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On Fire Again!

By Dan Scungio, MT(ASCP), SLS

 

As I write this article, it is still October, which means that it is October “National Fire Prevention Month.” Since I did not write about fire prevention last time, I feel I must discuss it now. I hope you feel the same urge to discuss it in your laboratories often. I find that fire safety awareness is not always at the forefront of peoples’ thoughts. That could be very dangerous when a fire occurs.

I have written before that between 1980 and 1999, there was an average of 40 laboratory fires per year in the United States.* I think that number is high, and this summer, as Hurricane Irene blew through Virginia, one of our labs became part of that statistic. The fire was very minor, and it started on the lab’s electrical panel. Luckily, the staff knew how to respond and it was handled very quickly and efficiently.

In the 1989 film The War of the Roses, there is a scene in which the Christmas tree catches fire. The actor is obviously not familiar with the operation of his fire extinguisher and is reading the instructions as he is attempting to extinguish the fire. The scene is comical, but this is not something you would want to have happen if the fire were in your area.

Knowing how to operate a fire extinguisher should be second nature for anyone who works in a laboratory. The College of American Pathologists (CAP) requires that all laboratories have hands-on fire extinguisher training. They do not state that the training should be annual, but I believe you or your facility should offer the training at least annually to constantly remind staff how to use the equipment. The more often you go over it, the more likely you are to know what to do in the case of a real fire.

Some facilities offer fire extinguisher training as they need to empty out their refillable extinguishers (typically CO2 extinguishers). However, if that does not happen where you are, you have other options. One is to contact your local fire authority. They may happily provide fire extinguisher training for your staff. Another option is to provide the training yourself.  You may be able to obtain a test extinguisher or you may simply have to use a full extinguisher without actually discharging it. The important thing is to go through all of the steps of PASS (Pull, Aim , Squeeze, Sweep) and to let the staff actually handle the fire extinguisher.

If you are providing the training, make sure you give some information about fires that people may not know. Describe the different classes of fires (A, B, and C) and the types of fire extinguishers used to fight them. Remind them not to use more than one extinguisher at a time so they do not blow a small fire onto another person. Tell them to always keep themselves between the fire and the exit. If the fire gets too big or out of control, make sure they leave the fire-fighting to the professionals.

Remember the electrical fire I mentioned earlier? There are things we can and should do in the lab to prevent fires from occurring in the first place. One is to check those panels. OSHA and the National Electric Code (NEC) require that nothing blocks electrical panels. You need to be able to get to them in the event of a fire or other electrical emergency.

Inspect your lab for fire risks. Are electrical cords frayed? This is a major cause of fires in the laboratory. Are items stored too close to the ceiling? This may block the action of your sprinkler system. Are ceiling tiles missing or out of place? This disrupts an important fire and smoke barrier. Who performs these inspections? You can, or your local fire authority can as well.

October is a great time to raise fire safety awareness in your laboratory, but this is something that must be done all year. Drill your staff, make sure they know how to react to a real fire. Train them in the use of fire-fighting equipment. Walk your evacuation routes annually. Your staff truly cannot be too prepared. The nice thing about fire safety is that the details are fairly easy for staff to remember. By having this knowledge, however, they will be able to react properly, and stay safe during a real fire event.