •••• carry extinguisher to the fire by the carry handle

� •••• release safety pin

� •••• test operation

� •••• direct at base of fire

� •••• can be used intermittently

� •••• extinguishes by cooling

� Use on – A Class Fires

� Types of Portable Extinguishers and Their Uses :

� Water Type Extinguishers:

� Types of Portable Extinguishers and Their Uses :

� Foam Type Extinguishers:

� Contents - 8.5 liters water 0.5 AFFF� Duration - 30 to 90 seconds� Stream - 6 meters

� Types of Portable Extinguishers and Their Uses :

� Foam Type Extinguishers:

� Operation:

� •••• check gauge

� •••• carry extinguisher to the fire by the carry handle

� •••• release safety pin

� •••• test operation

� •••• direct stream at wall of container or over surface

� of fire

� •••• can be used intermittently

� •••• extinguishes fire by smothering and cooling

� Use on – B Class Fires

� Foam Type Extinguishers:

� Dry-Chemical Type Extinguishers:

� Contents - Sodium Bicarbonate 0.9kg to 14 kg� Duration - 90 seconds upwards for 9 kg� Stream - 1.8 to 4 meters

� Dry-Chemical Type Extinguishers:

� Operation:

�

� •••• check gauge

� •••• carry extinguisher to the fire by the carry handle

� •••• release safety pin

� •••• test operation

� •••• direct at vapor space in a sweeping motion

� •••• can be used intermittently

� •••• extinguishes by inhibiting flame chain reaction

� Use on – Small B Class Fires

� Dry-Chemical Type Extinguishers

� Carbon Dioxide Type Extinguishers :

� Contents - liquid CO 2 1 kg to 5.5 kg� Duration - 20 seconds upwards� Stream - 1 to 2.5 meters

� Carbon Dioxide Type Extinguishers :

� Operation:

�

� •••• check gauge

� •••• carry extinguisher to the fire by the carry handle

� •••• release safety pin

� •••• test operation

� •••• direct close to fire in sweeping motion

� •••• can be used intermittently

� •••• extinguishes fire by smothering

� Use on – Small B Class Fires

� Carbon Dioxide Type Extinguishers

ESCAPE IN CASE OF FIRE :� Means of escape in buildings other than those

with � only a ground floor generally consists of 3

distinct areas:

• Any point on a floor to a staircase• The route down a staircase• The route from the foot of the staircase to the

open � air, clear of the building

� Types of means of escape will be determined by:

• Occupancy characteristics – numbers, • Building uses – residential commercial,

manufacturing, � entertainment etc• Construction characteristics of the building• Evacuation times• Occupant movements

ACTION TO BE TAKEN IN THE EVENT OF FIRE:� F Find: Locate the area of the fire� I Inform: Raise the alarm either manually, � automatically or by voice� R Restrict: Large, small or confined, remove

the source� of fuel� E Extinguish: If fire is small enough, attempt to

extinguish, � otherwise evacuate the area and raise

alarm

TRAINING IN FIRE FIGHTING

� In the FMA (Safety, health and welfare)� REGULATION 1970 – Regulation 21 (4) stated

that:�

� “The occupier of every factory shall ensure that� all persons employed are familiar with the

means � of escape in case of fire, the use of such

means and� the routine to be followed in case of fire.”

TRAINING OBJECTIVES :

• to increase skill or to provide knowledge which can be

� applied by the trainee in carrying out this work

• to teach every personnel to think fire prevention,

� before, during and after every action.

• formal training sessions should be conducted on

� a regular basis