References
- The nucleus of the present chapter was provided by the written version of the paper, ‘Fire Prevention,’ given by Peter Diamond at the Institute of Paper Conservation's 1977 conference on Safety in the Paper Conservation Laboratory The present editor has considerably expanded this paper by utilising or condensing information from a variety of expert sources with particular debt to the following
- Bretherick , L. 1981 . Hazards in the Chemical Laboratory, , 3rd ed , London : Royal Society of Chemistry .
- Sax , I. 1979 . Dangerous Properties of Industrial Materials, , 5th ed. New York
- 1981 . Standard for Portable Fire Extinguishers , Quincy MA : National Fire Protection Association . NFPA 1981
- General Industry, OSHA Safety and Health Standards , Washington, DC : US Department of Labor, Occupational Safety and Health Administration . (29 CFR 1910), OSHA 2206, Revised June 1981, Subpart L—Fire Protection, 1910.155–1910 165 and appendices. pp 307–343
- Other general reference sources include
- 1977 . Fire Protection Handbook, , 14th ed. , Quincy MA : National Fire Protection Association .
- Accident Prevention Manual for Industrial Operations , Chicago : National Safety Council .
- For further specialist publications consult
- Publications and Visual Aids Catalog , Quincy MA : National Fire Protection Association .
- 1977 . Fire Booklist , London : Fire Protection Association .
- Certain chemicals can also provide their own oxygen and support a fire even when air is excluded, e.g. chlorates, nitrates, peroxides, so that these compounds have to be treated with extreme care and caution
- The advantages and limitations of a wide variety of commercially available metal fire extinguishing agents are discussed in section 13 Ch VI of the NFPA Fire Protection Handbook, (op. cit.).
- 1975 . The Highly Flammable Liquids and Liquefied Petroleum Gases Regulations , London : Her Majesty's Stationery Office . Department of the Environment Statutory Instrument. 1972
- The Abstract of Special Regulations (Highly Flammable Liquids and Liquid Petroleum Gases) Order 1974, Department of the Environment Statutory Instrument, 1974, No 1587, Her Majesty's Stationery Office, London 1974. Strict regulations are also in force in the United States of America both at state and federal level, see, e.g. General Industry, OSHA Safety and Health Standards. op cit, Subpart H, 1910.101–1910.116, pp. 155–298 & Subpart M. 1910.166- 1910.171, pp. 352–363
- 1975 . Fire Protection for Laboratories using Chemicals , National Fire Protection Association . NFPA 45
- 1974 . Storage and Handling of Liquefied Petroleum Gases , National Fire Protection Association . NFPA 56
- Standard for Indoor General Storage , National Fire Protection Association . NFPA 231–1979 Standard for Rack Storage of Materials, NFPA 231C-1980, National Fire Protection Association
- For further details see: Safe Handling for Compressed Gases, Pamphlet CGA P-1 (1965). Compressed Gas Association, New York
- 1975 . Standard for Visual Inspection of Compressed Gas Cylinders, C-6 , New York : Compressed Gas Association .
- Bretherick , L. 1979 . Handbook of Reactive Chemical Hazards An Indexed Guide to Published Data, , 2nd ed. London For further details see Hazardous Chemicals Data, NFPA 49, National Fire Protection Association 1975
- Fire-Hazard Properties of Flammable Liquids, Gases and Volatile Solids , National Fire Protection Association . NFPA 325M Flammable and Combustible Liquids Code, NFPA 3078, National Fire Protection Association Hazardous Chemical Data, NFPA 49–1973, National Fire Protection Association
- Manual of Hazardous Chemical Reactions , National Fire Protection Association . NFPA 491M-1971
- 1977 . Electrical Inspection Illustrated. , Chicago : National Safety Council . For further details see
- Flammable Liquids and Gases Electrical Equipment , London : Fire Protection Association . Fire Safety Data Sheet No 6014
- National Electrical Code , Quincy MA : American National Standards Institute, New York and National Fire Protection Association . ANSI/NFPA 70
- Plug into Electrical Safety , Chicago : National Safety Council .
- 1974 . Regulations for the Electrical Equipment of Buildings , London : The Institution of Electrical Engineers .
- Electrical Apparatus for Potentially Explosive Atmospheres , London : British Standards Institution . BS 5501
- Code of Practice for the selection, Installation and Maintenance of Electrical Apparatus for Use in Potentially Explosive Atmospheres (Other than Mining Applications or Explosive Processing and Manufacturing) , London : British Standards Institution . BS 5345
- Nicholls , A. H. 1959 . The Comparative Life, fire and Explosion Hazards of Common Refrigerants. Chicago 1933, Reprinted Wilmington, DE, An explosion might fracture piping and ignite the refrigerant itself For data see
- Fire Prevention Design Guide , London : Fire Protection Association .
- 1978 . Fire Alarm and Communication Systems , Washington, DC : National Bureau of Standards .
- 1973 . Rules of the fire Offices' Committee for Automatic fire Alarm Installations, , 11th ed. , London : Fire Offices' Committee .
- Standard on Automatic fire Detectors , Quincy MA : American National Standards Institute, New York and National Fire Protection Association . ANSI/NFPA 72E
- Standard for Local Protective Signalling Systems , Quincy, MA : American National Standards Institute. New York and National Fire Protection Association . ANSI/NFPA 72A
- Standard for fire Doors and Windows , National Fire Protection Association . NFPA 80–77
- 1976 . Fire Certificates (Special Premises) Regulations 1976 , London : Department of the Environment Statutory Instrument . 1976, No 20003
- 1976 . Fire Certificates (Special Premises) Regulations (1976) 20 Questions , London : Health and Safety Executive, Her Majesty's Stationery Office .
- 1977 . Guides to the Fire Precautions Act 1971. 2 Factories , London : Home Office Scottish Home and Health Department, Her Majesty's Stationery Office .
- Means of Escape in Case of Fire in Offices, Shops and Railway Premises , Health and Safety at Work Series No 40 London : Her Majesty's Stationery Office .
- Related regulations apply in the United States of America, see, for example Federal Register, Friday, September 12, 1980, Vol 45 No 179. Rules and Regulations, Part III, U.S. Department of Labor, Occupational Safety and Health Adminstration
- Fire Protection Means of Egress, Hazardous Materials final Rule
- 1971–1979 . Manual of Firemanship: A Survey of the Science of fire-fighting , London : Home Office, Her Majesty's Stationery Office .
- Much of the information given here on portable fire extinguishers is condensed from the National Fire Protection Association's Standard for Portable Fire Extinguishers, op. cit. which should be consulted for full information. See also
- 1978 . List of Approved Portable fire Extinguishers , London : Fire Offices' Committee .
- 1977 . Portable Fire Extinguisher Selection Guide , Chicago : National Association of Fire Equipment Distributors .
- 1975 . OSHA and fire Extinguishers: Requirements for General Industry, , 2nd ed. , Chicago : National Association of Fire Equipment Distributors .
- 1977 . Specification for Portable Fire Extinguishers , London : British Standards Institution . BS 5423
- 1974 . Discontinued Fire Extinguishers: Soda Acid, Water Cartridge Foam, Loaded Stream Cartridge , Chicago : National Association of Fire Equipment Distributors .
- The term ‘extinguisher classification’ means the letter classification given an extinguisher to designate the class or classes of fire on which an extinguisher will be effective The term ‘extinguisher rating’ means the numerical rating given to an extinguisher which indicates the relative extinguishing potential of the until based on standardised tests In this chapter the term ‘fire extinguishment rating’ is used to cover the combined letter and numerical rating found on approved extinguishers To give an example of how the rating system works An extinguisher is raced 4-A, 20-BC. This indicates that (1) it should extinguish approximately twice as much Class A fire as a 2-A (2 1/2 gallon water) rated extinguisher, (2) it should extinguish approximately twenty times as much Class B fire as a 1-B rated extinguisher, (3) it is suitable for use on energised electrical equipment The Class B ratings given by testing laboratories are based on flammable liquid fires of appreciable depth In North America the classifications and ratings are based on tests carried out by Underwriters’ Laboratories Inc and Underwriters' Laboratories of Canada and their labels with this information should be fixed to the extinguisher See
- Standard for Rating and fire Testing of Extinguishers , Northbrook, IL : American National Standards Institute, New York and Underwriters' Laboratories. Inc. . ANSI/UL 711–1979
- Rating and fire Testing of fire Extinguishers , Scarborough. Ontario : Underwriters Laboratories of Canada . Canada 4–5508–76 (National Standard of Canada for Rating and Fire Testing of Extinguishers)
- In the United Kingdom extinguishers should conform with British Standards Institution specifications BS 5423, Specifications for Portable Fire Extinguishers and be approved by the Fire Offices' Committee In the United States they should conform with NFPA and OSHA standards
- 1975 . Recommended System for the Identification of the fire Hazards of Materials , National Fire Protection Association . NFPA 704M
- A recent study related to this problem was discussed in a paper given lo the Tenth Annual Meeting of The American Institute for Conservation of Historic and Artistic Works. Milwaukee, May 30, 1982
- Von Rosentiel , H. , North , L. and Block , J. ‘Effect of Dry Powder Fire Extinguisher Chemical on Selected Fibers’
- For general problems and criteria concerning fire protection in cultural institutions see
- Tiszkus , A. T. and Dressler , E. G. 1980 . Fire protection planning for cultural institutions . Technology and Conservation , Vol. 5 ( 2 ) : 18 – 23 .
- Standard for Archive Centers , National Fire Protection Association . NFPA 232AM
- Standard for Libraries and Library Collections , National Fire Protection Association . NFPA 910
- Standard for Museums and Museum Collections , National Fire Protection Association . NFPA 911
- Standard on Protection of Records , National Fire Protection Association . NFPA 232
- Standard on Wetting Agents , National Fire Protection Association . NFPA 18–1976
- Standard for Foam Extinguishing Systems , National Fire Protection Association . NFPA 11–1978
- Standard for High Expansion Foam System , National Fire Protection Association . NFPA 11A-1981. Standard for Synthetic Foam and Combined Agent Systems, NFPA 12–1980. National Fire Protection Association
- Standard for Carbon Dioxide Extinguishing Systems , National Fire Protection Association . NFPA 12–1980
- Standard for Halon 1211 Fire Extinguishing Systems , National Fire Protection Association . NFPA 128–1980
- Standard for Halon 1301 Fire Extinguishing Systems , National Fire Protection Association . NFPA 12A-1980
- Standard for Dry Chemical Extinguishing Systems , National Fire Protection Association . NFPA 17–1980
- For standards on fixed fire suppression equipment and installations see the related Fire Safety Data Sheet of the Fire Protection Association, London and General Industry, OSHA Safety and Health Standards, op. cit., 1910. 159–1910–163 (pp. 319–323) & appendices and the relevant NFPA publications
- 1980 . Code of Practice for Fire Extinguishing Installations and Equipment on Premises, Part 3, Portable Fire Extinguishers , London : British Standards Institution . BS 5306
- Portable Fire Extinguishers: Siting, Care and Maintenance , London : Fire Protection Association . Fire Safety Sata Sheet No. 6002
- Extinguishers containing plain water only can be protected to temperatures as low as −40° F (- 0°C) by the addition of an antifreeze stipulated on the extinguisher nameplate. Calcium chloride solutions should not be used in stainless Steel extinguishers. Some extinguishers that use nitrogen as an expellent gas rather than carbon dioxide are approved or listed for temperatures as low as −65°F (- 54°C)
- Portable Fire Extinguishers: How to Use , London : Fire Protection Association . Fire Safety Data Sheet No. 6003
- Haessler , W. M. 1974 . The Extinguishment of Fires , Quincy, MA : National Fire Protection Association .
- For startling case histories and other details of amateur servicing and maintenance of portable fire extinguishers see Anything less than a NAFED Technician can spell D-I-S-A-S-T-E-R, National Association of Fire Equipment Distributors. Chicago
- 1976 . Fire Extinguishers can be Dangerous if… , Chicago : National Association of Fire Equipment Distributors .
- Laboratory Safety Guide for Evaluating and Protecting against Potential Fire Hazards , Chicago : National Safety Council . R & D Section (nd.)