Examining The Dangers of Flammable Liquids As A Fire Hazard
Flammable liquids surround us in our everyday lives. All the chemicals surrounding us from fuel in cars to cleaning products used in homes and offices are partially flammable. These chemicals are so flammable but we cannot drop them because they play very important roles in our everyday lives. But these ingredients are extremely flammable and hence need to be handled with extreme care.
Consider a liquid that inflames even when a small spark is ignited in it. Disaster, right? This is the harsh reality of handling very dangerous flammable liquids. Today in this article, we are going to learn about the hazard caused by flammable liquids as a fire hazard. Are you set to understand the factors at play? Let us start!
Flammable Liquids As a Workplace Hazard
Comammable liquids can transform a mundane place of work into a hazardous environment where safety is the byword. It does not take too much imagination to see how errant carelessness – perhaps a tipped can or a stray spark – can lead to catastrophe.
Take the December explosion of last year at the Indonesian factory, for instance. Indonesia Morowali Industrial Park (IMIP) had an explosion of a highly flammable liquid at its nickel plant on Sulawesi Island, reports BBC.
The blast resulted from a flammable liquid that caught fire when it was ignited in the course of routine repair work, engulfing nearby oxygen tanks and feeding the fire. It required several hours to finally put out the fire that had killed 13 workers by the time it was contained.
How To Transport Flammable Liquids
One mishandling and boom, disaster. Whether transporting fuel to fuel stations or chemical transport to industries, there is a high probability of unleashing a disaster.
It is advisable to use approved safety cans for transporting the flammable liquid. And the quantity of the container should be 5 gallons or less.
One of them occurred on a Venezuelan highway in December 2023. A lorry on the highway suddenly crashed and collided with some vehicles that had stopped due to an earlier accident ahead. This caused another, more critical accident because one of the stopped vehicles was carrying a highly flammable liquid.
What Challenges Are Faced During Flammable Liquid Fire Extinguishing
Liquid fire is difficult to extinguish using traditional methods. But we can easily extinguish liquid fires using some special techniques. One of the new methods of extinguishing fire is through the use of Aqueous Film-Forming Foam.
AFFF is safer and more superior compared to conventional fire extinguishers. IFSJ explained that AFFF restricts the flow of oxygen by creating a layer over the surface of the liquid. It is a lack of oxygen that prevents re-ignition of the combustible liquids.
AFFF contains PFAS as per the study TorHoerman Law. It is a deadly chemical that poses a critical threat to the health of firefighters. Recently it was found that submitting a firefighting foam lawsuit was the only sane option for the firefighters.
Storing Flammable Liquids – Caution Is Key
When flammable liquids are stored, caution is not only a good idea – it’s a necessity. They’re often hiding in plain sight, in workshops and garages, and industrial warehouses.
How they are stored can be the difference between a typical day and a potential disaster. Flammable liquids must be stored in fire-resistant containers that are well-ventilated and designed to avoid spills and leaks.
Health and Safety Executive (HSE) advises that these liquids must be kept in purpose-built containers, which can hold any spills and are properly marked. A minor accident, such as a container being knocked, may give rise to a high fire hazard if there are no proper precautions.
It is also crucial to isolate flammable liquids from sources of ignition, including electrical devices, fire or flames, and even static charge. Keeping in the workplace or at home only the barest minimum that’s needed lowers hazards even more.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Which liquids are extremely flammable?
Gasoline, ethanol, and acetone are among the most inflammable liquids. Gasoline, a most popular fuel, is extremely volatile, which lends it a bad name. Acetone is widely used as industrial cleaners, and nail polish removers too. Finally, ethanol is available in all forms of alcoholic drinks.
What are the 3C’s of burns?
The 3C’s of burns help people manage minor burns through basic home care. The first C – Cooling – requires placing the burnt area under cool running water. Cleaning the burn – the second C – can be done using saline or sterile water. The third C stands for covering the wound in ointment.
Is petrol flammable or inflammable?
Classified as a Class 3 flammable liquid, petrol is highly flammable. It has a flash point of just -43 °C, which lends it the potential to readily ignite at room temperature. This is what makes the careful handling of petrol all the more important.
We’ve learned today that handling flammable liquids is about anticipating what could go wrong and taking every possible step to prevent it. Both transporting and storing these liquids are high-risk tasks that must be performed with utmost caution.
In the industrial settings where these sensitive liquids find applications, the workers must be educated comprehensively about their risks and the right management.
