Introduction to Fire Safety Management

Introduction to Fire Safety Management
Formal procedures for the safe use, handling, etc.
of any article or substance that can effectively cause a
discharge of static electricity must be recorded and staff
trained to follow them.
The provision of lightning conductors is the main
control measure for preventing fi res and explosions
occurring from lightning strikes. Lightning conductors’
function is to attract a lightning discharge, which might
otherwise strike a vulnerable part of a structure and to
convey the current safely to earth.
There are a variety of types of lightning protection
systems available and will be selected upon the
level of risk. Structures with inherent explosive risks,
e.g. explosives factories, fuel stores, dumps and tanks,
invariably need the highest possible class of lightning
protection system. Details of the requirements can be
found in BS 6651 Code of practice for protection of
structures against lightning.
Electro-mechanical equipment – to combat the fi re
risks from poorly maintained mechanical equipment, e.g.
bearings running dry causing friction which can in turn
ignite excessive levels of contaminated grease, all such
equipment should be included on a planned preventive
maintenance regime, which includes a cleaning and
where necessary a degreasing programme.
Establishing a procurement policy, which includes a
pre-procurement risk assessment, will ensure that correct
selection of plant and equipment for use in hazardous
areas (where a fl ammable or explosive atmosphere has
the potential to cause a fi re or explosion) will minimise
the risk relating to such equipment. BS EN 50020:2002,
Electrical apparatus for potentially explosive atmospheres
– Intrinsic safety ‘i’, specifi es the construction and
testing of intrinsically safe apparatus, intended for use
in potentially explosive atmospheres and for associated
apparatus, which is intended for connection to
intrinsically safe circuits which enter such atmospheres.
This document may well form the basis from which an
organisation establishes its procurement policy for such
equipment.
Any intrinsically safe equipment will also need
to be used by competent persons and included both
within an inspection and testing programme undertaken
by competent engineers and in a planned preventive
maintenance programme.
8.4.9 Vehicles
Road-going vehicles are subject to testing as part of
Ministry of Transport requirements; however, such ‘MOT’
testing provides only a ‘snapshot’ test of the vehicle and
while failures of electrical components, exhausts, etc.
are included the possibilities of electrical wiring defects
which may lead to an uncontrolled ignition source may
go unnoticed.
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Figure 8.27 MOT test in progress
Ensuring that road-going or site-based vehicles are
subject to regular inspections and servicing will assist in
identifying components and systems that could lead to
a fi re before it occurs.
Establishing formal procedures for refuelling or
recharging of vehicles as part of a safe system of work
and ensuring that staff are provided with training to raise
their awareness of the risks involved will reduce the
likelihood of fi re starting from such operations.
As previously discussed within the hazardous
substances section the control of fl ammable vapours
must be considered when refuelling operations take
place and thus rudimentary controls should be observed
such as:
➤ Ensuring that refuelling/recharging is only undertaken
in designated areas remote from ignition
sources and with good ventilation
➤ No smoking policy is strictly observed and monitored
➤ The use of mobile communications (telephones/
radios) is prohibited
➤ Warning signage is displayed
➤ Vapour recovery systems (petrol) are incorporated
into the system when bulk tanker delivery takes place
➤ Provision of appropriate fi re fi ghting equipment
➤ Emergency isolation arrangements
➤ Emergency action plans.
When considering the recharging of batteries for vehicles
such as forklift trucks and other mechanical handling
devices overcharging cut-out safety devices should be
installed and maintained to prevent any potential for the
release of hydrogen. Such operations will also require
many of the aspects covered when refuelling petrol
driven vehicles such as good ventilation.