Fire Prevention System: Goals and Tasks

In the modern world there are a lot of factors that can cause a fire. This is especially true for large enterprises that deal with combustible and explosive substances such as oil or gas. However, a fire hazard situation can occur anywhere else. To prevent these situations, it is planned to create fire prevention systems. In this article we will consider the goals and objectives of such systems.

Definition of a concept

Fire prevention system - a set of organizational measures and technical means aimed at eliminating fire hazard situations and preventing the conditions of fires. Such systems should be calculated for each individual enterprise, taking into account the conditions of a fire at this particular enterprise.

A fire prevention system is necessary to reduce the likelihood of fires that could result in personal injury or death, as well as financial losses. Like any other fire safety measures, these systems are regulated by law.

Article 48 of the Federal Law No. 123 is devoted to the fire prevention system at the facility to be protected, the first of the three mentioned in part 3 of article 5 FZ 123 components (along with a fire protection system and a set of organizational and technical measures to ensure fire safety) of the fire safety system of the protected object.

The goal of creating fire prevention systems

From the foregoing, we can single out the goal. So, why are these systems created?

Three components are involved in a fire:

• combustible medium (that is, where a fire is most likely to occur),
• ignition source (it can be an open fire, spark, directed sunlight, electric current, chemical reaction, etc.),
• oxidizing agent (usually enough oxygen that is contained in the air).

These components are also called the fire triangle. Since it is impossible to exclude oxygen from this triad, it is always present, the emphasis is on the exclusion of one of the other two components: a combustible medium or an ignition source. This is the goal of creating fire prevention systems.

The mechanism of a fire is as follows: the ignition source of a combustible substance heats up to the point where its thermal decomposition occurs. During this process, the substance is split into carbon monoxide, water and a huge amount of heat, and carbon dioxide and soot are also released.

The time from the moment a substance is ignited until it ignites is called the ignition time. It is on the basis of this criterion that combustible and non-combustible substances are selected for the operation of enterprises.

How does the system work?

Consider how the fire prevention system works, and how security is achieved.

These systems exclude the possibility of the formation of a combustible and explosive atmosphere, and also prevent the introduction of ignition sources into a hazardous environment. These issues are given increased attention at the design stage of buildings. During the operation of buildings, these systems are inspected by fire departments.

Fire prevention

So what does a fire prevention system include? As we have already found out, two aspects are observed in the system operation:

• prevention of combustible and explosive atmospheres,
• the exclusion of the introduction of sources of ignition in this same environment.

Thus, there are several conditions for preventing the occurrence of a fire when introducing ignition sources into the environment:

• the energy of the source giving the ignition should be less than the energy needed to ignite the combustible mixture in the medium;
• the temperature of all surfaces in production should be less than the auto-ignition temperature of the same surfaces upon contact.

Fire Prevention Systems Tasks

Fire prevention and fire protection systems perform a number of tasks aimed at preventing the occurrence of fire hazard situations.

1. Maximum industrialization of the production of combustible and explosive substances, which subsequently can reduce the number of human casualties.
2. Sealing containers for combustible substances, as well as equipment for working with them.
3. Introduction to the production of refractory and non-combustible materials.
4. Use of fire and explosion-proof equipment during operation.
5. Zoning the premises to reduce the spread of fire.
6. Control of the indoor air environment to prevent the accumulation of explosive substances in the air.
7. Flammable insulation.
8. Increased humidity in enterprises, as well as free access to water tanks.
9. Keeping rooms clean, as some types of industrial dust can also cause a fire.
10. Checking the health of heating appliances, ventilation ducts.
11. Installation of equipment for ensuring fire safety (AUPS, fire extinguishing and smoke removal systems , etc.)

Causes of Fire

1. Electrotechnical nature (short circuit, current overload, high transient resistance, improper use of electric heaters or the use of home-made devices).
2. Violation of the rules for the use of fire (open fire left, unburnt tobacco products, work near combustible substances, welding, etc.).
3. Non-compliance with fire safety.
4. Static electricity (occurs due to drag and drop of charged objects when friction occurs).
5. Violations in the use of furnaces (their malfunction or improper operation).
6. Spontaneous combustion of substances and materials.
7. Natural phenomena (lightning strikes, directional sunlight).
8. Artificial creation of a fire situation (arson).

All these reasons should also be considered when creating a fire prevention system.

Fire prevention

The concept of fire prevention is synonymous with the concept of "fire prevention system at the facility to be protected." It involves the assessment of fire and explosive situations, as well as the implementation of various methods and means of protection. Among the latter, the following tools are used:

• technological (automatic fire alarm system, smoke removal and fire extinguishing systems and other fire automatics);
• construction (protective barriers, firewalls, evacuation routes, collapsible structures, ventilation and smoke removal systems);
• organizational (creation of fire and rescue units, gas rescue services).

The purpose of the methods and means used to prevent fires is as follows:

• creating conditions in which a fire is not possible;
• guarantee of maximum protection of people in case of a fire source;
• providing protection for both staff and material assets;
• mitigation of the consequences of fire for workers.

The development of measures to prevent the occurrence of fire is especially important in those enterprises where the occurrence of a fire can harm the people working there.

Fire safety requirements

The main requirement can be called the control and verification of all processes that can trigger a fire and cause human and financial losses.

However, there are a number of requirements that will help prevent the occurrence of fire, namely:

• compliance with the prescribed standards for permissible concentration of combustible substances in the working environment;
• the use of additives that reduce the combustibility of materials (inhibitory and phlegmatizing);
• monitoring and control of the composition of the air;
• prevention of the formation of a combustible and explosive industrial environment;
• availability of good ventilation of industrial premises ;
• the presence of a fire alarm in working order to alert in case of emergency.

The creation of fire safety systems should be carried out in accordance with the requirements of normative and technical documentation for a specific production process. It is also necessary to take into account the combustibility of the materials used in a particular production.

As practice shows, it is impossible to completely avoid the occurrence of a fire, however, we can do everything possible to reduce the negative consequences using a clearly planned warning system.