Combustible materials (such as paper, cardboard and wood), flammable liquids (such as white spirit) and flammable gases (such as butane, propane & methane) are all potential fuels and should be stored, handled, transported & used with care if the fire risk that they present is to be controlled.
The best option is to eliminate the combustible and flammable material entirely from the workplace. This might be done, for example by disposing of old stocks of materials and substances that are no longer needed.
Alternatively, it may be possible to substitute one potential fuel source for another that presents less of a fire risk. For example, a petrol-powered generator might be changed to a diesel-powered one, eliminating the need to store and handle petrol. Since petrol is extremely flammable liquid (i.e. easily ignited at ambient air temperatures) but diesel is not (i.e. not easy to ignite at ambient air temperatures) there is a considerable reduction in fire risk.
If combustible and flammable materials cannot be eliminated or substituted, then the quantities of these materials present in the workplace should be minimised. This requires good stock control, housekeeping and waste management. For example, cardboard is used extensively by many manufacturing companies as a packaging material. It will be stored in bulk in a warehouse. Minimising the stocks of cardboard reduces the fire risk in the warehouse.
For the combustible and flammable materials that remain, arrangements must be made for safe use and storage. For example, if Liquified Petroleum Gas (LPG) is present in a workplace, the following arrangements should be made:
- Bottles (cylinders) should be stored outside
- The storage area should be fenced with a secure, lockable gate
- Warning signs should be displayed
- Ignition sources should be eliminated from the area
- Bottles should be chained upright
- The storage area should be separate from other buildings
- Empty and full bottles should be kept separate
- Oxygen bottles should not be stored with LPG
- Only those bottles actually required should be removed from the storage area and returned after use.
We hope that you have found this guidance on controlling combustible and flammable materials useful and that it provides you with a good solid base in which to improve the fire safety within your organisation.