Fire Hazards

Abstract

The hazards caused by fire in the biomedical research laboratory pose special problems to both laboratory workers and firefighters. In addition to the inherent hazards of heat, smoke, and flames, a fire in the laboratory can expose personnel to vaporized radioactive, biohazardous, or toxic substances; to the risk of explosion; to the production of fires that do not respond to (or should not be fought with) water. Explosive oxidation can occur from the rapid release of organic solvents from bursting containers, or from secondary chemical reactions caused by mixing of strong oxidizers with organic chemicals. The hazard resulting from release of aerosols of liquids containing infectious agents or radioactive materials is also very great. It is therefore extremely important to be aware of sources of ignition, such as electrical arcs (including static electricity), open flames, and hot objects, and to minimize wherever possible the chances for fires to occur. The following discussion is not meant to be a comprehensive presentation of the theory of fire prevention and fire fighting techniques. Rather, this information is intended to give some basic information about how to recognize fire hazards and to handle flammable substances.