The Main Causes of Fire and Fire Spread

The Main Causes of Fire and Fire Spread

Past Studies by the fire protection association into the causes of a range of industrial fires have indicated the following as the principle sources of fire in protection and storage areas.

Production areas

1.     Heat-Producing plant and equipment

2.     Frictional heat and sparks

3.     Refrigeration plant

4.     Electrical equipment- setting fire to:

a)     Materials being processes;

b)    Dust; and

c)     Waste and packing materials.

Storage areas

1.     Intruders, including children

2.     Cigarettes and matches

3.     Refuse burning

4.     Electrical equipment – setting fire to:

a)     Stored goods; and

b)    Packing materials.

Fire and instructions

A fire instruction is a notice information people of the action they should take on either:

a)     Hearing the alarm; or

b)    Discovering a fire

Other requirements

In addition to displaying fire instruction people: 

•         Should receive training in evacuation procedures i.e. fire drills, at least quarterly; and
•         The alarm should be sounded weekly

It is advantageous to have key personals trained in the correct use of fire appliances

Fire alarm systems

A method of giving warming of fire is required in commercial, industrial fire and building. The purpose of a fire alarm is to give an early warming of a fire in a building:

•           To increase the safety of occupants by encouraging them to escape to a place of safety;
•         To increase the possibility of early extinction of the fire thus reducing the loss of or damage to the property.

In larger buildings this may take the form of a mains operated system with break glass alarm call points, an automatic control unit and electrically-operated bells or sirens.

In small buildings it would be reasonable to accept a manually operated, dry battery or compressed air-operated gong, klaxon or bell. To avoid the alarm being point being close to the seat of a fire, duplicate facilities are necessary.

For more information - Click here