There are four requirements for a fire: oxygen, heat, fuel, and a chemical reaction. Fires can be extinguished by removing any one of these requirements, such as oxygen, heat, or fuel. Proper use of a fire extinguisher involves pulling the pin, aiming at the base of the fire, squeezing the handle, and sweeping from side to side. Different types of extinguishers are used for different fuel types, and it is important to only fight small, incipient fires if possible to evacuate otherwise. Employee safety is the top priority in any fire emergency.

1. FIRE SAFETY
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2. What produces a fire?
Four things must be present to produce fire:
1.Enough oxygen to sustain combustion,
2.Enough heat to raise the material to its ignition
temperature,
3.Some sort of fuel or combustible material, and
4.The chemical exothermic reaction that is fire.
Take away any one of these four things, and you will not have a
fire or the fire will be extinguished!
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3. putting out a fire
 Fires can be extinguished by eliminating any one of the
four conditions necessary to produce fire.
oxygen
heat
fuel
reaction
 Basically, Fire safety, is about keeping fuel sources and
ignition sources separate.
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4. fire extinguishers
Employees who are expected or anticipated to use fire
extinguishers on small incipient fires will be instructed on the
hazards of fighting fires, how to properly operate the fire
extinguishers available, and what procedures to follow in
alerting others to the fire emergency.
If a fire cannot be immediately and easily extinguished with a fire
extinguisher, all employees should evacuate the building.
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5. fuel classifications
Not all fuels are the same! If you use the wrong type of fire
extinguisher on the wrong type of fuel, you can make a fire
worse!
class A - wood, paper, cloth, trash, plastics, and other combustible
materials that are not metals
class B - flammable liquids: gasoline, oil, grease, acetone, and any non-
metal in a liquid state
class C - electrical: energized electrical equipment. If something is
"plugged in," it is considered a class C fire.
class D - metals: potassium, sodium, aluminum, magnesium, etc It takes
special extinguishing agents (Metal-X, foam) to fight a class D fire.
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6. types of fire extinguishers
Most fire extinguishers have a pictograph label telling which
fuels the extinguisher is designed to fight (i.e. ABC, BC)
Different types of fire extinguishers are designed to fight
different classes of fire. The three most common types of
fire extinguishers are:
1) water (APW) extinguishers CLASS A FIRES ONLY!
2) carbon dioxide (CO2) extinguisher CLASS BC FIRES ONLY!
3) dry chemical extinguishers CLASS ABC or CLASS BC fires (check
label)
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7. using a fire extinguisher
remember PASS
Pull the pin to discharge the extinguisher.
Aim at the base of the fire. If you aim at the flame, the extinguishing
agent will fly right through and do no good. You want to hit the
fuel.
Squeeze the top handle or lever. This depresses a button that
releases the pressurized extinguishing agent.
Sweep from side to side. Start using the extinguisher from a safe
distance away, then move forward sweeping until the fire is
out. Then, keep an eye on the area in case it re-ignites.

8. know the locations of all fire
extinguishers
if you can’t find it!
You can’t use one
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9. fighting a fire
Position yourself with an exit or means of escape at your back You may need to
be able to get out quickly, so, always keep an exit at your back.
If a fire is discovered
1) Assist any person in immediate danger to safety, if it can be accomplished
without risk to yourself.
2) Activate the building fire alarm system or notify the fire department by
dialing 911.
3) If the fire is small, you may then attempt to use an extinguisher to put it
out.
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10. never fight a fire if…
You don't know what is burning. If you don't know what is
burning, you don't know what type of extinguisher to use.
The fire is spreading rapidly beyond the spot where it started.
The time to use an extinguisher is in the incipient, or beginning,
stages. If the fire is already spreading, it is best to evacuate the
building, closing doors/ windows behind you.
You don’t have adequate/ appropriate equipment.
The fire is producing lots of smoke. It may be toxic.
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11. fire hazards
Report anything that might be a fire hazard to a supervisor or
manager.
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12. fire hazards
Smoking is not permitted at any time in the areas where NO
SMOKING signs are posted.
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13. fire hazards
Keep doors, aisles, fire escapes and stairways completely
unobstructed at all times.

14. finally…
In case of a fire, your first consideration should be the safety
of other people! Protection of property is secondary.
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