M93 - Chapter 1

Question 1

What is the ‘Fire Triangle’

Answer 1

The three factors needed to start a fire.

1. Fuel (gas, wood, vapour etc.)
2. Oxygen
3. Sufficient Heat source (could be caused via chemical reaction)

Question 2

What are the general causes of fire?

Answer 2

People - Human error, throwing fags

Processes - Welding, plastic moulding

Heating Systems - Portable heaters & exposed flames

Lighting and Power Systems - Water ingress

Waste - Incorrectly stored (Propagation hazard)

Materials - If allowed to overhead some materials can ignite Including Flax and Corn!

Question 3

What is a fire inception hazard?

Answer 3

The start of the fire

Question 4

What is the fire load?

Answer 4

The totality of all the customer materials in the building.

An empty stone warehouse = Low fire load
The same warehouse full of fire works = High fire load

Question 5

What is the a Propagation hazard?

Answer 5

Following the fires inception, the propagation hazard is that which cause the fire to spread.

EG Some throws a fag down on the floor (inception hazard) and it starts the carpet on fire and to spread (Propagation hazard)

Question 6

How can heat be transferred?

Answer 6

Conduction - Two items touch and one heats the other to a higher temperature
Convection - Transfer of heat into the air
Radiation - Like a light bulb

Question 7

3 Examples of Fire risk management for multi-tenure buildings.

Answer 7

1. Fire Resistance - Floors, ceilings, roof and walls
2. Fire Resistant openings - Doors (Concrete stair cases)
3. Fire detection - Smoke alarms, heat detectors

Question 8

4 Examples of tenants internal fire management to reduce fire prorogation

Answer 8

1. Combustibility of stock and furniture
2. Housekeeping standards
3. Waste Removal
   4, Flammable liquid storage

Question 9

Best fire prevention techniques for multi-tenure properties to improve protection against fires occurring.

Answer 9

1. Landlord to have control and vet new tenants.
2. Frequent inspections of those tenants.
3. Fire resistant compartments or incombustible partitioning
4. Sprinkler installations
5. Automatic fire detection with at least detector per room

Question 10

Major fire causes

Answer 10

Heating and industrial processes
Spont' Combustion
Smoking
Electrical appliances (Toaster etc)
Static 
Arson
Poor housekeeping 
Application of heat by contractors
Cooking

Question 11

Arson is the ‘largest’ individual cause of fires in the workplace and hard to predict, how can it be risk managed?

Answer 11

1. Security of buildings or yards
2. Reduction of combustible material kept in yards
3. Keeping waste bins and skips away form the building

Question 12

For heating, what 4 things are insurers most interested in?

Answer 12

1. The suitability of the machine to perform the function
2. Its location
3. How it is used
4. The attention paid to its maintenance and repair

Question 13

Safety devices such as ‘shut off-interlocks’ should be fitted to heaters, what should they do?

Answer 13

Prevent entry of foreign bodies

Detect overheating

Detect stoppages or blockages

Prevent contamination of processed material

Question 14

What information will U/w need to understand the risk posed by heaters?

5

Answer 14

Number of machines running unattended & the frequency that this happens

The process the machines are being used for

Fitted with thermostats or fire suppression system

Maintenance and servicing contracts

Fire alarm and sprinkler systems

Question 15

What is Spontaneous combustion?

Answer 15

A exothermic chemical reaction, heat builds up and auto ignition takes place

Question 16

Under the fire protection association guide lines, how long should a door resist fire?

Answer 16

2 Hours

Question 17

Fire safety order primary concern?

Answer 17

Safety of personnel