Familiarise yourself with the site emergency procedures to ensure that you know what to do should a fire occur.
If you are working underground or inside a building, make sure you know your escape route.
Do not obstruct fire escape routes or firefighting equipment.
Learn the operation and the limitations of the fire extinguishers in your area.
Do not attempt to tackle a fire unless it is perfectly safe to do so - always ensure you have a means of escape.
Do not use extinguishers for any purpose other than fighting a fire.
Do not hang clothing on or near heating appliances.
Do not allow paper, rags or other rubbish to accumulate.
Do not smoke where it is forbidden to do so, only in designated areas.
Use proper containers for flammable liquids, not open cans or buckets.
Handle flammable liquids at a safe distance from sources of ignition.
Check for possible sources of fire after using blowlamps, welding and cutting equipment, and check for smouldering, 30 minutes after the hot-work has been completed.
Switch off from the mains any electrical equipment not in use.
If a fire breaks out, raise the alarm at once.
Highly flammable liquids
Containers of HFL must be held in a secure COSHH compound until required for use and returned when finished with.
Used containers may still produce flammable or explosive fumes so must be treated with the same care as full ones.
The transfer of HFLs from one container to another must be carried out in the open air. No smoking - no naked flames.
Care must be taken to avoid spillage and leaks by maintaining screw caps and the use of spouts and funnels.
Spillage can be soaked up with dry sand or spill kit which should then be placed in a safe place in the open air.
Dry powder extinguishers must be to hand whenever HFLs are stored, decanted, and used.
Make sure you know how to use the extinguishers.
If you should spill HFL onto your clothing stay away from all sources of ignition and change your clothes at the earliest opportunity.
Report any defect in the equipment or the system of work.
Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG)
General
Liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) used on construction sites is normally propane which is in a red cylinder (usually).
LPG is used as a fuel to provide heat for a variety of purposes, from a plumber’s blow torch to a bitumen boiler.
As the gas is heavier than air, any leak will tend to flow into drains, sumps, excavations and underground workings where it can be ignited some distance from the source of the leak. The flame can then travel back to the source. Cylinders
A cylinder must never be used or stored on its side. Should there be a leakage large quantities of gas could escape, and apart from the risk of serious fire, persons could suffer frost bite because of the very low temperature of the escaping liquid.
Cylinders must be stored and used upright.
Cylinders must not be dropped, nor brought into violent contact with other cylinders or adjacent objects.
Cylinders must not be rolled on the ground. When being manhandled, they may be spun on their bases as when moving a milk churn.
Cylinders must not be used below ground level as any leakage will not disperse.
When cylinders are lifted by crane, trolleys or cages must be used.
When lifted by platform hoist, they must be secured.
Cylinders must not be lifted by the valves or valve guards.
Cylinders which supply appliances inside site hutting must always be located outside the buildings.
Equipment
Always make sure before changing a tool or a cylinder that the valves are closed.
Before and after use, valve protection caps and plastic thread caps or plugs must be fitted to prevent accidental leakage.
Regulators must be handled with care. Damaged regulators must not be used.
LPG cylinders are fitted with left hand threads or push-on connections. Union nuts and couplers have grooves on the outside corners of the nuts confirming this.
Always use the correct size spanner - hand tight connections may leak.
Over-tightening will damage threads and cause leaks.
Hoses and fittings must be examined before use and any damages reported.
Hoses must never be kinked in an attempt to shut off the gas when changing tools, it does not work and will allow gas to escape.
Only the special hoses provided must be used, and these must be inspected regularly for damage. Other types of tubing must not be used.
Flames from torches must not be allowed to play on cylinders.
When work has been completed, turn off the cylinder valve and allow the flame from the torch to burn out - then close torch valve.
Closure of the torch valve before the cylinder valve will retain gas in the hose which, if damaged, will allow the gas to escape.
Hoses and torches must not be put into tool boxes while still attached to the cylinder.
Hoses and torches must not be left in confined spaces during meal breaks or overnight.
Do not interfere with pre-set pressure.
Gas Leaks
A leak may be noticed either by smell or by the noise of the gas escaping.
A leak must never be traced with a lighted match or naked flame as this may cause an explosion. Soapy water may be used for this purpose.
If equipment is found to be leaking, the gas must be turned off at source and the fault rectified.
If the cylinder itself is leaking and closing the valve does not stop it, clear the area and report it immediately.
If it is suspected that LPG has leaked inside a building, enclosed area or confined space, do not attempt to operate any electrical apparatus or mechanical equipment - leave the area and report the matter immediately.
