Attics

1. Attic storage should be limited or prohibited. Combustible materials, such as holiday decorations, old books and papers, old window blinds, and broken furniture stored in attics, may become fire breeders.

2. Some smoke chimneys pass through attics. Chimney mortar may deteriorate, and flue leaks into the attic area may result. Such leaks should be closed.

3. Ventilating ducts emptying into attics create fire hazards and should be extended through the roof.

4. Upper story wiring is often in the attic. Some of it is old knob and tube wiring. Old wires may sag and come into contact with combustible joists. In some cases the insulation deteriorates, exposing the bare wire. These are fire hazards that merit attention.

5. Light combustible scuttle-hole covers may fail to retard or block fires in lower areas from spreading through the attics. Heavy slab or noncombustible covers should be provided and should be kept in place.

6. Frequent attic inspections for fire hazards should be required.

946672-51-3

IV. School Shop Fire Hazards

THERE ARE MANY TYPES of shops in school buildings. Some of these are used for school repair and maintenance work.

Others

are used for various types of student instruction. Some of these shops are used only for regular daytime school classes, while others may be used for night classes of youth or adults or as workshops for local hobby groups.

The types of materials and equipment used, the presence of heatproducing devices, and the nature of the work done in the various shops may create numerous fire hazards. Obviously there may be more fire hazards in some shops than in others. These hazards may vary in number and in severity with the types of shop activities and shop uses, the types of construction, operating procedures, and management and housekeeping practices.

In this general discussion of fire hazards in school buildings it is not feasible to give attention to or even enumerate all of the hazards that are found in various types of school shops. Some of the following comments apply in part to nearly all types of shops, but do not describe conditions in particular types of shops. Others may apply only to certain types of shops. However, fire hazards exist in most shops, and there is need for a comprehensive study of the types and the severity of the fire hazards in all school shops. Administrators, supervisors, shop teachers, and maintenance personnel should be alert to the need for eliminating such hazards in their spheres of responsibility.

Shop location and construction

The location of the shop may be an important factor in fire safety.

1. Some shops should be isolated from other parts of the building by distance and/or construction.

(a) The use of basement areas for shops should be discouraged.
(b) The more hazardous shops should be outside the regular classroom
wings; other less hazardous shops may be a part of the main school
building if completely enclosed or set apart by fire-resistive con-
struction. It is preferable to locate most shops at one end or in
a wing of the main building in order to reduce the fire and panic
hazards that might be caused by a fire originating in them.

(c) Shops completely segregated from other buildings may be of combustible wall and roof construction if adequate exits are provided. 2. As indicated, general construction standards may depend in part on location. However, certain areas such as the floors around forges, foundry and welding shops should be of fire-resistive materials regardless of the type of exterior wall construction.

3. Heavy duty electric power and/or heating circuits should be separate

from the lighting circuits, and all plug-in power outlets on these circuits should have special approved high voltage receptacles.

4. A master switch for the power circuit should be mounted in a protected location available for instant use in case of fire.

5. There should be ample exits. Where it is feasible, some exits should lead directly to the outside. Those between shops and other parts of the building should be covered with approved fire doors.

Shop equipment

Various units of shop equipment may create fire hazards. Proper use and protection will reduce the hazards.

1. Power equipment, such as engines, motors, saws, and planers, may create numerous fire hazards.

(a) Equipment, such as planers and wood saws, that operate on combustible materials and create much waste should have adequate dust collecting systems. For smaller units creating less dust, an approved program of dust removal should be enforced.

(b) Equipment used in metalworking should be so located and protected that sparks and bits of hot metal will not fall on or otherwise come into contact with combustible materials.

(c) Heavy-duty machines should have oil drip cups or pans for oil bearings so that oil will not drop on floors or combustible materials. (d) Heavy-duty shop motors should have rigid electrical connections. When used in areas where dust may collect, the motors should be of a closed or shielded type.

(e) Noncombustible bench tops should be provided for bench work involving the use of high heat or open flames. Electrical bench tops should be of materials having low conductivity.

(f) Tools such as grinders that produce many sparks should be shielded at the sides, top, and rear. A waste-catching tray or pan under these units helps prevent the spreading of hot sparks.

(g) Motor switches or starters should be enclosed and of an approved type.

(h) Portable power tools such as drills, vibrators, buffers, and sanders should be used only with extension cords approved for such use. Grounding for these units is desirable.

(i) Gas and gasoline engines may create fire hazards. Their use in shops should be limited and carefully supervised. Exhausts should be vented to the outside of the building and should have adequate clearance.

2. Heat equipment such as ovens, kilns, torches, welders, and forges may create fire hazards to combustible materials near them.

(a) Flame, heat, and/or spark-producing units should never be used in places where flames might be dangerous. This applies particularly to areas where gases, oils, or other flammable materials may be present.

(b) Welders and gas or electric cutting equipment should not be used where the hot metal might fall on flammable materials. Welding should be done in shielded booths or with adequate portable shields. (c) Blowtorches and soldering irons should not be used for such tasks as furniture repair until all combustible upholstering has been removed.

(d) Shields should be provided between glue pots and the benches under them. Visible pilot-light indicators are desirable for electrically heated pots.

(e) Heat-treating furnaces, ceramic kilns, and dryers should be so located that there are no combustible materials near them. Ample insulation and clearance should be provided at the top, sides, and bottom. In some cases exhaust or circulating fans are desirable. Automatic controls are desirable.

(f) Forges should be so located that fire hazards from them are reduced to a minimum. Cooling vats should be available near each forge. (g) Users of heat-producing units should be required to exercise extreme care in their use. Supervisors should instruct students in their

use and should be responsible for having all such units turned off

when not in use.

(h) Heavy-duty electric heating units should be thermostatically controlled.

Some shop activities create numerous fire hazards. The effect of these hazards may be reduced.

1. Paint shops and finishing rooms. The dangers of flash fires and spontaneous ignition are always present.

(a) Spray painting should be done in a protected segregated booth. The booth should be well ventilated with fan motors outside the booth and equipped with nonspark fan blades.

(b) It is difficult to remove all paint residues. Power paint removal should be done outside the booth. Scrapers should also be of the nonsparking type. Smoking should be prohibited around the booths.

(c) Brush painting and the use of solvents in paint removal should be done at points remote from ffame-producing sources.

(d) Bleaches, paint thinners, lacquers, oils, and solvents having a low flash point should be used with caution and only under supervision.

(e) Paints and other flammable finish materials should be stored in fireresistive cabinets.

(f) Paint drop cloths and wipe rags should be removed from areas where they may create fire hazards.

(g) Paint storage rooms should be of fire-resistive construction, and well ventilated. They should be protected when feasible by an adequate sprinkler or other automatic fire-extinguishing system.

2. Automotive shop activities may involve some spray painting and the use of flammable liquids. They may also involve the use and repair of internal combustion engines.

(a) Automotive shops should be isolated by distance and/or construction from other parts of the building.

(b) Automobile painting should be done in protected areas as outlined above for spray painting.

(c) Automotive engine work should be over fire-resistive floors and in protected areas.

(d) Gasoline storage in the building should be limited to small quantities and should be in approved "safety" containers bearing the Underwriters' label.

(e) Facilities should be provided for protecting any essential temporary storage and for frequent removal of waste oils, waste rags, and rubbish.

(f) Floors should be cleaned often. Oil accumulations on floors should be prohibited.

(g) Battery-charging services, battery-service equipment, and acid storage should be in well-ventilated, protected areas. Stands should be rigidly constructed so that there will be no spilling of acids. Acids should be kept in bottle racks that are not easily upset or broken. Smoking should be prohibited in these areas. There may be explosion hazards.

Shop supplies

Many shop supplies are combustible. Some of them have low kindling points. Lack of proper care and storage increases the danger of fire disasters in shops.

1. Segregate volatile oils and other flammable materials from other supplies. Store in fire-resistive cabinets or closets.

2. Make special provisions for storing lumber, paper supplies for the print shop, and other combustible materials in an orderly manner permitting easy accessibility and inspection. The storage of paints, acids, and gasoline was discussed in previous paragraphs.

Miscellaneous operating and housekeeping hazards

Numerous fire hazards develop in school shops from operating procedures and from poor housekeeping practices. It is possible to discuss here only a few of these hazards.

1. Protective noncombustible shields should be provided between all heat units and combustible materials near them.

2. Shavings and sawdust should not be permitted to accumulate on the floors or around wood working machines. Quantities of such dust in the air may have explosive qualities.

3. Equipment should be well maintained. Hot bearings, electric short circuits, overloaded motors, or arcing switches may be hazardous and should be prevented or repaired.

4. Metal containers should be provided for rags and waste materials. 5. Shop cleanliness should be a MUST. All personnel should be trained to maintain a clean shop.

6. Suitable approved fire-extinguishing devices should be readily accessible and properly maintained in each shop.

7. Temporary and extension-cord wiring should be kept at a minimum. 8. Pilot lights should be installed in the circuits for electric heaters.

9. Gas controls valves should be designed to show quickly and clearly the "off" and "on" positions.

10. Volatile liquids such as gasoline should not be used in the shop in cleaning machine parts, shop floors, or the hands of the workers.

11. "Fireproof" lockers should be provided for the storage of shop clothing of the students or other workers. Clothing worn by painters should be stored in metal-covered containers or removed from the building. 12. High heat gas-fired units should be attended at all times when in use.