Common Fire Hazards
By Ashley Purcella
Ask anyone whether children should be protected from fire and the answer is unanimous: of course they should. Yet we in Loss Prevention regularly discover fire hazards in schools that could cause a small fire to grow into an inferno, turning a typical school day into a tragedy. October is Fire Prevention Month and is a perfect time to review your policies and practices to see whether they effectively decrease your chances of a fire.
The above picture illustrates a common occurrence in schools, especially on elementary campuses. The NFPA 101 Life Safety Code (15.7.4.3 for existing educational occupancies; 14.7.3 for new educational occupancies) recommends removal of combustible materials covering over 50 percent of walls in buildings with a sprinkler system. If a building is not equipped with a sprinkler system, then only 20 percent of the walls may be covered with combustible materials. Because hallways are the main exit routes during a fire emergency, excessive combustible materials compromise the integrity of the walls and the exit could become an inferno or “hall of flames.” This scenario poses a threat to human life and makes it far more difficult to escape a fire.
This picture shows another common hazard. Portable fire extinguishers require a three-foot radius of clearance space around them. All extinguishers should be accessible at all times in case of a fire emergency. Signage must also be visible so passers-by are directed to the extinguisher for quick access. Portable extinguishers should be checked monthly by an assigned person to ensure it is in proper working condition. If you have questions or need assistance with this procedure please contact your loss prevention consultant.
Along with blocked fire extinguishers, blocked electrical control panels are a common fire hazard. Why does it matter if an electrical panel box is blocked? During a fire, utilities may need to be shut off to help contain the fire or to eliminate electrical shock hazards from electrical equipment exposed to water from a fire-suppression system. The time it takes to clear obstructions is time spent not fighting the fire. Electrical panels should have a three-foot radius of clear space in front of them.
Also, good housekeeping around these systems supports other fire prevention efforts. The heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) system should be shut down during a fire so it does not spread smoke throughout the ventilation system. If these control panels are blocked, it adds valuable time to the process of shutting them down.
There are three variables needed to start a fire: fuel, heat, and oxygen. If you can remove just one of these elements a fire cannot be started. In the above picture, the simplest way to remove an element from this fire hazard is to move the cardboard box away from the light bulb. Items stored on the top shelf should not be kept closer than 18-24 inches from the ceiling and should never be stored close to a heat source such as a light bulb. Storing materials closer than 18-24 inches compromises the fire resistance of the ceiling tiles.
All emergency exit signs should illuminate during an emergency and should be checked monthly to ensure they are working properly. Staff should be trained to recognize hazards such as an emergency light that is no longer illuminated and report it to the principal or maintenance staff. In addition, emergency exit doors should not be chain locked or blocked. It must be quick and simple to evacuate a building during an emergency. Doors that are designated for emergency exit should have a three-foot clearance around them to provide adequate space for evacuation.
If you have any questions regarding fire safety, please contact your loss prevention consultant (LPC). Please see additional loss prevention articles about fire prevention and other loss prevention concerns in the Loss Prevention Hot Topics portion of our Web site.
