ss_578_2012_ use and maintenance of fire extinguishers

UPDATE ON

SINGAPORE STANDARD

SS 578 : 2012

USE AND MAINTENANCE OF

PORTABLE FIRE EXTINGUISHERS

CHANGES TO THE STANDARD:

SS CP 55 : 1991

Code of Practice for

Use and Maintenance of Portable Fire Extinguishers

Replaced by:

SS 578 : 2012

Code of Practice for

Use and Maintenance of Portable Fire Extinguishers

MAIN CHANGES MADE IN THE REVISION

CLASSIFICATION OF FIRES

IN SS CP 55, DIFFERENT TYPES OF FIRES

WERE CLASSIFIED INTO CLASSES A, B, C & D.

CLASS A Ordinary combustible materials

CLASS B Flammable liquids and flammable gases

CLASS C Live electrical equipment

CLASS D Combustible metals



SS 578 DEFINES CLASSES OF FIRES

ACCORDING TO THE MATERIAL

UNDERGOING COMBUSTION.

ELECTRICITY ITSELF DOES NOT BURN.

HENCE THE STANDARD DOES NOT DEFINE

A PARTICULAR CLASS OF FIRE

INVOLVING AN ELECTRICAL RISK.

A NEW CLASS F FIRE IS INTRODUCED

FOR FIRES INVOLVING COOKING MEDIA

IN KITCHEN APPLIANCES.



SS 578 SS CP 55

Class A Ordinary combustible

materials

Class B Flammable liquids

Class C Flammable gases

Class D Combustible metals

Class F Cooking media

Class A Ordinary combustible

materials

Class B Flammable liquids &

gases

Class C Live electrical

equipment

Class D Combustible metals


CLASSIFICATION OF OCCUPANCY HAZARDS

CLASSIFICATION OF OCCUPANCY HAZARDS:

REMAINS THE SAME AS IN CP 55 EXCEPT THAT THE

AMOUNT OF CLASS B FLAMMABLES PRESENT IN THE

AREA IS TAKEN INTO ACCOUNT.

LOW HAZARD normal Class A combustibles present e.g.

offices, classrooms, etc. with Class B flammables < 5 litres

MEDIUM HAZARD showrooms, car parks, light industry, etc.

with Class B flammables >5 litres < 20 litres.

HIGH HAZARD exhibition areas, wood-working, warehouses

etc. with Class B flammables > 20 litres.


SS 578 SS CP 55

Low Hazard amount of combustibles & flammable

liquids present small fires expected.

Medium Hazard fires of moderate size expected

High Hazard fires of severe magnitude

expected

Classification remains the same, but the amount of

flammable liquids present

in the room or area is

quantified.

Low Hazard < 5 litres

Medium Hazard >5 20 litres

CLASSIFICATION OF OCCUPANCY

HAZARDS


SELECTION OF FIRE EXTINGUISHERS

SS 578 SS CP 55

Selection by anticipated class of fire Choice of extinguishing medium,

water, foam, CO2, dry powder, halon 1301 & 1211

Class A fires: water types multi-purpose dry powder types halon types foam types

Selection by anticipated class of fire Choice of extinguishing medium

water, foam, CO2, dry powder, wet chemical & clean agent

Class A fires: water types multi-purpose dry powder types clean agent types foam types


SS 578 SS CP 55

Class B fires: powder types halon types CO2 mechanical foam (AFFF)

Class B fires: powder types clean agent type CO2 mechanical foam (AFFF)



SS 578 SS CP 55

Class C fires: (Live electrical equipment) halon types CO2 powder types

Class C fires: (Flammable gases) clean agent types CO2 powder types Fires in live electrical equipment: clean agent, CO2, powder types (must be marked as suitable for use on live electrical equipment)



SS 578 SS CP 55

Class D fires: types approved for use on

specific combustible metal hazards

Cooking media fires: powder types halon types

Class D fires: types approved for use on

specific combustible metal hazards

Class F fires: (cooking media) Class F rated extinguishers



SS 578 SS CP 55

CLASS A FIRE Table 1 gives minimum sizes for

use on the various classification of occupancy hazards ranging in rating from 3A to 55A

Low hazard: 1A covered 40 m2

Medium hazard: 1A 20 m2

High hazard: 1A 15 m2

CLASS A FIRE

Table 1 removed

Low hazard: min 13A

Medium hazard: min 21A

High hazard: min 34A

A unit of A can cover 15 m2 regardless of hazard classification Max travel distance 15 m for all

occupancy hazard classification

DISTRIBUTION OF FIRE EXTINGUISHERS


SS 578 SS CP 55

CLASS B FIRE (Fires in flammable liquids of non-

appreciable depth)

Class B fires (low hazard) min extinguisher size 8B with max travel distance of 3 m

CLASS B FIRE

(Fires in flammable liquids of non-appreciable depth)

Class B fires (low hazard) min extinguisher size 21B with max travel distance of 5 m

DISTRIBUTION OF FIRE EXTINGUISHERS


SS CP 55 DISTRIBUTION OF FIRE EXTINGUISHERS

CLASS B FIRES IN FLAMMABLE LIQUIDS OF NON-APPRECIABLE DEPTH


SS 578 DISTRIBUTION OF FIRE EXTINGUISHERS

CLASS B FIRES IN FLAMMABLE LIQUIDS OF NON-APPRECIABLE DEPTH


SS CP 55 DISTRIBUTION OF FIRE EXTINGUISHERS

CLASS B FIRES IN FLAMMABLE LIQUIDS OF APPRECIABLE DEPTH

CLASS B RATED EXTINGUISHERS TO BE PROVIDED:

34B for surface area not exceeding 0.5 sq.m

70B for surface area not exceeding 1 sq.m

Travel distance from hazard to nearest extinguisher < 7m.




TO DETERMINE MINIMUM PROVISION OF EXTINGUISHERS:

BASED ON SURFACE AREA OF CONTAINERS

a) EACH ROOM OR ENCLOSURE TO BE CONSIDERED SEPERATELY

b) FIRE RISKS MORE THAN 20M APART CONSIDER SEPERATELY

c) FIRE RISKS WITHIN 20m OF ANOTHER FIRE RISK ASSESSED AS UNDIVIDED GROUP (i.e. containers less than 2m apart) OR DIVIDED GROUPS (i.e. containers more than 2m but less than 20m apart)



CLASS F - FIRES INVOLVING FATS AND COOKING OILS


INSTALLATION OF FIRE EXTINGUISHERS

SS 578 SS CP 55

Extinguishers to be installed

such that the carrying handle is not more

than 1.5 metres above the floor

Gross weight < 4 kg installed such that carrying handle is not more than 1.2 m above the floor Gross weight > 4 kg installed such that carrying handle is not more than 1 m above the floor

MOUNTING HEIGHT OF EXTINGUISHERS:

FLOOR LEVEL

Max. 1.2m

for gross

wt.< 4 kg Max. 1m

for gross

wt. > 4 kg

SS 578

EXTINGUISHERS MANUFACTURED TO MEET SS EN 3 STANDARD:

CYLINDER: RED COLOUR

SHOULD HAVE A COLOUR BAND TO IDENTIFY THE EXTINGUISHING MEDIUM CONTAINED IN THE EXTINGUISHER


INSTRUCTION MANUAL

This manual or phamplet

to give brief instructions

on use and maintenance.

Each new extinguisher

shall be provided with a

manual.

WHO IS RESPONSIBLE FOR MAINTENANCE?

SS 578

THANK YOU

ss_578_2012_ use and maintenance of fire extinguishers

Documents

anticipated class

particular class

class b flammables present

different types of fires

revision ss

new class f

low hazard normal class

extinguishers ss