The main hazards associated with flammable materials are fire and explosion, involving the product itself or any vapours it may produce. Fire and explosions are likely to occur when flammable materials such as dusts or vapours are released from a controlled environment into an area which contains an ignition source. The opposite is also likely, where an uncontrolled ignition source is introduced to an area where a combustible substance is present. Flammable liquids can give off large volumes of flammable vapours at room temperature. Spilled flammable liquids can, if not contained, flow a long way to an ignition source, and then flash back to the source of the leak. It is not only in industrial work areas that flammable materials can be found, the office environment can often contain solvent based products that are flammable. The risk of fire and explosion from flammable materials is present when a product is: 1. Being used 2. Being stored 3. Being transported Causes of fire and explosion in areas where flammable materials are used in the workplace are: • Hot work on or close to flammable material containers • Failure or malfunction of equipment • Exposure of flammable materials to heat from nearby fire • Inadequate control of ignition sources • Electrostatic discharges • Heating materials above their auto-ignition temperature • Dismantling or disposing of equipment containing flammable materials Causes of fire and explosions in and around storage facilities within the workplace are: • Inadequate or poor storage facilities
• Inadequate design, installation, or maintenance of equipment • Decanting flammable materials in unsuitable storage areas
• Inadequate control of ignition sources • Exposure to heat from a nearby fire
Causes of fire and explosion occurring through transporting flammable materials in the workplace are: • Operator error, due to lack of training • Inadequate or poor transport facilities, e.g., transporting flammable liquids in open buckets • Absence of spill strategies • Inadequate design, installation, or maintenance of equipment, e.g., equipment used to pipe flammable liquids The concept of fire load A Fire Load can also be called 'Fire Loading'. This refers to the amount of flammable material and the amount of heat that can be generated by a substance if ignition takes place in a given area.
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