In December 1944 fire started from spontaneous ignition of oily rags stored in combustible surroundings.

Much of the school coal is stored in quantities during the summer. Some of the coal pulverizes in handling and may heat. The hazards can be reduced.

(a) The depth of the coal pile should be limited.

(b) Accumulations of dust increase the possibilities of heating in the bin. (c) There should be no steam lines or wood posts through the storage pile.

(d) Alternate wetting and drying seems to promote heating.

(e) Perforated air pipes extending down into the coal seem to reduce heating.

(f) It is desirable to check suspected piles frequently. If the temperature of the pile exceeds 140° F. it may be approaching the danger line.

Protecting school records from fire loss.1

School records have economic and historic values. Business records may be in part replaced. Personnel records may be needed for four or five decades. Numerous cases might be cited of the loss of school records through fire and of the resulting embarrassment to the persons effected. Absolute protection against any fire loss is essential. This involves safe storage facilities and proper use of these facilities.

1 Protection of Records. National Fire Protection Association, Boston, Mass., 1947.

1. Records can be made up in duplicate and one copy safely stored. This may not be too difficult for current pupil-program records. For permanent records it might be more costly than it would be to provide safe storage.

2. Fireproof storage facilities should be provided.

(a) Filing cases do not provide the desired protection against the heat of a major fire.

(b) A fireproof vault, noncollapsible with double doors, ample wall insulation, and supports that prevent falling if the building is destroyed, is needed.

(c) The vault should not be in a basement where its contents would be subject to water damage.

(d) The vault should be a walk-in type with flushed threshold to facilitate easy transfer of records in wheeled filing cases.

3. Records should be kept in vaults.

(a) Provisions should be made for quick return of records to the vault in case of fire.

(b) The vaults will not protect records which are kept in some room or office. Record-return regulations should be enforced. There might be a fire.

Miscellaneous

1. Bicycle storage should not be so located as to impede traffic in or near the building.

2. Closets, attics, and basement areas cluttered with junk may add to the fire hazards.

3. Ashes should not be placed in combustible containers to be carried out nor stored in or next to combustible construction.

4. Matches (non-safety) should be stored in metal containers.

5. Waste bins should be of metal, should be metal-lined, and should have self-closing covers.

6. Storage closets should have self-closing doors.

7. The storage of quantities of loose paper in basement rooms may provide tinder for a major fire. Such storage should be controlled or prohibited.

8. Pupil use wrap and locker storage units may create some fire hazards. Frequent inspections will do much to reduce the hazards.

9. The removal of waste and sprinkler protection are excellent safety measures for storage areas.

XII. School Housekeeping, Minor Repairs, Building Control, and Fire Safety

THE WORK OF THE SCHOOL CUSTODIANS in building cleaning and upkeep, the work of the teachers and pupils in room care and protection, and the work of the administrative staff in building control, supervision, and protection are vital factors in school plant fire safety. Effective fire protection requires a coordination of the activities of these individuals and groups in plant care and continued vigilance on the part of all. It requires only one fire to destroy or endanger a school and a single negligent act or lapse in care may result in a fire.

Many of the housekeeping, repair, and control activities affecting fire safety have been discussed in other sections, hence the following is not a complete listing of such activities.

Housekeeping

1. Adequate housekeeping practices are important factors in fire safety. (a) The removal of rubbish and dirt eliminates many hazards. (b) Most fires start small. Rubbish or waste may serve as a feeder for fires originating near it. Removal of such rubbish may aid in preventing the start of a fire or in retarding its spread.

(c) Cleaning activities may bring to light some hidden fire hazards, thus encouraging their elimination.

2. The daily and periodic cleaning activities should eliminate many existing and potential fire hazards.

(a) The use of special and holiday decorations of flammable materials should be limited or prohibited. Even partially flammable decorations should be removed promptly.

(b) Waste paper should not be permitted to accumulate. Waste baskets should be emptied daily. The waste paper baskets

should be made of fire-resistive materials.

(c) Waste paper should not be stored in combustible areas. If safe storage is not available, the waste paper should be burned daily. (d) The furnace should not be used as an incinerator.

(e) Discarded materials, broken equipment parts, and some furniture

or equipment temporarily out of use are often difficult to store. Some of it has only junk value and should be removed from the school building.

(f) Packing waste should be destroyed or removed from the areas where it might create fire hazards.

(9) Furnace rooms should be clean at all times. Combustibles should be segregated from the furnaces, steam lines, switch boards, or furnace breechings. Work benches should be orderly with tools in place. Combustible supplies should not be stored in the furnace

room.

(h) Ventilating and heating ducts should be cleaned as often as needed. Waste paper that may have been pushed through grills should be

removed.

(i) Yard care may also be a factor in building protection. Dry grass, weeds, or rubbish near the building should be removed. Poorly maintained sheds and outbuildings may endanger the school building.

3. Teachers and pupils have housekeeping obligations.

(a) Room supplies should be properly stored.

(b) Waste such as sawdust or shavings in wood shops and grease on floors or work benches and around machines should be removed regularly.

4. Miscellaneous housekeeping and maintenance hazards.

(a) Curtains, drapes, or decorations near hot plates or gas burners
are hazardous and should be removed.

(b) Thawing frozen pipes with a blow torch may be hazardous.
(c) Gas or oil line leaks create fire hazards.

hunt for such leaks is inviting disaster.

Using an open lamp to

(d) Flammable liquids should never be poured on old fire beds to revive them nor used directly to start fires. Sticks or starters soaked in kerosene may be used to start fires.

(e) Flammable liquids should not be used in the school building for cleaning fabrics or washing hands.

(f) Any essential fumigation in schools should be done with nonvolatile gasses.

(g) Grease around machine bearings, on stoves, or in vent ducts over stoves may be ignited and should be removed.

(h) Cans or other fire safe containers should be provided and used for storing matches and other hazardous materials that must be maintained in small quantities.

(i) School bonfires should be limited to approved areas and times. Advance provisions should be made for supervision and extinguishment. Unsupervised bonfires should be prohibited.

Current maintenance and minor repairs

Major repairs, remodeling, and rehabilitation affecting fire safety are discussed under building structures and other sections. There are some maintenance and repair tasks that are closely related to housekeeping and should be discussed here. It is not always easy or desirable to separate some of the custodian's housekeeping and maintenance duties. The samples listed here are usually considered current tasks by the custodian and may be worked into his daily routine.

1. Floor care.

(a) Old worn wood floors may have little resistance to fires, and oilsoaked floors may be an invitation to fire.

(b) Oil-soaked sweeping compounds, oily mops, and some wax-soaked mops may be subject to spontaneous ignition. Safe storage is essential.

(c) Accumulations of floor finish and wood dust removed in sanding may heat and start fires if left in the sanding bag or deposited in combustible containers.

(d) Gasoline or other flammable liquids should never be used in cleaning floors.

2. Furniture care.

(a) The use of some paint and varnish removers may be hazardous.

(b) Flammable liquids should not be used to clean furniture upholstery. 3. Some minor repairs

(a) Broken plaster might permit fire entrance into concealed spaces where control would be difficult. Such breaks should be closed.

(b) Broken window glass may increase exposure hazards.

(c) Furnace, flue or chimney leaks create fire hazards. In many cases closing the leaks may be a minor task.

(d) Loose wall or ceiling panels may expose hidden areas to fire entrance. Fire is difficult to control in such areas.

c. Building control

School plant management procedures including the control and supervision of use are important factors in maintaining school-plant fire safety. School plant uses for extended and out of school activities increase the difficulties of plant control. These uses may increase the hazards from fire in several ways. Uncontrolled activities of the occupants may increase the possibility of fire. Out of school hour occupants do not always respond readily to school safety