• Consider also if your premises front a street. Gaps under doors into a street should be as narrow as possible to stop lighted paper being pushed under them. Install fire resisting mail cabinets to the inside of letterboxes. • Air vents and other openings should be removed to inaccessible areas or positions, as they are vulnerable to attack with flammable liquids, particularly if at easily accessible heights. • Security should not impede escape for persons in the premises in the event of a fire. • Always check with your insurance company as they may have specific requirements that must be addressed. The principles of preventing explosions Good housekeeping. Good housekeeping minimises the risk of both causing a fire (a source of fuel) and of the fire spreading (conduction, convection, radiation, direct contact). By simply removing a fuel (badly stored or excessive amounts of paper, cardboard, or overflowing waste bins for example) means one of the elements needed to start a fire is eliminated. In the case of dusts , housekeeping is a critical aspect of explosion potential. Primary dust explosions occur as a result of high concentrations of combustible dust particles rapidly combusting inside an enclosed space. When mixed with oxygen, these fine particles can be ignited when coming into contact with an ignition source. Secondary dust explosions often occur as a result of poor housekeeping, that is dust which has been allowed to accumulate on floors, ledges, ducting and which is ignited by the primary explosion. Good ventilation Good ventilation, particularly where a process is inside an enclosed, or partially enclosed building. For example, a paint spray booth, or sugar processing in a building) helps to dilute and released flammable vapours or dust clouds, to a level below the lower flammable limit. Fixed flammable gas/vapour detectors can be said to alarm if the lower
flammable limit is approaching. Safe storage including bunding
It is the container (or tank) that is the primary safeguard in preventing the release of flammables. It therefore must be designed for, and compatible with, the properties (chemical and physical) of the flammable liquid to ensure no leakage if interaction with the container should occur.
The container opening should be equipped with secure, well fitted caps or lids to ensure that liquid or vapour does not escape - even if the container falls over.
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