In general, the cause of most plant
fires is the exposure of a fuel to a source of heat. Where the fuel,
such as accumulations of trash or debris, is not necessary plant
operation, fires can be prevented by removal of the fuel.
Where the exposed fuel, such as raw
materials or finished products, is essential, the source of heat must
be protected or controlled. Some of the most common sources of heat
and fuel that cause plant fires are heating and cooking equipment,
smoking, electric equipment, burning, flammable liquids, open flames
and sparks, incendiary (arson), spontaneous ignition, gas fires, and
explosions.
These sources of heat are summarized
here.
Heating and Cooking Equipment
Defective or Overheated Equipment. This
includes improperly maintained or operated furnaces, smoke pipes,
vents, portable and stationary heaters, industrial commercial
furnaces, and incinerators.
Chimneys and Flues. Fire can arise from
ignition of accumulated soot or inadequate separation from
combustible material.
Hot Ashes and Coals. These can cause
problems when improper disposal or disposal in combustible containers
or with combustible debris occurs.
Improper Location. This can mean
installation too close to combustible or accumulation of combustibles
near an appliance.
Electric Equipment
Wiring and Distribution Equipment.
These include short-circuit faults, arcs, and sparks from damaged,
defective, or improperly installed components.
Motors and Appliances. These include
careless use, improper installation, and poor maintenance.
Flammable Liquids
Storage and Handling. These hazards
include careless spills, leaking fuel, and overturned tanks.
Inadequate Safeguards. Fires can be
started by improper storage containers or facilities, improper
electrical equipment near open processes, or improper bonding and
grounding of transfer processes.
Open Flames and Sparks
Trash and Rubbish. Burning trash and
rubbish can furnish the fuel for accidental ignition; careless
burning ignites other material.
Sparks and Embers. Problems include
ignition of roof coverings by sparks from chimneys, incinerators,
rubbish fires, locomotives, etc.
Welding and Cutting. Hazards include
ignition of combustibles by the arc or flame itself, heat conduction
through the metals being welded or cut, molten slag and metal from
the cut, and sparks.
Friction, Sparks from Machinery.
Friction heat or sparks resulting from impact between two hard
surfaces are a hazard.
Thawing Pipes. Open-flame devices are a
hazard when used in the dangerous practice of thawing pipes.
Other Open Flames. These include
ignition sources such as candles, locomotive sparks, incinerator
sparks, and chimney sparks.
Lightning. This includes building fires
caused by the effects of lightning.
Exposure. Exposure fires are those
originating in places other than buildings, but which ignite
buildings.
Incendiary, Suspicious. These are fires
that are known to be or thought to have been set, fires set to
defraud insurance companies, fires set by mentally disturbed persons,
and fires set by malicious persons.
Spontaneous Ignition. This means fires
resulting from the uncontrolled spontaneous heating of materials.
Gas Fires and Explosions. These are
fires and explosions that involve gas that has escaped from piping,
storage tanks, equipment, or appliances and fires caused by misuse or
faulty operation of gas appliances.
Smoking. The use of smoking materials
in flammable or explosive atmospheres, or discarding smoking
materials in combustible debris.
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