Appendix C: Fire Safety Checklist For Evaluating Construction Materials Store Yard

C.l

FIRE SAFETY CHECKLIST FOR EVALUATING CONSTRUCTION MATERIALS STORE YARD

(Based on NFPA 231-APPENDIX C) PROTECTION OF OUTDOOR STORAGE

I.

SELECTION A.

OF A SITE

Adequate fire department protection. 1. Travel time to site, primary factor.

B.

All-weather roads adequate to carry fire department apparahls. 1. Kept clear at all times.

C. D.

Available water supply of sufiicient pressure and quantity. Sufficient clear space from combustible structures or other storage which could be an exposure hazard. No danger of flooding. 1. 2. Run-off from fire fighting water should be considered. Drainage from fuel spills should travel away from all storage.

E.

F. II.

Enough clearance from storage site to highways or major roads. SITE

FENCING A.

Entire site should be fenced to control access.

B. Two 15 gates, directly opposite each other (180) are required to petit ready access of fire apparahrs to any part of the storage area regardless of wind direction and location of fire. III. PILING A. OF MATERIALS LOW HEIGHT and SMALL AREA are the ideal conditions. I. Reasons for this are (a) stability of the pile under normal and tire conditions (containers maximum: 2 high). access to the seat of the tire with hose streams from the ground.

(b) B.

&J&j must be maintained behveen individual piles; between piles and buildings, and behveen piles and the boundary line fence for the storage site, to allow access to all sides of the piles.

1.

Aisles minimum of 10 feet wide. travel of fire

C. DRIVEWAYS of minimum 15 feet width are required to petit apparatus to all parts of the storage area. 1.

Driveway and aisle widths should be increased to at least equal the height of piles of goods, since they also act as firebreaks to limit the spread of tire. OF MATERIALS is important to reduce the speed of the spread

D. ARRANGEMENT of fire. 1.

Generally less hazardous materials should be stored upwind and more hazardous materials downwind. Piles or blocks of small piles are arranged with combustibles and noncombustibles in alternate locations (a) This technique tends to isolate a tire, allowing greater chance to contain it within the pile or block of origin. This checker board pattern of materials also helps reduce reliance on wind direction to control the spread of a fire.

2.

(b)

N.

BUILDINGS A. Buildings within storage yards should be at least 50 feet from the nearest storage pile. 1. This space should remain clear and free of combustible materials, at all times. OF BUILDINGS should also consider the effects of wind on the

B.

ARRANGEMENT spread of fire. 1.

One approach is to have less hazardous shops and sheltered activities upend, more hazardous ones downwind. In addition to the above, leave plenty of clear tire- break space behveen buildings (50 feet minimum), and alternate hazardous shops or stored goods with those structures housing less hazardous goods or activities. Again, this will help counteract unfavorable winds.

2.

V.

FIRE PROTECTION A. Communications -- a reliable means of communication with the Saudi Aramco Fire Protection Department shall be provided. Normally this will be a Saudi Aramco system telephone. WARNING: Prompt NOTIFICATION of the Fire Protection mandatory and absolutely necessary to prevent out-of-control fires. Department is

B.

Portable fire extinrmisbers shall be provided throughout the storage ares and the buildings located as to be quickly available for use at any point. Standard Live Hose Reels shall be provided throughout the storage areas to allow fast application of firewater onto any location within the store yard. These hoses are easily handled by one man and can deliver significant quantities of water. Full coverage of the interiors of all buildings must also be provided. WARNING: 1. Tbe need to notify the Fire Protection Department and man these live hose reels as fast as possible cannot be over-emphasized. (a) Fire areas increase as an increasing multiple of time, not at a constant rate. The longer you wait to apply water on a small fire, the more you will be surprised at the size the fire has attained. These l-114 diameter hoses allow one person to apply about 100 gallons/minute without difficulty.

C.

(b)

2.

Two inch steel (galvanized) lines shall be used to feed these hoses. Each hose reel will have a valve at the tie-in to the 6 Iwp.

D.

Standard Fire Hydrants - Saudi Aramco Engineering Standard B-7C requires type 509-G hydrants for protection of outdoor storage. Depending on system pressure, the 2-I/2 hoses used by the Fire Protection Department can require 4 to 5 trained men to handle. It is for this reason that tire hydrants are not normally provided with hose or used by construction yard personnel. 1. In areas where there is no Fire Protection Department within reasonable distance, sufficient 2-112 hose, and other equipment such as nozzles, hydrant wrenches, etc. shall be kept on the site, suitably located, housed, and maintained ready for use. Hydrants and all tire fighting equipment shall be accessible for use at all times. No temporary storage will be allowed to obstruct access for tire fighting.

2.

E.

Details of Water Supply Connect to main with gate valve. Provide a looped system valved to feed hydrants from either direction. (Block valve(s) to isolate either 50% of the piping and hydrants.) Materials - carbon steel pipe, okay for temporary yards. (Good mechanical strength, repairable.) Size of loop piping, 6 diameter minimum.

VI.

GUARD SERVICE A. Guards trained in the use of live tire hose reels, fire extinguishers and the fire warning system shall be on site at all times when the yard is otherwise unoccupied. 1. 2. Supenkd rounds are mgg&ed to verify the entire property is periodically observed. Means of communication nexssary to summon assistance during emergency situations shall be provided. AND OPERATIONS

VII.

YARD MAINTENANCE A.

The site shall be kept free from accumulation of unnecessary combustible materials such as empty cartons or other packing or packaging materials. All electrical equipment and installations to comply with National Electrical Code. Employees smoking areas shall be clearly designated and no smoking strictly enforced outside these safe areas. Motor vehicles shall be garaged and repaired outside the yard area, in a noncombustible structure or unsheltered. Fuel handling shall comply with NFPA 30, Flammable and Combustible Liquids Code., at 8 safe distance from the storage yard.

B. C.

D.

A site layout plan of the materials storage yards shall be submitted to the Loss Prevention Department Area Fire Prevention Engineer for review. All essential features of this Checklist shall be clearly illustrated on a site drawing of the proposed yard. Two copies of this drawing (done accurately to scale) will be submitted and once approved, one signed copy shall be kept at the site for periodic review. Changes to the original storage yard layout must be reviewed and concurred by Loss Prevention Department.