INTRODUCTION
Fire kills more Americans than all
natural disasters combined.
Every year more than 5,000 people die
in fires, over 25,000 are injured, and
direct property loss is estimated at over
$9 billion.
Fire is the third leading cause of
accidental deaths in the United
States, yet most people ignore it.
More than 150 workplace fires
occur every day.
Fortunately, most fire losses can
be prevented through effective
education.
Fire is an essential part of our
lives. We cannot do without it, but
It can be one of our deadliest
enemies. It can mutilate us, kill us,
and destroy in a few minutes what
took a lifetime to build.
Never take the attitude that any
building is fireproof or that fires won't
happen. Do what you can to prevent
fires, but always be prepared by
knowing what actions to take if one
occurs. Good teamwork is a must. To
prevent fires we must all work
together. First, we need to
understand them and then we need
to know how to deal with them.
“On-the-job fires are often the
result of not following instructions,
using poor judgment or not
following fire safety rules.” This
safety presentation is intended to
let you know what causes fires,
help you reduce the risk of fires,
and what to do if a fire breaks out.
HOW FIRES START
Fire is a chemical reaction involving
rapid oxidation or burning of a fuel. It
needs three elements to occur:
FUEL - Fuel can be any combustible
material - solid, liquid or gas. Most solids
and liquids become a vapor or gas before
they will burn.
OXYGEN - The air we breathe is about 21
percent oxygen. Fire only needs an
atmosphere with at least 16 percent
oxygen.
HEAT - Heat is the energy necessary to
increase the temperature of the fuel to a
point where sufficient vapors are given off
for ignition to occur.
CHEMICAL REACTION - A chain
reaction occurs when the three
elements of fire are present in the
proper conditions and proportions.
Fire occurs when this rapid
oxidation, or burning takes place.
Take any one of these factors away,
and the fire cannot occur or will be
extinguished if it was already
burning.
HOW FIRES ARE CLASSIFIED
Ordinary
combustibles or
fibrous material,
such as wood, paper,
cloth, rubber and
some plastics.
Flammable or
combustible liquids
such as gasoline,
kerosene, paint, paint
thinners and propane.
Energized
electrical
equipment,
such as
appliances,
switches,
panel boxes
and power
tools.
Certain combustible metals,
such as magnesium, titanium,
potassium and sodium. These
metals burn at high
temperatures and give off
sufficient oxygen to support
combustion. They may react
violently with water or other
chemicals, and must be
handled with care.
Fight or take flight?
Use a mental checklist to make a Fight-orFlight Decision. Attempt to use an extinguisher
only if ALL of the following apply:
The building is being evacuated (fire alarm is
pulled) The fire department is being called.
The fire is small, contained, and not
spreading beyond its starting point.
The exit is clear, there is no imminent
peril and you can fight the fire with
your back to the exit.
You can stay low and avoid smoke.
The proper extinguisher is immediately
at hand.
You have read the instructions and
know how to use the extinguisher.
HOW TO USE A FIRE EXTINGUISHER
Remember the acronym, "P.A.S.S."
P......Pull the Pin.
A......Aim the extinguisher
nozzle at the base of the flames.
S......Squeeze trigger while
holding the extinguisher
upright.
S......Sweep the extinguisher
from side to side, covering the
area of the fire with the
extinguishing agent.
The most important thing to remember
about fire extinguishers is that you must
use the correct type for each kind of fire.
ABC-rated
multipurpose
dry powder
extinguishers
CO2 (carbon
dioxide)
extinguishers
All ratings are shown on the extinguisher faceplate.
Some extinguishers are marked with multiple ratings
such as AB, BC and ABC. These extinguishers are
capable of putting out more than one class of fire.
•Class A and B extinguishers carry a
numerical rating that indicates how large a fire
an experienced person can safely put out with
that extinguisher.
•Class C extinguishers have only a letter
rating to indicate that the extinguishing agent
will not conduct electrical current. Class C
extinguishers must also carry a Class A or B
rating.
•Class D extinguishers carry only a letter
rating indicating their effectiveness on certain
amounts of specific metals.
You should not use a
water type extinguisher for
a flammable liquid fire
because it would cause
the fire to spread. And you
would not use this type of
extinguisher on an
electrical fire because this
would expose you to a
serious or fatal shock.
Don't allow trash and litter to
accumulate.
Keep work areas neat and clean.
Know where fire alarm boxes and
extinguishers are located.
Make sure you know the different
types of fire extinguishers and how to
use them.
Store hazardous materials in
designated areas.
Keep exits free of obstructions.
Keep equipment clean and use it properly.
Handle flammable liquids with caution.
Know the proper exits and procedures in
case of an emergency.
Keep curtains, towels, and other fabrics
away from flames, heaters, an stoves.
Use flammable liquids only in wellventilated areas.
Store flammable liquids away from sparkproducing sources.
Look for old wiring, worn insulation and
broken electrical fittings. Report any
hazardous condition to your INSTRUCTOR.
Don't overload wall outlets. Two outlets
should have no more than two plugs.
Investigate any appliance or electrical
equipment that smells strange. Unusual
odors can be the first sign of fire.
Don’t overload electrical outlets or use
equipment with old, cracked, or frayed
cords.
Feel the temperature of the cords on
appliances when they are in use. If they are
hot to the touch, disconnect the appliances.
If an appliance smokes or has an unusual
smell, unplug it immediately.
Replace frayed or cracked electrical cords
and don't overload extension cords. They
should not be run under rugs.
Never tamper with the fuse box or
use the improper size fuse.
Stored flammables away from
heaters, furnaces, water heaters,
ranges, and other gas appliances.
Store flammable liquids in properly
labeled, tightly closed non-glass
containers.
Clean the dryer vent and exhaust duct
periodically.
Clean behind the dryer, where lint can
build up.
Take special care when drying clothes
that have been soiled with volatile
chemicals.
Clean the lint screen/filter before or after
drying each load of clothes.
Never run into a burning building.
Never stand up in a fire. Crawl low
under the smoke and try to keep
your mouth covered.
Feel doors before opening them. If
a door is hot, there is fire on the
other side. Try to get out another
way.
Fire is fast! In less than 30 seconds a
small flame can get completely out of
control and turn into a major fire. It takes
only minutes for thick black smoke to fill a
house.
Fire is hot! A fire's heat alone can kill.
Room temperatures in a fire can be 100
degrees at floor level and rise to 600
degrees at eye level. Inhaling this super
hot air will scorch your lungs.
Fire is dark! FIRE ISN’T BRIGHT, IT’S
PITCH BLACK.
Fire starts bright, but quickly produces smoke
and complete darkness. If you wake up to a
fire, you may be blinded, disoriented, and
unable to find your way around!
Fire is deadly! Smoke and toxic gases kill
more people than flames do. Fire uses up the
oxygen you need and produces smoke and
poisonous gases that kill.
1.Pull the fire alarm, if not already
sounding.
2.Notify other persons on your way
out.
3.IMMEDIATELY LEAVE BUILDING
by means of nearest available exit.
4.Proceed to the designated
gathering-place and report to
Instructor for roster check.
1.Immediately the leave shop/classroom.
2.On your way out, turn off the air
conditioner and lights, and close the
doors.
3.Quickly and calmly proceed to
designated gathering place for roster
check.
4.Never go back into a burning building!
If you're trying to escape a fire, never
open a closed door without feeling it first.
Use the back of your hand to prevent
burning your palm.
If the door is hot, try another exit.
If none exists, seal the cracks around the
doors and vents with wet towels (or
anything available) to seal the space
under the door and prevent the entry of
smoke.
If trapped, look for a nearby phone and call
the fire department, giving them your exact
location.
If breathing is difficult, try to ventilate the
room, but don't wait for an emergency to
discover that window can't be opened.
If on an upper floor and your window is of a
type that CANNOT be opened, DON'T
break it out- you'll be raining glass down on
rescuers and people exiting the building.
If you can't contact the fire
department by phone, wave for
attention at the window. Don't
panic.
If you catch fire . . .
STOP - where you are
DROP - to the floor and
ROLL - around on the
floor.
This will smother the flames, possibly
saving your life.
If a another student catches on fire,
smother flames by grabbing a blanket
or rug and wrapping them up in it.
That could save them from serious
burns or even death.
When a fire or emergency evacuation does
occur, don't panic. Keep calm and follow
instructions!
KNOWLEDGE - AWARENESS PREPARATION
These are your keys to preventing and
surviving fires wherever they occur.