Page 72 - Occupational Health & Safety, June 2017

OIL & GAS
Eight Things Oil & Gas Workers Should Know About Flash Fires
Flash fires and fuel-fed fires are two different hazards, and it’s critical to distinguish between the two for various safety reasons.
BY SCOTT FRANCIS
The potential exists for flash fires in the oil and gas industry. Flash fires are sudden, intense fires caused by ignition of flammable sub- stances in air.
While flash fires cannot be completely prevented, oil and gas workers can take strategic precautionary steps to give themselves a few seconds of escape if a flash fire occurs. Below are eight critical things that oil and gas workers should know about flash fires, from their cause and duration to adequate personal protec- tive apparel.
1. Flash fires are short and intense.
A flash fire is a rapidly moving flame front that spreads through a diffuse fuel. It goes without saying that workers in the oil and gas industries are at a much higher risk for flash fires, due to the nature of the ma- terials and liquids around which they operate. When a flash fire occurs, it is generally of a short duration and fuel limited.
2. Flash fires have various causes.
Fire is a complex chemical chain reaction that re- quires three components to occur: a thermal source, or heat, oxygen and fuel. The fuel could be any num- ber of hydrocarbons typically found in the oil and gas environment. Even combustible dust may be fuel for a flash fire. Once the fuel and air are in the correct mixture, ignition can occur from various heat sources, such as welding, tool sparks, running engines, etc.
3. Flash fires are different from fuel-fed fires.
Flash fires and fuel-fed fires are two different haz- ards, and it’s critical to distinguish between the two for various safety reasons. Flash fires are fuel-limited, have a typical momentary duration of only a few sec- onds, and self-extinguish. On the other hand, fuel-fed fires last much longer and will burn as long as there is a fuel source present.
As flash fires and fuel-fed fires present different hazards, they each require different levels of flame resistant (FR) personal protective equipment (PPE). Fuel-fed fires require primary protective apparel, such as turnout gear, which is heavier in construction. Sec- ondary apparel, or daily wear FR, can help minimize burn injuries from flash fires and is available in com- fortable, breathable constructions that allow wearers to work comfortably throughout their day.
That said, it’s vital for oil and gas technicians to adequately understand the specific hazards they face on the job and whether their hazards align with flash fires or fuel-fed fires. Those who work on gas lines in trenches, where it is harder to escape flames, should consider primary FR protection, while those who work around flash fire hazards can be protected with secondary FR daily apparel, which is available in a va- riety of comfortable fabrics, including denim. Quali-
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