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5.3 More Common Hazards
Fire
Workplace fires burn many people each year, and some are fatal. A fire or explosion needs three things together: oxygen, fuel and heat. Take away any one and the fire cannot start, or it goes out.
- Fuel: flammable liquids such as paint, varnish, adhesives, solvents and petrol, wood, paper, card, plastics, rubber, foam, and flammable gases and dusts such as coal, sugar and grain.
- Heat (ignition): naked flames, cigarettes and matches, heaters, hot processes such as grinding and cooking, lighting equipment and friction.
- Oxygen: the air, oxidising materials such as bleaches, and oxygen stored in cylinders.
Fires injure and kill through heat and flames, through smoke, which can suffocate or poison, and through collapse of buildings. Once a fire has started, the best way to reduce harm is to get people away from it and out of reach of smoke. The best approach is to stop fires from starting. A fire goes out only when oxygen is removed, the fuel runs out, or the heat is taken away by cooling.
As a duty holder, find ways to eliminate or reduce sources of ignition (buy equipment designed to minimise fire risk), fuel (remove flammable materials or keep the least needed) and oxygen (shut doors and windows). Find out how much fire safety training your staff have had and what precautions are in place, such as smoke detectors, alarms, escape routes and firefighting equipment. You also need:
- a system to alert everyone and evacuate the premises
- regular fire drills, to test the system before a real fire
- adequate firefighting equipment, so that trained people can put out a fire in its early stage without danger to themselves
Getting in and getting out
We go in and out of buildings and sites without thought, but many people are injured doing it. Think about the hazards at the opening and beyond it. Ask yourself:
- Are entrances and exits for workers, visitors and vehicles identified?
- Are they well lit, maintained and staffed, if necessary?
- Are they suitable for the people who use them, and safe underfoot?
- Have you thought of emergencies, when routes might change?
Include entrances and exits in routine inspections.
Safety signs
Signs communicate safety information. Provide them wherever a hazard has not been fully controlled in other ways, and make sure your team understands them.
| Colour and shape | Type | Meaning | Example |
|---|---|---|---|
| Red circle | Prohibition | You must not do something. Red is also used for firefighting equipment. | No smoking, no pedestrian access |
| Blue circle | Mandatory | You must do something. | Wear ear defenders, wear head protection |
| Yellow or amber triangle | Warning | A hazard is present. | Forklift trucks, electricity, radioactive or biological risk |
| Green rectangle | Safe condition | Escape routes and first aid. | Fire exit, first aid post, emergency shower |
A study aid, not published or endorsed by IOSH or OSHA. Laws and limits differ between countries.