14/10/2008 Oliver Down

Fire in science
Introduction
In this I will be telling you about keeping safe in a fire in a science-working place. It
is very dangers in a scientific work place because of all the chemicals and gases. It is
important to switch off all the gas and electricity at the manes. If you are stuck in a
lab you should jump out the window because if the fire or the explosions don’t kill
you the fumes will. And close all the windows and doors and tern off all electricity
and gas. There are a lot of extremely toxic chemicals in a science work place, which
will give off extremely toxic gases. The direct risk of a fire is getting burnt of the
building getting burnt. Indirect risks are very toxic or explosive. The type of things
that normally causes a fire in the lab is gas, electricity, flammable chemicals, paper
etc.
Types of fires
Fire Triangle
This is a fire triangle. A fire triangle is used to show how a
fire is made, if you have oxygen + fuel + heat then you get
a fire, but if you take one of these away then the fire will be
gone. To put this type of fire you could use a fire blanket to
remove the oxygen, this should then put the fire out.

Different types of fires

There are many types of fires, these are, metal, liquid, paper
and electrical, these have different types of fire extinguishers. All of the fires can be
deadly so you will need to follow the correct procedures. If you don’t check what type
of fire it is then you could easily make it worse.

Fire fighting equipment

Extinguishers: These are used for putting out fires, there are five types of fire
extinguishers these put out different types of fires. The table below shows the five
types of fire extinguishers and what they are used for.
Colour: Content: Fire type: Do not use on:
Black Carbon Dioxide Materials Metal fires
Blue Dry Powder Electricity Metal fires
Red Water Paper / Material Liquid, electrical or metal fires
Cream Foam Paper / Material / Oil Electrical or metal fires
Green Halogen Gas Electrical Metal fires

Fire Blankets: These are used to put out fires by block the fire
from oxygen which will put it out. You can use this to put over fires in
something like a pan or it can also be used to wrap around people who
have caught on fire. Below is a table showing the instructions on how to
use the blanket.
Pull tapes to remove blanket
Cover burning material completely
Switch of heat leave covered until cool discard after use

Sprinkler System: These are used to put out fires

using water they are linked up to a heat or smoke sensor, if
one of these senses smoke or heat then it will trigger the
sprinklers and will start spraying water to put the fire out.
These would not be used over the top of electrical equipment
because it could damage it.
14/10/2008 Oliver Down
Fire in science

Sand Buckets: A sand bucket is simply a bucket of sand

which you would find at a petrol station. You would pour it over a
fire to block oxygen from reaching it and making it bigger.

Showing what you have learnt

I would place the assembly point, if there

was a fire here, in car park 3 because it is
furthest away from any building. If the
Alcohol production facility caught on fire,
it would explode, I would use a sprinkler
system in the alcohol production facility,
the hotel, the restaurant and the office, and
this is because there are not many
electrical appliances here, plus saving
peoples lives is much more important than
saving the equipment in these buildings. In
the electrical distribution centre I would
put blue and green fire extinguishers in
there and some fire blankets, this is
because it would be an electrical fire and
water or any other fire extinguisher would
make it worse.

Emergency evacuations
The image on the left is similar to the signs used is
schools, they are usually placed in every room and
each room will have a different exit written down
and maybe a different assembly point. If a fire is
found or the alarm rings you have to follow all of
the procedures on the sign.

For this school if you find a fire then your have to

sound the alarm, ring 999 on any phone available
(wait till you are away from the fire). If the fire is
not that big then you could use the fire fighting
equipment in that room. In a room which uses fire
like in a science lab, their will be most of the
different fire extinguishers and a fire blanket. So if
you discover a fire that is not that big, have a look at
what caused it, and use the fire fighting equipment
to fight it.

If you hear the fire alarm you should leave the building quick, through the nearest exit
which will be written on the fire action sign. Close all of the doors behind you so that
the fire does not get worse, and head to the assembly point.

If I found a fire somewhere without a fire alarm I would shut all doors and windows
and evacuate everyone and I wouldn’t allow anyone back into the building. Also I
would call 999 to get the fire brigade around straight away.