Fire Safety II

INSY 3020/7970/7976/ENH 670

Occupational Safety & Ergonomics

Outline

Introduction to Fire Safety

Exit Routes
Fire Protection
Emergency Action Plan
Fire Prevention Plan
OSHA Subpart E
OSHA Subpart L
Evacuation Modeling
2

29 CFR 1910 OSHA

General Industry
Regulations

United States Code (USC)

Congress
US Statutes at Large
Federal agencies

Regulations and Standards

Code of Federal Regulations (CFR)

Indexed by alphanumeric code

50 topics or titles

Ex: 29 CFR-OSHA General Industry

Regulations
3

29 CFR 1910 OSHA

General Industry
Regulations

29 CFR-OSHA General Industry

Regulations

Title 29 of the CFR

Part 1910: general industry

Each part is divided into subparts (26) and

sections

Paragraphs & subparagraphs, etc.

29 CFR 1910.34(c)(2)
4

OSHA Tidbits

Shall means must and is

mandatory.
Should means recommended.

Minimal Standards

The standards do not prohibit a

better type of construction, more
exits, etc.
5

1910 Subpart E

Part Number:1910
Part Title: Occupational Safety and
Health Standards
Subpart: E
Subpart Title: Exit Routes,
Emergency Action Plans, and Fire
Prevention Plans
Standard Number:1910 Subpart E
6

1910 Subpart E

1910.34 Coverage and definitions

1910.35 Compliance with NFPA 1012000, Life Safety Code
1910.36 Design and construction
requirements for exit routes
1910.37 Maintenance, safeguards, and
operational features for exit routes
1910.38 Emergency action plans
1910.39 Fire prevention plans
7

1910.34 Coverage and

definitions

Coverage
Every employer is covered
Exits routes are covered
Some Definitions
Exit
Exit access
Exit discharge
Exit route
Occupant load
Refuge area
8

Refuge Area

A space along an exit route that is

protected from the effects of fire by
separation from other spaces within the
building by a barrier with at least a onehour fire resistance-rating; or
A floor with at least two spaces, separated
from each other by smoke-resistant
partitions, in a building protected
throughout by an automatic sprinkler
system that complies with 1910.159 of this
part
9

1910.35 Compliance with

NFPA 101-2000, Life Safety
Code

An employer who demonstrates

compliance with the exit route
provisions of NFPA 101-2000, the
Life Safety Code, will be deemed to
be in compliance with the
corresponding requirements in
1910.34, 1910.36, and 1910.37
10

Life Safety Code

Handbook

11

1910.36 Design and

construction requirements for
exit routes

Basic requirements for Exit routes

An exit route must be permanent

An exit must be separated by fire resistant
materials
Openings into an exit must be limited

The number of exit routes must be

adequate

A single exit route

Two exit routes
More than two exit routes
12

1910.36 Design and

construction requirements for
exit routes

An exit route must meet

minimum height and width
requirements

The ceiling of an exit route must

be at least 76 (2.3 m) high.
Any projection from the ceiling
must not reach a point less than
68 (2.0 m) from the floor
An exit access must be at least
28 (71.1 cm) wide at all points
The width of an exit route must
be sufficient to accommodate
the maximum permitted
occupant load of each floor
served by the exit route

76
68

13

14

1910.37 Maintenance,
safeguards, and operational
features for exit routes

The danger to employees must be minimized

Lighting and marking must be adequate and
appropriate
The fire retardant properties of paints or
solutions must be maintained
Exit routes must be maintained during
construction, repairs, or alterations
An employee alarm system must be operable

15

1910.38 Emergency action

plans

Application

An employer must have an emergency

action plan whenever an OSHA
standard in this part requires one.

Written and oral emergency action

plans
Minimum elements of an
emergency action plan
16

1910.39 Fire prevention

plans

Employee information

An employer must inform employees

upon initial assignment to a job of the
fire hazards to which they are
exposed. An employer must also
review with each employee those
parts of the fire prevention plan
necessary for self-protection.
17

1910 Subpart L

Part Number:1910
Part Title: Occupational Safety and
Health Standards
Subpart: L
Subpart Title: Fire Protection
Standard Number:1910 Subpart L
Title: Authority for 1910 Subpart L
Appendix: A , B , C , D , E
18

1910 Subpart L

1910.155 - Scope, application and definitions applicable to

this subpart
1910.156 - Fire brigades
1910.157 - Portable fire extinguishers
1910.158 - Standpipe and hose systems
1910.159 - Automatic sprinkler systems
1910.160 - Fixed extinguishing systems, general
1910.161 - Fixed extinguishing systems, dry chemical
1910.162 - Fixed extinguishing systems, gaseous agent
1910.163 - Fixed extinguishing systems, water spray and
foam
1910.164 - Fire detection systems
1910.165 - Employee alarm systems
Appendices A - E
19

Classes of fire

Fires are classified by the material

that is burning.
Fires are designated as:

Class
Class
Class
Class

A
B
C
D
20

Classes of fire

"Class A fire" means a fire

involving ordinary combustible
materials such as paper, wood,
cloth, and some rubber and plastic
materials, leaving an ash residue
and burn with a white to gray
smoke.
21

Classes of fire

"Class B fire" means a fire

involving flammable or
combustible liquids, flammable
gases, greases and similar
materials, and some rubber and
plastic materials.

22

Classes of fire

23

Classes of fire

"Class C fire" means a fire

involving energized electrical
equipment where safety to the
employee requires the use of
electrically nonconductive
extinguishing media.

24

Classes of fire

25

Classes of fire

"Class D fire" means a fire

involving combustible metals such
as magnesium, titanium,
zirconium, sodium, lithium and
potassium.

26

Fire Extinguishment
Systems

Portable extinguishing

Extinguisher rating

the numerical rating given to an extinguisher

which indicates the extinguishing potential of the
unit based on standardized tests developed by
Underwriters' Laboratories, Inc.

Ex: 2-A or 20-B (relative effectiveness)

Fixed extinguishing

permanently installed system that either

extinguishes or controls a fire at the location
of the system.
27

Fire Extinguishing Agents

Extinguisher classification means the letter

classification given an extinguisher to
designate the class or classes of fire on which
an extinguisher will be effective.
Fire extinguishing agents are classified
according to the types of fires on which they
are effective.
Agents may be classified as A, B, C or
D, or combinations of types. ABC, BC and
AB are common fire extinguisher
designations.
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Fire Chemistry

The Fire Tetrahedron.

The removal of any one element

extinguishes the fire.

OXYGEN

HEAT

FUEL

CHEMICAL CHAIN REACTION29

Water (Class A Agent)

Removes heat, best on Class A

fires, best overall agent.
Very bad for Class B fires as it
spreads the fuel.
Very bad for Class C fires as it
conducts electricity.
Disastrous on a Class D fire, may
cause an explosion.
30

Carbon dioxide (Class BC

Agent)

"Carbon dioxide" means a

colorless, odorless, electrically
nonconductive inert gas that is a
medium for extinguishing fires by
reducing the concentration of
oxygen or fuel vapor in the air to
the point where combustion is
impossible.
31

Carbon dioxide (Class BC

Agent)

Displaces oxygen reducing its

concentration to below the level
capable of supporting combustion.
Good for Class B and C fires.
Not good for Class A fires.
Hazardous to humans.

32

Dry chemicals

Ordinary dry chemical powder

(Class BC Agent)

Siliconized Sodium Bicarbonate.

Airborne powder interrupts the
chemical chain reaction.
Does not smother, cool or remove
fuel.
Good for Class B and Class C fires.
33

Dry Chemicals

Multipurpose dry chemical powder

(Class ABC Agent)

Siliconized Ammonium Phosphate.

Performs as above, plus the powder
melts when it contacts a hot surface,
sealing the oxygen away from the fuel.
Good for Class B and Class C fires.
Fair for Class A fires.
34

Foam (Class AB Agent)

Water based detergent floats on

surface of burning liquids, excluding
oxygen from the fuel.
Excellent cooling qualities, same as
water.
Not suitable for a Class C fire.

35

Dry powder (Class D

Agent)

Only for Class D, metal fires.

Low velocity, sodium bicarbonate or
sand.
Attempts to smother fire; however,
some metal fires will continue to burn
with no apparent source of oxygen.

36

PKP or Purple K Powder (Class

BCD Agent)

Potassium bicarbonate dyed purple to

distinguish it from other agents.
Primarily for Class D fires
(smothering).
It will work on Class B and Class C
fires as well (interrupting).

37

PKP or Purple K Powder

(Class BCD Agent)

38

Fire detection systems

Heat detector

temperature is the primary indicator of

fire

Fixed temperature
Smoke detector

Smoke is the primary fire indicator

Ionization contains radioactive material

that charges smoke particles and senses
the electrical potential
Photoelectricity smoke disrupts a beam of
light.
39

Fire detection systems

Flame detectors

Rate of rise detectors

Monitor the wavelength of light for those most

common to fire.
Susceptible to false readings
Respond to fires that flame up quickly but do
not react to slower changes in ambient
temperature.

Gas sensors

Use the presence of combustion gases as the

primary fire indicator.
40

Fixed Extinguishing
Systems (Sprinkler
Systems)
Sprinkler systems

Automatic
Semiautomatic

Studies have shown that sprinkler systems to be the most

effective means for controlling fires in buildings.

NFPA 13 Standard for the Installation of Sprinkler Systems

NFPA 13D Standard for the Installation of Sprinkler Systems

in One- and Two-Family Dwellings and Manufactured Homes

NFPA 13E Recommended Practice for Fire Department

Operations in Properties Protected by Sprinkler and
Standpipe Systems
41

Fixed Extinguishing
Systems (Sprinkler
Systems)
NFPA 13R Standard for the Installation of

Sprinkler Systems in Residential Occupancies

up to and Including Four Stories in Height

NFPA 14 Standard for the Installation of

Standpipe and Hose Systems

NFPA 15 Standard for Water Spray Fixed

Systems for Fire Protection

NFPA 16 Standard for the Installation of FoamWater Sprinkler and Foam-Water Spray
42
Systems

Sprinkler Systems

Wet-pipe system

Contains water under pressure at all

times.
Any sprinkler head that is opened will
allow water to pass immediately.
can be damaged by water freezing in
the pipes or leakage

Antifreeze solution
43

Wet-pipe system

44

Sprinkler Systems

Dry-pipe system

Contains pressurized air or nitrogen at all times.

Water is separated from the dry pipes.
When sprinkler head is opened, pressure is lost.

This loss of pressure opens a valve to release water

into the system.

Dry-pipe system is suitable for areas subject to

freezing.
Slower than wet-pipe system

45

Dry-pipe system

46