Fire Safety

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Fire Safety

• Health Safety Environment
• UBC Okanagan

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Agenda

• Case Study
• Fire Drill Results (05-07)
• Basic Fire Science
• Prevention and Preparation
• Fire Extinguisher Theory
• Evacuation
• Disability Awareness

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Case Study

• Seton Hall

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Seton (Boland) Hall Fire
http//www.nj.com/news/setonhallfire/
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The Blaze

• The fire began around 430 A.M.
• Occurred in the third floor lounge and approached
  temperatures of up to 1500 degrees Fahrenheit in
  less then five minutes.
• Though no accelerant was used, the fire burned
  hot enough to melt the synthetic carpet of the
  hall, causing severe burns to students attempting
  to crawl on the floor to reach the stairs.
• Most students on the third floor evacuated in the
  thick smoke using the staircases a few jumped
  over 40 feet to the ground.
• Three students died Aaron Karol, John Giunta
  (smoke inhalation), and Frank Caltabilota
  (thermal injuries). Fifty-eight students and
  firefighters were injured - four seriously enough
  to require lengthy hospital stays and
  rehabilitation.

"http//en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Boland_Hall_Fire"
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Seton Hall - Went Wrong?

• Some beliefs include
• Complacent attitude towards fire alarms
• Over 18 false alarms since Sept. 1999
• Inadequate procedures
• Delay in reporting (10 min) to FD
• Inability to hear fire alarms
• Smoke obscured exit signs
• Lack of training in evacuation procedures
• Inadequate fire suppression
• No sprinklers (pre-dated 1984)

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Compounding Factors

• Interfering With Safe Escape Include
• Panic and confusion
• Poor visibility
• Lack of information
• Misinformation
• These factors frequently cause more injuries and
  fatalities than the hazard itself

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Fire Drill Results

• 2005 / 2006 / 2007

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(No Transcript)
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Fire Science
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THE FIRE TETRAHEDRON
FUEL
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Fire Prevention Preparation
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Fire Safety Plan

• Ensure the safety of the building occupants
  through
• Fire Prevention Prevent or reduce the incidence
  of fire by controlling fire hazards and
  maintaining facilities
• Emergency Evacuation Establish a systematic
  method of safe and orderly evacuation of an area
  or building in case of emergency

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Fire Prevention

• Check area for
• Accumulation of combustible material, rubbish, or
  flammable liquids in excess quantities allowed by
  permit

• Dangerous Ignition Sources
• Wall combustibles (gt20)
• Smoking materials
• Candles and incense
• Cooking
• Halogen lights
• Space heaters
• Extension cords
• Flammable liquids
• Overheating equipment
• Oily rags
• Lint traps

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Extension Cords

• Rated for temporary use only
• If the cord is hot then it is a fire hazard
• The smaller the gauge number the more amperage it
  can handle (10, 12, 14, 16 gauge are most common)
• 16 gauge handles upto 7amps 14 gauge upto 15
  amps
• To determine amps for a given electrical device
  consult the owners manual or divide the wattage
  by 120
• Do not link extension cords together
• Do not coil/bunch up the cord as this can cause a
  hot spot
• Look for safety label (CSA or ULC)

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SSC Fire Jan 18th, 20071130 pm

• Faulty undersized extension cord feeding
  cafeteria equipment overheated and started a
  plastic container on fire.
• Sprinkler system extinguished fire quickly and
  water kept flowing until shut off by Engineers.
• Local Fire Department attended.

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SSC Fire Jan 2007
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Fire Prevention (cont.)

• Exit signs in good order and adequate lighting in
  public corridors and stairwells
• Fire and exit doors and their self-closing
  hardware in good operating condition
• Fire hoses and portable extinguishers not
  obstructed, in good order and ready to use.
• Ensure exit routes unobstructed

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Maintaining Portable Fire Extinguishers

• Fully charged and operable
• Located in designated places at all times except
  during use
• Requires a monthly check
• Annual maintenance check record kept

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Fire Extinguisher Theory
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Fire Extinguisher Anatomy
PRESSURE GAUGE (not found on CO2 extinguishers)
DISCHARGE LEVER
CARRYING HANDLE
DISCHARGE LOCKING PIN AND SEAL
DISCHARGE HOSE
DATA PLATE
DISCHARGE NOZZLE
BODY
DISCHARGE ORIFICE
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Extinguisher Classification

• Class A ordinary combustibles (wood, cloth,
  paper)
• Class B flammable liquids, gases, greases
• Class C energized electrical equipment
• Class D combustible metals (magnesium, sodium,
• potassium, titanium)

Combustible
Flammable
Electrical
Ordinary
C
B
A
D
Liquids
Equipment
Combustibles
Metals
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Fire Classes (cont.)
CLASS K FIRES

• Recently recognized by NFPA 10.
• Fires involving combustible vegetable or animal
  non-saturated cooking fats in commercial cooking
  equipment.

K Cooking Media
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Portable Fire ExtinguisherTraining and Education

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Portable Fire ExtinguisherTraining and Education

• WHEN IN DOUBT, GET OUT!
• If the fire is small and you feel you can safely
  fight the fire, use the portable fire
  extinguishers
• Remember the PASS acronym

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Fighting the Fire
Pull the pin
Aim low at the base of flames
Squeeze the handle
Sweep side to side
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Multipurpose Dry Chemical

• Class A, B, or C fires.
• 2.5-20 lb. dry chemical (ammonium phosphate)
  pressurized to 50-200 psi by nitrogen gas (8-25
  seconds discharge time).
• Has pressure gauge to allow visual capacity
  check.
• 5-20 ft. maximum effective range.
• Extinguishes by smothering burning materials.

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Firefighting Decision Criteria

• Dont attempt to fight fire unless
• Alarm is sounded
• Fire is small and contained
• You have safe egress route
• Available extinguisher is rated for size and type
  of fire
• If in doubt, evacuate

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If Caught in a Fire

• Stay low smoke rises, clean cool air will be
  near the floor
• Test door before opening feel the door and knob
  for heat feel the door cracks with the back of
  your hand for heat
• If you cannot escape seek out refuge area
• If you cannot get to a refuge area go to room
  with outside window seal door cracks with damp
  cloth material
• attempt to contact emergency services

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If On Fire

• STOP, DROP, ROLL
• This will smother the flame running will only
  fuel the flames
• Help smother the flames with blanket, towel or
  some other heavy cloth

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Emergency Director Responsibilities

• Maintain the Emergency / Fire Safety Plan
• Recruit Emergency Wardens
• Advise wardens on evacuation issues (quality of
  drills) and recommendations
• Assist in the identification of individuals that
  may need assistance during an evacuation
• Report inspection and maintenance issues to
  Facilities Management
• Collect information from Wardens during an
  evacuation and communicate to emergency personnel
  
• Report to HSE officer post-event
• Attend to their station during an alarm, vest on
• Receive the all clear from Security and relay
  to rest of wardens

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Emergency Wardens

• Facilitate evacuation during an alarm by
• sweeping their designated zone
• Check unlocked rooms and close doors behind them
• Knock on locked doors
• Exit the building through designated exit point
• Act as the eyes and ears during a building
  evacuation
• Report to Emergency Director and prevent re-entry
  when building is in alarm
• Facilitate movement of evacuees to the
  pre-determined assembly area(s)
• Await the all clear from Emergency Director or
  designate

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Campus Security

• Direct Fire Department / Emergency Services to
  the location of emergency
• Alarm will show on their pager
• Identify Director or assume Director role in the
  collection of critical information and
  dissemination to KFD
• Assist Wardens where necessary
• Ensure occupants remain 200ft or greater from
  building
• Obtain the all clear from KFD and relay to
  Emergency Director

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Facilities Workers

• Alarm will show on their pager
• Identify Emergency Director seek information
• Enter the building if safe to do so and check the
  alarm panel
• Must identify themselves to the fire warden
• Fire warden will allow entry after informing of
  any hazards

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Instructors, Supervisors, Event Coordinators

• Ensure students/participants
• are aware of evacuation procedures (including
  exit and alternate exit) and location of fire
  suppression equipment/alarms
• Know how to summon help
• Shut down equipment (i.e. gas)
• Report suspicious activities/observations to
  Warden
• Reach pre-determined assembly area
• Assist wardens with crowd control

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What to do when things go wrong
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Procedures Emergency Wardens
(EYES EARS)

• Put on vest
• Evacuate area
• Check unlocked rooms (do not go in)
• Close doors behind you
• Knock on locked doors
• Leave by pre-determined stairwell
• Report to Emergency Director
• Status of evacuation
• Suspicious activities
• Go back to post (pre-determined exit)

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Procedures Emergency Director
(COLLECTIVE VOICE)

• Put on vest and obtain list of Wardens (with
  areas of responsibility)
• Evacuate responsible area if applicable
• Go to post
• Collect information from Wardens
• Advise Security, Facilities, and/or Emergency
  Personnel on status of evacuation and any
  suspicious observations reported
• Forward concerns re evacuation to Health, Safety
  and Environment

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DISABILITY AWARENESS FOR EVACUATION SAFETY

• Preplanning - Procedures for transporting
  personnel with disabilities
• Develop individual procedures in advance with the
  assistance of the Disability Resource Centre
  and/or the Health Safety and Environment Office
• May include placing individual on non-fire side
  of fire separation under the supervision of a
  buddy or Warden until Fire Department arrives OR
• In life threatening situations, evacuate
• Wheelchair bound individuals should not use
  elevator but go into stairwell. Do not stay in
  their room.

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DISABILITY AWARENESS FOR EVACUATION SAFETY

• When there is no pre-plan, follow general
  guidelines for assisting people with
  disabilities
• Identify yourself and offer to assist. Give
  assistance as directed by the person with the
  disability within reason and where circumstances
  permit.
• Guide persons who are unable to leave the
  building to a designated refuge area or a safe
  place such as a landing inside a fire exit
  stairwell.
• Inform emergency personnel of the refuge
  location. Do not stay behind emergency personnel
  will take care of the situation.
• Once the emergency is over, assist the person
  back into the building.

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Assisting a Person who uses a Wheelchair

• Some wheelchairs have parts that are not designed
  for lifting.
• Do not attempt to lift power chairs up and down
  stairs.
• DO NOT USE THE ELEVATOR.

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Assisting a Person with Blind/Low Vision

• After identifying yourself, allow the person to
  take your elbow.
• Alert the person to upcoming stairs or other
  obstacles.
• Guide dogs are the responsibility of their owner.
• Avoid leaving a person who is blind in an open
  space. Guide them beside a wall or near a chair
  as a point of reference.

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Assisting a Person who is Deaf/Hard of Hearing

• Alert the person to the nature of the emergency
  using notes or gestures.
• Assist them to a safe location outside the
  building.

EMERGENCY The right 'E' hand is positioned above
the head. It rotates in imitation of a flashing
emergency light.
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Contacts

• Health, Safety and Environment
• Shelley Kayfish 807-8621
• shelley.kayfish_at_ubc.ca
• Dave Cavezza 807-8821
• dave.cavezza_at_ubc.ca
• Disability Resource Centre
• Jess Roebuck _at_ 807-9263  jess.roebuck_at_ubc.ca