FIRE PROTECTION & PREVENTION

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1 Kiewit Building Group Newsletter 11/12/2013 Volume 1 Week 46 FIRE PROTECTION & PREVENTION Each year, an estimated 4,800 construction site fires cause $35 million in property loss. Firefighters injured in construction fires are twice as likely to be hit or struck by debris and other objects than firefighters at other fire sites. Fire incidence at construction sites/complexes increases as the work-day progresses. The causes of 71% of construction site fires are arson and open flame. Sources: NFPA and NFIRS 1

2 Fires can have devastating consequences. As we get nearer to the holiday season, make sure you are not setting yourself up for disaster. The best way to deal with a fire is to prevent them from happening. Maintain good housekeeping & remove accumulation of clutter. Handle & store chemicals properly. Know where your closest exits are located. Keep aisle space clear & don t block exit doors. Don t overload electrical outlets. Keep flammable liquids away from corrosives & caustics. Keep ignition sources away from ignitable vapors. ABC Classes of Fires A- Wood and paper B - Oil, gas, flammable liquids, grease C Electrical D Combustible Metals 2

3 How to use an extinguisher Have the correct fire extinguisher available. Never throw water on an electrical fire. Check fire extinguishers periodically to ensure they re still fully charged (Kiewit requires all extinguishers to be checked monthly). Don t place fire extinguishers immediately next to your hot work; if there s a fire, you won t be able to reach the extinguisher. Keep one within 20 feet. A fire extinguisher should be within 100 feet travel distance from any point on construction sites. 3 Click Here to watch video on Fire Extinguisher PASS system

4 Fire Watch Guidelines The employer must not assign other duties to the appointed fire watch person while the hot work is in progress. Employers must ensure that employees assigned to fire watch duty: Have a clear view of and immediate access to all areas included in the fire watch Are able to communicate with workers exposed to hot work Are authorized to stop work if necessary and restore safe conditions within the hot work area Remain in the hot work area for at least 30 minutes after completion of the hot work Are trained to detect fires that occur in areas exposed to the hot work Attempt to extinguish any incipient stage fires in the hot work area that are within the capability of available equipment and within the fire watch's training qualifications Alert employees of any fire beyond the incipient stage If unable to extinguish fire in the areas exposed to the hot work, activate the alarm The employer must ensure that employees assigned to fire watch are physically capable of performing these duties. 4

5 Construction Fire Safety Get a hot works permit before starting. Clear combustible material away from work area. Have a fire extinguisher readily within 20-feet, but not immediately next to your hot work. Use a fire watch where sparks could impact another area below or on the sides. Stop all hot work at least 30 minutes before the end of shift to allow fire watch to remain in place. Never fuel equipment while the motor is running. 5

6 Keep oxygen cylinders at least 20 feet away from fuel gas or separated by a ½ hour fire rated wall Flash arrestors shall be in place on fuel cans, cutting torches and on gauge ends of compressed gas cylinders Store flammable liquids in a flammable storage cabinet 6

7 Incident Alert Near Miss Case Date and Time: 09/07/2013 (02:30 PM) District Name: Kiewit-Turner - CO Description (What happened?) Project Name: DVAMC An employee with Sundt/Haselden cutting reinforcing steel with a chop saw on the fourth floor of the DAT building ignited a pile of material debris and trash that was lodged in one of the mechanical block outs of the deck. A spark from the cutting operations fell on a plastic bottle and some cardboard igniting the pile. Contrary to hot work procedures a fire extinguisher was not at hand when the fire started. After an extinguisher was located the fire was extinguished. Contributing Factors (Why did the incident happen?) Complacency Employee complacency with performing the assessment of surrounding areas at the hot work operation. Work Practices o Housekeeping is not maintained on a daily basis and accumulated in pockets. o Fire extinguisher not within required distance of the operation (as defined in Hot Work Permit). Corrective Measures (How can the incident be prevented in the future?) 7 All subcontractors on a daily basis are required to perform cleanup. Crews will be designated to perform this task 30 minutes before the end of the day. Full and thorough assessment of surrounding areas must be completed; all flammables and combustibles must be removed or covered (second option). All operations require a 20# ABC fire extinguisher per Hot Work Permit guidance. Only 2 employees will be designated to perform rebar cutting operations with a chop saw, this will help control operations and assessments made.

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9 Near Miss Subcontractor Near Miss Case Date and Time: October 22, 2013 (2:30pm) District Name: Kiewit Building Group Inc. Description (What happened?) Project Name: Tenaska A Davis Erection employee was cutting out a frame on the Level 3 roof structure using a torch. Level 3 was free and clear of debris and trash but at Level 2 under the soffit there was a skid box with trash in it. During the removal of the frame a piece of slag must have been blown into the skid box causing it to start smoking. Davis immediately noticed it and started began lowing the JLG to put out the fire. As the employee was the way down to investigate the smoldering skid box it started on fire. Four people working inside the building grabbed fire extinguishers and put the fire out. Nobody was hurt and there was no damage to the skid box. Contributing Factors (Why did the incident happen?) WORK PRACTICES- NOT HAVING SOMEONE ON FIRE WATCH AND VERIFYING THAT ALL COMBUSTIBLE MATERIALS ARE OUT OF THE AREA BELOW THE HOT WORK OPERATION. PLANNING- NOT FOLLOWING THE HOT WORK PERMIT. Corrective Measures (How can the incident be prevented in the future?) KBG SUPERVISION SHUTDOWN THE ENTIRE OPERATION AND HELD A SAFETY STAND-DOWN TO DISCUSS THE INCIDENT AND THE IMPORTANCE OF HAVING SOMEONE ON FIRE WATCH. 9 AT OUR MASS SAFETY MEETING ON THE INDIVIDUAL WILL TALK TO THE ENTIRE JOB ABOUT THE IMPORTANCE OF FOLLOWING THE HOT WORK PERMIT. INDIVIDUAL WAS WRITTEN UP FOR A SAFETY VIOLATION.

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