Each year, many fires occur on construction job sites as a result of temporary heat, misuse of flammable liquids, etc. Establishing a fire protection plan for your job site will help eliminate the related hazards and the large losses related to fires. This toolbox talk will provide a brief summary of the OSHA regulations for fire protection and provide some fire protection safety tips.
Fire Extinguishers:
Fire extinguishers must be readily available on every job site. OSHA specifically requires at least one fire extinguisher for every 3,000 square feet of building space.
The travel distance to a fire extinguisher shall not exceed 100 feet.
The fire extinguishers must be serviced annually to ensure they will work when needed.
A fire extinguisher must be immediately available during any hot work such as welding, cutting, sweating pipes, etc. If hot work regularly occurs on a job site, a hot work permit system should be developed.
Material Storage:
Debris or combustible material may not be stored within 10 feet of a building.
Storage piles of combustible material should be stable and should not exceed 20 feet in height.
The entire storage location on a job site must be kept free from unnecessary debris or weed/ grass growth.
Inside storage of materials must allow for at least 36 inches of clearance from sprinkler heads.
Smoking controls must be maintained near areas which constitute a fire hazard.
Straw used to insulate concrete should be cleaned up as soon as possible in order to reduce the amount of combustible material in and around a job site.
Flammable Liquids:
No more than 25 gallons of flammable or combustible liquids may be stored inside of a building unless it is stored in approved flammable liquids cabinet.
Gasoline must be stored in approved “safety cans”.
An approved fire extinguisher must be located in close proximity to the storage location of any flammable liquids.
Temporary Heat:
Always maintain at least 6 feet of clearance from the temporary heaters. If temporary heaters are used in tarped areas, 10 foot clearances must be maintained.
Always install a shut off valve at the point of fuel connection for temporary heaters.
Establish a plan to check on the placement of heaters throughout the day.
Never store propane inside of a building.
The gas line hoses feeding the temporary heaters must be protected from damage.
Some heaters require the use of non-combustible material (drywall sheet) under the heater when it is placed on a wood deck. Check with the requirements for your heater.
Maintaining access to a fire extinguisher near temporary heat is recommended.
Read the safety material provided from the propane supplier regarding specific safety procedures for storage tanks.
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Safety is important for any construction work.
ReplyDeleteThank you for the detailed explanation about safety.
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