FIRE AND SAFETY - ALL YOU NEED TO KNOW

                   WHAT IS SAFETY AND THE IMPORTANCE OF SAFETY

Safety is a state of being “safe”, the condition of being protected against physical, occupational or

other consequences of failure, damage, error, accidents, harm or any other event which could be

considered non desirable. Safety can also be defined as the control of recognized hazards to achieve

an acceptable level of risk.

The importance of safety in a work place cannot be over emphasized. They include;

To avoid loss of life.

To avoid loss of property and machines.

Teaches workers how to work in a safe environment.

Helps everyone feel safe and happy.

Teaches workers to pay attention to their surroundings
.
Protects company from law suit, citations and fines.

                IMPORTANT TERMS ASSOCIATED WITH SAFETY

•             Muster Point

An open place where employees assemble for head count during an emergency.

•  Alarm

A device that produce an unusual sound when there is danger or an emergency.

•  Personal protective equipment (PPE)

This are protective clothing and kits worn when working in an hazardous environment so as to prevent accident or reduce the effect of an accident.

•  Access Room

A room which forms the only escape route from an inner room.

• Hydrant system

This are high pressure water pumps designed to increase the fire fighting capacity of a building by boosting the pressure in the hydrant service when the mains is not enough.

•  Dead End condition

An area from which escape is possible in one direction only.

•  Distance travel

The actual distance that a person needs to travel between any two points in a building.

             MEANING OF FIRE AND THE ELEMENTS OF FIRE

Fire is defined as a chemical reaction between two or more substances that can evolve to heat and

light. These substances include air such as oxygen, fuel such as DPK and a source of heat.

When these elements are represented diagrammatically it forms a triangle.

          CLASSES OF FIRE AND METHODS OF EXTINGUISHING

Classes of fire include – A, B, C,   and D

Classification of fire is based on what is burning.

Class A

Class A fires consist of ordinary combustibles such as wood, paper, trash, cloths, nylon, wood, rubber, plastic etc. water works best to extinguish a Class A fire.

Class B

This are fire that involves flammable liquid or combustible liquids such as paint, kerosene, petrol, diesel, animal fat etc. The best method of extinction is smothering.

Class C

This fire involve gaseous materials e.g. propane, ethane, butane, methane and natural gas.

Extinguisher such as carbon dioxide is used in class c fire

Class D

This fire involve combustibles metal fires. Magnesium and titanium are the most common types of

metal fires. Once a metal ignites do not use water in an attempt to extinguish it. Only use a Dry

powder extinguishing agent. Dry powder agents work by smothering and heat absorption.

Fire Extinguisher

The methods of extinguishing fire is classified into three.

These are;

Cooling: this is done so as to eliminate one of the element of fire which is heat and it can be achieved

by use of water or extinguisher.

Smothering: This process helps to eliminate air (oxygen) and it can be done by use of blanket or

foam extinguishers.

Starvation: This is the process of cutting out the fuel supply so as to arrest the fire.

TYPES OF FIRE EXTINGUISHER

1. Dry chemical powder
2. Foam
3. Carbon dioxide

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Categories: TECHNOLOGY