ERI Safety Videos Videos for Safety Meetings 2133 FIRE PREVENTION The Gory Story Leader s Guide 2001, ERI PRODUCTIONS
FIRE PREVENTION: The Gory Story This easy-to-use Leader s Guide is provided to assist in conducting a successful presentation. Featured are: INTRODUCTION: A brief description of the program and the subject that it addresses. PROGRAM OUTLINE: Summarizes the program content. If the program outline is discussed before the video is presented, the entire program will be more meaningful and successful. PREPARING FOR AND CONDUCTING THE PRESENTATION: These sections will help you set up the training environment, help you relate the program to site-specific incidents, and provide program objectives for focusing your presentation. REVIEW QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS: Questions may be copied and given to participants to document how well they understood the information that was presented. Answers to the review questions are provided separately. ATTENDANCE RECORD: Document the date of your presentation as well as identify the program participants. The attendance record may be copied as needed. INTRODUCTION A great deal of fire prevention is common sense, but it also involves taking the necessary steps to prevent a fire or explosion as well as knowing what to do and how to do it in the event of a fire. If everyone took fire prevention seriously, we would see a drastic reduction in the number of unintentional fires. Yet these fires continue to cause property destruction and injuries every minute of the day and night. What can be done about the situation? Training is one option, and it does make a difference if employees use and apply the knowledge learned from training programs. Some people have adequate training, but still don t take fire prevention seriously. They have the attitude that nothing will happen to them. This motivational program will force those who take a nonchalant attitude toward fire prevention to think about the consequences of neglecting fire safety rules. Through graphic photographs of burn victims, viewers will see firsthand how fires can cause tragic, disabling injuries and deaths. Topics include handling and storage of flammable liquids, the dangers of smoke, good housekeeping, emergency action procedures and fire prevention techniques in the workplace. PROGRAM OUTLINE INTRODUCTION Throughout the world, fires cause property destruction and injuries every minute of the day and night. No matter what we do or say, unintentional fires continue to burn. Obviously, if everyone took fire prevention seriously, there would be a dramatic reduction of unintentional fires. Training is great for those who don t fully understand fire science and fire prevention, but it only makes a difference if employees use and apply the knowledge from training programs. Some people have been trained, experienced and understand fire prevention information, but believe that nothing will happen to them or that a fire will not occur at work or at home. HOW FIRE PREVENTION EVOLVED Safety rules and fire prevention techniques are fairly standard throughout the world today. When a fire or major accident occurs, it is investigated to determine the cause.
Then rules, procedures or safety operating systems are developed to prevent a similar accident from happening. Most buildings have stringent fire codes based upon experience and investigation of fires. Your company and 90 percent of all organizations use these rules and procedures to prevent fires and related injuries. The weakest link in preventing accidents has always been the human factor. Someone forgets to pay attention or neglects a procedure; it s human nature. FLAMMABLE LIQUID SAFETY The first rule of flammable liquid is that care must be taken to use them properly, free of ignition sources, good ventilation and to use them only as they were intended. Always follow the manufacturer s instructions, Material Safety Data Sheets and warning labels. If you don t know the proper procedures for handling flammable liquids, ask your supervisor. Proper flammable liquid containers must be used. A proper container is a metal can with a springloaded top and a flame arrestor inside the can to prevent flames from entering the container. Plastic cans or other containers should not be used for flammable liquids. Proper bonding and grounding must be used when transferring one container to another. Bonding and grounding reduce the potential for static electricity, which has caused a number of explosions during the transfer of liquid from one container to another. Of course, never allow sparks or other ignition sources near flammable liquids. DEALING WITH SMOKE AND PANIC One of the rules of using fire extinguishers is to extinguish the flame only if it is safe to do so. If there is a threat to your safety, get out of the building and leave the firefighting to the professionals. Smoke kills more people in a fire than the actual fire. People overcome with smoke become quickly confused, can t function properly and die before the fire reaches them. If you re caught in a smoke-filled room, get out quickly. If the smoke has filled the room, get on the floor and crawl to the nearest exit. Smoke is the major killer, but fire can cause panic. When a fire approaches, people are afraid of the fire so they jump out of windows or take chances they otherwise would not take. Panic can turn a prudent person into an irrational, crazed individual that does desperate things. It greatly affects those who don t have the knowledge and training about fires, smoke and how to survive. Lack of knowledge is a big killer in fires. HOUSEKEEPING One of the most important fire prevention techniques is good housekeeping: proper storage, clean work areas and not placing things near water heaters or ignition and heat sources.
Keeping exits clear is also an important part of fire prevention. All aisle ways and paths to exits must be clearly marked, lighted and unobstructed. Exit doors must never be locked. Emergency stairways must be inspected to make sure the doors remain closed but not locked. If the doors are closed, this prevents smoke and fire from entering the stairwell area. Electrical panels must remain unblocked. Don t stack material near electrical panels, emergency equipment or fire extinguishers. EMERGENCY ACTIONS Proper emergency action procedures must be in place, everyone trained in emergency procedures and fire drills should be practiced at least once each year. Your company s fire sprinkler system should be inspected frequently to make sure the system would work in case of fire. You might think you know how to use a fire extinguisher, but you need to be trained to know how to use one in case of an emergency. PREVENTING FIRE REQUIRES EFFORT Fires and resulting injuries and death can be avoided. It takes a concentrated effort on your part to follow company policies and procedures. Good housekeeping, training, following the rules, and asking questions all require effort. Check your home to make sure you have fire extinguishers in the kitchen area, smoke detectors and wiring and electrical systems in good condition. Also, check to see if there are fire hazards in the garage. You should have a floor plan and emergency procedure for proper evacuation in case of fire. You should also have emergency phone numbers posted. FIRE PREVENTION AT WORK You should know where the exits and fire extinguishers are located in your work area. You should also know the alternate exit route in case the main exit is blocked. In case of a fire, you should go to a designated area so supervisors can take a head count to make sure everyone is out of the building. Look around your work area for flammable liquids. Make sure they are in proper metal containers and placed inside flammable liquid lockers or cabinets. Check cleaning and janitorial supplies for flammables. Inspect closets and other out of the way areas to make sure they are not potential bombs waiting to happen. If you aren t trained on fire extinguishers, ask your supervisor for some training. Take a look at your emergency action procedures and make sure they are up to date. If you have octopus plugs on electrical outlets, get rid of them.
Get rid of small heaters under desks. They can ignite combustible materials, such as paper, cardboard and carpeting. CONCLUSION Fire prevention is said to be common sense. That may be true, but it s also knowing what to do and how to do it. It s taking an individual effort to find potential fire hazards and eliminate them. It s making fire prevention second nature. Fire safety should never be taken lightly, no matter where you work, play or sleep. The consequences are just too great. PREPARE FOR THE SAFETY MEETING OR TRAINING SESSION Review each section of this Leader's Guide as well as the videotape. Here are a few suggestions for using the program: Make everyone aware of the importance the company places on health and safety and how each person must be an active member of the safety team. Introduce the videotape program. Play the videotape without interruption. Review the program content by presenting the information in the program outline. Copy the review questions included in this Leader's Guide and ask each participant to complete them. Make an attendance record and have each participant sign the form. Maintain the attendance record and each participant's test paper as written documentation of the training performed. Here are some suggestions for preparing your videotape equipment and the room or area you use: Check the room or area for quietness, adequate ventilation and temperature, lighting and unobstructed access. Check the seating arrangement and the audiovisual equipment to ensure that all participants will be able to see and hear the videotape program. Place or secure extension cords to prevent them from becoming a tripping hazard. CONDUCTING THE PRESENTATION Begin the meeting by welcoming the participants. Introduce yourself and give each person the opportunity to become acquainted if there are new people joining the training session. Explain that the primary purpose of the program is to make employees aware of the tragic injuries and deaths that occur as the result of fires and to motivate them to become involved in fire prevention at the facility. Introduce the videotape program. Play the videotape without interruption. Review the program content by presenting the information in the program outline. Lead discussions about how viewers felt when they saw the graphic photographs in the vide and what can be done at your facility to keep similar injuries and deaths from occurring. Use the review questions to check how well the program participants understood the information. After watching the videotape program, the viewer will be able to explain the following:
How to safely store and handle flammable liquids; Why smoke and panic are so dangerous during the outbreak of a fire; Why good housekeeping plays such an important role in fire prevention; What actions employees can take at home and work to prevent fires.
FIRE PREVENTION: The Gory Story REVIEW QUIZ Name Date The following questions are provided to check how well you understand the information presented during this program. 1. What has always been the weakest link in preventing accidents such as fires? a. inadequate fire codes and regulations b. inadequate fire extinguishers and other emergency equipment c. the human factor 2. When a fire breaks out, smoke kills more people than the actual fire. a. true b. false 3. Plastic cans should be used to contain flammable liquids. a. true b. false 4. How often should fire drills and other emergency procedures be practiced? a. at least once every year b. at least once every two years c. at least once every three years 5. The doors on emergency exits should remain open at all times to allow any smoke from a fire to exit the building. a. true b. false 6. Even if you think you know how to use a fire extinguisher, you should receive training on how to use one in case of an emergency. a. true b. false 7. You should make a concentrated effort to to prevent fires and resulting deaths and injuries. a. perform good housekeeping procedures b. follow all safety rules c. ask questions about things you are unsure of d. all of the above
ANSWERS TO THE REVIEW QUESTIONS 1. c 2. a 3. b 4. a 5. b 6. a 7. d