1. Wrestle victims to the floor and roll them to smother the flames and to keep the flames out of the victim's FACE.

2. Safety showers*, fire blankets**, or fire extinguishers are of secondary importance.

 

Note: use fire retardant clothing for staff with routine exposure to sparks, flames, and pyrophorics.

 

*Use safety showers only if the victims are within couple of steps of the shower.  Running to the safety shower while the victim is on fire is not practical approach.

 

**Wrapping in a fire blanket creates a chimney effect and directs the hot, toxic gases, and flames into the FACE of the victim, breathing zone, and lungs.  This, of course, defeats the purpose.

 

Mikhail

 

-----Original Message-----
From: DCHAS-L Discussion List [mailto:dchas-l**At_Symbol_Here**MED.CORNELL.EDU] On Behalf Of Ralph B Stuart
Sent: Wednesday, September 19, 2012 12:30 PM
To: DCHAS-L**At_Symbol_Here**MED.CORNELL.EDU
Subject: [DCHAS-L] Fire blankets?

 

A question arisen about whether fire blankets should be part of a response to a person on fire in a laboratory. What is the current thinking on this issue?

 

Thanks for any help with this.

 

- Ralph

 

 

Ralph Stuart CIH

Chemical Hygiene Officer

Department of Environmental Health and Safety Cornell University