COMPANYNAME SOLAS TRAINING MANUAL PART B – Section 4 General Fire Precautions
4.11.
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OTHER FIRE PRECAUTIONS
4.11.1. Paint and Paint Stores Most paints contain high levels of solvents and other volatile materials. If paint drums are left unsealed or become damaged, flammable vapours can readily accumulate. The amount of paint and similar materials carried should be only that necessary for the immediate maintenance needs. Such materials should be securely stowed away from any source of ignition. Smoking or the carriage of smoking materials into paint stores is prohibited.
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4.11.2. Auto-Ignition
Many serious shipboard fires have occurred as a result of oil dripping or spraying onto hot surfaces or lagged steam pipes in engine rooms. These outbreaks of fire have usually been caused by lubricating or hydraulic oils which have relatively low auto-ignition temperatures.
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By comparison, many of the more volatile, low flash point oils have much higher autoignition temperatures. 4.11.3. Electrical Storms (Lightning)
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A number of serious fires and explosions have occurred as a result of lightning striking ships and igniting cargo vapours.
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Cargo, tank cleaning and gas freeing operations must be suspended when electrical storms are in the vicinity. All openings to cargo tanks must be securely closed and cargo tank vent by-pass valves closed.
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Should an upriser fire occur during loading, ballasting or gas freeing, it is essential NOT to stop the outward flow of gas through the riser as this could draw the flames into the cargo tanks and result in an explosion. If possible, the fire should be extinguished by inert gas or steam (if a suitable connection is fitted) while the riser and surrounding areas are kept cool with water spray. 4.11.4. Impact Sparks The risk of ignition of petroleum vapours from impact sparks created by hand tools is only slight, however an incentive spark can be produced by impurities, such as sand or grit, being present between the impacting surfaces. Tools made of non-ferrous materials such as phosphor bronze can create dangerous sparks because, due to the softness of the alloy, foreign particles become readily imbedded. Use of such tools is prohibited. Power tools such as pneumatic scaling hammers and wire brushes will, because of the high energy output, create sparks of sufficient intensity to ignite flammable vapours.
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