Inside this issue

CO2 facts to know.

We take the use of CO2 fire extinguishers as a fact of life, but have we ever considered what it is that the gas is capable of

on release, especially into a confined area, take a look at the properties below for a clearer appreciation of CO2.

Carbon dioxide is colourless. At low concentrations, the gas is odourless. At higher concentrations it has a sharp, acidic

odour. At standard temperature and pressure, the density of carbon dioxide is 1.5 times heavier than air, which means

that when released it will accumulate in low laying areas.

It has a boiling point of –78.5 deg C, this means that it turns from a liquid to a gas at this temperature, this is a hazard for

users in that it can cause sever cold burns if not handled correctly.

CO2 is an inert gas and does not support combustion, on release from its container the liquid CO2 expands rapidly to a

gas and displaces the surrounding oxygen, this may lead to asphyxiation and suffocation dependant on the concentration

levels, symptoms range from nausea, vomiting, collapse, convulsions coma and even death. However all of these are un-

likely from using an extinguisher

Direct contact with skin can chill or freeze the skin (frostbite). symptoms of mild frostbite include numbness, prickling

and itching, more sever symptoms may include burning sensation and stiffness, the skin may become waxy or yellow,

blistering and tissue death may occur in more sever cases. Training in the correct use of a CO2 extinguisher should

elevate any of the above issues

Extinguisher tests explained.

Fire safety log book

Risk assessment

CO2 facts

Latest news

Quiz.

Firesafe ISSUE 03 - April 2016

Hello again and welcome to the firesafe news-letter, as we move into spring and hopefully some warmer weather.

we will continue to look at how we can improve our safety in the workplace and fire safety awareness, hopefully you all had a very enjoya-ble Christmas, which now seems so long ago, and maybe one or two are still sticking to those new year resolutions, hopefully one of them was to upskill your fire safety knowledge and maybe we can help you achieve that by the production of this newsletter and the information and sign-

Fig 1.1 shows the end view of the test crib, all A rated fire tests are constructed to these dimensions,

Fire extinguisher tests explained

Ever wondered what all the numbers

mean on the side of your fire extinguish-

ers, well we may be able to help you out

with a little info that will make it easier

for you to understand.

Here is a 9L water fire extinguisher which

has a fire rating of 13A, what does this

mean, well the 1st part is easy, 9L means

that there is 9litres of water inside the extin-

guisher, the second part 13A is a little more

complex, it is a rating given to the size and

type of fire the extinguisher is capable of

extinguishing under test conditions.

The test takes place indoors and is set against strict rules, a fire is lit underneath the wood and

allowed to burn for two minutes.

The crib is allowed to burn for a further six minutes and then the fire is attacked with the fire ex-tinguisher,, the operator will indicate when the fire is out and the test is deemed successful when there is no re ignition within a three minute period,

Watch the demo here

https://www.youtube.com/

watch?v=Itje7glf804

The horizontal sticks in the side view fig 1.2 are placed to meet

the requirements of the particular tests, in this case 13, hence where the number 13A is from.

Ask Dave a Question. You may be interested to read the Blogs of our assistant chief fire officer Dave Walton, he posts on our website and twitter many varied and interesting items covering a wide range of subjects promoting debate, read on to gain an insight into the fire service in general and ask him questions, he would love to hear from you.

LOCAL NEWS.

Major mill fire Drummond Mills Bradford 28/01/2016

This incident turned out to be the largest the brigade has dealt with in many years, it started just after 11.20am.

At its height 25 fire engines and more than 125 firefighters attended the scene and have been praised by fire

chiefs for their determined efforts to bring the inferno under control and prevent it spreading to nearby

buildings in the locality. Around 100 people living in surrounding properties and from local businesses were

evacuated due to carbon monoxide levels in the area. Fortunately no members of the public have been injured

as a result of the fire and neither have any firefighters. Temporary Assistant Chief Fire Officer Ian Bitcon said:

“The fire was initially in the basement of a building which was part of the mill complex. “By nature basement

fires are incredibly difficult to tackle because there is nowhere for the heat and smoke to go. “Firefighters

were committed into this incredibly arduous and high risk environment and worked courageously to stop the

fire spreading to the rest of the mill. “Despite their determined efforts the fire broke out and spread very

quickly to the adjacent mill buildings. The cause of the fire remains under investigation.

Fire crews have been praised for containing a fierce fire at a printing warehouse in Wetherby .

At its height, 20 fire engines and more than 100 firefighters from the surrounding areas of West and North

Yorkshire tackled the blaze in Sandbeck Lane.

Dozens of firefighters wearing breathing apparatus fought the fire inside the factory and, despite the difficul-

ties presented by the complex internal layout and punishing conditions, they ensured the fire did not spread

and the vast majority of the building was saved.

West Yorkshire Chief Fire Officer Simon Pilling, who attended the incident as senior advisor, said: “Our tac-

tics proved to be very successful as the vast majority of the building is still intact. Significant damage to ma-

chinery, equipment and stock was isolated to one half of the factory, therefore I am hopeful that the company

will be able to recover business in the near future.”

CFO Pilling said the fire posed serious hazards to fire crews due to the intense heat and smoke. He added:

“Crews worked extremely hard in punishing conditions at times and I was very impressed and pleased by the

professionalism, commitment and determination of all who attended.”

Crews were initially called just after 8pm last night (Wednesday, 3 February). Stations in attendance were

Wetherby, Harrogate, Cookridge, Hunslet, Featherstone, Wakefield, Knaresborough, Tadcaster, Stanningley,

Shipley, Fairweather Green, Pontefract, Castleford, Moortown, Huddersfield, Leeds, Ossett, Rothwell, Dews-

bury, Garforth and Killingbeck.

The cause of the fire is still under investigation.

Fire log book link where’s the link? Take a look at the link, it will take you to our internet site where you can read all about the ins and outs of the fire risk assessment process, you will find links there which will explain your requirements in relation to The Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005. There is a “Fire log book” which you can record all your fire safety activities, it also has lots of really useful information and links to other sites where you can get further info if required, take time to read the document and you may wish to use it in your fire safety provision. You will also find fire risk assessment information relating to large and small-er premises you also have the assurance that the documents are fit for pur-pose..

Latest News.

Praise after Wetherby fire contained

A

A Final Note. As a final note, please feel free to contact me with any comments, requests or questions that you may have by clicking on me here, best wishes for Christmas and the new year, take lots of care and keep safe.

Watch commander. Alan Wood

National News DON’T LET THIS BE YOU, KNOW YOUR REQUIREMENTS, IF

YOU ARE UNSURE CONTACT YOUR LOCAL FIRE SAFETY

DEPARTMENT BEFORE THEY CONTACT YOU.

On 18 January 2016, businessman John Mark Cashin was convicted and fined £1,000 for five breaches of the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 and ordered to pay £5,000 costs plus a victim surcharge of £52, totalling £6,052.

Mr Cashin pleaded not guilty to four of the offences and guilty to a fifth offence at the premises in Church Drive, Shirebrook, Derbyshire. He rented the property from its owner and went on to sublet it to four indi-vidual tenants, without addressing the necessary fire safety improvements required by law for a house in multiple occupation.

Following a complaint about the lack of fire safety precautions, fire inspectors visited the property A fire safety audit identified several breaches, including:

apparent lack of a fire risk assessment

inadequate fire detection and alarm system – several smoke alarms were found in a kitchen drawer

no provision for self-closing bedroom doors – the doors themselves were inadequate

lack of window escapes from the first floor

no portable firefighting equipment was provided

inadequately tested and maintained fire alarm system and emergency lighting An enforcement notice was issued in requiring Mr Cashin to address the breaches, however his failure to comply with it resulted in legal proceedings.

Derbyshire Fire and Rescue Service group manager Phil Mitchell said: ‘When people rent a bedsit, or rooms in a property with other tenants, they should expect to be able to safely leave the property in an emergency situation. To enable this, a suitable fire alarm system must be present along with access to an emergency exit that can be accessed and safely used.

'Landlords should recognise that they have a legal responsibility to ensure that any facilities they provide for their tenants have a suitable and sufficient fire risk assessment in place and that it is reviewed regularly… The public should continue to be reassured that legal action will be used when necessary where any serious breaches of fire safety regulations are identified.’ Source, http://www.frmjournal.com

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