Fire Precautions

Fires in hotel and restaurant establishments are common and all too often
can result in injury to the employee, colleagues or customers. All employees must be
aware of any specific procedures laid down for the establishment and be ready to
comply with them at all times. A roll call should always be taken to ensure that
everyone is safely out of the building.

Three components are necessary for a fire to start

 Fuel-something to burn
 Air-oxygen to sustain combustion
 Heat-flame, hot surface, electrical energy

Thus in case where the wood is burning, it is the fuel, the air around it is the
oxygen and the flame engulfing the woods is the heat. Should you wish to pour
water on the burning wood, the fire would eventually die out due the fact that you
took one of the components on in and that is head. This is due to the cooling effect
of the water on the burning wood. On the other hand, should you wish to cover the
burning wood with a fire blanket also known as a mineral blanket eventually the fire
would be extinguished. The blanket would cover the fire making oxygen difficult to
penetrate to sustain combustion.

The three methods to a fire are the following:

 Starving-removing the fuel
 Smothering - removing the air
 Cooling-removing the heat

Procedures in the Event of Fire

 The fire brigade must be called immediately when you discover a fire;
 Do not panic
 Warn other people in the vicinity and sound the alarm;
 Do not jeopardize your own safety or that of others;
 Follow fire instructions of the establishment;
 If the fire is small, use appropriate fire extinguisher;
 Close doors and windows, turn off gas, electricity and fans;
 Do not wait for the fire to get out of control before calling the fire brigade,

It is important that in all restaurant establishments, passageways are kept

clear doors open outward. Fire exit doors and windows should be clearly marked and
fire-fighting equipment must be readily available and working orderly. Periodic fire
drills should examined and be taken seriously since lives may be endangered if a fire
should start. Fire alarm bells must be tested at least four times a year and staff
should be instructed in the use of fire-fighting equipment. All extinguishers should be
refilled immediately after use.
 All fire extinguishers should be manufactured in accordance with
international standards specifications, they should be colored, with a code to
indicate the type and with operating instructions on them.
 Water extinguisher
Coloured red, these are suitable for fires involving wood, paper and cloth.
 Direct the jet at the base of the flames
 Keep it moving across the area of the fire
 After the main fire is out, respray any remaining hot spot
 If the fire is spreading vertically, attack it at the lowest point, then
follow upwards
Do not use on live electrical equipment, burning fats or oils

 Carbon Dioxide Extinguisher

Coloured black, these are suitable for fires involving flammable liquids or
liquefiable solids eg. oil, fat, paint, petrol, paraffin, and grease. These are safe
and clean to use for live electrical equipment.
 Direct the discharge horn at the base of the flames
 Keep the jet moving across the area of the fire
 Do not touch the discharge horn - this gets extremely cold.
The fumes can be harmful - ventilate the area as soon as fire has been extinguished
Carbon Dioxide cuts off the oxygen supply to the fire, but whatever was onfire
remains very hot. Watch that if does not re-ignite.

 Foam Extinguisher
Coloured cream, these are suitable for fires involving flammable liquids, it
use for fires involving paper, wood, etc. AFF (aqueous film-forming foam)

Extinguishers. To use:
 Stand well back and sweep jet from side to side
 For fires in a container, direct the jet at the inside edge.

 Dry Powder Extinguisher

Coloured blue, this type will pull out fires involving flammable liquids of
liquefiable solids, eg oil, fat, grease, etc. It is safe for fires involving electrical
equipment, but does not readily penetrate spaces inside equipment, so the
fire may reignite. To use.
 Direct the nozzle at the base of flames
 With a rapid sweeping motion drive the flame towards the far edge
until the flames are out
 Repeat as necessary (some extinguishers can be shut off)

For electrical equipment

 Disconnect the equipment from the mains
 Direct the jet straight at the fire if possible, so that the powder can
penetrate right inside the equipment.
Powder extinguishers had a limited cooling effect, so take care the fire does not re-
ignite.
 Fire blankets must also conform to international standards specifications Use
for small and place over the flames Take care not to waft the flames in your or
towards bystanders. You may need to put something across a large fryer, eg a metal
tray, to stop the blanket falling in to the oil.

For a fire involving clothing, wrap the blanket around the burning area, but
not over the victim's nose and mouth Roll the patient on the ground.

Fire hoses are used for similar fires to those classified under water fire
extinguishers. You should be familiar with the instructions displayed by the fire hose
before using it.

For fires involving wood, paper and cloth. To use:

 Release the locking mechanism on the reel
 Open the valve (to allow water into the nose)
 Unreel the length to hose required to reach the fire
 Aim the jet of water at the base of the flames and move across the area
of the fire.

Water sprinkler system consist of an array of sprinkler heads at ceiling level

connected to a main water supply. In the event of a fire, the nearest sprinkler head
above the fire operates when the temperature at ceiling level reaches a present level
(eg 68 'C), Additional heads operate later if necessary to control the fire.

Raising the alarm

Speed is vital It is the alarm which was other people and gives them time to
get to safety. It is the alarm which brings help from those who have trained to fight
the fire and to recue anyone trapped by the smoke, heat or flames. This means you
need to know what to do. Your employer will provide training, and there will be fire
notices and other reminders around your workplace telling you what to do But you
are putting a lot of people at risk if you wait until there is a real emergency before
trying to get to rips with what has to be done.

Safety and Emergency signs and notices

Many fires cause terrible damage and suffering because they start in an area
(eg the storeroom) or at a time (e.g late at night) when there is no one present
Automatic fire detection equipment will quickly alert those on duty But often the
smoke and perhaps the fire itself spreads to other parts of the building because
people have not close fire doors. You've seen the signs don't you always obey them?
And what about those signs that say FIRE EXIT KEEP CLEAR? If fire exits are used to
store furniture or equipment, people will find their escape route blocked. Also, the
fire can spread rapidly down the escape route, as the furniture fuels its progress.
Safety signs and notices are there to make your workplace safer for everyone
Respect this.
Fire notices: what they will say
What to do if the fire alarm sounds:
 How to leave the building
 Where to assemble
What not to do:
 Do not stop to collect personal belonging
 Do not run
 Do not use the lift/elevator
 Do not open a door if you suspect there is fire on the other side
 Do not re-enter the building until advised to do so by the manager/
officer in-charge
What to do if you discover a fire
 Raise the alarm by breaking the glass of the nearest fire alarm point
(location will be stated)

Evacuation procedures and the assembly point

The rules are on the fire notices around your workplace. From time to time,
there will be chance to practice an evacuation. If you find any problem during such a
fire drill (e.g. a door which is hard to open, or uncertainly about your assemble
point), tell your manager. Be quite clear about any specific responsibilities you have
even given, such as turning off the gas or electricity in the kitchen.

Procedures on discovery of a suspicious item or package

In all areas of every type of hotel and restaurant establishment, vigilance is

necessary at all times regarding suspicious items. It is wiser to be safe than sorry. so
that any item, which is left unattended in public areas, should not be ignored. Any
items, which may be in full view, hidden or partially hidden in a strange or unusual
place, device and be concealed in a package, bag, box, briefcase, etc. Anything.
which is out of the ordinary, must not be ignored. Particular attention should be paid
to exits, yards, corridors, stores, changing rooms, staircases, toilets, etc., which may
be unattended for some of the time.

It is also necessary to be alert to persons frequenting the establishment or

part of the premises who have no business to be there. If you are suspicious, make
sure you can give an accurate description to your employer.

The procedure in the event of finding a suspicious item, although it proves not
harmless, is as follows:
 Do not panic
 Calmly warm others in the vicinity.
 Do not touch the item or allow others to do so;
 Immediately inform your employers;
 Move to safe place,
 It is the employer's responsibility to ensure that employers are aware of the
procedures to be taken at that establishment and for the employee to fully
understand them.

Procedures in the event of an accident

Should the accident involves or appears to involve broken bones on no

account move the injured person until the injury has been secured immobilized. If a
person has fallen or had an accident whereby they are on the ground, do not
attempt to lift them up until it is certain no further damage will occur. In due course,
the details of the accident must be documented. It is better to prevent accidents
than have to deal with them. Ensure that any specific procedures relevant to the
establishment are complied with

Should it be necessary to obtain the service of an ambulance:

 Dial _______, state you require an ambulance;
 State exact location of the accident,
 Give both address and telephone number of location
 Indicate age of casualty or casualties

Accidents

It is essential that people working in the kitchen are capable of using the
tools and equipment in a manner which will neither harm themselves not those with
whom they work. Moreover, they should be aware of the causes of accidents and be
able to deal with that occur.

Accidents may be caused in various ways.

 Excessive haste - the golden rule in the kitchen is never run. This may be
difficult to observe during a very busy service but excessive haste cause
people to take chances, which inviolably lead to mishaps.
 Distractions - accidents may be cause by not concentrating on the job in
hand, through lack of interest, personal worry or distraction by
someone else. The mind must always be kept on the work to the
number of accidents.
 Failure to apply safety rules

Recording And Reporting Accidents

By law, even minor accidents in the workplace have to be recorded More

serious incidents also have to be reported to the enforcing authoring (usually your
local environmental health department). Normally the person in charge of the
workplace has to do this, but you may find it helpful for the future to know that:

 Major injury, acute illness, death or a dangerous occurrence (eg boiler

which explodes and might have cause fatal injury) must be reported by
the quickest practicable means (ie. by telephone)
  This must be followed up within seven days by a written report on the
official form (code number F2508). The form has a full list of the
reportable injuries illnesses, your employer will have to provide detailed
information the accident This includes where and what you were doing
at the time,whether you were authorized to be in the place and to do
what you were doing.

If you make a claim to the Social Security System for benefits in respect of
personal injury, or work-related illnesses, your employer will have to provide
detailed information on the accident. This includes where and what you were doing
at time, whether you were authorized to be in that place and to do what you were
doing.

Any accident occurring on the premises where the employee works must be
reported to the employer and a record of the accident must be entered in the
accident book.

Information for the accident record

 Date and time of incident
 your full name, address and occupation
 nature of the injury (e.g. cut finger) or illness (eg if you have been in
contact with a harmful cleaning agent, you may not suffer any pain until
some hours later)
 place where the incident happened and description if they are not
usually based at your workplace
 Details of the person making report and date the report was made.

In the event of any accident or dangerous incident, please complete and

return this from to our Manager. A separate form must be completed for each
person injured.