MSHA Fire Prevention

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MSHA Fire Prevention
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How Fires Start

• Fires need four elements in order to occur
• Fuel
• Oxygen
• Heat
• Chemical Reaction

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How Fires Start

• Fuel Any combustible material - solid, liquid
  or gas. Most solids and liquids become gas or
  vapor before they will burn.

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How Fires Start

• Oxygen The air we breathe is about 21 percent
  oxygen. Fire only needs 16 percent oxygen to
  burn.

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How Fires Start

• Heat The energy that causes the fuel to produce
  vapors which, in turn, allows ignition to take
  place.

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How Fires Start

• Chemical Reaction When fuel, oxygen and heat
  come together in the proper amounts and under the
  right conditions, a chemical chain reaction takes
  place causing rapid oxidation to occur. This
  rapid oxidation results in fire.

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How Fires Start

• Fires need four elements in order to occur
• Take away any of these elements and fire cannot
  exist.

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How Fires are Classified

• Class A
• Class B
• Class C
• Class D

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How Fires are Classified

• Class A
• Ordinary combustibles or fibrous material such as
  wood, paper, cloth, rubber and some plastics.

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How Fires are Classified

• Class B
• Flammable liquids such as gasoline, kerosene,
  oil, paint, paint thinners and propane.

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How Fires are Classified

• Class C
• Energized electrical equipment such as
  appliances, switches, panel boxes and power tools.

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How Fires are Classified

• Class D
• Certain combustible metals such as magnesium,
  titanium, potassium and sodium. These materials
  can react violently if they come in contact with
  ordinary extinguishing agents.

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How To Prevent Fires

• Class A - Ordinary Combustibles
• Keep storage and working areas free of trash and
  unnecessary clutter.
• Place oily rags in covered containers. Make sure
  the lid is replaced securely.
• Keep combustibles and fibrous materials such as
  wood, paper or cloth well away from a source that
  could cause them to ignite.

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How To Prevent Fires

• Class B - Flammable Liquids or Gases
• Use flammable liquids only in well-ventilated
  areas.
• Keep flammables away from any spark-producing
  source.

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How To Prevent Fires

• Class B - Flammable Liquids or Gases
• Store flammables in tightly-sealed, self-closing,
  spill-proof containers. Pour only what you need
  from storage containers.
• Do not refuel gasoline-powered equipment while
  its still hot.

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How To Prevent Fires

• Class C - Energized Electrical Equipment
• Check wiring and electrical fittings for wear or
  damage. Report any hazardous conditions to
  supervisor.
• Investigate any unusual odors coming from an
  electrical device.

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How To Prevent Fires

• Class C - Energized Electrical Equipment
• Prevent electrical equipment from overheating by
  keeping it clean and in good working condition.
• Do not overload electrical outlets.
• Never install a higher-rated fuse than what is
  specified for a circuit.

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How To Prevent Fires

• Class C - Energized Electrical Equipment
• Keep areas around electrical outlets or other
  spark-producing devices free of combustible
  materials such as paper, cloth or dust.
• Make sure utility lights have a guard over the
  bulbs to prevent them from coming into direct
  contact with combustible materials.

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How To Prevent Fires

• Class D - Combustible Metals
• Handle all combustible metals, such as magnesium,
  potassium, titanium and sodium, in accordance
  with the specific guidelines provided in the
  manufacturers MSDSs.

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Fire Extinguishers

• Many fire extinguishers have multiple ratings
• BC - Class-B fires or Class-C fires
• ABC - Class-A, Class-B or Class-C fires

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Fire Extinguishers

• Many fire extinguishers have multiple ratings
• Class A and Class B extinguishers also have a
  rating indicating how large a fire can be
  extinguished by an experienced person.

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Fire Extinguishers

• Many fire extinguishers have multiple ratings
• Class C extinguishers only have a letter rating
  indicating that the extinguishing agent will not
  conduct electricity.

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Fire Extinguishers

• Many fire extinguishers have multiple ratings
• Class D extinguishers also have only a letter
  rating and an indication of their effectiveness
  on specific metals.

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Pass Method of Using A Fire Extinguisher

• P - Pull the pin.
• A - Aim the nozzle at the base of the flames.
• S - Squeeze the trigger while holding the
  extinguisher upright.
• S - Sweep the extinguisher from side to side
  covering the area of the fire.

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When Not to Fight a Fire

• Never fight a fire if
• The fire is spreading beyond the point where it
  started.
• The flames are threatening to block your path of
  escape.
• You dont have the proper or adequate equipment
  to extinguish the fire.
• If you are in any of these situations, do not
  fight the fire yourself. Call for help and
  escape immediately.

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Emergency Action Plan

• Know exactly what to do when an alarm is sounded.
• Know the primary and secondary escape routes.
• Proceed calmly but quickly during an evacuation.
• Treat each drill as if it were an actual
  emergency.

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Evacuate a Burning Building

• Proceed to the nearest exit outlined in your
  Emergency Action Plan. Close, but do not lock,
  the door behind you if you are the last to leave
  your area.
• Use stairs to exit to the ground floor of
  multi-level buildings. Never use elevators in a
  fire drill or emergency.

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Evacuate a Burning Building

• Stay close to the floor to avoid smoke or toxic
  gases that may be present. If possible, cover
  your nose and mouth with a damp cloth to aid
  breathing.
• Once you are safely outside, report immediately
  to a predetermined area.

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If You Catch On Fire

• STOP - DROP - and ROLL
• Stop where you are. Do not run.
• Drop to the ground or floor.
• Roll around on the ground to extinguish the
  flames.

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If Trapped Inside...

• Do not panic.
• Try a locate a phone. Call for help and give
  your exact location.
• Feel closed doors with the back of your hand
  before opening. If hot, do not open. Seal the
  cracks around door with anything available.

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If Trapped Inside ...

• Stay close to the floor to avoid smoke and toxic
  gases.
• If possible, open a window to ventilate the air
  and to make breathing easier.

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MSHA Requirements

• 56.4200(a) - In order to fight fires that could
  endanger people, each mine shall have onsite
  fire fighting equipment for fighting fires in
  their early stages AND equipment for fighting
  fires beyond their early stages or arrangements
  made by the operator with a local fire department
  prior to having to fight a fire.

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Type and Quantity

• 56.4200(b) - Onsite equipment shall be of the
  type,size,and quantity that can extinguish fires
  of any class which may occur as the result of the
  hazards that are present AND be strategically
  located, readily accessible, plainly marked and
  maintained in fire-ready condition.

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Equipment Inspection

• 56.4201(a) - Equipment shall be inspected as
  follows
• fire extinguishers visually once a month
  (charged)
• fire extinguishers once every 12 months
  (maintenance)
• fire extinguishers once every 5 years
  (hydrostatic)
• water pipes, valves, outlets, hydrants and hoses
  visually once every 3 months and
• use-tested once every 12 months
• fire suppression systems once every 12 months
  (functional)

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Certification

• 56.4201(b) - At the completion of each inspection
  or test, required by this section, the person
  making the inspection or test shall certify that
  the inspection or test has been made and the date
  on which it was made. Certification of
  hydrostatic testing shall be retained for a year
  or until extinguisher is re-tested or removed
  from service

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Fire Hydrants

• 56.4202 - IF fire hydrants are part of a mines
  fire fighting system, the hydrants shall be
  provided with
• uniform fittings/adapters
• wrenches or keys
• compatible adapters for connection to any fire
  company relied upon by the mine to respond and
  fight fires.

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Self-Propelled Mobile Equipment

• 56.4230(a)1 - Whenever a fire or its effects
  could impede escape from self-propelled
  equipment, a fire extinguisher shall be on the
  equipment.
• 56.4230(a)2 - Whenever a fire or its effects
  would not impede escape from equipment BUT could
  affect the escape of other persons in the area, a
  fire extinguisher shall be kept on the equipment
  or within 100 feet of the equipment.

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Fire Suppression

• 56.4230(b) - A fire suppression system may be
  used as an alternative, in place of fire
  extinguishers if the system can be activated
  manually.
• 56.4230(c) - Fire suppression systems and fire
  extinguishers shall be of the type and size so
  that they can extinguish fires of any class in
  their early stages which could originate from the
  hazards inherent to the equipment. They shall be
  located to permit use by people whose escape
  could be impeded.

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Evacuation Rescue

• 56.4330(a) - Mine operators shall establish
  emergency fire fighting, evacuation and rescue
  procedures. These procedures shall be coordinated
  in advance with available organizations.
• 56.4330(b) - Fire alarm procedures or systems
  shall be established to warn every person who
  could be endangered by fire.
• 56.4330(c) - Fire alarms shall be maintained in
  operable condition.

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Fire Fighting Drills

• 56.4331 - Emergency fire fighting drills shall be
  held at least once every six months for persons
  assigned fire fighting responsibilities by the
  mine operator.

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Tanks

• 56.4401 - Fixed, unburied, flammable or
  combustible liquid storage tanks shall be
  securely mounted on firm foundations. Piping
  shall be provided with flexible connections or
  other special fittings where necessary to prevent
  leaks caused by tanks settling.

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Storage Tanks

• 56.4430(a) - Storage tanks shall be capable of
  withstanding working pressures and stresses and
  compatible with the type of liquid stored
• Maintained in a manner that prevents leakage
• Isolated or separated from ignition sources to
  prevent fire or explosion and vented or
  otherwise constructed to prevent development of
  pressure or vacuum as a result of filling,
  emptying, or atmospheric temperature changes.
  Vents for storage of Class I, II, or IIIA liquids
  shall be isolated or separated from ignition
  sources. These pressure relief requirements do
  not apply to tanks used for storage of Class IIIB
  liquids that are larger than 12,000 gallons in
  capacity.

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Battery Charging

• 56.4502(a) - Battery charging stations shall be
  ventilated with a sufficient volume of air to
  prevent the accumulation of hydrogen gas.
• 564502(b) - Smoking or use of open flames,or any
  other activity that could create an ignition
  source shall be prohibited at the charging
  station during the time batteries are being
  charged.
• 56.45012(C) - Readily visible signs prohibiting
  smoking or open flames shall be posted at
  stations during charging.

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Conveyor Belts

• 56.4503 - Conveyor belts, within a confined space
  where evacuation would be restricted in the event
  of a fire resulting from belt-slippage shall be
  equipped with a detection system capable of
  automatically stopping the drive pulley. A person
  shall attend the belt at the drive pulley when it
  is necessary to operate the conveyor while
  temporarily bypassing the automatic function.

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Welding

• 56.4600 - Fire extinguishers, appropriate for the
  type of hazards, shall be provided at the work
  site during welding, cutting, soldering, thawing
  or bending.
• 56.4601 - Oxygen cylinders shall not be stored in
  rooms or areas used to store flammable or
  combustible liquids or grease.
• 56.4602 - Gauges and regulators used with oxygen
  or acetylene cylinders shall be kept clean and
  free of oil and grease.

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Welding

• 56.4604 - Before welding, cutting, or applying
  heat with an open flame to pipelines or
  containers that have contained flammable or
  combustible liquids, flammable gases, or
  explosive solids, the pipelines or containers
  shall be-
• Drained, ventilated, and thoroughly cleaned of
  any residue
• Vented to prevent pressure build up during the
  application of heat and
• Filled with an inert gas or water, where
  compatible or
• Determined to be free of flammable gases by a
  flammable gas detection device prior to and at
  frequent intervals during the application of
  heat.

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Fire Prevention Means...

• Be Prepared to fight fires
• Inspect equipment on a routine basis
• Conduct fire drills periodically
• Report all fires lasting 30 minutes or longer to
  the Mine Safety and Health Administration