Fire

IGCDec 2004 Question 11
Outline the benefits of undertaking regular fire drills in the workplace (8)
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Examiners’ Report
It is generally accepted that fire drills form an important part of ensuring the safety of employees at a workplace
Candidates were required to outline the benefits of carrying out these drills & Examiners were looking for reference to such matters as
Satisfying a legal requirement, or one specified in a fire certificate, to provide instruction to employees on the action to be taken in emergency situations
Checking that the alarm can be heard in all parts of the premises
Testing the effectiveness of the evacuation procedures both generally & in relation to specific requirements (such as the need to ensure the safety of disabled employees & visitors)
Familiarising employees (particularly those new to the undertaking) with the alarms, evacuation procedures, escape routes & assembly points so that, in the case of a real emergency, they would know the actions to be taken
& providing an opportunity for fire wardens & others with specific functions to practice their designated roles
This was another question that produced a generally good standard of response, with candidates able to demonstrate an understanding of the subject from their knowledge of underlying principles & perhaps from their work experience
Sep 2002 Question 9
Outline the factors to consider when carrying out a fire risk assessment of a workplace (8)
Examiners’ Report
With the number of issues that might be considered in conducting a fire risk assessment, there was ample opportunity for candidates to fain marks
Unfortunately, many let themselves down by providing limited breadth &/or depth to their answers
Some, for instance, restricted their answers to simply fire-fighting issues whereas others provided little more than a list of the main topic areas that did not satisfy the requirement for an outline
Candidates who performed better on this question tended to give structured answers that addressed
The assessment of the probability of fire breaking out & its possible magnitude
The means of detection & raising the alarm
Fire-fighting measures & evacuation
Possible ignition sources, the quantities of flammable & combustible materials
The siting & testing of detectors & call-points
The siting, suitability of alarms
The means of contacting the emergency services
The siting, suitability & maintenance of fire extinguishers, sprinkler systems, etc
Training of personnel in the use of fire extinguishers
The adequacy of emergency signs
The provision & testing of emergency lighting
The number of people to be evacuated &particular groups at risk
The adequacy of the escape routes; & staff training in evacuation procedures
Sept 2002 Q4 & March 2004 Q6
(a) Explain using a suitable sketch the meaning of the term “fire triangle” (4)
(b) List FOUR types of ignition source that may cause a fire to occur,& give an example of EACH type (4)
Examiner’s Report
Part (a) of this question required candidates to explain, with a clearly labelled diagram, that each side of the fire triangle represents one of 3 elements – namely
Fuel
Oxygen
This part of the question was generally well answered
Part (b) required a list of types of ignition source together with an example of each. While candidates were able to provide a reasonable list, the inclusion of specific examples often proved more difficult
Possible sources of ignition that could have been mentioned included
Electricity, from arcing or from overheating due to faulty wiring, poor connections, excess current etc
Chemical reactions
Hot work such as welding or cutting; discarded smoking materials
Friction caused by, for instance, inadequate lubrication of machinery
Hot surfaces such as those on cooking or heating appliances
& sparks from static electricity
A few candidates confused sources of ignition with methods of heat transfer, which was perhaps the question that they had hoped would appear
Dec 2001 Question 9
Identify the FOUR methods of heat transfer & explain how EACH can cause the spread of fire (8)
Examiners’ Report
The four methods of heat transfer that should have been identified in answer to this question are
Conduction
Convection
Radiation
& direct burning
The last of these is normally considered a method in its own right but is, in fact, a combination of the other methods
Having identified the methods, many candidates appeared to find difficulty in explaining how each method may cause the spread of fire
Sufficient understanding, however, could be demonstrated by the appropriate use of practical examples
For instance, heat can be transferred through metal beams or other parts of a structure by
Conduction
It can be carried by rising air currents (convection) to cause a build-up of hot gases under ceilings
It can be radiated through the air causing heating of material at a distance from a fire

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