From:
Jessica Martin <jessica.a.martin**At_Symbol_Here**UCONN.EDU>
Subject:
Re: [DCHAS-L] [Safety3] [NAOSMM] Re: [DCHAS-L] How to Use a Fire Blanket – 9 Simple Steps
Date:
Nov 10, 2022 19:30 UTC
Reply-To:
ACS Division of Chemical Health and Safety <DCHAS-L**At_Symbol_Here**Princeton.EDU>
Message-ID:
<E21A48CF-1FEA-4143-84E3-FD9776856773**At_Symbol_Here**uconn.edu>
In-Reply-To:
<00a001d8f529$503478f0$f09d6ad0$@verizon.net>
Good point. When I was in undergrad, a female student set her hair on fire. The whole class was screaming at her “stop, drop, roll” but she was just freaking out. However, the safety shower was right behind her, so another student shoved her under the safety shower and activated it. This also led to a wonderful wave of new compliance from the group of female students who were always trying to do “cute” things with their hair while “technically” having their hair tied back for lab.
Jessica A. Martin, Ph.D.
NSF Graduate Research Fellow (2018-2021)
Joint Safety Team, Founding Member (2018-2021)
Pinkhassik Group, Department of Chemistry (2016-2021)
University of Connecticut
323-327-3974
The Workshop ACS CHAS Empowering Academic Researchers to Strengthen Safety Culture is being held next on
March 5, 2023!
Follow this link for more information and to register: https://LSTWorkshopMarch2023.eventbrite.com
*Message sent from a system outside of UConn.*
Putting out a fire on a person’s clothing is always problematical at best.
Most people – the author included – are just as likely to panic as remember their training. As an old instructor once told me “stop, drop and roll” should really be “stop them, drop them, and roll them” because of this. Getting someone trained and willing to drop someone on fire (because they are panicking and not listening) is very hard. We worry we might hurt them and the potential consequences if we do. Sad to say but if the thought “might I be liable if they get hurt because I pushed them down?” does not cross your mind you must have just emerged from living in a bomb shelter since the 50’s. And even a minute or two of hesitation can make the injury a lot worse.
The best mitigation is, of course, preventing the fire in the first place. For that the hazard analysis and risk identification requirements suggested in NFPA 45 are very useful. Provide a detailed assessment before you do anything. Provide appropriate protective equipment. Put high temperature shut downs on any heated equipment.
Fire resistant lab coats are another good mitigative measure.
A hand drench unit which also functions as an eyewash is very useful as you can try and get the person near the unit and use it to drench the fire. A safety shower is another excellent measure but getting someone under one when they are panicked is also not the easiest. Plus all the other issues with using a safety shower properly.
My thoughts for what they are worth.
Richard Palluzi
BE(ChE), ME(ChE), PE, CSP,FAIChE
Pilot plant and laboratory consulting, safety, design, reviews, and training
Richard P Palluzi LLC
72 Summit Drive
Basking Ridge, NJ 07920
908-285-3782
Newly manufactured fire blankets have not contained asbestos for decades.
And how long does it take to do “Stop, drop and roll” training?
Our college's insurance provider has recommended that we get rid of the fire blankets due to inadequate training (chimney effect) but more so due to the fact that many fire blankets contain asbestos. Without dates of manufacture on the blankets, it's difficult to determine whether the blankets contain asbestos or not.
Don't get rid of your fire blanket. Just don't wrap yourself in to put out the fire. And, change the directions on those older, long, vertical, fire blanket cabinets that instructed you to do just that.
As mentioned ... the chimney effect. In addition, it traps the heat and increases the chance of greater burns.
Fire blankets can be used for ...
2. Keeping warm and covering up after using the safety shower
3. Someone else using it on you while you are doing stop, drop, and roll
4. Keeping warm to prevent shock
6. A temporary modesty curtain for the safety shower with two colleagues holding the ends
7. The department picnic ... Jim
PS. LSI now has virtual lab inspections, safety program evaluations, document reviews, plus courses and seminars ... all virtual. And, a complimentary, updated version of our classic Laboratory Safety Guidelines is now available on our website ... https://www.labsafety.org/product/lab-safety-rules
James A. Kaufman, PhD
Founder/President Emeritus
The Laboratory Safety Institute (LSI)
A Non-profit Educational Organization
for Safety in Science, Industry, and Education
192 Worcester Street, Natick, MA 01760-2252
(O) 508-647-1900 (F) 508-647-0062 (C) 508-574-6264
Teach, Learn, and Practice Science Safely
If your clothing is on fire and you are wrapped in a blanket while standing, you are likely to become a chimney drawing air in at the bottom and pushing the fire higher on the body.
In response to Ralph’s observations, I would note that the article is clear in several places that it is recommending actions be done by “trained people” so this is not about use by the untrained. Of course, it also ignores the problem of applying a9-step process in the midst of a crisis
And I would agree with Richard’s observation that most organizations have removed fire blankets entirely, generally in favor of “stop, drop, and roll” as easier to communicate to the otherwise untrained, and rather effective and also avoiding the chimney problem.
From: ACS Division of Chemical Health and Safety <
DCHAS-L**At_Symbol_Here**Princeton.EDU>
On Behalf Of Jessica Martin
Sent: Wednesday, November 9, 2022 1:41 PM
To: DCHAS-L@PrincetonEDU
Subject: Re: [DCHAS-L] How to Use a Fire Blanket – 9 Simple Steps
Hm. When attempting to use a fire blanket to put out a fire on a person, I was instructed to have them “stop, drop, and roll” first, then to try to smother the fire with the blanket. I seem to recall that if you try to wrap a person in a fire blanket while they are standing (and on fire) that this actually causes other scarier problems. This is sort of a fuzzy memory now from a conversation had years ago with someone from a fire department, so I welcome folks to either fill in the blanks or correct it.
Best,
NSF Graduate Research Fellow (2018-2021)
Joint Safety Team, Founding Member (2018-2021)
Pinkhassik Group, Department of Chemistry (2016-2021)
University of Connecticut
The Workshop ACS CHAS Empowering Academic Researchers to Strengthen Safety Culture is being held next on March 5, 2023!
Follow this link for more information and to register: https://LSTWorkshopMarch2023.eventbrite.com
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