An instant of misfortune and a spark is all that the forces of nature need to devour everything in their path; and despite the progress in research on fire prevention measures, the ultimate premise to prevent them from happening will never change: Keep heat sources under control
Let's go to the origin of everything. A fire is nothing more than heat and light, which are generated from the meeting of three basic elements: heat or ignition source, combustible material and an appropriate concentration of oxygen, which leads to a chain reaction. It is customary to visualize the relationship of these elements as a pyramid in which each element represents one side and they come together in a symbiotic or mutually beneficial relationship.
The first of these necessary factors, fuel: it can be any material among the highly flammable millions: coal, gasoline, wood, etc. In their normal state, solid or liquid, none of these materials burn. For them to burn it is necessary that they first become gas.
The second essential factor for fire to burn is heat: this is what gives us the necessary temperature to transform the fuel into a gas, so that it flows into a flame, and then a possible conflagration. Some fuels are converted to gas (gasified or volatilized) at high temperatures. For example, we know that gasoline needs less heat to volatilize, compared to, for example, wood or coal.
The third factor for fire to burn is oxygen: to cause ignition and start burning, fire needs oxygen. The last factor for the fire to start burning is a source of ignition, that is, any instrument that triggers the fire.
Below we will list the causes that cause a fire:
ELECTRICAL
Creation of short circuits due to worn wires, broken plugs, etc; electric conduction lines that are overheated by excessive connected electrical appliances and/or by a large number of leads in the lines without taking into account the installed electrical capacity.
Poor supervision and maintenance of electrical equipment.
CIGARETTES AND MATCHES
Smoking in the workplace has been the cause of a large number of fires. In any industrial plant it must be "forbidden to smoke", in all its environments.
Signage is very important. Don't think that "no smoking" is understood. Many people smoke because there is no little sign that remembers them.
Having adequate signage serves as a weapon so that those who do not smoke can enforce this rule.
LIQUIDS
FLAMMABLES/FUELS
Improper handling and ignorance of some important properties of them, are the cause of many fires.
Flammable products, under certain conditions have a high explosive power. Many times they are stored in any container and anywhere, by a great carelessness in their use.
Gasolines and light solvents vaporize at any room temperature, and their vapors ignite easily. Light vapors travel anywhere; if they come into contact with any source of ignition, they may ignite or explode.
Other liquids such as insecticides, thinners, etc., pose the same risk of not being careful in their use and storage.
LACK OF ORDER AND CLEANLINESS
Another cause of fires at work is the accumulation of industrial waste and the placement of cleaning rags impregnated with oils, hydrocarbons or greases anywhere. Typical cases are:
- Leave rags with oils, hydrocarbons, or fats anywhere, and not in a closed metal container with a lid.
- Allow industrial waste, weeds, etc., to accumulate in the work area.
- Allow clutter and lack of grooming in the work area.
FRICTION
The moving parts of the machines produce heat by friction or rubbing. When lubrication is not controlled, the heat generated leads to fires. The heat generated by bearings, belts and force tools for grinding, drilling, sanding, as well as parts of machines out of alignment, are causes of fires.
MECHANICAL SPARKS
The sparks that occur when ferrous materials are hit with other materials are very small particles of metal that are heated to incandescence due to impact and friction. These sparks usually carry enough heat to start a fire.
HOT SURFACES
Heat escaping from high-temperature steam and water pipes, smoke tubes, furnaces, boilers, heat processes, etc., are common causes of industrial fires. The temperature at which a surface can become a source of ignition varies depending on the nature of the fuel products.
OPEN FLAMES
Open flames are a constant source of ignition, and a threat to the safety of the industry. This cause of fires is mainly associated with industrial equipment that produces heat, and portable burners, the latter being especially dangerous, because they are carried from one place to another and do not have a fixed position. In addition, the terrible handling and maintenance that operators give to this equipment must be considered.
COMBUSTION SPARKS
In many industries sparks of combustion and embers that come from incinerated waste fires, smelting furnaces, and chimneys are still allowed to escape into the open air. Some of these sparks ignite dry grass, garbage accumulations, sheds or material deposits in yards, combustible roofs or their structures.
CUTTING AND WELDING
90% of fires caused by cutting and welding come from particles or slags of melted materials, and not from electric arcs or flames opened during a welding process. These melted particles, or slags, often fall unnoticed into cracks, gaps, joints, crevices, pipe passages, and between floors and divisions, starting fires out of sight of people. Usually, the fire starts hours after people have retreated.
STATIC ELECTRICITY
Many industrial operations generate static electricity. When there are no connections to the ground, and the relative humidity of the air is low, (less than 40%), it is discharged in the form of sparks, which on contact with vapors or flammable gases, or other combustible materials, generate a fire, or an explosion. The transfer of a flammable liquid to containers that do not have a ground connection is extremely dangerous, since at any time a fire or explosion can be generated.
FIRE PREVENTION
a) All fires can, and should, be avoided. The human and material damage left by a fire, make it necessary to think about its prevention.
b) Remember the "Triangle of Fire". Fire prevention is based on preventing the three elements that constitute it from coming together: fuel, heat and oxygen.
Everywhere there are combustible materials and oxygen. Avoid at all costs that they combine with heat, therefore, the main prevention measure is to properly control heat sources.
(*) Sent by MPB Tecnología de Seguridad y Seguros del Perú.
Share:
0Authors: Editorial
