RAY Skills Development LLC

Instructor:
Date:

Location: Muscat, Oman

Rev – 1.0 OMN-HSE-01-1030-PR-l 04/09/2013
At the completion of this course, the learner will be able to:

 Develop competence and confidence in fire

management.

 Describe the role, responsibilities and accountabilities of a

Fire Warden.

 Emergency procedures for efficiently evacuating

personnel from a building wing or zone.

 Identify fire safety hazards, prevention, protection and

precautions.

 Identify and operate fire extinguishers correctly.

 Why Fire Wardens?
 Review of Basic Fire Extinguisher course.
 Causes of major fire.
 Fire Prevention, Protection and Precaution.
 Risk Assessment.
 Evacuation Procedure.
 Fire Wardens Duties.
 Assessment.
 Course wrap up and evaluation.
 WHY FIRE WARDENS?

 Establish a fire prevention system with rules and procedures to

eliminate hazards.

 Maintain of proper standards for equipment.

 Monitor the system.

 Control actions in the event of a fire to prevent its spreading,

responding to the fire until emergency responders arrive,
ensuring orderly evacuation and letting evacuees know when it
is safe to return.
 Fire Wardens act as the Fire Safety & Emergency Preparedness
contact or liaison officer for his or her respective department or
area.

 They are recognized as people with leadership qualities in the

event of a building fire alarm activation of other emergency.

 They are integral resources to the Fire Safety Coordinator and

other Emergency Responders.

 Depending on the size or complexity of an organization,

focused efforts of numerous Fire Wardens may be required to
assist with fire safety on a day-to-day basis.
 Assessing Fire Risks

 Spotting and Reporting Hazards

 Taking Appropriate Action in the event of fire

 Being Trained to safely fight a fire in its early stages

 Playing a Leading Role in fire drills

 Ensuring Safe Evacuation of employees and patrons

Fire produces
• Heat

• Light

• Smoke
 OXYGEN HEAT
Above 10% Ignition Source

FUEL
Vapors and Gases
OXYGEN
HEAT
Smother,
Cooling
Displace

FUEL
Remove,
Starve
The Fire Triangle

The removal of Fuel is called

STARVING.

It will extinguish a fire or prevent

a fire from happening
The Fire Triangle

The removal of Heat is called

COOLING.

It will extinguish a fire or prevent

a fire from happening
The Fire Triangle

The removal of Oxygen is

called SMOTHERING or choking.

It will extinguish a fire or prevent

a fire from happening
How do fires spread? Heat is transferred in one of three ways:

1. Conduction
 The transfer of heat between substances in direct contact with
each other
(A pot getting hot when it is over a burner on the stove)

2. Convection
 Hotter gases or liquids become less dense and lighter. The
lighter fluids rise. Cooler, denser and heavier fluids move in to
occupy the space. These cooler fluids are heated and the
cycle repeats itself.
(The lower floors on a building are cooler)
(Water heating up in a pot on a stove)
3. Radiation
 When electromagnetic waves travel through space
(Sun heating up the inside of a car)
(Microwave oven)
Class A Fire

Carbon-based
Solid Materials

Eg: Paper, Wood, Rubber, etc.

Class B Fire

Flammable Liquid

Eg: Petrol, Diesel, Alcohol, etc.

Class C Fire

Flammable Eg. Methane

Gases/Vapours Acetylene etc….
Class D Fire

Flammable
Metals

Eg: Magnesium, Zirconium, etc

IDENTIFICATION OF FIRE EXTINGUISHERS
WATER

Usually red, red labeled or red banded

How:
By cooling the burning material

Suitable:
Class A fires only i.e. Wood, paper, cloth,
plastics

Not suitable:
For fires involving electricity or burning
liquids
DRY POWDER

Usually blue, blue labelled or blue banded

How:
By displacing the oxygen thus smothering the
fire

Suitable:
For use on all classes of fire

Not suitable:
Class D fires and where delicate equipment
may get clogged with powder
FOAM

Usually cream, cream labelled or cream banded

How:
Cuts off the air by covering the fuel
surface

Suitable:
For Class B fires and can also be used on
Class A

Not suitable:
Class C, D and fires due to electricity
CARBON DIOXIDE

Usually black, black labelled or black banded

How:
Carbon dioxide takes the place of oxygen

Suitable:
For use on all classes of fire (except Class D)

Not suitable:
Class D, in confined spaces or externally in
high winds
FIRE BLANKET
Made out of non-flammable material.

How:
Cutting supply of Oxygen and smothering the fire

Suitable:
Use on Burning Liquids in containers (pan fires etc.)
Hose Reels

Contains:
Water supply through 75-140 feet hoses
depending on what length has been fitted

How:
By cooling the burning materials
Hose Reels

Suitable:
For use on Class A fires only i.e. wood paper, cloth, plastics

Not suitable:
For fires involving electricity or burning liquids
Main causes of fire in the workplace:

 Electrical faults (poor connections, damaged insulation etc.)

 Misuse of electrical equipment (overloaded circuits).
 Smokers' materials.
 Malicious ignition .
 Oil/gas heating equipment and portable heaters.
 Unsafe storage of materials.
 Use of flammable liquids or gases in unsuitable areas.
 Welding/hot work.
 Mechanical heat (sparks/friction).
Minimizing the risk of fires starting:

 Proper electrical design and maintenance.

 Control over the use of electrical equipment and heaters.
 Discipline regarding smoking.
 Site security.
 Control over hot work (welding, flame cutting, soldering etc.)
 Proper storage and use of flammable materials.
 Checking of frayed electrical cords and faulty appliances.
 Unplugging electric appliances not in use.
 Source of ignition kept away from combustibles.
Minimizing the risk of spreading fire:

 Compartmentalization
 Storage and Use of Highly Flammable Materials
 Marking
 Use of fire resisting materials
 Ventilation
 Sources of Ignition/Smoking
The term “Fire Precaution” relates to the precautions that must be
taken to minimize the risk to people in the event of a fire occurring.

The main precautions involve the provision and maintenance of:

 Means of detection and warning (alarm etc.)

 Means of escape
 Training/Informing employees and visitors
The following general rules apply to means of escape:

a) The total travel distance between any point in a building and the
nearest final exit or protected stairway should not be more than:
- 18m if there is only one exit, or
- 35m if more than one exit.

b) Two or more exits are necessary:

- from a room in which more than 60 people work, or
- if any point in the room is over 12m from the nearest exit.

c) Minimum width of exit should be 750 mm.

d) Corridors should not be less than 1m wide and in the case of

offices, where corridors are longer than 45m, they should be
subdivided by fire-resisting doors.
e) Stairways should be at least 800 mm in width, and fire resistant,
along with doors connecting them.

f) A single stairway is sufficient in a building of up to four storeys only.

g) The following are not acceptable as means of escape:

(spiral staircases, escalators, lifts (except for specially protected
lifts), lowering lines, and portable or throw-out ladders.)

h) Fire doors must open in the direction of travel (outwards).

i) Doors providing means of escape should never be locked in such
a way that they cannot be readily and easily opened from the
inside. If they have to be kept locked for security purposes, keys
maintained in designated key boxes close to the exit. A notice
should indicate that the doors can be opened in the case of fire.

j) A fire exit notice should be fitted to or above fire exit doors.

k) Appropriate notices should be affixed along fire escape routes,
which should be provided with emergency lighting.

l) Corridors and stairways forming a means of escape should have

half-hour fire resistance.

m)Corridors and other escape routes must be unobstructed and kept

free of combustible materials.

n) Fire alarm warnings must be audible throughout the building.

o) Normally no person should have to travel more than 30m to the

nearest alarm point.
8 Steps to Fire Risk Assessment:

1. Identify fire hazards

2. Identify people at risks
3. Remove or reduce hazard
4. Assess the adequacy of existing fire precautions
(i.e.. evaluate the residual risk)
5. Prioritise and plan any necessary additional preventive and
protective measures
6. Record findings
7. Prepare emergency plan
8. Periodically review
Identification of Fire Hazards

 Sources Of Ignition
What is there within the premises that could start a fire?

 Combustible Materials
All workplaces will contain some combustible materials.

 Structural Features
The workplace may contain features that could promote the
rapid spread of fine, heat or smoke.

 Maintenance And Refurbishment

Sources of heat or combustible material may be introduced
during periods of maintenance or refurbishment.
Identification of People at Risk

 Are people at greater risk because they work in an area where

fire is more likely?

 Other groups of people may be more vulnerable due to their age

(i.e.. the very young or very old) or due to infirmity or disability
(i.e.. impaired sight, hearing or movement).

 Contractors, visitors etc. may also be at greater risk due to

unfamiliarity with the premise.
Remove or Reduce Hazard

 Elimination of a hazard is always the best solution, if possible.

 Ignition sources can be removed, relocated, replaced or

controlled.

 Levels of combustible materials can be reduced by better stock

control and improved housekeeping special storage
arrangements would be required for flammables and explosives
Assessment of Existing Fire Precautions:

The following elements to be considered:

 Fire detection systems

 Fire alarm (warning) systems
 Means of escape
 Fire fighting equipment
 Emergency Plan
 Staff Training
 Maintenance and testing of equipment
 Compartmentalization
 Smoke ventilation
 Housekeeping
 Ownership/awareness of policy and procedures
 Prioritize and Plan any Necessary
Additional Preventive and Protective Measures

 Determine how much of a priority any necessary additional

measures should be given.
 Determine the adequacy of existing measures.

Record Your Findings!!

Prepare an Emergency Plan:

 In small, low risk, premises a simple fire action notice posted at

positions where staff can read it, may be all that is required.
 In larger, higher risk premises, more detailed plans, building on
the risk assessment findings may be necessary.

Periodically Review:

 Arrangements should be reviewed in the light of any significant

changes to premises, process or personnel.
 It is always advisable to build a regular review.
IF YOU DISCOVER A FIRE:

 RAISE THE ALARM

 ASSESS THE FIRE - IF IT IS SMALL, TACKLE IT

IF THE FIRE IS TOO LARGE TO TACKLE:

 CLOSE THE DOOR

 CALL THE EMERGENCY NUMBER
 CARRY OUT YOUR FIRE WARDEN DUTIES
WHEN YOU HEAR THE FIRE ALARM:

 Proceed to the nearest exit door away from fire/smoke.

 Open the door – both if double.
 Usher any people that are in the corridor through the exit and to
the Assembly Point.
 Check each office including toilets in your zone and ensure that all
occupants have left.
 Having checked, close the door proceed to the Assembly Point.
 Account for people in your area.
 Make sure nobody returns to the building.
 When fire brigade gives all clear, you may let people return to their
offices.
Ensure that:
 Action is initiated to call fire brigade in emergency.
 The fire doors are kept closed always.
 Exit routes and doors are free of obstructions.
 The key to fire exit is available in the box.
 Alternative fire warden is nominated while you are away.
 Safety department is informed of any change.
 You do everything to prevent fire.
 Escape Routes are safe and sufficient.
 Fire is not allowed to spread.
 Means of fighting fire is sufficient.
 List of personnel in your wing or zone is maintained up-to-date.
 Employees are fire aware and trained.