How To Use A Fire Blanket

Did you know that approximately one of four residential fires start in the kitchen?

This fact alone should indicate how important it is to own and know how to use your fire blanket.

What Is A Fire Blanket?

A fire blanket is a sheet made from a malleable material such as wool or woven fibreglass.

All fire blankets are treated with flame-resistant chemicals and can resist temperatures of up to 500 degrees Celsius.

Fire blankets are ok to be used on small Class A and B fires as well as Class F cooking fires.

How To Use A Fire Blanket?

It’s crucial to remember that a fire blanket use is only useful in cases of minor fire.

• Turn off all electricity/gas supply that can add to the fire — for example, the gas on the stove.
• Completely cover the fire with the fire blanket to ensure that no oxygen is reaching the fire. A Fire blanket works by blocking the oxygen from the fire, which then disrupts the chemical process needed for a fire.
• While using the fire blanket, be sure to wrap the top edges of the blanket around your hands to prevent any burns. Also, be careful not to let your clothing catch fire.
• Gently place the blanket down instead of trying to throw it over the fire; a sudden rush of air could spread the flames.
• Leave the blanket to sit for around half an hour and do not touch the fire blanket until it has had enough time to cool down.
• Evacuate the area and call 111 to get the fire brigade immediately if you’re unable to extinguish the fire with the blanket.

Note:

Fire blankets are not intended to be reused, so make sure you dispose and replace your fire blanket once it has been used.

 

Where To Use A Fire Blanket?

Fire blankets are usually placed near risks of class F fires.

Kitchens are one such place, as there is a high chance of a fire breaking out even with simple accidents like burning fat oils.

In addition to that, your office, garage and all types of vehicles can benefit from having a fire blanket readily available.

It is also possible to use Fire blankets on clothing. If the clothing you are wearing catches fire, you can wrap the blanket around yourself to smother the flames and extinguish the fire.

Correct fire blanket usage can save not only your valuables but also someone’s life.

How Do You Store A Fire Blanket?

All fire blankets need to be placed in a readily available location.

Fire blankets come in a quick-release PVC sleeve. This sleeve helps to protect your blanket from any contamination from oils etc.

Commonly, it is best to place fire blankets among travel paths or near the exit, but it must be practical. Also, there must be enough room to grab the fire blanket without having to reach over the fire.

Fire Blanket Signage

All fire blankets must be accompanied by fire blanket signage as per NZS4503.

A Fire blanket sign needs to be located at least 2000mm above floor level and be clearly visible to allow quick response during the event of a fire.

The fire blanket sign shall be red with a white border and black writing.

Fire Blanket Sizes

Fire blankets come in numerous sizes with four sizes readily available on the market.

Determining the right size fire blanket depends on the hazards involved. For confined spaces, a small fire blanket will be more convenient to operate. In the risk of a sizeable deep frier fire, a large fire blanket will be more efficient.

Typical fire blanket sizes found in New Zealand are:

• 1.0m X 1.0m
• 1.2m X 1.2m
• 1.2m X 1.8m
• 1.8m X 1.8m

from
https://fireextinguishersnz.co.nz/how-to-use-a-fire-blanket/

What Fire Extinguisher Do I Need For My Business?

You have worked all your life to achieve the success of your business, and now that you are on the top or almost there, you would want to protect everything you have worked for against possible threats such as a fire accident.
As you probably know, fire in the business is quite a common scenario particularly for those that handle combustible items and flammable chemicals. However, even if your business does not do that, it is still imperative that you protect it against the possibility of a fire outbreak by equipping it with a high-quality fire extinguisher. Now, before you go out to buy a couple of these fire fighting devices, you first have to know what types are ideal for your business. Here are some examples to give you an idea.

Businesses with Multiple Areas

If you have a large business that has different areas, it is necessary to examine and study the fire risks and hazards of each room for you to determine the ideal types of fire extinguishers to install. For example, if you have a car dealership business that has a manager's office, workshop, store, showroom and storage for flammable materials, you would have to put different kinds of fire extinguishers for these rooms. For example, for the office, you can install a dry powder extinguisher, whereas a foam extinguisher can be ideal both in the office and in the chemical storage room as this is ideal for paper fires and flammable liquid fires.

Businesses with Multiple Risks

For businesses that have multiple risks such as auto repair shops, you would want something that can cover most of the risks present such as a powder fire extinguisher that can put out Class A, B and E fires (solid fuels, flammable liquids, and gas). In addition to this, you would also want to install a CO2 extinguisher for electrical fires, which is also a risk in auto repair shops. Another type of multi-risk business is a construction site. Here, it is also advisable to have a powder fire extinguisher and a CO2 fire extinguisher for maximum protection against fire accidents.

Other Types of Businesses

Offices, hotels, schools, nursing homes, salons, retail stores, and shopping centres can be equipped with powder fire extinguishers as these are multi-purpose. However, the downside to this is that it creates a dust cloud that may make it difficult for people to find fire exits. Because of this, many business owners prefer a combination of water extinguisher (for general fires) and CO2 fire extinguisher (for electrical fires). A restaurant or fast food kitchen should be equipped with wet chemical extinguishers for cooking oils fire as well as CO2 extinguishers as most of these kitchens utilize electrical equipment. Furthermore, you should also fit your company vehicle with a suitable car fire extinguisher.
Fire extinguishers can surely give ample protection to your business. However, you also have to keep in mind that finding the ideal type is not the only thing you should do. In addition to this, you need to have monthly inspection and maintenance of the extinguishers and fire drills and emergency preparedness training for your staff to ensure maximum protection not only of your business but more importantly your employees as well.

From Fire Protection Online https://fireprotectiononline.co.nz/what-fire-extinguisher-do-i-need-for-my-business/

Best Fire Extinguisher For Kitchens

If you own a restaurant, café, fast food, or any other type of food business, you probably know that kitchen cooking is the primary cause of fire in these kinds of businesses.
This is why, it is crucial to ensure safety in your commercial kitchen to prevent the occurrence of a fire outbreak that can damage your business, threaten the lives of your employees and customers, and destroy everything you have worked for your entire life.
Fortunately, safety in the commercial kitchen is not that difficult to achieve if you have the right attitude and knowledge about this matter. To help you in promoting kitchen safety, here are some tips to keep in mind.

Equip your Kitchen with a High-Quality Wet Chemical Fire Extinguisher

A wet chemical fire extinguisher is the only extinguisher safe to use for fires caused by grease, cooking oil, and fat fryers. This device comes with a specialised long applicator that is used to lay a cooling layer of extinguishing agent on top of the burning oil. To control the fire, remove the safety pin, aim the nozzle at the base of the flames, squeeze the lever gently, and make a sweeping motion from side to side to put out the fire thoroughly. Always remember that it is never safe to use water, powder, foam or CO2 extinguishers on any fire involving fat or oil. Alternatively, you can also use a fire blanket over a pan with burning oil or fat and then wait for several hours before touching the pan or the blanket. Make sure you store the fire blankets and extinguishers in areas that are visible and accessible.

More Safe Cooking Tips

To enjoy safe cooking in the kitchen, always pay attention to what you are doing and never leave anything unattended. Take pans off the heat and turn the heat down if you need to leave the cooker for a while, such as if someone is at the door or if you need to answer the phone. Avoid wearing loose clothing as this can easily catch fire. Wear short sleeves when in the kitchen. Always double check if you have turned the cooker off before leaving.
Never put the stove near anything that can easily catch fire such as curtains, potholders, or kitchen towels. See to it that you keep the stove clean and free of built-up fats and other food debris that can start a fire. Never fill a chip pan or deep-fat fryer with more than one-third of oil. Make it a habit to check the ventilation of the kitchen regularly and ensure that the range hoods or fans are not blocked up.
It is true that kitchen cooking is the primary cause of fires in food businesses such as restaurant and fast food. The good news is you can prevent such scenario by practising safe cooking measures and by equipping your kitchen with safety devices such as wet chemical fire extinguisher and fire blankets. These fire safety devices are available online along with other tools such as fire alarms, smoke alarms, smoke seals, carbon monoxide detector, and so on.

WHAT TYPE OF EQUIPMENT IS REQUIRED FOR A KITCHEN FIRE?

We recommednd the follow fire equipment for class F fires

Fire Blanket

Fire blankets are recommended in the event of an oil fire in a pan or on the stove top.

It can be used to smother the fire or to wrap around a person whose clothing may have caught alight.
Check out our range of fire blankets

Wet Chemical Fire Extinguisher

If you are using a large amount of oil for cooking in your kitchen, such as a deep fryer, then a wet chemical fire extinguisher is needed.
You can find more information about wet chemical on our article here

From Fire Protection Online Blog https://fireprotectiononline.co.nz/best-fire-extinguisher-for-kitchens/

Electrical Protective Devices

There are various protective devices that can be used with portable electric power tools. These include the isolating transformer, the earth-leakage circuit breaker and the RCD.

 

Isolating Transformer

The isolating transformer plugs into the power supply and provides one of the safest ways to use a portable power tool. A portable power tool connected to an isolating transformer is fully isolated from earth. If a fault occurs, you will not receive an electric shock. You must plug the transformer into the power outlet (wall socket) so that it isolates the whole circuit. This is especially important when you’re using tools connected to extension cords. If you plug the transformer into the end of an extension cord, the cord is not protected.

 

Earth Leakage Circuit Breaker

An earth leakage circuit breaker also plugs into the power supply. It will cut off the power very quickly if a live part is touched or otherwise earths.

 

Residual Current Devices (RCD)

RCDs are devices that can sense a leakage of current in a circuit, and switch the circuit off. All RCDs legally require a test button to check whether they are operating efficiently and correctly. You should test an RCD regularly to ensure that it will work properly should a fault develop in the circuit. Types of RCD include

• The plugin RCD adaptor is suitable for use with most portable electric tools and appliances. You plug the tool, appliance or extension cord directly into the RCD adaptor
• The inline RCD extension cord is a safer alternative to a normal extension cord. You can plug it into any power outlet, and it protects the user of a power tool or appliance.
• The fixed wired wall mounted RCD is permanently wired into bathrooms, kitchens and laundries. You use this type of RCD to run shavers, hairdryers, smoothing irons and other similar appliances.
• The switchboard mounted RCD is permanently installed at the switchboard and can be wired to provide protection to a complete circuit.

 

Double Insulated Tools

The international symbol for double insulation is a square within a square. Double insulated tools have additional insulation between any exposed metal parts and the insulation of the current-carrying parts, hence the term “double insulation”. A double insulated tool may be used inside or outside, in wet or dry conditions or on earthed metals, but it is sensible to use an isolating transformer with double insulated tools. The lead supplying power to the tool needs to be electrically safe as well, either through an isolating transformer or RCD. Even when double insulted tools marked with a double square are used. Double insulation will not protect the user from risks caused by faulty leads or plugs.

 

Residual Current Devices (RCD) – How they work

From https://electricianrotorua.com/electrical-protective-devices/

Electrical Protective Devices syndicated from https://electricianrotorua.wordpress.com/

from
https://summerblakeley.blogspot.com/2019/10/electrical-protective-devices.html

What Are The Different Classes Of Fire?

Classes Of Fire

The fuel burning dictates the type of extinguisher you use to fight the fire. To help you understand this concept you need to know how fires are classified and which fire extinguishers are suitable for each class.

Class A Fires

Class A fires start when materials such as paper, rubbish, wood, or other carbon-based materials ignite.

Dry powder, foam and water extinguishers are suitable for this class of fire. Your best plan of attack would is to locate the nearest fire hose. This will give you a constant stream of water. The temperature at the base of the fire will cool to a point below that needed for combustion to take place.

Class B Fires

Class B fires involve flammable liquids such as paints, oil, and petrol. With these materials, its the vapours of fumes that burn rather than the liquid. Because the vapours a lighter than air, they can drift away from the seat of the fire, and then ignite, causing what’s called a flash-off.

This class of fire can be put out using carbon dioxide, dry powder ABE, or foam extinguishers. These starve the fire of the oxygen it requires for burning. Water will only help to spread the fire in this situation.

Class C FIres

C Class fires are fires involving flammable gases, e.g. natural gas, hydrogen, propane, butane.

Before fighting a Class C fire, you must turn off the gas if possible. ABE dry powder fire extinguishers are used to fight this class.

Class D Fires

D Class fires are fires involving combustible metals such as sodium, magnesium, lithium and potassium.

Specialised dry powders are available to control this class of fire. Sand also can smother the fire. Using water would produce hydrogen and cause an explosion.

Class E Fires

Class E fires are electrical fires. They usually start because of a short circuit or arcing in loose connections or because wiring becomes overheated. You must be very careful here because there is the added risk of electrical shock as well as the threat from the fire.

For all E Class fires, you should use either Carbon Dioxide extinguishers or Dry powder. Neither of these conducts electricity, and both starve the fire of oxygen. Never use water on Class E fires.

Class F Fires

These are fires involving cooking fats and oils. The high temperature of these types of fats and oil when on fire far exceeds that of other flammable liquids.

Wet Chemical extinguishers react with the surface of the oil or fat. This creates a soapy film barrier on the surface which seals off the air supply.

From

https://fireprotectiononline.co.nz/different-classes-of-fire/

From

https://fireprotectioninformation.wordpress.com/2019/10/04/what-are-the-different-classes-of-fire/

Fire Extinguisher Types

 

Fire Extinguisher Types

In New Zealand, fire extinguishers have a uniquely coloured band at the top of the cylinder for easy recognition. Because there are no universal extinguishing agents available, it’s essential to know the different fire extinguisher types. Some fire extinguisher types can make a fire worse or help spread it. Each fire extinguisher type needs to meet NZS4503:2005.

What Are The Classes Of Fire?

• Class A – fires involving carbon-based materials such as paper, wood or textiles.
• Class B – fires involving flammable liquids such as petrol, diesel or oils.
• Class C – fires involving flammable gases.
• Class D – fires involving combustible metals.
• Class E – fires involving electrically energised equipment.
• Class F – fires involving cooking oils and fats.

From

https://fireshop.co.nz/fire-extinguisher-types/

From

https://catherinelee4.blogspot.com/2019/10/fire-extinguisher-types.html 

NZ Fire Extinguisher Types And Fire Class

Fire is a constant danger when you’re using flammable materials in any workshop. Your safety depends on whether you can

• Identify the cause of the fire.
• Identify the correct extinguisher to use on different fires.
• Correctly operate the fire extinguisher.

Elements of fire

• Fuel, heat and oxygen must be present before there can be a fire:
• Fuel is anything combustible: any solid, liquid or gas that can burn, for example, wood, paper, oil, solvents and so on.
• Heat can come from flames, sparks, friction, electrical sources, hot pipes and equipment.
• Oxygen comes mainly from the air but also from some chemicals.

To put out a fire, remove one of the three elements by:

• Removing fuel to starve the fire.
• Removing oxygen to smother the fire.
• Cooling the heat by using water.

Types of fire

The fuel that is burning dictates the kind of extinguisher you use to fight the fire. To help you understand this concept, you need to know how fires are classified and which fire extinguishers are suitable for each class. We will look at the following classes of fire A, B, E, and D.

Class A Fires

Class A fires start when materials such as paper, rubbish, wood, cloth or other carbon-based materials ignite.

Class B Fires

Class B fires involve flammable liquids such as paints, oil and petrol. With these materials, its the vapours or fumes that burn rather than the liquid. Because the vapours are lighter than the air, they can drift away from the seat of the fire, and then ignite, causing what’s called a flash off. This instantaneously increases the size of the fire and is very dangerous.

Class D Fires

Class D fires are fires involving combustible metals such as sodium, magnesium, lithium and potassium. Specialised dry powders are available to control these fires.

Class E Fires

Class E fires are electrical fires. They usually start because of short circuit or arching in loose connections, or because wiring becomes overheated. You must be very careful here because there is the added risk of electrical shock as well as the threat from the fire. Switch off the power if you can safely.

Types Of Fire Extinguisher

Fire Extinguisher Types NZ

There are five types of fire extinguisher found throughout the working environment, they are

• Carbon Dioxide
• Dry Powder
• Foam
• Water
• Wet Chemical

The type of fire extinguisher you can use for each class of fire is as follows

Class A Fires: Water, dry powder, foam, co2 and wet chemical extinguishers are suitable for this kind of fire. Your best plan of attack is to locate the nearest fire hose. This will give you a constant stream of cold water. The temperature at the base of the fire will cool to a point below that needed for combustion to take place.

Class B Fires: these fires can be put out using foam, dry powder or co2 extinguishers. These starve the fire of the oxygen it requires for burning. Water is useless in these situations because it will only spread the fuel around and increase the base of the fire.

Class D Fires: these fires require specialised powders and are usually designed for a specific metal such as lithium, sodium, magnesium, etc. Sand can also be used to smother the fire. Using water would produce hydrogen (H2) and cause an explosion.

Class E Fires: use dry powder or co2 extinguishers to fight electrical fires. Neither of these conducts electricity, and both starve the fire of the oxygen it requires for burning.

You must never use water on an electrical fire. Water and electricity do not mix. Water is a good conductor and will suck the electricity to the source of the water.

Fire extinguishers are colour coded to help you identify the contents and which kind of fire they should be used on. They have easy to follow operating instructions. Make sure that you read these instructions before you have to use an extinguisher. This will save you time in a real emergency situation and help you feel more confident.

Fire Hose Reels

Fire hose reels should be located to provide a reasonably accessible and controlled supply of water to combat potential fire risks. The length of a fully extended fire hose is normally between 18 to 36 metres. Hose diameters are usually 13 or 19 millimetres ( internal measurement).

Fire hose reels usually deliver a minimum of 14 litres of water per minute. However, some hose reels have flows of up to 75 litres per minute. A control nozzle attached to the end of the hose enables the operator to control the direction and flow of the water.

from
https://fireprotectiononline.blogspot.com/2019/09/nz-fire-extinguisher-types-and-fire.html