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Learning outcomes
1. Understand the basic principles of fire
and its prevention
2. Identify different types of fire fighting
equipment and their application
3. Identify major legal requirements related
to fire precautions at workplaces

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 Although the occurrence of fire accident is low,
the consequence can be disastrous(災難性的) .

Therefore, utmost attention is necessary.

Precaution 預防
Protection 防護
Prevention 阻止

Fire triangle

Oxygen Heat

FUEL

Combustible
Solids Liquids Gases
metal
paper oils propane magnesium
wood paints hydrogen aluminum
cloth gasoline methane potassium

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Fire triangle
Fuel - You need some sort of combustible
solid, liquid or gas

Oxygen to react with the fuel

Heat - There must be enough heat to get

the fuel above its flash point.
e.g
If there is paper on your desk right now, it is
surrounded by oxygen, but it does not burn
unless you get the paper hot enough.

What is fire?
A chemical reaction associated with rapid
oxidation of fuel by o xygen in air.
Heat and light are emitted during fire.
Combustion is an exothermic, self
sustaining reaction involving fuel.

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 Oxygen

Fuel Heat

What is Fuel?
Fuel is anything combustible
Solid(wood, coat), liquid (gasoline) & gas(town gas, hydrogen)
Flammable Liquids have a flash point below 66oC
Combustible Liquids have a flash point at or higher than 66oC

The flash point of a flammable liquid is the lowest temperature at

which it can form an ignitable mixture in air. At this temperature the
vapour may cease to burn when the source of ignition is removed. A
slightly higher temperature, the fire point, is defined as the lowest
temperature at which the vapour continues to burn after being ignited.

閃火點（Flash
閃火點 point）是指可燃性液體揮發出的蒸汽在與空氣形
成可燃性混合物後，遇火源時能夠閃爍起火的最低溫度。在這溫
度下燃燒無法持續，但如果溫度繼續攀升則可能引發大火。

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Source:http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flash_point
Flash Point
Concentration depends on vapour
pressure and temperature

Minimum temperature at which sufficient

vapour is given off to form a combustible
mixture

Gaseous fuels
Ignition depends on flash point, ignition
temperature, concentration in air…
Substances Flash point Ignition T Flammable range
(oC) (oC) (% v/v in air)
Acetone -18 535 2.1 - 13

Benzene -17 560 1.2 – 8

Ethanol 12 425 3.3 – 19
Carbon monoxide Gas 605 12.5 – 74.2
Methane Gas 538 5 - 15
Hydrogen Gas 560 4.1 - 74
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 Example of flammable range - Methane
石硤尾邨美映樓發生煤氣大爆炸慘劇，一隊 too rich
消防員在破門進入一個懷疑洩漏煤氣的單位 to explode but can
時，單位內突然發生大爆炸 23-11-2014
Upper explosive (flammable) limit 15% in air sustain fire
(UEL)

Explosion range will explode

too lean
Lower explosive (flammable) limit (LEL) 5% in air to explode but
can sustain fire

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Composition of Air

Constituent % by Volume
Nitrogen 78.03
Oxygen 20.99
Argon 0.94
Carbon dioxide 0.03
Hydrogen 0.01

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Common causes of fire
Main causes
Electrical faults
Flammable substance, and
Arson
Other causes
Smoking
Cooking and heating
Lightning, and
welding

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Hazards of fires
High temperature/ flames
Burn skin, hair or cell tissues and cause death

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Hazards of fire
Presence of T____Gases
oxic
Burning of some materials disintegrate under
high temperature and release toxic gases

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Hazards of fires
Oxygen D eficiency
Burning consumes oxygen leading to
suffocation Main cause of fatality in a fire
3 out of 4 hazards mentioned deals with
breathing problem
Most of the victims suffer from suffocation
during fire

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Hazards of fires
Hot smoke or fume
Impair vision
damage respiratory system
Person has been overcome by fume, the
important step is to move victim to fresh air

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Hazards of fires
Property Damage

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Classification of fire
Class A (or I) fires: solid materials such as
wood, cloth, paper and packing materials.
cooling is most effective
water is best as it penetrates into deep-
seated fires, foam and sand bucket are
appropriate.

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Classification of fire
Class B (or II) fires: flammable liquids such
as petrol, kerosene
excluding oxygen is most effective

Caution: Never use water on Class B fire

as it may spread the burning liquid.

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Classification of fire
Class C or (III) fires: involve live
electrical equipment

excluding oxygen is most effective

Caution: The extinguishing agent must be a non

conductor of electricity to avoid shock and
further damage to equipment.

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Classification of fire
Class D or (IV) fires – involve metal

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 Fire extinguishing

by breaking up the fire triangle

Oxygen

Fire
Fuel Heat

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Fire extinction
Extinct and control fire
by
Removing fuel for
combustion (fuel starvation)饑餓法 Oxygen

Removing the heat of

fire (cooling)冷卻法
Reducing oxygen for
combustion(smothering)窒熄法
Fire
Fuel Heat

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Fuel starvation
Remove nearby combustible materials
Remove burning materials from nearby
combustible materials
Reduce burning materials into smaller fires
easier to control Oxygen
left to burn out.

Fire
Fuel Heat
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Smothering Oxygen

Fire
Fuel Heat

Remove oxygen by
covering the surface with
layer of foam
filling confined space (such
as plant room) with inert gas

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 Cooling
Most common method to extinguish fire
By cooling fire and solid fuel to below
ignition temperature
Water is best because
Cheap Oxygen
Readily available
High latent heat of vapourisation

Fire
Fuel Heat
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Portable Fire Extinguisher

Class A – Solid Material
such as paper, wood,
plastic etc. (Water, Foam &
Dry powder)

Class B – Flammable
liquid such as petrol,
kerosene etc. (Foam,
Carbon dioxide & Dry powder)

Class C – Fire involves

electrical equipment
(Carbon dioxide & Dry powder)

Class D – Fire involves

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 How to Use a Fire
Extinguisher
remember the acronym PASS,
Pull the pin
Aim the extinguisher or nozzle at the
base of the fire
Squeeze the handle to release the
extinguishing agent
Sweep the extinguisher from side to
side across the base of the fire until it
is put out.
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Using hose wheel

First, pick up the hose reel at a safe place which is near the fire ground.

Then, break the glass of the fire alarm call point to activate the alarm and
the fire pump.

Turn on the control valve of the water supply main to the full, pull the plastic
tubing from the drum, and point the nozzle to the fire.

Turn on the nozzle valve and operate the fire hose at a safe
distance.

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Fire Escapes
maintain in good condition
free from obstruction every doorway,
stairway and passageway within the
workplace which provide a means of
escape from the workplace in case of fire.

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Fire alarms and detectors
Manual type

Automatic type
Smoke detectors
Heat detectors
Sprinkler heads

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What shall be done in case of Fire?

Keep calm;
Alert others by shouting "FIRE" and activate the nearest fire alarm;
Tell everyone to leave;
Call the Fire Services Department by dialling "999";
Close all doors to prevent the spreading of fire and smoke;
Leave the building using the nearest stairway;
If it is "SAFE' to do so, try to tackle the fire using available fire
fighting equipment;
If fire occurs above your premises, bring along the three useful items
(mobile, keys & wet towel) and take the staircase to go down to the
street;
If the fire occurs below your premises, take the staircase (if it is
leading to roof) to go up to the roof or the refuge floor of the building;
OR take the staircase which is smoke-free and go down to the street.

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 Cap 59 F&IU (Fire Precaution in
Notifiable Workplace) Regulations
Doors can be opened and
closed at any time by self
closing mechanism
Fire resisting period of not less
than 2 hours (BS 476)
open in the direction of egress for
more than 10 employees
easily opened from inside.

sliding door, self closing by

fusible link operated at 68°C

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Cap 59 F&IU (Fire Precaution in

Notifiable Workplace) Regulations
Fire escape
Free from obstruction
Fire fighting
Equipment to be maintained in good condition,
inspected by registered contractor every 12
months
Smoking
Obey NO-SMOKING

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 Cap 59 F&IU (Fire Precaution in
Notifiable Workplace) Regulations
Storage of flammable substances
In suitably closed containers in a storeroom
approved by Director of Fire Services
Not exceed 35L for daily use, in closed
container away from source of heat

Clearly and boldly marked “Inflammable

Substances” in Chinese and English

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Review questions Breaking up the fire triangle

State the methods of controlling fire.

What are the classes of fires?
Class C or (III) fires: involve live electrical equipment

Class A (or I) fires: solid materials

Class B (or II) fires: flammable liquids

The fire resistant period of a door is ...

not less than 2 hours

Flash point is defined as ...

Minimum temperature at which sufficient vapour is given off to form a
combustible mixture
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References:
AVM TP265.F573 1984, “FIRE: What Makes It
Burn”, Encyclopaedia Britannica Films Inc
Ridley J and Channing J, 1999, “Safety at
Work”, Butterworth Heinemann.
http://www.cdc.gov/od/ohs/manual/firesafe.htm
OSHC 2001, “Fire Safety at Work Place”
John Ridley & John Channing, 1999,
“ Workplace Safety”, Butterworth Heinemann.

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