We will endeavour to keep our safety tips (listed below)
updated and refreshed regarding our Products and Services.

Feel free to contact us with any safety concerns you may have.

Click Down Arrow For Navigating With-in This Page USE OF PORTABLE FIRE EXTINGUISHERS: WHEN NOT TO FIGHT A FIRE: WHAT TO DO IF SOMEONE CATCHES ON FIRE: WHAT TO DO IF TRAPPED IN A BURNING BUILDING: HOW TO PREVENT FIRES: HOW TO IDENTIFY THE PROPER FIRE EXTINGUISHER: HOW TO EVACUATE A BURNING BUILDING:

USE OF PORTABLE FIRE EXTINGUISHERS:

1. Only if you have been properly trained in proper choice and use of portable fire extinguishers, and the fire you have seen is a small fire, and after starting the ALARM procedure, may you now make use of the portable extinguisher.

2. Remember, keep your back towards an unobstructed exit, stand 6-8 feet away and follow the four step PASS procedure.

3. Make sure the extinguisher you are using can be used on the material that is burning.

Fires fall into three basic classes:

Type A: Ordinary combustibles, such as wood, cloth, paper, rubber, and many plastics.
Type B: Flammable liquids, such as gasoline, oil, grease, tar, oil-based paint, lacquer, and flammable gas.
Type C: Energized electrical equipment, including wiring, fuse boxes, circuit breakers, machinery, and appliances.

IF YOU DO FIGHT THE FIRE,
REMEMBER THE WORD "PASS:"
Pull the pin.
Aim at the base of the fire.
Squeeze the handle.
Sweep back and forth.

WHEN NOT TO FIGHT A FIRE:

Never fight a fire:

• If the fire is spreading beyond the spot where it started
• If you can't fight the fire with your back to an escape exit
• If the fire can block your only escape
• If you don't have adequate fire-fighting equipment

In any of these situations,
DON'T FIGHT THE FIRE YOURSELF.
CALL FOR HELP.

WHAT TO DO IF SOMEONE CATCHES ON FIRE:

If you should catch on fire:
STOP - where you are
DROP - to the floor
ROLL - around on the floor
This will smother the flames, possibly saving your life.

Just remember to STOP, DROP and ROLL.

If a co-worker catches on fire, smother flames by grabbing a blanket or rug and wrapping them up in it.
That could save them from serious burns or even death.

WHAT TO DO IF TRAPPED IN A BURNING BUILDING:

If you're trying to escape a fire, never open a closed door without feeling it first. Use the back of your hand to prevent burning your palm. If the door is hot, try another exit. If none exists, seal the cracks around the doors and vents with anything available.

If in a dorm room, use wet towels to seal the space under the door and prevent the entry of smoke. Cracks around the door can be sealed with masking tape if necessary.

If trapped, look for a nearby phone and call the fire department, giving them your exact location.

If breathing is difficult, try to ventilate the room, but don't wait for an emergency to discover that window can't be opened.

If on an upper floor and your window is of a type that CANNOT be opened, DON'T break it out- you'll be raining glass down on rescuers and people exiting the building. If you can't contact the fire department by phone, wave for attention at the window. Don't panic.

HOW TO PREVENT FIRES:

Class A — Ordinary combustibles:
Keep storage and working areas free of trash Place oily rags in covered containers.

Class B — Flammable liquids or gases:
Don't refuel gasoline-powered equipment in a confined space, especially in the presence of an open flame such as a furnace or water heater.

Don't refuel gasoline-powered equipment while it's hot.

Keep flammable liquids stored in tightly closed, self-closing, spill-proof containers. Pour from storage drums only what you'll need.

Store flammable liquids away from spark-producing sources.

Use flammable liquids only in well-ventilated areas.

Class C — Electrical equipment:
Look for old wiring, worn insulation and broken electrical fittings. Report any hazardous condition to your supervisor.

Prevent motors from overheating by keeping them clean and in good working order. A spark from a rough-running motor can ignite the oil and dust in it.

Utility lights should always have some type of wire guard over them. Heat from an uncovered light bulb can easily ignite ordinary combustibles.

Don't misuse fuses. Never install a fuse rated higher than specified for the circuit.

Investigate any appliance or electrical equipment that smells strange. Unusual odors can be the first sign of fire.

Don't overload wall outlets. Two outlets should have no more than two plugs.

Class D — Flammable metals:
Flammable metals such as magnesium and titanium generally take a very hot heat source to ignite; however, once ignited are difficult to extinguish as the buring reaction produces sufficient oxygen to support combusion, even under water.

In some cases, covering the burning metal with sand can help contain the heat and sparks from the reaction. Class D exinguishing agents are available (generally as a dry powder in a bucket or box) which can be quite effective, but these agents are rare on the campus.

If you are planning a research project using a large amount of flammable metals you should consider purchasing a five or ten pound container of Class-D extinguishing agent as a precaution.

Pure metals such as potassium and sodium react violently (even explosively) with water and some other chemicals, and must be handled with care. Generally these metals are stored in sealed containers in a non-reactive liquid to prevent decay (surface oxidation) from contact with moisture in the air.

White phosphorus is air-reactive and will burn/explode on contact with room air. It must be kept in a sealed container with a non-reactive solution to prevent contact with air.

All of these metals are not uncommon in labs on the OU campus, but are generally only found in small quantities and accidental fires/reactions can be controlled or avoided completely through knowledge of the properties of the metals and using good judgement and common sense.

HOW TO IDENTIFY THE PROPER FIRE EXTINGUISHER:

All ratings are shows on the extinguisher faceplate. Some extinguishers are marked with multiple ratings such as AB, BC and ABC. These extinguishers are capable of putting out more than one class of fire.

Class A and B extinguishers carry a numerical rating that indicates how large a fire an experienced person can safely put out with that extinguisher.

Class C extinguishers have only a letter rating to indicate that the extinguishing agent will not conduct electrical current. Class C extinguishers must also carry a Class A or B rating.

Class D extinguishers carry only a letter rating indicating their effectiveness on certain amounts of specific metals.

KNOW YOUR ABC FOR FIRE EXTINGUISHERS Not all fire extinguishers can be effectively used on all fires. Some fires involve flammable liquids, some involve paper, and some involve electrical equipment. Fire extinguishers are classified by the type of fire they best extinguish.
	Class A Extinguishers will put out fires in ordinary combustibles, such as wood and paper. The numerical rating for this class of fire extinguisher refers to the amount of water the fire extinguisher holds and the amount of fire it will extinguish.
	Class B Extinguishers should be used on fires involving flammable liquids, such as grease, gasoline, oil, etc. The numerical rating for this class of fire extinguisher states the approximate number of square feet of a flammable liquid fire that a non-expert person can expect to extinguish
	Class C Extinguishers are suitable for use on electrically energized fires. This class of fire extinguishers does not have a numerical rating. The presence of the letter “C” indicates that the extinguishing agent is non-conductive.

 

HOW TO EVACUATE A BURNING BUILDING:

• The last one out of the room should not lock the door, just close it. Locking the door hinders the fire department's search and rescue efforts.
• Proceed to the exit as outlined in the Emergency Action Plan.
• NEVER, NEVER use elevators under any circumstances.
• Stay low to avoid smoke and toxic gases. The best air is close to the floor, so crawl if necessary.
• If possible, cover your mouth and nose with a damp cloth to help you breathe.
• If you work in a building with multiple stories, a stairway will be your primary escape route. Most enclosed stairwells in buildings over two stories are "rated" enclosures and will provide you a safe means of exit; don't panic descend stairs slowly and carefully.
• Once in the stairwell, proceed down to the first floor. Never go up.
• Once outside the building, report to a predetermined area so that a head count can be taken.