Lec# 5 Fire and Electric Hazards

Fire hazard
A material, substance, or action that increases the chances of an accidental
fire occurring at any workplace

Fire safety
The set of practices intended to reduce the destruction caused by fire.
OR
The precautions that are taken to prevent or reduce the chances of a fire
that may result in death, injury, or property damage caused by a fire.
How Does a Fire Work?
Common fire Hazards

• Overloaded electrical system

• Materials that produce toxic when
heated
• Fuel store areas with high oxygen
concentration or insufficient
protection
• Blocked cooling vent
Common fire Hazards

• Misuse of hot plate or other incubator etc.

• Combustibles near or around the heavy
equipments
• Flammables left near a hot water heater
like water bath
• Incorrectly switch off fire match/flame.
Etc.
 Fire Extinguishers
An active fire protection device used to
extinguish or control small fires, often in
emergency situations.
How it works: It remove one or more component
of the fire.
The 5 most common fire extinguishers:
• All Purpose Water
• Carbon Dioxide
• Multi-Purpose Dry Chemical
• Dry Powder
• Foam extinguishers
Each kind of extinguisher has a specific use
 Color coded system for fire suppressors

The old system showed extinguishers are color coded

with different color on the whole containers

• Red for water

• Cream for foam
• Blue for Dry powder
• Black for Carbon Dioxide

New regulation indicates that all extinguishers should

be red.
Classes of Fires

Foam extinguishers, but not be

used when electrical hazards are
present.
Class B Fires- Flammable liquids, solvents and
other oil-based products.

Extinguisher type;
Dry chemicals or carbon dioxide
extinguishers.

CO2 extinguishers, CO2 is volatile, there is

however no post fire security and fire can
possibly reignite if the source of ignition has
not been removed .
Class C– fires involves energized electrical equipment
such as wiring or equipment (motors, computers,
electrical panels, appliances
Extinguisher type;
Dry chemicals or carbon dioxide extinguishers.

But conductive agents like water not be used

Class D Fires - Combustible metals such as

magnesium, sodium, Lithium, Potassium
• Suppression agents used for this class of fire are
dry powders.

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 Class K – fires involve combustible cooking media such
as oils and fats

➢ Suppression by wet chemicals or using fire brackets

Extinguishers should not be used on people.

• If someone is on fire, he/she should lay down,
and roll on the floor with their hand on the
face.
• Assistants can wrap the victim in a blancket or
coat to stop the fire
 Fire prevention
Working with flames

• Flames are never allowed when flammable gases or liquids

are in use near by.
• Always alert others before lighting a flame.
• Never leave a flame unattended.
• Do NOT heat reactions with flames!!!
• Turn off the natural gas at the valve when you are finished
with your work.

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Sparks and ignition sources

• Do not work with flammable liquids near ignition

sources.
• Use brass or plastic tools when working with
flammable liquids
• Take precautions with metal-to-metal or metal-to-
concrete contacts.
 Student Reaction in a Fire

If a fire is ignited in your area, the proper STUDENT

response should be
1) Notify everyone in the lab/room
2) If possible, shutdown any reaction in progress
3) Proceed to the nearest exit and Evacuate the
building
4) Assemble in designated areas
5) Remain calm; and never re-enter a building
until instructed

❖ In general if you hear an alarm DO NOT

assume it is a drill, your life may depend on
it!
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 Most Important

NEVER fight a fire if any of the following apply:

➢ Don’t have the proper extinguisher/equipment

➢ Fire has spread beyond its point of origin
➢ Your instincts tell you GET OUT
Fire regulations

• Equipment using portable, electrically

heated elements is only operated in Uni.
buildings.
• Materials are not stored with 0.5 m of a
extinguisher or fire host.
• Physical changes to Uni. building are
prohibited without prior approval from
SQU.
 Fire risk assessment
A fire risk assessment is a process involving the systematic evaluation of the
factors that determine the hazard from fire, the possibility that there will be
a fire and the consequences if one were to occur. ….how is responsible RMO?

• Step 1: identify potential fire hazard in the workplace

• Step 2: decide who (employee, visitor) might be in danger, in the event
of a fire, in the workplace.
• Step 3: evaluate the risks arising from the hazards and decide whether
need any improvement.
• Step4: record your findings and details of the action you took as a
result.
• Step 5: keep the assessment under review and revise it when
necessary.
 Electrical hazard

An electrical hazard is a dangerous condition where

a worker can or does make electrical contact with
energized equipment or a conductor.

Electricity: A type of energy fueled by the transfer

of electrons from positive and negative points
within a conductor.
Electrical Materials

• Conductor – Is an object or type of material

that allows the flow of an electrical current
in one or more directions.
Examples-- gold, copper, silver, aluminum

• Insulator – A material or an object that

does not easily allow heat, electricity, light,
or sound to pass through it.
Examples… wood, rubber, glass, etc
 SHOCK
A sudden discharge of electricity through
a part of the body.

Shock Severity depends on;

• Current and Voltage

• Resistance
• Path through body
• Duration of shock
Effect of Electric Current on Human Body?

Current mA Effect
• 0.5-3 Slight tingling sensations
• 3-10 Small shock muscle contractions
and pain
• 10-40 Muscles contract to freeze
• 40-75 Respiratory muscles become
paralysed
• 100-200 Wounds visible
• 200-500 Hearth clamps tight
• 1500+ Tissue and organs start to burn
leading to death
Why do people sometimes “freeze” when they are shocked?
The electrical stimulation causes the muscles to contract.
This “freezing” effect makes the person unable to pull free of
the circuit.

What should you do if someone “freezes” to a live electrical

contact?
Shut off the current immediately.
If this is not possible, use board, poles, or sticks made of
wood or any other non-conducting materials and safely push
or pull the person away from the contact.
Most of the accidents result from one of the following
three factors:
• Unsafe equipment installation
• Unsafe environment
• Unsafe work practices

What is the best way to protect yourself against

electrical hazards?

*use of PPE, proper insulation, guarding, grounding,

electrical protective devices, and safe work practices.
What work practices help protect you against
electrical hazards?

• Keeping electrical tools properly maintained, and

• Using appropriate PPE as…Rubber insulating gloves,

hoods, sleeves, blankets, protective helmets
designed to reduce electric shock hazard..etc..
What protection does insulation provide?

Insulators help stop or reduce the flow of electrical

current.
This helps prevent shock, fires, and short circuits.

Circuit protection devices?

Circuit protection devices limit or stop the flow of
current automatically in the event of a ground fault,
overload, or short circuit in the wiring system.

Examples are fuses, circuit breakers, ground-fault

circuit interrupters.
Cords – Items to consider before use.

• Inner wires exposed – Don’t use.

• Plug not fully seated – Don’t use.

• Cords run through doors / pinch

points – Don’t use.

• Outer sheath damaged – Don’t use.

• Cord tightly coiled may cause a

problem – Don’t use.