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Fire

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A fire is one of the most dangerous hazards when working in a lab, but by following some simple guidelines you can prevent and contain their devastation.

• Fire Prevention: Many fires are sparked off by the use of a Bunsen burner or another form of flame. The utmost care should be used when working with these types of equipment. One thing you can do is to always use gloves to pick up hot objects. The natural reaction to touching something hot is to drop the item which could lead to knocking over your burner. Make sure you know where to eliminate the source of gas from the burner. In the case of a chemical spill you would want to shut off any equipment that produces a flame or spark at once. You should never wear loose clothing or long sleeves when working with a flame. Your hair should also be tied up if necessary to eliminate the chance of accidentally leaning over an open flame. Familiarize yourself with the emergency plan for your lab and emergency equipment such as the fire blanket and fire extinguisher. Always have a properly working fire alarm installed and you might want to consider leaving a hallway door or window open so that someone can be alerted for help if need be.
• What to do in case of a fire: If you find yourself in a fire emergency, alert others (or a teacher) of the situation and evacuate immediately. After everyone is safely out, close the doors if possible to help contain the fire. If you are the person in charge of the lab, activate a fire alarm and call 911 or other emergency number for help. In most school settings, only teachers are allowed to use fire extinguishers, but if possible, use the extinguisher to put out or hinder the fire. If you or someone else in the lab is on fire, a fire blanket can be used. Is it not intended to put out all fires, but can help in extinguishing clothing fires. If all else fails remember the childhood phrase "stop, drop, and roll".

In the event of a major fire, it helps if someone is there who can identify the types and amounts of chemicals that are stored in the lab. This will assist emergency and fire crews in effectively fighting the fire.

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