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Safety

Fire Safety Equipment

The clinical laboratory is equipped with a tiered system of fire safety devices designed to detect, contain, and suppress fires. This system ranges from automated building-wide alarms to handheld tools for immediate intervention. Understanding the specific function, operation, and limitations of each device is mandatory for all laboratory personnel, as misuse can escalate a contained incident into a catastrophe

Fire Alarms

The fire alarm system serves as the facility’s central nervous system, detecting danger and coordinating the evacuation

  • Initiating Devices: The system is triggered either manually by Pull Stations (located near exits) or automatically by Smoke/Heat Detectors. In laboratories, heat detectors are often used instead of smoke detectors to prevent false alarms from steam or chemical vapors
  • Notification: Activation triggers audible horns (usually the Temporal Code 3 pattern) and visual strobes (flashing lights for the hearing impaired)
  • Automated Controls: The alarm system interfaces with building operations to close fire doors (containment), recall elevators to the ground floor, and shut down HVAC systems to prevent smoke circulation

Fire Extinguishers

Portable extinguishers are active defense tools designed for small, incipient fires. Their effective use depends on the P.A.S.S. Technique (Pull, Aim, Squeeze, Sweep) and selecting the correct agent for the specific Class of Fire

  • Class A (Water): Only for paper/wood. Never use on electrical or liquid fires (electrocution/spread risk)
  • Class B/C (Carbon Dioxide - CO2): Uses cold gas to smother fires. Ideal for flammable liquids and sensitive electronics as it leaves no residue
  • Class A/B/C (Dry Chemical): The standard “all-purpose” lab extinguisher. It uses a yellow powder to inhibit chemical combustion. While versatile, the powder is corrosive and can ruin electronic equipment
  • Class D (Dry Powder): Specialized yellow extinguishers used exclusively for combustible metal fires (Sodium/Magnesium)
  • Class K (Wet Chemical): Specialized for kitchen grease fires (saponification)

Fire Blankets

Fire blankets are sheets of fire-retardant fiberglass designed to extinguish fires by Smothering (cutting off oxygen)

  • Primary Use: They are the preferred method for extinguishing a person whose clothing is on fire. Unlike chemical extinguishers, they do not cause frostbite, chemical burns, or eye irritation
  • Secondary Use: Can be used to smother small containment fires, such as a burning beaker or trash can, by gently placing the blanket over the opening
  • Operation: Deployed by pulling quick-release tabs. The user must wrap their hands in the top edge of the blanket for protection before shielding the victim