In India, according to National Crime Records Bureau’s (NCRB) report, there were 7743 deaths in 5 years (from 2010 -14) due to accidental fires caused by electrical short circuits. Electrical fires are one of the major reasons for industrial fires as 56% of incidents are reportedly caused by electrical fires.
Electrical short circuits are the most common and most overlooked causes of fire accidents around the world.

The infographic below shows that there is a growing trend in the fire accidents due to electrical short circuits.

What are the causes of electrical fires?

1. Frayed or Faulty wiring

Electrical fires are commonly caused by outdated and frayed wires. For homes older than 20-25 years, the capacity of the wires to handle the consumption of modern electrical equipment may not be sufficient. Often spikes in power consumption trigger the electrical circuit breakers to act. If the circuit breaker is worn out, it may not work properly in such instances. This results in electrical fires. Another common cause of the electrical fire is faulty wiring. If the electrician is not qualified, he may not follow the safety protocols that are required. Running a wrong wire on a wrong outlet may also cause fires.

2. Extension cords

If you have too many appliances connected to an extension cord for a long duration, then it may cause an electrical fire. Extension cords are designed only for temporary usage. It is better to use the right outlet for electrical appliances.

3. Electrical appliances

Electrical fires are even caused by old and damaged electrical appliances. Do not use an appliance with damaged or frayed wires. The frayed cords could transfer heat to combustible materials like carpets, curtains or wood and result in a fire.

4. Outdated circuit breakers

Electrical circuit breakers play an important role in preventing electrical fires. Circuit breakers may not withstand the power fluctuations or continuous overloads caused by electrical equipment like air conditioners and water heaters. Mostly during every instance of overloading, your circuit breaker may trip. Slowly, these may result in malfunctioning of circuit breakers. In order to avoid this, it is better to keep checking the circuit breaker if you have more than two occasions of tripping.

5. Light fixtures and decorations

Another largest cause of electrical fires is light fixtures. Before installing lights for your home, it is important to check the light fixture for the level of heat it can withstand.  Using light bulbs with higher wattage may cause an electrical fire.

If you are using decorative serial lights, it is very important to ensure that the cords are not in contact with any combustible materials. It is even riskier if it is used in an extension cord. It is important to use these lights only when you need to. Unattended serial lights could also result in a fire.

6. Electrical switches and outlets

Old and worn out switches also cause electrical fires. Also, worn out plug points that have sporadic power supply also may require attention from you from time to time. If these are not attended, it may lead to heating and could result in a fire.

7. Unattended charging points

It is for sheer convenience we often connect our laptops or mobile phones to a dedicated charging point in our homes. We seldom switch off the plug, whether it is in use or not. This may not look like a problem at the outset as there is no immediate threat of a fire. But when the circuit releases heat it gets slowly accumulated. When this is in contact with wood or fabric it can ignite and cause a fire.

A summary of precautions to take for electrical fire safety

General electrical safety in your home

1. Do not use extension cords to connect electrical appliances. Use extension cords only for temporary purposes.
2. Do not run wires under carpets or rugs.
3. Do not use cords that are worn out or frayed
4. Check the circuit breakers once every year. If you have more instances of tripping. Get a qualified electrician to have the breaker checked.
5. Disconnect mobile chargers or laptop chargers when not in use.
6. Replace outdated and worn out electrical appliances and switches.
7. Use light fixtures only with the recommended wattage of lights.
8. Clear the electrical systems regularly for any dust, trash or spider webs. As these can catch fire whenever there is a heating.

Electrical Appliances

Electrical Appliances like refrigerators, washing machine, air conditioners, microwave ovens, dryers, stoves, etc should be plugged directly into the plug points in the wall. Do not use extension cords for these appliances.

Circuit breakers

Install an electrical circuit breaker. A circuit breaker shuts the power supply whenever there is a power leakage or fault. This is called tripping.

Whenever there is a tripping. Have a qualified electrician to check the condition of the electrical circuit breaker. Remember, a malfunctioning circuit breaker would also cause heating and electrical fires.

What should you do when there is an electrical fire?

If there is a fire due to the electrical short circuit:

1. Switch off the electrical system.
2. Treat the fire as ‘class A’ for extinguishing purpose.
3. If you can’t isolate the power supply, use non-electrical conducting extinguishing agents. regardless of the power status. (Refer to the different classes of fire)

When to call a qualified electrician?

1. If your electrical circuit breakers are frequently tripping.
2. Whenever you touch an electrical appliance, you have a tingling feeling.
3. The wall outlets are warm or burnt or discolored.
4. There is a burning smell from an appliance.
5. The lights in your home are flickering.
6. If any outlets have sparks coming out of it.

It is much easier to prevent an electrical fire if you are preventive. Share it with your friends and spread awareness about fire safety.

The gruesome school fire accident in Kumbakonam, Tanjore district in the year 2004 threw light to the lack of fire safety precautions in schools in India. This accident took the life of 94 children, and it is one of the horrifying fire accidents in India.

The Dabwali fire accident in Haryana district that happened in the year 1998, is another which took away the lives of 540 people which includes 170 children.

These horrifying accidents indicate that the school authorities in India by and large, do not take necessary steps to prevent such disasters.

Why are schools vulnerable to fires?

Schools have a single building or multiple buildings with a large number of children of different age groups. The classrooms have combustible materials like furniture and the labs have chemicals that can easily catch fire. The kitchens in schools have LPG and there are many electrical points that are possible causes for electrical short circuits. So, it is important for the schools to be equipped to prevent such accidents.

What are the most common causes of fire accidents in schools?

The four common causes of school fires are:

1. Cooking gas or flammable liquids: Many schools have an in-house kitchen. These kitchens have LPG cylinders that could be stored dangerously.
2. Electrical short circuit or heating equipment: Faulty wiring or frayed wires could cause electrical short circuits in schools. Mostly, in modern constructions, these wires are concealed and many times it becomes difficult to track the right source of the fire.
3. School Vans are also at risk. Electrical friction is one of the major causes of fire in vans.
4. Intentional fires: Children playing with matchsticks or candles. Or by careless disposal of cigarettes by staff.

How can we prevent fire accidents in schools?

1. Fire safety equipment and precautions

The schools should be properly equipped with fire safety equipment. Every floor must have a fire extinguisher, smoke alarm, and sprinklers. The condition of the equipment must be periodically monitored by the school authorities. The school authorities in India must also make sure that the schools’ buildings are constructed as per the latest NCB guidelines.

School vans also need to be equipped with fire extinguishers. The van staff and the driver should be aware of how to use it in case of emergency.

2. Fire safety drills

Fire safety drills for the school children help to educate them on what they to do in case of fire. These drills must be conducted once a month. With the help of these drills, children are much aware of the safety protocols and help in the orderly evacuation. The students and staff must be able to recognize the sound of the fire alarm and what they should do when it sounds.

The school teachers and staff must be aware of the fire safety system. They should be aware of the location of the fire alarms and extinguishers. The safety drills must be conducted at both expected and unexpected times. Safety drills must also include school vans in which children travel to school.

3. Fire safety audit

Fire safety audit should also be conducted periodically. The audit ensures escape planning, placement of exit doors, the method of evacuation, and placement of fire safety equipment. This helps schools to be properly equipped anytime.

4. Clear exit paths

The fire exit paths in the school should always be clutter free. The path should not be blocked and every room in the school must have two ways out. All the exit paths should be obvious and wide enough for orderly evacuation.

5. Safe meeting point                                   

There should be a safe meeting point for all the students outside the building. In case of mock drills or emergency evacuation, the students must assemble at this point until they are given all clear.

Fire safety in schools, unfortunately,  is overlooked very often by the government and the parents. It is important for parents to check the fire safety of the building before admitting their children to a new school. Having said that, it is also important to practice home fire safety with kids. This ensures that they are prepared to handle emergency situations that can happen anywhere.

Sources:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2004_Kumbakonam_School_fire

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dabwali_fire_accident

http://www.nfpa.org/Public-Education/By-topic/Property-type-and-vehicles/School-fires/School-safety-tips

Picture Source: DNA India, pixabay

According to a survey conducted by FICCI’s India Risk Survey 2017, fires are rated as the 5^th largest risk to the Indian businesses. Fire-related incidents were reported from major sectors like railways, defense, industries, city centers, logistics domain and also during festivals.

According to the report, the major causes of industrial fires are:

1. Non-compliance of safety norms and non-renewal of safety licenses
2. Poor infrastructure with obsolete fire safety equipment
3. Lack of preparation including non-upgradation of skills by firemen

 What are the other causes of fires at offices or a workplace?

There are many other things that could cause fire accidents in industries, which are,

1. Stocking of combustible dust and flammable liquids and gasses
2. Faulty equipment and heating
3. Electrical fire due to short circuit

 Preparing Your Employees For Fire Safety Plan

Accidental outbreaks of fire can cause a serious damage to life as well as assets. Ensuring a fail-proof plan especially in a workplace is important for employees as well as employers. It is also a norm that every workplace has adequate measures to deal with fires and to protect workers. But do you think all working places have proper security measures for fighting the fire and are our employees fully prepared for it?

According to the laws, it is important for every employer to assess the risks posed by accidental fires and make a proper plan to reduce or eliminate the risks caused due to fire. It is also mandatory to make sure that all the employees are aware of the emergency fire safety plan and have adequate training to respond to in any such situation.

How To Prepare Your Employees For Fire Safety Plan?

If a fire breaks out in a workplace, the topmost priority must be to safely evacuate everyone out of the affected premises. In order to ensure that your employees know how to respond, it is important that they receive proper training for it. People must be trained so that they do not panic in such dangerous situations.

The training for a fire safety plan must involve following points:

• Necessary steps the employees must take when they hear the fire alarm.
• Training should include teaching employees about the functioning of different fire safety equipment such as fire alarms, fire extinguishers, fire safety kits and other required materials.
• Employees must be aware of the emergency fire exits one must use in the case of a fire breakout.
• It must be taught that one must never use elevators during a fire as they can fail and leave one stuck without an exit. This has proved fatal in many accidents
• The training must involve teaching employees to assemble at a defined assembly area after exiting the area which is affected by a fire.

Fire safety training can prove helpful in not only saving the life during a fire breakout but can also be helpful in containing the fire on the premises so as to minimize the damage.

Importance of Fire Safety Drill in Workplace

It is a human tendency that we often panic during life-threatening situations like fire. Through proper training, we can improve our reaction to the benefit of ourselves and the people surrounding us.

Fire safety drills in the workplace can prove to be of great benefit for all the people working there. If every employee knows how to respond in an emergency situation and what steps must be taken to safely evacuate everyone, it can be quite helpful for minimizing the damage caused.

Regular fire drills involving providing practical knowledge about the safe evacuation procedures must be carried out at least once a year. Through the drills, the effectiveness of escape routes can also be assessed.

The more your employees are familiar with the steps one must follow during an accidental fire, the more are chances of eliminating the damage caused due to fire. Moreover, it is the legal duty of every employer to organize a fire safety drill for employees once a year.

Work Place & Industrial Fire Safety Guidelines

Fire can happen anywhere and anytime. The best way to avoid losses due to fire accidents is by preventing it. Here are some measures that would ensure fire safety in the workplace:

1. Compliance with the law: The premises must be compliant with NBC guidelines that many states follow

2. Fire Safety Audit: Companies should ensure periodical fire safety audit of all the fire safety equipment and system. There are numerous things that have to be checked during fire safety audit. It should be ensured that

a) The fire alarms are always working

b) The emergency exits are always open and easy to open

c) Emergency lighting is in place

d) Fire exits are visible and at the right place. If there is any fault in the system, it should be recorded. To ensure fire safety, such audits should be carried out at regular intervals

3. Drills and Training: Conducting mock drills with employees helps them to be aware of and importantly alert. It should make them respond to the fire situations quickly

4. Evacuation plan: All buildings must have an evacuation plan. Employers should ensure that,

a) All escape routes are clear without any clutter

b) All fire exits are clearly marked.

c) There are enough exits to safely evacuate all people inside the premises

d) A safe meeting point for all the staff

e) Fire exits are differently abled friendly

Some important tips for fire safety in the workplace:

1. Learn to use a fire extinguisher.

2. Educate all staff on fire safety and be aware of the fire station near your premises. Post stickers on emergency numbers.

3. Never block the fire exits, sprinklers or any fire equipment.

4. Prohibit smoking in storerooms and ensure there is a separate smoking zone

5. Practice good housekeeping in order to avoid proper disposal of waste

6. Ensure the machinery is properly maintained to avoid overheating

7. Report electrical hazards and attend to any malfunctioning machinery quickly.

Spread awareness on fire safety by sharing it with your friends.

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Resource:

Workplace Fire Safety Checklist

Information on fire safety saves many lives. As a fire takes only 30 seconds to spread, it does not give enough time for you to react. Fires can happen anywhere. It can be your home, office, school or outdoor. A home fire safety checklist would help you to prevent fire at home.

The knowledge of fire and safety could prevent injuries and loss of lives.

Fire safety for high rise buildings varies from home fire safety. Fire safety requires greater clarity, as in the wake of an emergency, this would help us a lot to protect ourselves.

What are the basic fire safety measures that you should know?

Immaterial of the place, these are few tips that would help you in case of fire.

1. Exit the building using fire exits. Do not use elevators.
2. Be aware of the fire alarm sounds in places that you visit.
3. Switch off any electrical equipment when it is not in use.
4. Conduct fire safety drills at home and educate others on fire safety.

Home fire safety Checklist

Did you know? Most fire accidents at home occur in the kitchen. Nearly 50% of the home fires initiate in the kitchen. In order to prevent fire at home, you need to know the causes of fire and also how to act in case of fire.

1. To keep your home fire safe, you need to install smoke alarms or a home fire extinguisher.
2. Know how to use a fire extinguisher.
3. Have a fire safety plan for your home and educate members of your family on fire safety. Carry out fire safety drills at home.
4. Do not leave the gas stove, open flame like candles or diyas unattended.
5. Never smoke indoors, especially on a bed.
6. Get your home wiring done by a qualified electrician.
7. Home fires also occur due to electrical appliances, wires, and fittings. Switch off electrical appliances when not in use.
8. Do not overload a power board. Do not use extension cords for appliances like refrigerator, microwave and induction stove.
9. Call an electrician in case if you get a rubbery smell while using an appliance or if the switchboards have a tingly sensation when you switch on.

Kitchen fire safety tips

1. Keep kids away from gas stoves and microwaves while cooking.
2. While using cooking oil, keep children away and use it in the right sized pans.
3. Clean the hob and chimney regularly.
4. Have a fire extinguisher installed and know how to use it.
5. Tuck in the saree ends and duppatas well while cooking. Don’t keep the waste cloth or tissue rolls near gas stove.
6. Read the safety instructions before using a new microwave oven. Use only microwave containers.
7. Close the cylinder valve when not in use. Unused cylinders should be stored in a well-ventilated area. It should be stored upright. Do not use petrol or any other inflammable liquids near the cylinder.
8. If a pan catches fire due to oil, don’t use water. With water, the fire would spread quickly and can cause severe burns. Instead, close the pan with a lid.

To spread awareness on fire and safety share it with your friends today.

Download the Home Fire Safety Checklist

In our eagerness to occupy our new homes and office spaces in high rise/ multi-storied buildings, we often overlook the fire-safety readiness of the premises, putting at risk, lives, and property. This is true for both owners and tenants.

As per the building bye-laws in various states in India, high rise buildings (high rise being defined as ground plus four or more floors) need to get clearance from the state’s Fire Services Department, fulfilling all the conditions laid down by it, before the Occupancy Certificate is issued by the local statutory authority.

It must be noted that the Fire Department’s final No Objection Certificate (Fire NOC) issued will have references to the fire inspector’s first report (referred to as conditional NOC) issued at the time of building sanction and other letters, and all these must be carefully studied by the owners and the owners’ association at the time of taking over the building from the builder.

The conditional NOC is issued before building construction, based on inspection of the builder’s plan. It describes the structural details of the building and indicates changes required if any. It also mentions various fire safety, firefighting and fire evacuation measures, along with specific details, that need to be incorporated into the building, for the final NOC to be valid. This would include the following:
– The condition of open spaces
– Structural material
– Design of staircases
– Specification of lifts
– Service ducts/ shafts
– Electric power supply
– Wet rise cum downcomer
– Fire detection system
– Fire alarm system
– Fire sprinkler system
– Public address system
– Portable fire extinguishers
– Fire safety plan
– Fire officer
– Training.

A sample of the conditional NOC of an apartment complex in Bangalore can be seen here  (though several years old, the basic framework remains the same). The builder had not provided this NOC to the owners’ association at the time of handover in 2005, and it was obtained by them through an RTI application.

More than five years after this apartment complex was certified as occupiable (through the issue of OC), prompted by the fire at Carlton Towers in Bangalore on 23 Feb 2010, the association received a defect report from the Electrical Inspectorate indicating that its cable ducts were not sealed.

Sealing of the ducts was an expensive proposition. The association got quotations for various options to do this and was wondering how to finance it.

Scrutiny of the provisional NOC revealed two things – (1) the method of sealing the ducts including the material to be used was clearly specified (2) it was the duty of the builder to seal the ducts.

Armed with this information, the association was successful in getting the builder to seal the ducts at his cost, several years after hand-over.

The conditional NOC revealed another defect that had gone unnoticed. The portable fire extinguishers provided were without BIS markings. The association got these too replaced by the builder.

In the case of this apartment complex, the owners were fortunate that the builder was responsive and committed to fulfilling his obligations while maintaining his good reputation. This would often not be the case, so owners and the association need to stay vigilant and ensure fire-safety compliance while occupying/ taking over the building.

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Slightly edited and posted with permission from the author, Ms. Arathi Manay.

Arathi is a self-confessed ‘Bangalore-phile’ who is currently based in Mumbai. An engineer-market researcher by profession, her interests include basketball, waste management, social causes, traveling, collecting autographs and taking photographs. She enjoys writing about different things that one encounters in everyday life and contributes to a few online blogs. Arathi contributes time in taking the fire safety message forward in Mumbai as part of Beyond Carlton.  She is also a founder trustee of Puttenahalli Neighbourhood Lake Improvement Trust.

This post was initially published by the author here on 17 June 2015 with the title being “High rise buildings: Scrutinise the Fire Department’s NOC while taking over from the builder”.

You know the phrase ‘playing with fire’? Yes, the phrase oft-used to describe being careless about something that could end in irreversible consequences. Little do we realize that it’s used for a reason. Fire can be, and is, literally fatal. That India should be called a ‘third-world’ country is debatable, but we know what it’s like to live in a developing state, lack resources, and also, not to mention, intelligent growth. What this lack of urgency – and a prevalence of ‘chalta hai’ and ‘jugaad’ like concepts – entails is a systematic and unnecessary loss of lives and property and a general state of chaos. Tragedies happen, are lamented, and then forgotten. And what about time? Time heals, apparently. Can time heal indelible burns, though? Can it bring back people lost in accidents?

World statistics show that 94% of deaths due to fire occur in homes and buildings. In 2011, fires alone caused 26,343 deaths in India.

Let’s then have a look at how fire really works. The simple things that make it a fatal element. It takes less than 3 minutes for a flame to spread and burn down its surroundings, but what’s lesser known is that more fire deaths occur due to excess inhalation of smoke than the flames themselves. Fire burns from oxygen and therefore sucks it out of wherever it finds it, replacing it with suffocating smoke. Fire, in fact, needs all of heat, fuel, and oxygen to exist. Removing any one or more of these is sure to put a fire out. To put it simply, for eliminating heat what’s needed is a cooling effect, for removal of fuel – a starvation effect, and for the exclusion of oxygen – a smothering one.

Come to think of it, most everyday household and office items are highly flammable. A kitchen houses all sorts of cleaning chemicals – so do the storage areas in office buildings. If one goes to basements or garages, there’s motor oils and fuel aplenty. Anything – from overloaded of electrical circuits, chafed and old wiring, broken plugs or switches, and fuses of wrong rating, to sparks, defective electrical equipment and wiring, and artificial fabrics near flames – can be the cause of a deadly fire. Non-functional fire-extinguishers, locked exits, perceived non-importance of fire drills, closed valves, inadequate fire protection systems, the absence of or non-functional fire alarms – these have rendered us fools who learn only much after irreversible damage.

What are the different classes of fire?

We cannot, and must not, keep the technicalities aside. Technicalities contain the real, usable life lessons. Let’s understand, then, what the Classes of fire are and what fire extinguishers they need:

Class A fires are those that involve ordinary combustible material (wood, cloth, rubber and plastics) requiring cooling effects of water, water solutions, or the coating effects of certain dry chemicals which retard combustion. These fires require fire appliances that expel water – water gas type fire extinguishers or water stored pressure types.

Class B fires are those that involve flammable or combustible liquids, flammable gases, greases and similar materials where extinguishment is most readily secured by excluding oxygen, inhibiting the release of combustible vapors or interrupting the combustion chain reaction. They require fire extinguishers that discharge foam, carbon dioxide or dry powder.

Class C fires involve gaseous substances under pressure where it’s necessary to dilute the burning gas at a very fast rate with an inert gas or powder. Fire extinguishers that discharge dry powder or carbon dioxide and Inert Gas Extinguishants can put out these fires.

Class D fires involve certain combustible metals like magnesium, titanium, zirconium, sodium, potassium etc. They require a heat absorbing extinguishing medium, something that doesn’t react with burning metals. Fire extinguishers discharging special dry powder can put these out.

Educating yourself and those around you about the perils of ignorance and the laziness that comes with the burden of life can go a long way in harboring a healthy society that is alert, aware, informed, and progressing. Acknowledge the importance of prevention, and you might just save a life today. Like most things magnificent, fire is beautiful… but fire can kill.

At a personal level, I can’t still believe it has been 5 years since we lost Akhil. I am sure this is true with all the other 8 families too! That day is still so fresh in our minds and I guess would be that way till we are around. At Beyond Carlton, 5 years on, lot has changed and lot has not changed!

What has changed?

Firstly, when we started as a small group driven by anger and an emotion we did not even realize that we could go out and make some difference!

None of us were from the social sector or were volunteering with one! Each of us continues to be involved in our own professions so far.

So, we learnt a few things every day…

• We learnt that even a small group with a well-intentioned purpose can create a connect on an issue that seems irrelevant!
• We learnt that there are, other concerned people out there, who will lend you support!
• We learnt that the system today thankfully, allows citizens to play a role in making a change- be it through RTI’s,PIL’s etc.The fact that we could change the laws of the State seemed unfathomable to us.
• We learnt that no matter what the skeptics say(we hear a lot of nothing will change!), we need to stay the course. Persistence is the key!
• We learnt that we would get recognition for our efforts but that should only strengthen our belief in our purpose. We never realized that we would be reached out to as a go–to body around fire safety by the media and others. Or, that other cities would reach out to us to start a movement like this in their city.
• We learnt that it is important to empower the authorities to do their jobs, like the fire dept. Or to empower citizens to become watchdogs with a mobile App like the FIRE CHAMP.

What has not changed?

A lot has not changed and we realize that this is a long and tedious journey. Like any other story it has got its twists and turns.

• We see most are still in the belief that a fire will not happen in their life.
• We see that while we can get a new law going, the implementation of it is most challenging.
• We see that getting citizen participation for their own safety often requires more than just nudging them in that direction. It requires a stick many a time more than a carrot for the herd to start following!

However, we still believe that every day we spend on fire safety is a new day. Some will agree with our purpose but there will be a lot who will not see our mission. Our goal is to stay the course and hope that one day we may save one life because someone listened to us.

About the Author
Uday Vijayan lost his young son Akhil Uday in the Carlton Towers fire in Bangalore on 23rd Feb.2010. He then founded Beyond Carlton and is the President & Managing Trustee of Beyond Carlton.