Fire Extinguisher/Fire Safety

Training Transcription

Risk Management, Environmental Health & Safety Smith Hall 103 Mt. Pleasant, MI 48859 (989) 774-7398 www.cmich.edu/cmuehs

Fire Extinguisher/Fire Safety Training

Fire Extinguisher and Fire Safety training presented by Environmental Health & Safety/Emergency Management. This training will cover the requirements for MIOSHA regulations on fire extinguishers and fire safety found under Part A of the General Industry, Health, and Safety standards.

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Fire is hot, dark, fast, and toxic. Temperatures in an average fire burn anywhere between 500 to 1500 degrees Fahrenheit. Temperatures can reach as high as 1400 degrees in less than four minutes. Fire is also dark with smoke obscuring your ability to see even a few feet. Lastly fire is toxic. The smoke released by any type of fire is a mixture of particles and chemicals produced by incomplete burning of carbon containing materials. All smoke contains Carbon Monoxide, Carbon Dioxide, and particulate matter.

Smoke can contain many different chemicals including: Aldehyde, Acid gases, Sulfur Dioxide, Nitrogen Oxides, Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons, Benzene, Toluene, Styrene, Metals, and Dioxins. The type and amount of particles and chemicals in smoke varies depending on what is burning, how much oxygen is available, and the burn temperature.

You are not required to fight the fire as either a student or employee of Central Michigan University. However, there are times when that situation could arise. With that in mind, here are some tips for using a portable fire extinguisher to fight a fire:

You can fight the fire with you back towards an exit. The fire extinguisher matches the fire type that is burning. We will discuss this momentarily. And the fire extinguisher is having some effect on the fire - is it going out?

Inappropriate uses: the fire is large and has grown beyond its original confined space, your escape path is threatened, you're not sure you have the right extinguisher.

Classes of Fire: Class A – ordinary combustibles, Class B – flammable or combustible liquids, Class C – energized electrical equipment, Class D – (combustible metals) Class K – combustible cooking.

Class A: ordinary combustibles, fibrous material, wood, paper, cloth, rubber, and some plastics. The following fire extinguisher contains pressurized water and is used exclusively on a Class A fire.

Class B: flammable or combustible liquids, such as: gasoline, kerosene, paint, paint thinners, and propane.

Class C: energized electrical equipment, such as appliances, switches, panel boxes, and power tools. Class D: combustible metals, consists of Magnesium, Titanium, Potassium, and Sodium.

One method for fighting fires is the P.A.S.S. method, which stands for the following: Pull the pin, Aim the nozzle at the base of a fire, Squeeze the handle, and Sweep the nozzle from side to side.

Prior to using an extinguisher, make sure you or someone close to you had dialed 9-1- 1. Once you have used an extinguisher, leave the structure by the nearest, safest exit. Even though it is stated that you’re not required to fight a fire, the following procedure should be utilized in any fire. The acronym to use is A.C.E., ace.

The A stands for alarm. Pull the alarm as you are leaving the building. Alarms are usually located near the building exits. If you hear an alarm, leave the building via the nearest, safest exit.

C stands for confined. Confine the fire by closing doors as you leave the building.

E stands for evacuate the building.

Thank you for taking the time to watch Environmental Health & Safety/Emergency Management Fires Safety Training.