Fire Prevention and Protection in Construction Fire Protection and...extinguisher using the PASS...

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Fire Prevention and Protection in Construction

30-Hour Construction Industry OSHA Outreach Training Program


The history of construction is also a history of construction fires. This is an apartment

building shell being destroyed by fire.


There are two elements in keeping a construction project

These are Fire Prevention and Fire Protection.

OSHA 1926.24 states that the employer shall be responsible for the development and maintenance of effective fire prevention and fire protection programs.

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Why Fire Prevention?

• Buildings under construction tend to be largely unprotected — fire-protection systems such as sprinklers, smoke detectors, fire alarm systems, and firewalls are typically nonexistent or not yet operational until a building is near completion.

• Often, construction site fires can spread rapidly before the fire department can arrive.


Fire Prevention entails, to the extent possible, limiting fuel for a fire and

controlling ignition sources.

Let’s look at fire load first.


OSHA 1926.25(a)

OSHA 1926.25(a) states that in part that form and scrap lumber shall be kept cleared from work areas, passageways and stairs, in and around buildings and other structures. OSHA 1926.25(b) states that combustible scrap and debris shall be removed at regular intervals.

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Inside a building shell, scraps of wood, cardboard boxes, pieces

of paper and sawdust can cause a fire to spread rapidly.


Corrugated cardboard burns very well.

One carelessly tossed cigarette here could burn down 60,000 square feet of building shell, especially if the fire breaks out after hours.


Pay AttentionPay attention to areas outside the building shell.

A running scrap fire could reach the shell and set it on fire.

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Piles of scrap lumber should be at least ten feet away from the

building shell.


Oily rags/mats/socks can set themselves on fire through spontaneous combustion. They

should be placed in covered metal cans.

• Safety can• Small galvanized can

with locking lid


Storage of Flammable Liquids

Flammable liquids shall not be stored in areas used for exits, stairways, or normally used for the safe passage of people.

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Fuel cans need to be kept at least ten feet away from the building shell.

• Older can with a vent and open spout • Safety can

Use cans that conform to a national testing standard.Older cans with vents and open spouts should be removed.


Watch for flammable liquids being misused or stored carelessly.

This jug of flammable paint thinner had the cap off, and was near a chop saw in use.


Now let’s look at Ignition Sources

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Control Smoking

Smoking shall be prohibited at or in the vicinity of operations which constitute a fire hazard, and shall be conspicuously posted: “No Smoking or Open Flame.”


Control HotworkWelding, cutting and burning have caused many construction fires. Have a hotwork permit system in place, require fire protection devices to be located at hotwork sites, and require firewatch for at least 30 minutes after hotwork is complete.


Control Hot SurfacesMonitor the use of portable heaters. Be sure they have guards, and locate them at a distance from combustible objects.

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Control Hot Surfaces

Work lamps generate enough heat to start fires. Be sure they have guards, and locate them at a distance from combustible objects.


Portable Engines Inside Buildings

• Internal combustion engine powered equipment shall beso located that the exhausts are well away from combustible materials.

• When the exhausts are piped to outside the building under construction, a clearance of at least 6 inches shall be maintained between such piping and combustible material.


Temporary Buildings OnsiteNo temporary building shall be erected where

it will adversely affect any means of exit.

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Temporary Buildings Within Construction Shell

Temporary buildings, when located within another building or structure, shall be of either noncombustible construction or of combustible construction having a fire resistance of not less than 1 hour.


Fire Equipment


Fire Protection AppliancesSince many large construction site fires start small, onsite firefighting devices are important. Let’s learn how to use them correctly.

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Training Objectives

Following this training, an employee should beable to identify:

1. The four elements of fire

2. The five types of fires

3. Four principal types of fire extinguishers

4. How to use an ABC dry chemical fire extinguisher using the PASS system.


All four elements must be present at the same time to have a fire. Take any

one away and the fire goes out.

• Fuel - something which will burn

• Heat - enough to make the fuel burn

• Oxygen - readily available in the air

• Uninhibited chain reaction - fire is a complexchemical reaction.


Class A – Ordinary Combustibles Wood, Paper, Cloth, Cardboard

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Class B – Flammable Liquids

Gasoline, diesel fuel, oil, paint, paint thinner, varnish


Class C – Energized Electrical Equipment


Class D – Combustible Metals

Magnesium, Titanium, Sodium, Aluminum

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Class K – Cooking Oils


Fire Protection on Construction Sites• A fire extinguisher, rated

2A or better, or a 55 gallon drum of water with at least two pails, must be furnished for every 3000 square feet of building shell.

• A hose capable of furnishing five gallons per minute (5 gpm) with a horizontal reach of 30 feet may be substituted for a 2A fire extinguisher.

• The maximum travel distance to a fire extinguisher or other fire protection device on a construction site cannot exceed 100 feet.

• One or more fire extinguishers, rated not less than 2A, shall be provided on each floor.

• In multistory buildings, at least one fire extinguisher shall be located adjacent to stairway.


If you have a water tanker or tank trailer on site, be sure it is equipped with a

hose and a nozzle.

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Under 1926.21(b)(2), employers are required to train employees on all hazards.

Train some people to handle portable hose streams.


Types of Fire Extinguishers• Pressure water extinguishers

• Dry chemical extinguishers

• CO2 (carbon dioxide) extinguishers

• Dry powder (such as Met-L-X)

• Halon replacement extinguishers

• Class K extinguishers


Pressure Water

1. Carries 2 ½ gallonsof water, pressurized by compressed air.

2. Water removes heat from the fire.

3. PW extinguishers are good for Class A fires ONLY.

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A lot of construction trash is Class A material.


If your construction site is in the country, a Pressure Water extinguisher would be useful on a small brush fire.


Carbon Dioxide

1. Carbon Dioxide is a non-toxic, inert gas. It displaces oxygen and smothers the fire.

2. Note the large plastic horn and the absence of a pressure gauge.

3. Carbon Dioxide (CO2) extinguishers work on Class B and C fires.

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Carbon Dioxide extinguishers are good for training because

they don’t make a mess.


Class K

1. Similar in appearance to a Pressure Water extinguisher. Check the specification plate to be sure.

2. Contains a wet chemical agent which cools burning cooking oil and forms a foam blanket which keeps the oil from re-igniting.

3. You are unlikely to utilize a Class K extinguisher on a construction site.


This is a typical ABC dry chemical fire extinguisher.

It is the most common type of extinguisher. It will work on any fire (Classes A, B and C) you are likely to encounter at most workplaces.

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You can establish fire extinguisher stations in a building shell.


A Fire Extinguisher must receive an annual inspection.

Extinguisher with annualtag and tag protector No tag

Look for the annual inspection tag.Without it, you can’t tell if an extinguisher is within its current

annual inspection period. You may need tag protectors.


Extinguishers must also receive monthly visual inspections. These are quick and easy,

but must be performed and recorded.

• Start with the condition of the metal shell, the hose and the nozzle. Damaged extinguishers should be referred promptly to the fire equipment company.

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Next, look for the safety pin and plastic secondary. The secondary keeps the pin from falling out. The pin prevents your accidentally

discharging the extinguisher.


Finally, look at the pressure gauge. It should be in the green. Refer over- and under-charged

extinguishers to the fire equipment company.

• OK • Low pressure—extinguisher may not work


The easiest way to record monthly inspections…

• Is in the 12 boxes on the back of the inspection tag. You can visually inspect an extinguisher in less than a minute.

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Fire Extinguisher Education vs. Training

• OSHA 1926.150 requires that fire equipment be present, but does not explicitly require education or training except where a fire brigade is organized. However, under 1926.21(b)(2) employers are required to train employees on all hazards.

• Guidance may be inferred from 1910.157, which states that all employees expected to fight fires should receive annual education and/or training.

• Any designated extinguisher handlers must receive annual training.


Fire Extinguisher Education vs. Training

• Education can consist of any combination of lectures, demonstrations or videos.

• Training includes the above but also includes hands-on use of an extinguisher, with or without a live fire.

• Fire extinguisher videos are readily available from multiple sources, including the Internet. If you need assistance with training, try your fire equipment company, the local fire department or TDI Workplace Safety Trainers.


It’s easy to use a fire extinguisher

If you can remember the acronym PASS:

• Pull,

• Aim,

• Squeeze, and

• Sweep.

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Pull the pin.

• This will allow you to discharge the extinguisher.


Aim at the base of the fire.

• If you aim at the flames (which is frequently the temptation), the extinguishing agent will fly right through and do no good. You want to hit the fuel.


Fire Extinguisher Use - S

• Squeeze the top handle or lever.

‐ This depresses a button that releases the pressurized extinguishing agent in the extinguisher.

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Fire Extinguisher Use - S

Sweep from side to side until the fire is completely out. Start using the extinguisher from a safe distance away, then move forward. Once the fire is out, BACK AWAY from it. Keep an eye on the area in case it re-ignites.


You can put out a lot of fire with a fire extinguisher.


Be alert, be safe!

1. Always keep a clear exit to your back when fighting a fire with an extinguisher. If the fire doesn’t go out promptly, evacuate and let the fire department handle the fire.

2. Stay away from fires in electronic equipment. They give off toxic smoke and cannot be approached safely.

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Questions?

Fire Prevention and Protection in Construction Fire Protection and...extinguisher using the PASS...

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