EPIC FAILURE ON THE PART OF THE FIRE CHIEF, THE FIRE INSPECTOR AND THE BUILDINGS OWNER AND THE MECHANIC THAT IS SUPPOSE TO PLACE THE SAID FLAMMABLES AND CAUSTIC IN THE PROPER PLACE.
MISSING SMOKER DETECTOR, THIS IS THE ONLY LOCATION IN THIS FACILITY FOR SMOKE DETECTOR.
ABOVE IS A STORAGE TANK FILLED WITH DIESEL FUEL NOT MARKED, ABOUT 2' AWAY FROM THE ELECTRIC CIRCUT PANEL
STORAGE UNDER THE STEPS OF COMBUSTIBLE FORM CARBURATOR/BRAKE CLEANER TOO A DIESEL ELECTRIC POWERED STEAM WASHER THAT IS IN USE EMITTING HOT GASES INTO THE BUILDING CAUSING A CO INCREASE AND NO EXHAUST SYSTEM TO EXTRACT THE CO FROM THE BUILDING.
STORAGE OF PAINT, PAINT THINNERS, CAUSTIC ACIDS, CAULKS, WD40 AND OTHER COMBUSTIBLES IN A PLASTIC STORAGE LOCKER.
OIL DUMP AREA....THE PUMP IS NOT MARKED FOR HAZARD OR FLAMABLES LIQUIDS. LOOK AT THE PLACEMENT OF THE FIRE EXTINGUISHER. IF A FIRE WAS TOO HAPPEN IN THE AREA YOU WOULD NOT BE ABLE TO RETREIVE TO EXTINGUISH THE FIRE.
ANOTHER LOOK AT THE OIL DUMP AREA.
NO EMERGENCY ESCAPE LIGHTS ANYWHERE IN THE BUILDING. THE DUAL LIGHTS ON THE MOTION DETECTOR ONLY WORKS ON MOTION AND WHEN NO LIGHTS ARE ON.....NOT APPROVED FOR EMERGENCY ESCAPE LIGHTS.
STORAGE OF COMBUSTABLES UNDER WOOD STEPS, WITH A PARTS WASHER SITTING AGAINST THE STAIR RAILINGS. UNDER THE STEPS IS BRAKE CLEANERS, GALLONS OF OIL, TUBES OF GREASE, PAPER, AND WORK CLOTHES......NO STORAGE CONTAINER FOR WORK/SHOP TOWEL IN THE BUILDING.....THE MECHANIC TOSSES THE TOWELS IN WITH HIS WORK CLOTHES.
ALUMINUM LADDER LEANING AGAINST A BANK OF BATTERIES....WHAT YOU CANNOT SEE IS THAT THE LADDER IS TOUCHING ONE OF THE POSTS ON THE BATTERY.
Additional note: This building has outside electric oultlets that are not GFCI Protected nor is the Electric panel and they lay electric cords on the ground not waterproofed plugs. Make sure when you inspect the building that at least the panel is GFCI portected on the panel if the outlets are not GFCI protected.
Note: the fire inspector completed this building in 15 minutes and it passed.....complete failure on his part too allow this to pass.
Be Fire Safe, Be Fire Wise and do a complete thorough inspection, as well as a complete fire building pre-plan include that they (business operators) have a complete MSDS for all chemicals that they use.
Roy, your passion for fire prevention is commendable. Being a fire inspector/investigator myself, a few questions come to mind when I look at your photos. #1. Is the building sprinkled? #2. Does the building have a monitored fire alarm system? #3. Is the quantity of chemical stored in the plastic cabinet/cardboard box exceeding max allowable quantity amounts for flammable/combustible liquids? From the picture, I would guess...no. #4. What are the dimensions of the building, and how many exits are required? #5. Are the internally lit exit lights working properly (w/ battery backup)? #6. Does your local code require smoke detectors in this type of occupancy? Many do not. #7. Many parts washers are equipped with a fuseable link to close the lid in the event of a fire, does the one depicted have a fuseable link? From the picture, which is a UL-listed Safety Kleen washer, I would guess...yes. Engine oil is a class III-B combustible liquid, and is allowed to be stored in the arrangement depicted above. From the looks of it, I estimate that my inspection of this place probably wouldn't be much longer than 15 minutes either. I would say that you are correct about some of their storage habits, and I would write them for these, but realize that the moment that we leave the business, the owner and employees will probably revert to the bad habits until they are cited again the next year. This is why having a solid Fire Prevention Bureau staffed with experienced and dedicated inspectors is so vital to every fire district. I wish more line/floor personnel had your eye for prevention. Great job.
ReplyDeleteSorry taking so long too get back, my wife is disabled and have been dealing with her.
DeleteNo the bldg is not sprinklered, monitored alarm system. No on the storage of combustibles in the plastic cabinet....but what you cannot see is there is WD40 with steel wool covered by rags.....potential fire hazard....as when I was on the dept there was a garage fire caused by steel wool, wd40 and rags.... spontaneous combustion.
Blgdg is about 60x60 about 20'tall 2 pull thru garage doors at 14' tall 2 steel 36" wide entry doors one in front one in back.
No working electric/battery back up exit signs......they are just hung up. NO emergency exit lighting either. Yes for required smoke detectors that must be hard wired and battery back up.
You are correct about 15 minutes but when the mechanic/maintenance person of the business and the fire inspectors are friends form grade school and graduated together......the fire inspector allowed friendship too over rule his authority of enforcing fire codes that will protect life, and property. I am sure he went inside sat down chewed the fat and then wrote the inspection and left. There was never any corrective actions by this company after the inspections because there was NO TRUE INSPECTIONS DONE. The reason why I say this I worked there and I also explained too the person that storage of combustibles and caustics are supposte too be in the metal flammable marked cabinet.....he said he didn't care his school friend is the fire inspector. I worked for this company 3 years....repeated asking the bosses and owner too improve safety of the drivers, workers they failed to do and they wonder why there equipment is breaking down/falling apart and why employees are leaving. Failure to provide a safe work environment. I contacted OSHA to do an inspection on my from the company .
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