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From: Craig Merlic <merlic**At_Symbol_Here**CHEM.UCLA.EDU>
Subject: Re: [DCHAS-L] Fire extinguisher use
Date: Nov 3, 2022 16:07 UTC
Reply-To: ACS Division of Chemical Health and Safety <DCHAS-L**At_Symbol_Here**Princeton.EDU>
Message-ID: <2E4C4973-D8CD-4A76-B31F-20F4CB4385A8**At_Symbol_Here**chem.ucla.edu>
In-Reply-To:
At UCLA there is no formal policy forbidding undergraduates from using fire extinguishers. But in both teaching and research labs there would be sufficient graduate students and postdocs so there would not be a need for UG to use them.
In the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry all graduate students and postdocs are required to complete both online and hands-on fire extinguisher training. Part of that training states that they are not expected to fight fires, but a quick measured response can prevent catastrophes. The training is provided through EH&S and the campus Fire Department.
All research labs are equipped with both CO2 and dry chemical fire extinguishers and class D fire extinguishers for metal fires and in the hallways. Some labs also have buckets of sand left over from the olden days….
Craig
Craig A. Merlic
Professor of Chemistry, UCLA Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry
Executive Director, UC Center for Laboratory Safety
Los Angeles, CA 90095-1569
Voice: 310-825-5466
From: ACS Division of Chemical Health and Safety <DCHAS-L**At_Symbol_Here**Princeton.EDU> on behalf of Alex Hagen <fischera**At_Symbol_Here**UW.EDU>
Reply-To: ACS Division of Chemical Health and Safety <DCHAS-L**At_Symbol_Here**Princeton.EDU>
Date: Thursday, November 3, 2022 at 7:33 AM
To: <DCHAS-L**At_Symbol_Here**Princeton.EDU>
Subject: Re: [DCHAS-L] Fire extinguisher use
Some of the departments on our campus have this policy. It is not a campus-wide policy and we (EHS) do offer fire extinguisher training for anyone who wants to take it. However, some departments have decided to make it their specific policy to not allow students to handle fire extinguishers. Instead, the students are instructed to simply pull the fire alarm and evacuate. My understanding is that this is to reduce the chances of them being injured due to using the extinguisher incorrectly or ineffectively.
Regards,
Alex Hagen
University of Washington
ALEX HAGEN
Laboratory Safety Inspection Program Manager
Environmental Health & Safety Department
Research & Occupational Safety, Laboratory Safety Inspection Program
Hall Health / Box 354400 / Seattle, WA 98195-4400
206.221.2339 / mobile 206.713.5267 / fax 206.616.3360
fischera**At_Symbol_Here**uw.edu / www.ehs.washington.edu
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From: ACS Division of Chemical Health and Safety <DCHAS-L**At_Symbol_Here**Princeton.EDU> on behalf of David C. Finster <dfinster**At_Symbol_Here**WITTENBERG.EDU>
Sent: Thursday, November 3, 2022 6:24:21 AM
To: DCHAS-L**At_Symbol_Here**Princeton.EDU <DCHAS-L**At_Symbol_Here**Princeton.EDU>
Subject: [DCHAS-L] Fire extinguisher use
It has come to my attention (anecdotally) that some academic institutions, as a matter of local policy, forbid students to use fire extinguishers. I am thinking more of research, than teaching, labs in this regard. I think this is a wrong-headed policy since some small fires can be easily extinguished using fire extinguishers (usually ABC) that are required to be in labs. Extinguishers are designed for use (using the PASS method) by untrained persons - although I would always argue for hands-on training. I would not favor the policy that requires extinguisher use (as this could lead someone attempting to inappropriately fight a “too large” fire) but forbidding use seems foolish.
I ask the list: 1) How common (do you think) is the policy of forbidding use? and 2) what are the arguments for this “no use” policy?
Dave
David C. Finster
Professor Emeritus, Department of Chemistry
Wittenberg University
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