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FIGHTING TH FIRE MENACE industry in the mi

22nd October 1943
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Page 26, 22nd October 1943 — FIGHTING TH FIRE MENACE industry in the mi
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Which of the following most accurately describes the problem?

DESPITE all tile precautions which 'may be taken against the fire me-nace, conflagrations, often of a serious character, still occur. Whilst prevention is, obviously, better than cure, it is next to impossible to provide against evety eventuality. This being so, the means provided for extinguishing fires or for keeping them in check, must be of as high a standard as efficient organization can devise, National ingenuity has achieved a creditable defence plan against enemy incendiaris-m, but the high incidence of fires, originating from our own lack of care (and, sometimes, knowledge) on our very industrial doorsteps, compels one to ask whether our civil-crefence attainments are not negated by the fruits of the folly of relaxed vigilance and mental aberration.

The manufacture, testing and operation of motor-vehicle equipment is acaompanied by certain fire hazards, but there . is no reason to doubt that, with an intelligent application of common sense, care and planning, risks may be minimized.

An important measure, calculated to localize an outbreak of fire, is the planned dispersal of certain types of scrap .and waste (e.g., magnesium swarf and oily waste), stores and

finished 'products. The amount of combustible material carried by a motor manufacturer is considerable. The bulk storage of commodities of a single type is an unwise prac'lice.' A fire confined to such an area, may well jeopardize the works production flow by destroying a vital link in the complete assembly process. To off-set this danger, one well-known motor establishment has erected a series of stores readily accessible to the sections they supply, each store holding oply a-percentage of the total stock carried.

In these days, vast production programmes often result in an overflow of raw materials', and storage must assume an emergency character. Total sprinkler coverage is often impracticable, and it is here that managements must use their judgment in determining the degree of comparative combustibility, and relegate hazardous stock to site where sprinkler extinguishment is available.

Stocks of oil and petrol dispersed about the works should be stored below ground in specially earmarked areas, and the _statutory .regulations covering their safe usage controlled and enforced by a competent offiCial. A close watch must be kept for leaky containers; excessive wastage through this means, increases the ever-present 'danger of "flash". and sets up an-additional hazard. The smoking ban in these areas should be rigidly applied, even in the " You may smoke " periods enjoyed by the rest of the works.

In other departments sharing an acute fire danger, where rubber, paint, timber and upholstery are handled, smoking should come under the strictest supervision and, if tolerated, a liberal provision of ashtrays should be made, being preferably of metal and half-filled with water, In connection with paint shop and millwrights stores, it should, incidentally, be noted that certain solvents and diluents, such as natural turpentine may, if distributed over a large surface, such as cotton waste, and exposed to a moderate degree of warmth or to sunlight, catch fire spontaneously.

In the machine shop or polishing shop handling magnet sium-base alloys, every 'care should be taken to see that recommendations made by the suppliers of the alloys be strictly adhered ,to. Swarf and fine dust, consistiggprincipally of metallic magnesium, can readily be ignited, although the material presents no danger if well-established rules be adhered to. Particularly would we suggest that attention be paid to the elimination of any possibility of magnesium-laden dust being removed via ordinary dustexhauster systems; fires and explosions can readily be caused if this should happen and special apparatus has been designed to handle such malerials.

One of the most expensive forms of loss occurs when a• manufactured article has been completed, is ready for dispatch, and then becomes a fire casualty. This danger can be averted, to a large extent, by forethought and sound organization. So soon as a c,ompleted vehicle comes off the line it should be parked, ready fenthe road, at one of several assembly 'points, in either a building or a yard.

Should a fire occur near an assembly point, or give signs of spreading in that direction, a team of volunteer drivers, previously trained in its'duties, should be available to move all threatened vehicles and drive them as far away from the scene as is practicable.Thereby, a great deal of valuable material will be.saved. In one emergency of this character, the vehicles were loaded in the danger area with easily tnovnble stores and driven to safety, thus increasing the amount of material rescued from the flames. • In the engine-test department, .where power units are often fuel fed by temporary pipe connections and makeshift exhausts are constantly being " hooked up " and disconnected, great care should be taken to ensure that stuff connections are soundly made and that trailing pipes are out of-harm's way. Accumulations ofoily waste, rags, and the miscellaneous clutter of inflammable litter which finds its way with annoying persistence on to floors and in outof-the-way corners should be guarded against in the tTst department.

At the best of times, and on all factory locations, the clean-shop technique is one of the prerequisites of .fire prevention but, where conditions are subject to specific and additional hazards a punctilious observance of " goo-.l house-keeping" is especially necessary. An exhaust spark may find its way into a heap of inflammable rubbish and set going an insidious smoulder fire which, typical of the " trickiness " of such an outbreak, may smoulder on for hours and burst into flames when the works are vacated. Another source of danger in the testing department is the soundproof partitions frequently installed. Often these partitions, although faced with asbestos, or some other noninflammable material, house packing which is quick to ignite. Contractors, inexperienced in the scientific considerations governing acoustic work, substitute wood shavings for the recognized sound-deadening material and, where temperatures are high, the danger of spontaneous heating arises. This is no theoretical hazard, as only recently a fire broke out in a sound-deadening partition due to spontaneous ignition.

In addition to the automatically operated systems, which• should certainly be installed so far as possible in all departments, it is advisable that the works 'be self-supporting for all fire-prevention purposes. Fire stations, with pumps and

full equipment, should be placed at strategic points so that they can be brought into use in an instant for, make no mistake, the first few minutes of a fire are the most critical. Roads or gangways to these stations must be kept clear and, where possible, they should be so placed that, in the event of a store or department becoming involved, they themselves are not in danger.

The situation of hydrants in the works should be familiar not only to the members of the works' fire brigade, but to all personnel. To-day, thanks to the training which is imposed on fire-guard teams, many more men and women are.now acquainted with the use of fire-fighting appliances than was previously the case.

Now, it should be possible, in the ,event of a serious fire, for a large number of fully trained and semi-trained men to he immediately mobilized. In a factory which is fully conscious of its fire-fighting commitments, a plentiful supply of sand and water buckets should be dispersed throughout the premises, and scaling ladders placed on all roofs, in

order that no part of the factory shall remain unprotected. Personnel should be fully acquainted with the entire fire plan of a factory and each member of the staff, not only told of his own rale in the event of an. outbreak, but trained regularly to acquit himself with the highest pitch of efficiency and promptitude.

If the works be dependent on its fire brigade, a well-prepared system of control is essential. It should be so arranged that the moment fire breaks out' in a department the chief of the brigade, or his deputy, is notified by an inter-departmental signal. Immediately his call is answered, another call should be flashed to the brigade members to report at a, pre-arranged rendezvous. The nearest appliances and hydrants will be brought into action until the arrival of any additional apparatus or, if the outbreak be likely to prove serious, until the nearest town brigade can be summoned.

It has been proved by experiedce that an excellent idea is to prepare a model of the works, on which are indicated the disposition of fire stations, hydrants and other appliances, so that the members of the fire brigade teams can train on the model and work out the best possible routes with an 'alternative to all departinents in the factory. Such a model can also be usefully employed in training firewatchers and A.R.P. personnel.

".Victory is certain,, but there is a danger that optimism may cause a slackening of our efforts. If good news softens our hearts, it must not soften our heads." These remarks, made by Sir Archibald Southby, M.P-, may well be directed to the campaign against fire. Every effort of every employer and employee must he exerted with this principle in mind—that fire need not, indeed must not, take place.

All sources of danger, such as unguarded lights, faulty .electric -systems and, above all, careless smokers, must be vigorously put down. Moreover, if a fire incident has been

successfully disposed of, a thorough probing into its cause should be conducted, so that that particular loophole can

be Sealed up once and for all. By following this policy strictly,eit is possible. positively to eliminate a big proportion of the present sources of factory fires.

Let this be marked that only by the total mobilization of our mental and physical resources will we win a total victory bver fire, the most dangerous and destructive saboteur in our midst.

The result of any fire may have far-reaching effects, and. if it be a case of the total destruction of a factory, reper cussions_ may be felt even as far afield as a battlefront Therefore, it behoves everyone to look out for possible sources of danger, not so much the' obvious ones, as those which cause one to remark, " I should not have thought it possible."

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