SS_578_2012_ Use and Maintenance of Fire Extinguishers

UPDATE ON SINGAPORE STANDARD

SS 578 : 2012 USE AND MAINTENANCE OF PORTABLE FIRE EXTINGUISHERS

CHANGES TO THE STANDARD:

SS CP 55 : 1991 Code of Practice for Use and Maintenance of Portable Fire Extinguishers Replaced by:

SS 578 : 2012 Code of Practice for Use and Maintenance of Portable Fire Extinguishers

MAIN CHANGES MADE IN THE REVISION

CLASSIFICATION OF FIRES

IN SS CP 55, DIFFERENT TYPES OF FIRES WERE CLASSIFIED INTO CLASSES A, B, C & D.

CLASS A – Ordinary combustible materials CLASS B – Flammable liquids and flammable gases CLASS C – Live electrical equipment CLASS D – Combustible metals

MAIN CHANGES MADE IN THE REVISION

CLASSIFICATION OF FIRES

SS 578 DEFINES CLASSES OF FIRES ACCORDING TO THE MATERIAL UNDERGOING COMBUSTION.

ELECTRICITY ITSELF DOES NOT BURN. HENCE THE STANDARD DOES NOT DEFINE A PARTICULAR CLASS OF FIRE INVOLVING AN ELECTRICAL RISK. A NEW CLASS ‘F’ FIRE IS INTRODUCED FOR FIRES INVOLVING COOKING MEDIA IN KITCHEN APPLIANCES.

MAIN CHANGES MADE IN THE REVISION

CLASSIFICATION OF FIRES

SS CP 55

SS 578

• Class A – Ordinary combustible materials

• Class A – Ordinary combustible materials

• Class B – Flammable liquids & gases

• Class B – Flammable liquids

• Class C – Live electrical equipment • Class D – Combustible metals

• Class C – Flammable gases • Class D – Combustible metals • Class F – Cooking media

MAIN CHANGES MADE IN THE REVISION CLASSIFICATION OF OCCUPANCY HAZARDS

CLASSIFICATION OF OCCUPANCY HAZARDS: REMAINS THE SAME AS IN CP 55 EXCEPT THAT THE AMOUNT OF CLASS B FLAMMABLES PRESENT IN THE AREA IS TAKEN INTO ACCOUNT. LOW HAZARD – normal Class A combustibles present e.g. offices, classrooms, etc. with Class B flammables < 5 litres MEDIUM HAZARD – showrooms, car parks, light industry, etc. with Class B flammables >5 litres < 20 litres. HIGH HAZARD – exhibition areas, wood-working, warehouses etc. with Class B flammables > 20 litres.

MAIN CHANGES MADE IN THE REVISION CLASSIFICATION OF OCCUPANCY HAZARDS

SS CP 55  Low Hazard – amount of combustibles & flammable liquids present – small fires expected.  Medium Hazard – fires of moderate size expected

 High Hazard – fires of severe magnitude expected

SS 578  Classification remains the same, but the amount of flammable liquids present in the room or area is quantified.  Low Hazard – < 5 litres  Medium Hazard – >5 20 litres

MAIN CHANGES MADE IN THE REVISION SELECTION OF FIRE EXTINGUISHERS

SS CP 55

SS 578

 Selection by anticipated class of fire  Choice of extinguishing medium, water, foam, CO2, dry powder, halon 1301 & 1211

 Selection by anticipated class of fire  Choice of extinguishing medium water, foam, CO2, dry powder, wet chemical & clean agent

    

    

Class A fires: water types multi-purpose dry powder types halon types foam types

Class A fires: water types multi-purpose dry powder types clean agent types foam types

MAIN CHANGES MADE IN THE REVISION

SELECTION OF FIRE EXTINGUISHERS

SS CP 55 Class B fires:  powder types  halon types  CO2  mechanical foam (AFFF)

SS 578 Class B fires:  powder types  clean agent type  CO2  mechanical foam (AFFF)

MAIN CHANGES MADE IN THE REVISION

SELECTION OF FIRE EXTINGUISHERS

SS CP 55 Class C fires: (Live electrical equipment)  halon types  CO2  powder types

SS 578 Class C fires: (Flammable gases)  clean agent types  CO2  powder types Fires in live electrical equipment:  clean agent, CO2, powder types (must be marked as suitable for use on live electrical equipment)

MAIN CHANGES MADE IN THE REVISION

SELECTION OF FIRE EXTINGUISHERS

SS CP 55

SS 578

Class D fires:  types approved for use on specific combustible metal hazards

Class D fires:  types approved for use on specific combustible metal hazards

Cooking media fires:  powder types  halon types

Class F fires: (cooking media)  Class F rated extinguishers

MAIN CHANGES MADE IN THE REVISION DISTRIBUTION OF FIRE EXTINGUISHERS

SS CP 55 CLASS A FIRE  Table 1 gives minimum sizes for use on the various classification of occupancy hazards – ranging in rating from 3A to 55A  Low hazard: 1A covered 40 m2  Medium hazard: 1A – 20 m2  High hazard: 1A – 15 m2

SS 578 CLASS A FIRE  Table 1 – removed  Low hazard: min 13A  Medium hazard: min 21A  High hazard: min 34A  A unit of ‘A’ can cover 15 m2 regardless of hazard classification  Max travel distance – 15 m for all occupancy hazard classification

MAIN CHANGES MADE IN THE REVISION DISTRIBUTION OF FIRE EXTINGUISHERS

SS CP 55 CLASS B FIRE (Fires in flammable liquids of nonappreciable depth)  Class B fires (low hazard) – min extinguisher size – 8B with max travel distance of 3 m

SS 578 CLASS B FIRE (Fires in flammable liquids of nonappreciable depth)  Class B fires (low hazard) – min extinguisher size – 21B with max travel distance of 5 m

MAIN CHANGES MADE IN THE REVISION DISTRIBUTION OF FIRE EXTINGUISHERS

SS CP 55

CLASS B FIRES IN FLAMMABLE LIQUIDS OF NON-APPRECIABLE DEPTH

MAIN CHANGES MADE IN THE REVISION DISTRIBUTION OF FIRE EXTINGUISHERS

SS 578

CLASS B FIRES IN FLAMMABLE LIQUIDS OF NON-APPRECIABLE DEPTH

MAIN CHANGES MADE IN THE REVISION DISTRIBUTION OF FIRE EXTINGUISHERS

SS CP 55

CLASS B FIRES IN FLAMMABLE LIQUIDS OF APPRECIABLE DEPTH

CLASS B RATED EXTINGUISHERS TO BE PROVIDED: • 34B for surface area not exceeding 0.5 sq.m • 70B for surface area not exceeding 1 sq.m • Travel distance from hazard to nearest extinguisher < 7m.

MAIN CHANGES MADE IN THE REVISION DISTRIBUTION OF FIRE EXTINGUISHERS

SS 578

CLASS B FIRES IN FLAMMABLE LIQUIDS OF APPRECIABLE DEPTH

TO DETERMINE MINIMUM PROVISION OF EXTINGUISHERS: BASED ON SURFACE AREA OF CONTAINERS a) EACH ROOM OR ENCLOSURE TO BE CONSIDERED SEPERATELY b) FIRE RISKS MORE THAN 20M APART – CONSIDER SEPERATELY c)

FIRE RISKS WITHIN 20m OF ANOTHER FIRE RISK – ASSESSED AS UNDIVIDED GROUP (i.e. containers less than 2m apart) OR DIVIDED GROUPS (i.e. containers more than 2m but less than 20m apart)

MAIN CHANGES MADE IN THE REVISION DISTRIBUTION OF FIRE EXTINGUISHERS

SS 578

CLASS B FIRES IN FLAMMABLE LIQUIDS OF APPRECIABLE DEPTH

MAIN CHANGES MADE IN THE REVISION DISTRIBUTION OF FIRE EXTINGUISHERS

SS 578

CLASS F - FIRES INVOLVING FATS AND COOKING OILS

MAIN CHANGES MADE IN THE REVISION INSTALLATION OF FIRE EXTINGUISHERS

SS CP 55  Extinguishers to be installed such that the carrying handle is not more than 1.5 metres above the floor

SS 578  Gross weight < 4 kg installed such that carrying handle is not more than 1.2 m above the floor

 Gross weight > 4 kg installed such that carrying handle is not more than 1 m above the floor

MOUNTING HEIGHT OF EXTINGUISHERS:

Max. 1.2m for gross wt.< 4 kg

Max. 1m for gross wt. > 4 kg

FLOOR LEVEL

MAIN CHANGES MADE IN THE REVISION

SS 578

EXTINGUISHERS MANUFACTURED TO MEET SS EN 3 STANDARD:

CYLINDER: RED COLOUR SHOULD HAVE A COLOUR BAND TO IDENTIFY THE EXTINGUISHING MEDIUM CONTAINED IN THE EXTINGUISHER

WHO IS RESPONSIBLE FOR MAINTENANCE? SS 578 INSTRUCTION MANUAL This manual or phamplet to give brief instructions on use and maintenance. Each new extinguisher shall be provided with a manual.

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