Fire Prevention, Medical Services and Security

It is extremely important to develop a formal Fire Prevention and Protection plan (FPP) and coordinate medical services prior to beginning a demolition job. The FPP plan should outline the assignments of key personnel in the event of a fire and provide an evacuation plan for workers on the site. Medical services should include coordination with local providers and training in first aid and CPR.

Formal Fire Prevention and Protection Plan

Good sense and thorough employee training should be the general rule in all fire prevention planning, as follows:

• Evaluate all potential sources of ignition and take the necessary corrective measures.
• Ensure a competent person installs all electrical wiring and equipment for providing light, heat, or power. Make sure a competent person inspects electrical wiring and equipment regularly.
• Locate equipment powered by an internal combustion engine so the exhausts discharge well away from combustible materials and away from workers.
• Maintain a clearance of at least six (6) inches between piping and combustible materials when the exhausts are piped outside the building.
• Shut down all internal combustion equipment prior to refueling. Make sure fuel for this equipment is stored in a safe location.
• Locate sufficient firefighting equipment near any flammable or combustible liquid storage area.
• Use only approved containers and portable tanks for storing and handling flammable and combustible liquids.

Heating Devices

Make sure all workers follow these important safe work practices when using heating devices:

• Situate heating devices so that they are not likely to overturn.
• Install all heating devices in accordance with their listing, including clearance to combustible material or equipment.
• Make sure a competent person maintain temporary heating equipment, when used.

Smoking

Prohibit smoking at or in the vicinity of hazardous operations or materials. Where smoking is permitted, provide safe receptacles for smoking materials.

Roadways

Ensure roadways between and around combustible storage piles are at least 15 feet wide and maintained free from accumulation of rubbish, equipment, or other materials.

Storing Materials

When storing debris or combustible material inside a structure, do not obstruct the storage or adversely affect the means of exit.

Control Center

Be sure to designate a suitable location at the job site and provide plans, emergency information, and equipment, as needed for coordination.

Access

It’s important to provide access for heavy fire-fighting equipment on the immediate job site at the start of the job and maintain access until the job is completed.

Ensure free access from the street to fire hydrants and to outside connections for standpipes, sprinklers, or other fire extinguishing equipment, whether permanent or temporary, and ensure access is maintained at all times, as follows:

• Pedestrian walkways should not be so constructed as to impede access to hydrants.
• No material or construction should interfere with access to hydrants, Siamese connections, or fire-extinguishing equipment.

Water Supply

Make sure an available temporary or permanent water supply is sufficient to operate the fire-fighting equipment properly.

• Provide standpipes with outlets on large multi-story buildings to provide for fire protection on upper levels.
• Provide a pump if the water pressure is insufficient.

Fire Extinguishers

It’s critical to provide an ample number of fully charged portable fire extinguishers throughout the operation. Equip all motor-driven mobile equipment with an approved fire extinguisher.

Alarms

Be sure to establish an alarm system (e.g., telephone system, siren, two-way radio, etc.) in such a way that employees on the site and the local fire department can be alerted in case of an emergency.

• Conspicuously post the alarm code and reporting instructions.
• Make sure the alarm system is serviceable at the job site during the demolition.
• Retain fire cutoffs in the buildings undergoing alterations or demolition until operations necessitate their removal.

Medical Services, First Aid, and Security

Medical Services

Prior to the start of demolition operations, be sure to establish and coordinate procedures for providing prompt medical attention in case of serious injury.

• Locate the nearest hospital, infirmary, clinic, or physician as part of the engineering survey.
• Provide the job supervisor with instructions for the most direct route to these facilities.
• Make sure proper equipment for prompt transportation of an injured worker is available at the job site.
• Make sure a communication system to contact any necessary ambulance service is available at the job site. Conspicuously post the telephone numbers of the hospitals, physicians, or ambulances on the job site.
• In the absence of an infirmary, clinic, hospital, or physician that is reasonably accessible in terms of time and distance to the work site, ensure a person who has a valid certificate in first aid training from the U.S. Bureau of Mines, the American Red Cross, or equivalent training is available at the work site to render first aid.

First Aid

Ensure a properly stocked first aid kit is available at the job site.

• The first aid kit should contain approved supplies in a weatherproof container with individual sealed packages for each type of item.
• The kit should include rubber gloves to prevent the transfer of infectious diseases.
• Make provisions to provide quick drenching or flushing of the eyes should any person be working around corrosive materials. Eye flushing must be done with water containing no additives.
• Check the contents of the kit initially before it is sent out on each job and at least weekly to ensure the expended items are replaced.

Security

This information can prove useful to the job supervisor in the event of any traffic problems, such as the movement of equipment to the job, uncontrolled fires, or other police/fire matters.

• Make sure the telephone numbers of the local police, ambulance, and fire departments are available and posted at each job site.
• The police number may also be used to report any vandalism, unlawful entry to the job site, or accidents requiring police assistance.

Instructions

Before beginning this quiz, we highly recommend you review the module material. This quiz is designed to allow you to self-check your comprehension of the module content, but only focuses on key concepts and ideas.

Read each question carefully. Select the best answer, even if more than one answer seems possible. When done, click on the "Get Quiz Answers" button. If you do not answer all the questions, you will receive an error message.

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