1.0 PURPOSE
The purpose of this procedure is to provide written guidelines for Nitro Construction Services for fire protection and prevention.
2.0 RESPONSIBILITY
It is the responsibility of the Site Manager/Superintendent for implementation of the requirements outlined in this procedure and to assure that each employee is trained in the work practices necessary to perform his/her job safely and per this procedure.
3.0 REFERENCES
29 CFR 1926 Subpart F, “Fire Protection and Prevention”
29 CFR 1910.157, “Portable Fire Extinguishers.”
4.0 DEFINITIONS
4.1 Combustible Liquids – Any liquid having a flashpoint at or above 140º F (60ºC) and below 200ºF (93.4ºC).
4.2 Flammable Liquids – Any liquid having a flashpoint below 100º F (60º Celsius).
4.3 Safety Can – An approved closed container of not more than 5 gallons capacity, having a flash-arresting screen, spring-closing lid and spout cover and so designed that it will safely relieve internal pressure when subjected to fire exposure.
5.0 PROCEDURE
5.1 The employer shall provide fire extinguishers and shall mount, locate, and identify them so that they are readily accessible to employees without subjecting the employees to possible injury.
5.2 Only approved portable fire extinguishers shall be used.
5.3 The employer shall assure that portable fire extinguishers are maintained in a fully charged and operable condition and kept in their designated places at all times except during use.
5.4 The Site Manager / Site Superintendent must ensure employees are familiar with the methods used at the location for reporting a fire, the location of the fire alarm system, and the regulations for the conduct of personnel in the event of an alarm. The location of alarm codes shall be conspicuously posted for maximum visibility in the project location.
5.5 Portable fire extinguishers shall be provided for employee use and selected and distributed based on the classes of anticipated workplace fires and on the size and degree of hazard which would affect their use. Travel distance to the nearest extinguisher shall be:
5.5.1 Class A – 75 feet (22.9m) or less
5.5.2 Class B – 50 feet (15.2m) or less
5.5.3 Class C – Appropriate pattern for class A or B
5.5.4 Class D – 75 feet (22.9m) or less
5.6 Fire extinguishers shall be located on each floor and adjacent to stairwells on multi-story buildings.
5.7 A fire extinguisher rated not less than 10B shall be provided within 50 feet of flammable of combustible liquids or flammable gas in quantities of more than 5 gallons or 5 pounds.
5.8 Inspection, Maintenance, and Testing
5.8.1 The employer shall be responsible for inspection, maintenance, and testing of all portable fire extinguishers in the workplace.
5.8.2 Fire extinguishers shall be listed by a nationally recognized testing laboratory.
5.8.3 Fire extinguishers shall be visually inspected monthly and shall receive an annual maintenance check.
5.8.4 A record of the annual maintenance and inspection dates shall be maintained for at least one year after the last entry or the life of the unit whichever is less.
5.8.5 The employer shall ensure that hydrostatic testing is performed by trained persons with suitable testing equipment and facilities.
5.8.5.1 Hydrostatically tested whenever they show new evidence of corrosion or mechanical damage and:
5.8.5.1.1 CO2 –5 years
5.8.5.1.2 Water –5 years
5.8.5.1.3 Dry Chemical –12 years (empty & refill every 6 years)
5.8.6 Fire extinguishers with a broken seal shall be reported to a supervisor or shop manager for inspection and servicing.
5.9 Training and Education
5.9.1 Employees subject to the use of portable fire extinguishers shall be trained on the general use of the fire extinguisher and the general hazards associated with incipient stage firefighting.
5.9.2 This training shall be conducted upon initial assignment and at least annually thereafter.
6.1 FIRE PREVENTION
6.2 Electrical wiring will meet the following requirements:
6.2.1 NFPA 70, “National Electrical Code”
6.2.2 ANSI C2, National Electrical Safety Code”
6.2.3 29 CFR1926 Subpart K, “Electrical”
6.2.4 Any other applicable regulations
6.2 Temporary heating devices shall be approved by supervision.
6.3 Smoking is permitted in designated areas only.
6.4 Approved safety cans shall be used for handling and use of flammable liquids in quantities of 5 gallons or less. For quantities of one gallon or less, the original container may be used for storage, use, and handling of flammable liquids.
6.5 Storage areas of, and tanks containing, flammable and combustible liquids shall not be located nearer than 50 feet to any overhead pipelines or utilities.
6.6 Indoor storage of flammable and combustible liquids shall meet the following requirements:
6.6.1 Quantities of 25 gallons or more shall be stored in an approved cabinet and not more than 25 gallons shall be outside an approved cabinet.
6.6.1 Not more than 60 gallons of flammable or 120 gallons of combustible liquids shall be stored in any one cabinet, and not more than three cabinets shall be in a single storage area.
6.6.2 Cabinets shall be labeled “Flammable – Keep Fire Away.”
6.7 Outside storage of flammable and combustible liquids shall meet the following requirements:
6.7.1 Storage Containers (not more than 60 gallons each) shall not exceed 1,100 gallons in any one storage area and shall not be nearer than 20 feet from a building. Groups containing 1,100 gallons shall be separated by a five-foot clearance.
6.7.2 The storage area shall be graded in such a manner to divert possible spills away from buildings or shall be surrounded by a curb or earth dike at least 12 inches high calculated to contain the total capacity of liquid stored.
6.7.3 Portable tanks shall not be nearer than 25 feet to any building and individual tanks exceeding 1,100 gallons shall be separated by a five-foot clearance.
6.7.4 The vehicle fueling station shall be a minimum of 50 feet from buildings or other important structures.
6.7.5 Portable tanks and containers shall be grounded.
6.7.6 Storage tanks shall be properly vented. Reference API Standard 2000, Venting Atmospheric or Low-Pressure Tanks.”
6.8 Dispensing liquids
6.8.1 Areas in which flammable or combustible liquids are transferred in quantities greater than 5 gallons from one tank or container to another tank or container shall be separated from other operations by 25-feet distance.
6.8.2 Adequate natural or mechanical ventilation shall be provided to maintain the concentration of flammable vapor at or below 10 percent of the lower flammable limit.
6.8.3 Transfer of flammable liquids from one container to another shall be done only when containers are electrically interconnected (bonded).
6.8.4 Dispensing devices and nozzles for flammable liquids shall be of an approved type.
6.9 Flammable liquids shall be kept in closed containers when not in use and shall not be allowed, under any circumstances, within 50 feet of an open flame or ignition source.
6.10 Tank trucks for refueling shall meet the requirements of the standard for tank vehicles for flammable and combustible liquids, NEPA No. 385-1966, “Flammable and Combustible Liquid Tank Vehicles.”
6.11 Tanks and dispensing equipment or pumps and any controls shall be physically protected from vehicle impact or damage. Service and refueling areas shall meet the requirements of 29 CFR 1926.152 (g)(3), “Service and Refueling Area.”
7.0 FIRE TRAINING
7.1 Fire extinguishers are divided into four categories, based on different types of fires. Each fire extinguisher also has a numerical rating that serves as a guide for the amount of fire the extinguisher can handle. The higher the number, the more fire-fighting power.
7.2 Classes of Fire
7.2.1 Class A – Common materials such as wood, paper, trash or other combustibles
7.2.2 Class B – Flammable liquids, such as gasoline, paint remover, or grease
7.2.3 Class C – Electrical fires
7.2.4 Class D – Combustible Metals
7.3 Classes of Fire Extinguisher
7.3.1 Class A extinguishers are for ordinary combustible materials such as paper, wood, cardboard, and most plastics. The numerical rating on these types of extinguishers indicates the amount of water it holds and the amount of fire it can extinguish.
7.3.2 Class B fires involve flammable or combustible liquids such as gasoline, kerosene, grease, and oil. The numerical rating for class B extinguishers indicates the approximate number of square feet of fire it can extinguish.
7.3.3 Class C fires involve electrical equipment, such as appliances, wiring, circuit breakers, and outlets. Never use water to extinguish class C fires – the risk of electrical shock is far too great! Class C extinguishers do not have a numerical rating. The C classification means the extinguishing agent is non-conductive.
7.3.4 Class D fire extinguishers are commonly found in a chemical laboratory. They are for fires that involve combustible metals, such as magnesium, titanium, potassium, and sodium. These types of extinguishers also have no numerical rating, nor are they given a multi-purpose rating – they are designed for class D fires only.
7.4 Types of fire extinguishers
7.4.1 Water Fire Extinguishers: The cheapest and most widely used fire extinguishers. Used for Class A fires. Not suitable for Class B (Liquid) fires or where electricity is involved.
7.4.2 Foam Fire Extinguishers: Used for Classes A & B fires. Foam spray extinguishers are not recommended for fires involving electricity but are safer than water if inadvertently sprayed onto live electrical apparatus.
7.4.3 CO2 Fire Extinguishers: Carbon Dioxide is ideal for fires involving electrical apparatus, and will also extinguish class B liquid fires, but has no post-fire security and the fire could re-ignite.
7.5 Fire Triangle (Elements of Fire) – The fire is prevented or extinguished by removing any one of them.
7.5.1 Oxygen
7.5.2 Fuel
7.5.3 Heat
7.6 Fire Extinguisher Use
7.6.1 Operate the extinguisher from a safe distance, several feet away, and then move towards the fire once it starts to diminish. Follow the “PASS” method to use a fire extinguisher:
Pull – Pull the retaining pin on the fire extinguisher.
Aim – Aim the nozzle at the base of the fire, not the flames.
Squeeze – Squeeze the level slowly.
Sweep – Sweep from side to side until the fire is out or until the extinguisher is spent.
7.6.2 Only fight small fires or fires in their incipient (starting) stages.
7.6.3 Hazards involved with incipient stage fire fighting
7.6.3.1 A fire at the INCIPIENT stage when it has just started, and it is easily extinguishable by one extinguisher and requires no special firefighting gear or equipment.
7.6.3.2 A fire can quickly go beyond the incipient stage.
7.6.3.3 Ensure others are warned when a fire is discovered.
7.6.4 Protect the workers.
7.6.5 Keep an Exit to your back at all times.
7.6.6 If the fire spreads beyond the point of origin, or your extinguisher is spent, back out of the area and activate the fire alarm or call the site-specific emergency number.
7.6.7 Never fight a fire if you don’t know what is burning.
7.6.8 Never fight a fire if the fire is spreading rapidly beyond the spot where it started. The time to use an extinguisher is in the incipient, or beginning, stages of a fire. If the fire is already spreading quickly, it is best to simply evacuate the building, closing doors and windows behind you as you leave.
7.6.9 Never fight a fire if you don’t have adequate or appropriate equipment if you don’t have the correct type or large enough extinguisher, it is best not to try to fight the fire.
7.6.10 Never fight a fire if you might inhale toxic smoke. If the fire is producing large amounts of smoke that you would have to breathe to fight it, it is best not to try. Gases from manmade materials can be fatal in very small amounts.