Wow! The one footnote in the Wikipedia Fire Blanket article points to an
item in a Safety Information collection on the web site of the Chemistry
Department of the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. Does anyone in this list
have connections there? They should be urged to modify their fire blanket
guidance.

Peter Zavon, CIH
Penfield, NY

PZAVON**At_Symbol_Here**Rochester.rr.com

-----Original Message-----
From: DCHAS-L Discussion List [mailto:dchas-l**At_Symbol_Here**MED.CORNELL.EDU] On Behalf Of
Kennedy, Sheila
Sent: Monday, August 18, 2014 5:23 PM
To: DCHAS-L**At_Symbol_Here**MED.CORNELL.EDU
Subject: Re: [DCHAS-L] fire blankets in lab

Many thanks to all who joined this discussion about keeping/using fire
blankets in chemistry labs. I wonder if any of our members are adept at
making corrections to Wikipedia (see their article on "Fire Blankets," which
is what prompted by original question).

I asked our Fire Marshal for the current NFPA document and received this
text from the 2011 edition of NFPA 45: Standard on Fire Protection for
Laboratories Using Chemicals. The NFPA website lists this as the current
edition with a revision due in 2015. Perhaps those who have early access to
revisions will keep us up to date?
Sheila
_________________
Annex A.6.6.3.2 Laboratory personnel should be thoroughly indoctrinated in
procedures to follow in cases of clothing fires. The most important
instruction, one that should be stressed until it becomes second nature to
all personnel, is to immediately drop to the floor and roll. All personnel
should recognize that, in case of ignition of another person's clothing,
they should immediately knock that person to the floor and roll that person
around to smother the flames. Too often a person will panic and nm if
clothing ignites, resulting in more severe, often fatal, burn injuries.

Fire-retardant or flame-resistant clothing is one option available to help
reduce the occurrence of clothing fires. Refer to NFPA 1975 "Standard on
Station/Work Uniforms for Emergency Services,"
for performance requirements and test methods for fire- resistant
clothing.

It should be emphasized that use of safety showers, fire blankets, or fire
extinguishers are of secondary importance. These items should be used only
when immediately at hand. It should be recognized that rolling on the floor
not only smothers the fire but also helps to keep flames out of the victim's
face, reducing inhalation of smoke.
_________________

_________________________________
Sheila Kennedy, C.H.O.
Safety Coordinator | Teaching Laboratories UCSD Chemistry & Biochemistry |MC
0303 s1kennedy**At_Symbol_Here**ucsd.edu | http://www-chem.ucsd.edu
Office: (858) 534-0221 | Fax: (858) 534-7687
_________________________________

-----Original Message-----
From: SAFETY2 [mailto:safety2**At_Symbol_Here**asu.edu] On Behalf Of Kennedy, Sheila
Sent: Thursday, July 31, 2014 2:10 PM
To: SAFETY2**At_Symbol_Here**LISTS.ASU.EDU
Subject: Re: [SAFETY2] fire blankets in lab

Eric,
Thank you. I found this document, but it appears to be a proposed change to
the NFPA Guidelines. I couldn't find if it had ever been officially
published/adopted.
It has all the right words, but there's no point in citing a proposal, is
there?
Sheila
_________________________________
Sheila Kennedy, C.H.O.
Safety Coordinator | Teaching Laboratories UCSD Chemistry & Biochemistry |MC
0303 s1kennedy**At_Symbol_Here**ucsd.edu |
http://www-chem.ucsd.edu<http://www-chem.ucsd.edu/>
Office: (858) 534-0221 | Fax: (858) 534-7687
_________________________________

From: DCHAS-L Discussion List [mailto:dchas-l**At_Symbol_Here**MED.CORNELL.EDU] On Behalf Of
Eric Clark
Sent: Thursday, July 31, 2014 1:11 PM
To: DCHAS-L**At_Symbol_Here**MED.CORNELL.EDU
Subject: Re: [DCHAS-L] fire blankets in lab

This is the National Fire Prevention Association's opinion on fire blankets:

Clothing fires - modify NFPA 45 Annex 6.6.3.2 to add text similar to the
following on fire
blankets: Fire blankets may be valuable in labs for a variety of purposes.
One of those does not happen to be wrapping yourself in them to extinguish
your clothing fire. In addition to trapping the heat, the fire blanket
creates a chimney effect and directs the hot, toxic gases, and flames into
your face, breathing zone and lungs. Someone else can get the blanket and
use it to help smother the flames. Blankets can also be used for (1) shower
modesty curtains, (2) wraps for after the shower, (3) a temporary stretcher,
(4) to keep someone warm to avoid shock, (5) a pillow if the victim needs to
be on the floor, and (6) to smother other fires.

NFPA 45
Standard on Fire Protection for Laboratories Using Chemicals Minutes -
November 15, 2012

Eric
Eric Clark, MS, CHMM, CCHO
Safety Officer, Public Health Scientist III Los Angeles County Public Health
Laboratory ________________________________________
From: DCHAS-L Discussion List [mailto:dchas-l**At_Symbol_Here**MED.CORNELL.EDU] On Behalf Of
Kennedy, Sheila
Sent: Thursday, July 31, 2014 12:40 PM
To: DCHAS-L**At_Symbol_Here**MED.CORNELL.EDU
Subject: [DCHAS-L] fire blankets in lab

The DivCHAS email list talked about this 4 years ago
(http://www.ilpi.com/dchas/2010/20100927b.html).
It seemed to me most commenters were in agreement that using a fire blanket
to wrap a victim who is standing (with clothes on fire) would likely create
a chimney effect, funneling hot gases to the victim's face. Neal L. said
that NFPA had not commented on this - just changed their emphasis from fire
blankets to "STOP! - DROP! - ROLL!"

Does anyone have a citation for this change?
Do you have blankets in your labs?
What do you teach about fire blankets?

It worries me that the vertical fire blanket cabinets are still on the
market and I've found web pages (including one University safety program and
Wikipedia) still teaching the "wrap the standing victim" method.
"Prudent Practices" recommends a fire blanket as a last resort, but doesn't
give much explanation.

________________________________
Sheila M. Kennedy, C.H.O.
Safety Coordinator | Teaching Laboratories Chemistry & Biochemistry
|University of California, San Diego
9500 Gilman Dr. | La Jolla, CA 92093-0303
(858) 534 - 0221 | fax (858) 534 - 7687 s1kennedy**At_Symbol_Here**ucsd.edu |
http://www-chem.ucsd.edu ________________________________

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