Safety, Health & Environmental Office March 2015

What if?

 Triangle of combustion:  a fire needs fuel + oxygen + heat  to start & keep burning  How fire spreads:  Direct flame – direct contact  Conduction – heat moves through solid matter  Radiation – heat given off, no direct contact  Convection – heat moves through air!!!

 Heat moves through air by convection  Build-up of smoke & heat  Superheated thermal layer spreads  Building bursts into flame. A fire fighter’s greatest fear!! The Station Fire, Feb 2003:

 A. SOLIDS: ordinary solid flammable material e.g. wood, paper, coal, fabrics, plastic  Extinguish with WATER  or dry powder or foam

 B. LIQUID/GAS : flammable liquids & gases e.g. petrol, paraffin, alcohol, oil, benzene  Extinguish with DRY POWDER  or fire blanket / CO 2 / foam

 C. ELECTRICAL: involves live electricity e.g. overheated portable electrical equipment, overloaded electrical cables, short circuits  Extinguish with CO2  or dry powder

 D. METAL : involves combustible metals e.g. magnesium, titanium (used in lightweight equipment), lithium (batteries)  Extinguish with DRY POWDER

Cause: paper lampshade & light bulb wattage too high  over-heating  lampshade caught fire. Cause: Faulty switch  bread in toaster burned and caught fire. Cause: Incorrect battery fitted to laptop.

 Need to remove one or more:  fuel / oxygen / heat  Only attempt to extinguish a fire IF:  It is small and not spreading  You know how to use the fire extinguisher  You have your back to a known SAFE EXIT  Extinguishers at RU mainly:  Dry powder (all types of fire - A/B/C/D)  Water (only A)

 Think P.A.S.S.  P – Pull the pin  A – Aim the nozzle at base of fire  S – Squeeze the trigger  S – Sweep the nozzle from side to side Safety pin prevents us squeezing the trigger accidentally.

The Role of Senior Management in Health and Safety Compliance

 Check:  Fire alarms  Emergency exits & exit routes  Fire fighting equipment  Safe use of electrical appliances e.g. kettles, ironing, heaters, etc.  Report:  Problems with any of the above  Any (potential) fire hazards NB: It is against the law to use safety equipment – such as fire extinguishers – for anything other than its intended purpose. If found guilty, you could be fined up to R50,000.

 Electrical equipment  Electrical cords, heaters,  Smoking tumble driers, irons, etc

RU warden’s greatest fear!!

 Raise the alarm – scream, whistle, push alarm button…  CPU EMERGENCY (save on cellphone) call no matter how small the fire  Only try to extinguish if safe  Evacuate – crawl to avoid smoke/heat suffocation  Close windows & doors, help people with disabilities  Meet at Assembly Point, for roll call  Don’t take risks – don’t use lifts, do NOT go back inside.

 YOU need to know YOUR exit routes!  Work it out - from your room:  How many doors do you pass to your nearest exit… going LEFT? going RIGHT?  Where is the nearest FIRE EXTINGUISHER?  Same as when you travel on a plane, or stay in a hotel, or visit some unknown place.

 Obey house rules for visitors (security risk)  Do not let in strangers  Make sure you are not ‘tailed’ into res  Report suspicious/unauthorized persons to wardens or CPU immediately  Know your res mates

 Lock away valuables, lock doors, close windows when you go out  Report to warden if doors, windows etc damaged/broken – to be repaired  Don’t walk alone at night  Don’t ‘display’ your goods  Get Home Safe

 CPU Blue Security Route  Prince Alfred Street  St Peters Campus  signposted  well lit  extra guards on patrol  Avoid deserted areas or dark roads

  Report all incidents on campus to CPU or 8177 or 8999  Report incidents off campus to SAPS or

 at

  Safety Health & Environmental Officer or Thank you! 