Fire Protection and Prevention New England Roofing Industry Partnership

Training Objectives  After completing this unit, you will know: –The components of fire and related hazards. –How to control fires by removing a component. –The employer’s responsibilities for a fire fighting program and its basic components. –Your role in fighting a fire. –The types of fire extinguishers and their limitations. –How to effectively use a fire extinguisher. 1 Fire Protection and Prevention F SUBPART

References  29 CFR ; Subpart F, Fire Protection and Prevention  National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) 2 Fire Protection and Prevention F SUBPART

The Main Dangers of Fire  Smoke inhalation kills more people than burns. –Three out of four workers who die in fires die from the smoke. –Fires produce intense heat above F. –Fires will use up the oxygen you need to breathe. –Smoke is toxic and contains gases like carbon monoxide, hydrogen chloride & carbon dioxide. 3 Fire Protection and Prevention F SUBPART

What is Fire? 4 Fire Protection and Prevention F SUBPART

Preventing Fires  We can prevent fires by taking away one of the triangle’s sides (Fuel, Heat, or Oxygen). –We can make sure there is no fuel. –We can make sure there is no heat (ignition). –We can’t do much about the oxygen, but we can use an extinguisher to take away the oxygen after the fire starts! 5 Fire Protection and Prevention F SUBPART

Controlling or Eliminating Fuels  Storing Flammable & Combustible Liquids –Store away from heat sources and in approved containers only. –Store fuels in quantities greater than 1 gallon in an approved safety can. –Store fuels of 1 gallon or less in original container, approved container, or safety can. –Do not store fuels near exits or on stairways. 6 Fire Protection and Prevention F SUBPART

Controlling or Eliminating Fuels  Storing Flammable & Combustible Liquids –Do not store more than 25 gallons of fuel in any one room unless in an approved storage cabinet. –Do not store more than 60 gallons of flammable liquids or 120 gallons of combustible liquids in a single approved storage cabinet. –Outside: containers, maximum 60 gallons each; shall not exceed 1,100 gallons in each pile. –Do not store portable tanks closer than 20 feet to buildings. 7 Fire Protection and Prevention F SUBPART

Controlling or Eliminating Fuels  Using Flammable and Combustible Liquids –Store in closed containers when not in use. –Never use within 50 feet of open flames and ignition sources. –Dispose of leaks and spills quickly. –Never work in saturated clothes! –Never use gasoline or other flammable to start a fire! 8 Fire Protection and Prevention F SUBPART

Flash Point  The temperature the liquid must reach to give off enough vapors to ignite.  Flammables have a lower flash point and are therefore more dangerous.  Check the MSDS 9 Fire Protection and Prevention F SUBPART

A Liquid’s Flammable Limits  Range of fuel to air concentrations that allow a fire of explosion to occur.  Between the Lower Explosive Limit (LEL) and the Upper Explosive Limit (UEL), ignition source will cause an explosion. Check the MSDS. 10 Fire Protection and Prevention F SUBPART

NFPA Label  National Fire Protection Association (NFPA)  The higher the number in the red box (max is 4), the greater the fire hazard. Check the MSDS. 11 Fire Protection and Prevention F SUBPART

Controlling or Eliminating Fuels  Pouring Flammable & Combustible Liquids –Dispensing operations where more than 5 gallons are dispensed at a time must be separated from other operations by at least 25 feet. –Dispensing valves must be self-closing. –Transfer only when containers are grounded and/or bonded. 12 Fire Protection and Prevention F SUBPART

Controlling or Eliminating Ignition Sources (Heat)  We can control ignition sources by: –Not smoking or having open flames. –Keeping welding, grinding, and cutting at least 50 feet from flammables. –Not cutting on tanks, vessels, or drums. –Keeping engine exhausts away from flammables. –Making sure electrical devices comply with OSHA’s Subpart K. 13 Fire Protection and Prevention F SUBPART

What About Static Electricity? –Transfer only when containers are grounded and/or bonded together. –Never attach or detach bonding clips in hazardous concentrations of gases or vapors. –Don’t fill a gas can in the bed of a truck that has a bed liner or in a trunk of a car. Always place can on ground! 14 Fire Protection and Prevention F SUBPART  Pouring from one container to another can cause static electricity:

Controlling or Eliminating Ignition Sources (Heat)  Temporary Heaters: –Keep tarps and canvas at least 10 feet away. –Keep combustible materials at least 18” away from chimney of circulating room heaters. –Keep combustibles materials at least 36” away from the rear of heaters. –OSHA does not allow solid fuel heaters indoors or on scaffolds! 15 Fire Protection and Prevention F SUBPART

LP Gas Heaters Must have manufacturer’s affixed safety data plate. Must use according to manufacturer’s instructions. Must have a fresh air supply. Must have automatic shut off valve to prevent gas build-up during a flame-out! 16 Fire Protection and Prevention F SUBPART

Propane-LP Gas Precautions  Store, transport, & use LP gas only in approved containers.  Never weld on LP containers.  Don’t point heaters towards containers.  Don’t store LP containers inside.  Don’t roll on side or bottom edge – use a dolly.  Keep valve protection in place.  Don’t lift by the ring. 17 Fire Protection and Prevention F SUBPART

Propane Storage 18 Fire Protection and Prevention F SUBPART

Fighting Fires  Fire Fighting Program: –Required throughout construction activities –Written program required by OSHA: Procedures for calling fire department Training for workers in how to identify & correct hazards and use extinguishers. Water supply Detectors, alarms, and fire fighting equipment Explained to every worker 19 Fire Protection and Prevention F SUBPART

Types of Fire Extinguishers  There are four basic types: –Type A - for wood, cardboard, and paper –Type B - for flammable liquids and grease –Type C - for electrical –Type D - for combustible metals Never use a water based Type “A” on an electrical or flammable liquid fire! 20 Fire Protection and Prevention F SUBPART

Fire Extinguisher Requirements  OSHA requires: –At least one 2A rated extinguisher for each 3,000 sq. ft. –At least one per floor and one next to stairway. –At least 1 within 100 feet of every part of protected building. –At least one 10B within 50 feet of 5 gallons or more of a flammable liquid or 5 lbs. of flammable compressed gas. –One 20B extinguisher between feet of 60 gallons or more outside. –One 20B on tank trucks. 21 Fire Protection and Prevention F SUBPART

Before You Fight a Fire  Before fighting a fire, make sure: –You have a way out. –You have called the fire department. –The fire is small enough to fight. –The area is not filled with too much smoke. –You know what is burning and have the right extinguisher. –You use the P.A.S.S. method! 22 Fire Protection and Prevention F SUBPART

P.A.S.S.  P - Pull Pin  A - Aim at base  S - Squeeze  S - Sweep from side to side 23 Fire Protection and Prevention F SUBPART

A Roofing Fire Hazard Situation If you are involved with BUR, consider the following: 24 Fire Protection and Prevention F SUBPART

Hazards and Controls With Kettles  The kettle is propane-fired – where should the tanks(s) be placed?  How close to the building and combustible materials can the kettle be?  The asphalt has a Flash Point of F.  What kind of Fire Extinguishers are needed?  Where should they be placed? 25 Fire Protection and Prevention F SUBPART

Kettle Set-up for Fire Prevention  Tanks should be no closer than 10 feet, or 2 feet if the kettle is insulated.  Minimum 20 feet to combustible material, building surface or building opening.  Temperature in the kettle must be kept below F at all times.  A minimum 20-B:C fire extinguisher must be kept within 30 feet. 26 Fire Protection and Prevention F SUBPART

Another Roofing Fire Hazard: Using Torches 27 Fire Protection and Prevention F SUBPART This operation utilizes an open flame – have sufficient pre- cautions been taken? Photo courtesy of NRCA, “Hot Times: An NRCA Review of Torch Safety Essentials”

Precautions for Use of Torches  Survey site for combustibles on or under deck.  Tanks should be no closer than 10 feet.  Check hose connections for leaks.  No combustibles or flammables nearby.  No heat directly on combustible substrate.  No flame near or into openings.  Adequate PPE for torch user.  Fire watch after torch application. 28 Fire Protection and Prevention F SUBPART

Case Study: What went wrong? Propane gas was being used to fuel a portable heater. The heater flamed out, allowing gas to gather in the bilge area of a construction barge. The accumulated gas exploded with great force, killing the worker. 29 Fire Protection and Prevention F SUBPART

–.150(c)(1)(I): 2A fire extinguishers – Building Area –.152(a)(1): Storage of LP Containers –.153(j): Fire Protection Program/equipment –.150(a)(1): 10B Fire Extinguisher w/in 50 feet of combustible/flammable liquids –.150(c)(1)(vi): Approved containers for flammables/combustibles How can the hazards addressed by these Standards best be corrected, controlled, or eliminated? 30 Fire Protection and Prevention F SUBPART Fire Protection & Prevention ( –.159) Common OSHA Citations:

Review Questions  True or False? 1.Smoke kills more people than the fire itself. 2.Fire is fuel, heat, and oxygen. 3.Flammable liquids of one gallon or less, must be stored in an approved safety can or original container. 4.Welding, grinding, and smoking can not be done within 50 feet of flammable and/or combustible liquids. 31 Fire Protection and Prevention F SUBPART

Review Questions  True or False? 5. Gasoline can be used to start scrap lumber fires. 6. Flammable liquids have a higher flash point than combustible liquids and therefore are more dangerous. 7.Flammable/combustible liquids should be transferred only when containers are grounded and/or bonded due to static electricity. 8.LP Gas tanks can be stored inside. 32 Fire Protection and Prevention F SUBPART

Review Questions  True or False? 9.Employers are required to explain fire protection programs to workers. 10. There are only 2 types of fire extinguishers usable in construction. 11. OSHA requires at least one 2A rated extinguisher for each 3,000 square feet of building and one per floor. 12. Workers should be within 100 feet of an extinguisher at all times. 33 Fire Protection and Prevention F SUBPART