Factors that Causes and Outcomes of Fire - Report Example

Fire Investigation Name & Id Course Name and Code Instructor’s Name 19 November 2009 Table of Contents Fire Investigation 1 Table of Contents 2 Introduction 3 Fire is a factor that causes disastrous consequences to the society, environment and economical sectors of a region. Numerous causes are associated with result of fire, which leads to outcomes that may be devastating. Thus, the aim of this paper is to analyses some factors and variables that can be confident and applicable for an individual investigating fire incidents. 3 Individual factors that causes and outcomes of fire 3 Groups and family member’s factors that contribute to firms 4 Impact of physical settings 6 Characteristics of Fires 7 Conclusion 9 Reference 10 Introduction Fire is a factor that causes disastrous consequences to the society, environment and economical sectors of a region. Numerous causes are associated with result of fire, which leads to outcomes that may be devastating. Thus, the aim of this paper is to analyses some factors and variables that can be confident and applicable for an individual investigating fire incidents. Individual factors that causes and outcomes of fire Most fires are associated with ignorance or errors that are based on individuals not ensuring that fire related incidents are managed effectively. Some factors that can be classified as relevant to individuals include (Ching & Winkel, 2007): Electrical equipments and settings – in many houses there are electrical equipments including wall sockets that are vulnerable or points of weaknesses that can cause fires. Some of the electrical equipments may have some engineering complications while the wall sockets may be loose or inappropriately connected. Thus, inappropriate use of electronic equipments and appliances, and plugs may cause fire. Smoking – Smoking is a major individual cause of fires. Millions of people smoke but they do not smoke appropriate putting aside safety measures. Most people who smoke do not put out completely the cigarette filters, and they may likely through them into inflammable materials. Moreover, other causes that are related to smoking of cigarettes are falling asleep while smoking and some times using improper ashtrays. Smoking cigarettes is a major cause of individual fires in which the outcomes is usually devastating. Candles – Candles usually have devastating and upsetting consequences. Draughts are a major issue that is associated with candles and the fire leads to catch burnable items. Additionally, tilting candles that are not placed appropriately in suitable holders can easily cause fires. Candles are associated with individuals and should be placed strategically and appropriate to reduces chances of fire hazards. Stoves and heating appliances are associated with numerous fire incidents. Individuals who use wooden heating appliances and stoves for cooking likely may cause fires. Unattended stoves for during cooking, burner being left on accidentally or even unattended pots usually are the main causes of residential fires. Generally, most individual’s carelessness and ignorance contributes to upsetting consequences. Many individuals ignore safety measures and usually results in devastating outcomes. Most of the fires are residential and thus these people should be educated in appropriate measures that will prevent occurrences of fires. Groups and family member’s factors that contribute to firms Groups and family members bring many individuals with different characteristics and views into a single setting. Fire consciousness is a secondary issue while other members may not put into consideration collective responsibility requirements. In the case of family gatherings, the gatherings bring different people with children, aged and persons with disability (Stationery Office, 2007). Matches – it is a common phenomenon for children to play with matches. Grandchildren and children who play with matches cause most of the fires in homes and residential areas. Burns that is associated with matches and burn injuries contributes to devastating consequences of fire. Lighters and matches within the hands of young and teenagers results in devastating effects that include fatalities and thus grandparents and parents should take into consideration measures to ensure that their children and grandchildren are safe. Combustible material – Family members and group of individuals come together bringing together many components and materials that can contribute causing of fires. Combustible materials that are left near heat and fires may result in spreading of the fire resulting in devastating consequences. Combustible materials should be placed in an environment that will not likely cause fatalities or spread of fires. Accumulation of easily ignitable paper and rubbish – Groups and family members bringing many people together and many people is associated with huge amounts of garbage. This means that accumulation of ignitable material contribute to devastating effects in cases that the materials are placed in environments that can increase chances of fires. Arsons and fire started intentionally – these fires are common in those buildings and residential houses that many people live. This means that it is important to ensure that there should be measures and techniques that will ensure prevention of fires. Generally, arson can be defined as wilful or deliberate act of starting or setting fire to an item of property, dwelling house or even a building. Groups and family members is usually associated with many people coming together brining into consideration varied behaviours. These behaviours contribute towards negating the principles of fire safety. Thus, it is important to ensure that all people within a house or building should ensure that fire safety is placed into consideration. Impact of physical settings The physical setting of a building may bring into consideration the material that was used for construction purposes and structural design. Different buildings are constructed different requiring certain building materials that will accomplish their stability and provision of appropriate requirements. Thus, some physical factors that provide important characteristics and impact the nature of fire and the approach that fire investigators will employ include (Illston & Domone, 2001): Materials - In the construction industrial, there are materials that are inflammable while others are inflammable. Moreover, there are those materials that cannot resist fires while there are fire retardant materials. The materials that are used for roofing, walls and other parts of the building should be fire retardant. Some materials when they catch fire may result in the entire building disintegrating while giving a tough opportunity for the investigators to accomplish their duties. Ventilation – the type and nature of ventilation can determine the speed the fire will extinguish or spread. Appropriate ventilation is important during fire incidents since it obviate damage by smoke and heat to furniture and commodities, prevents heat from increasing since it can contribute to spread of fire and appropriate ventilation ensures that fire fighters can enter a building and extinguish the fire without having to endure excessive heat and smoke punishment. Thus, appropriate and strategically designed ventilation ensure that fire spread can be controlled easily and thus provide means of ensuring that minimal damage is caused. Generally, the importance or factors that are associated with appropriate ventilation include prevention of suffocation to occupants, danger and difficulty to firefighters, and fire spread through mushrooming (Taylor, 2000). Nature of building – sometimes fire can start in a high rise building that can pose difficult for the figure fighters or the building is adjacent to another building that is prone to fire incidents. Moreover, the design and equipments that control fires in the building determines the extent of fires and the appropriate approach that can be used to extinguish the fire. Thus, construction of high rise building should put into consideration measures that will ensure the building can survive fire incidents. Characteristics of Fires The agents and mode of which the fire begins and means that contributes to the spread of fires can define characteristics of fire. Understanding the characteristics of fire will provide means of extinguishing the fire and understand cause and outcome of the fires. Thus, some characteristics of fires and its impact are then analysed (Apte, 2006). Ordinary combustion – These are the common type of fire that is characterised by organic material such as rubber, cloth, wood or plastic and solid become to a certain point that ignites. The material then undergoes combustion and the combustion will continue so long as the components of fire tetrahedron are available. Such fires are not that much dangerous because they can easily be controlled provide that oxygen and fuel are controlled. Ordinary combustion contributes to major minor fires that are evident in daily activities. Flammable gas and liquid – The flammable liquid is this case can be gasoline and the gas example is natural gas. These fires also require fuel, heat, oxygen and chemical reaction that will spread the fires. These fires require appropriate mechanisms and measures that will help extinguish the fire because solid stream of water may lead to spread of fire because the gas or liquid is lighter than the water. Thus, the fuel will scatter resulting in spread of fires, thus, the most effective way of extinguishing such fires includes the use of foam and carbon dioxide. Electrical – these fires are associated with energised electrical equipments. These fires may be caused by overloaded electrical cables and short-circuiting, and these fires are devastative when they use water or other conductive agents. The electrical electrons move with any moving material and thus it is dangerous to extinguish such fires with conductive agents. The most appropriate agents that can be used to extinguish such fires are halon, carbon dioxide and chemical powder. Metal – some certain metal are combustible or flammable and some example of these metals are potassium, calcium, sodium, magnesium and titanium. Fires that are susceptible to spontaneous ignition are common and such fires can easily spread to any surrounding combustible materials. These fire risks are common in those scenarios that there are machine savings, sawdust and metal ‘fines’. Sometimes, these fires are devastating in that conduction is a major aspect of most metals and thus the burns itself are usually devastative (Illston & Domone, 2001). Cooking oil – these fires are associated or somehow restricted to residential houses based on the understanding of cooking activities. Family members may cook food inappropriate and may either result in spilling of cooking oil or the cooking oil boiling to devastating extent and introduction of water may start a fire. These fires come with unique and varied characteristics that may be devastating and usually determines the approach of which fire investigators follow their instructions. Investing fires requires understanding or knowledge of what caused the fire so that appropriate extinguishing agents can be used while strategic approaches for investigation are utilised. Conclusion Accidents are inherent while fires can be avoided if safety measures and appropriate prevention measures are in place. Fires are caused mostly through ignorance of people while others are caused by accidental means. Some common causes of fires that are associated with individuals are smoking, inappropriate use of electrical equipments and electrical wiring, use of candles, stoves and heating appliances. In the case of family members or group of individuals, matches, combustible material, accumulation of easily ignitable paper and rubbish cause fires, and arson & fire started intentionally. Moreover, building setting or the nature in which the building was constructed determines the extent and nature of fires. Some of building settings that contributes fire incident include materials that were used, ventilation and nature of the building. Additionally, the class of fire can determine the characteristics of fire, and it brings into consideration features that are associated with ordinary combustion, flammable gas and liquid, metal, electrical, and cooking oil. Reference Apte, V. 2006. Flammability Testing of materials used in Construction, transport and Mining. London: Woodhead Publishers. Ching, F. & Winkel, S. 2007. Building Codes Illustrated: a Guide to Understanding the 2006 International Building Code. New York: John Wiley and Sons Publishers. Illston, J. & Domone, P. 2001. Construction Materials: their Nature and behaviour, 3rd ed. London: Taylor & Francis Publisher. Stationery Office. 2007. The Building Regulations 2000: Approved Document, B: Fire Safety, Vol. 1: Dwellinghouses: B1 Means of Warning and Escape; B2 Internal Fire Spread (linings); B3 Internal Fire Spread (structure); B4 External Fire Spread; B5 Access and facilities for the Fire Service: Building Regulations 2000. London: The Stationery office. Taylor, G. 2000. Materials in Construction: an Introduction, 3rd ed. London: Longman Publishers. Taylor, G. 2002. Materials in Construction: Principles, Practice and Performance: Chartered Institute of Building Series, 2nd ed. London: Longman Publishers. Read More