Preventing Fires

Last week we talked about fire extinguishers and said that extinguishers do not prevent fires. Extinguishers are categorized as fire suppression units. Paul Gantt, SCM Founder and President, as well as a retired fire chief officer, would tell you that there is no glory in fighting a fire that could have been prevented. With that in mind, we thought it might be useful to discuss how you can prevent fires with the acronym “U-S-E”.

U – Understand. How do fires start? Understanding how fires start helps you to understand how to prevent them. You need fuel (like wood, paper, gasoline, plastic, etc.) then add in a heat source, and give it some oxygen so the fire can breathe. You might even know that fires need a chemical chain reaction to ignite. You might have heard this during a fire extinguisher training class. The instructor may have told you that the extinguisher works by taking away or reducing one or more of these things that fires need.

What if you prevented these things from interacting in the first place? The first way should be to understand what in your workplace is flammable or combustible. How can you do that? Read the label or the Safety Data Sheet (SDS). Does the label or SDS say it is flammable or combustible? If so, you know to use caution in handling the thing, material, or product. This is one way to prevent fires.

S – Storage. Reading further on the label or SDS, you may find storage instructions. Does the label or SDS say to store thing, material, or product away from oxidizers? Does it say to store it where it can stay cool? Some labels and SDSs even have symbols or pictograms giving additional information. Whether the information is given in words or symbols, you get the idea. Following the storage recommendations can prevent fires.

OSHA also has some requirements for storage of flammable liquids. In 29 CFR Part 1910.106, (linked: https://www.osha.gov/laws-regs/regulations/standardnumber/1910/1910.106) OSHA gives a lot of detail on description of flammable liquids, and how to store properly. If you have questions or concerns, we recommend checking out the regulation.

E – Electrical. Electricity causes heat, and sometimes sparks fly when you are working with energy sources. Heat and sparks can start fires. Just a few suggestions for preventing fires that could be caused by electricity includes:

• Checking your electrical cords for frays and breakage. Replace damaged cords.
• Ensuring that electrical cords are plugged into outlets or multi-plug strips with a built=in circuit breaker. Circuit breakers are used to protect the system from overload and increased fire risk.
• Not overloading your outlets by plugging in more cords which causes the outlet to provide more electricity than the system is designed to.
• Only using one extension cord per equipment or appliance. If the cord does not reach the item, get a longer cord rather than “daisy-chaining” cords together.

These tips are only a few brief ways that you can USE to prevent fires. There are many more. We recommend that this week you talk with your coworkers about additional ways that fire could be prevented at your work place.