Document jNo17aQZGmk6NJ87Rk44nz2R

FILE NAME: Caterpillar (CAT) DATE: 1964 DOC#: CAT014 DOCUMENT DESCRIPTION: Published Article from the Transactions of the National Safety Congress I ' /!* \ Industrial Fire Safety PLANT ORGANIZATION FOR FIRE PROTECTION ANQ PREVENTION B y J. W ARD BUSH Chief of P la n t Protection, Caterpillar T racto r Co., Peoria, I1L Organizations for industrial fire protection. Our management is well aware of tiie factand prevention are as. varied as the indus- that large open areas increase the odds that tries themselves. There is no formula that any fire w hich occurs may- cause serious . guaranties that practices used at one plant . damage. Recognition of this fact has made -, t will 'offer adequate protection fo r another, the odds more 'favorable and was the well Each industry must consider the hazards spring from which ' plans and. procedures peculiar to the type and size 'of its factory designed to further reduce the odds were buildings, the nature, of the processes re- developed; quired tj>produce its prodqet, and tbequal- W lle flre protection.of our plant is the ity of, protection, provided by the community responsibility o f every employ^ the primary in which it is operated. j responsibility fo r'th e program is delegated ' Similarity with any ' o ther, plant is not important. T he matter o f real importance is th fa c t'th a t a study has been made; a program planned, and an organization developed to carry out the plan.1' T don't believe'any company can afford to do less.; - . . . to the plant protection division of the manufacturing department The p la n t.protec, lion division consists o f 160 'employes, sup1 ' plemented by 1.12 volunteer firemen recruited , from -factory, personnel. AH'officers o f the . division a re given basic fire training, but I should like to outline for/.you today the * * H o r sponribility. fo r fire prevention program which w e have found effective a t "J" control is vested vn 25; fire inspectors , Caterpillar^, I do not hold i f up as the shin- - ^ *we*ve command .officers. . ing example of th .ultimate in protection Fire'prevention planning a t this company but it is, of course, the area with which f am starts on-the drawing boards of the plah- the most familiar.- ning and engineering departments. .B y-the . O ur Peoria plant is the p aren t`plant of establishment of J M * `vveen oiir company's operation. It consists of 155 P an* Protection and these, departments, the acres under roof, paved storage yards of ap- comPai>y 1* assurM o f i proximately the same area, and a total, area. 1. Fire resistant construction ' throughout ' of 458 qcres inside perimeter fences. for new work-and the replacement of exist- - The plant is divided into five separate areas b city street and the state 'highway.' O ur largest s i r i g l e area building -covers -. slightly under twenty-five.acres. Buildings. *"* C0I"bl!s,lib,e installations with fire resist-. ani material.as changes are required. ^ 2.- Provision of adequate' exits t o _insure *fe' evacuation under emergency Condi- j - range in age from four to fifty-five years.' t'ons- ' Approximately 82 per cent of the-floor area 3. P ro v isio n s'o f automatic fire doors, is sprinklercd.' ' - water curtains, etc.,-to restrict the spread of W e'build tarlhmoving equipment arid en. gines. O ur largest unit built in Peoria rotasures 24 f t 9 in. in length, 14 ft,. 10 in. wide,- and weighs 41 tons. ' ' 1 4. Automatic .alarm systems to provide notification to personnel of an emergency, 5. Provision of automatic sprinklers, car- . - , I t would be nice to have our buildings dl- videed into smaller sections, and I am sure our insurance carriers would be much hap- pier,.but due to the nature.of our product it is'.not practical. bori dioxide, and d ry cliemiai. systems for . *h protection of special hazards, 6. Adequate protective water supply to as- ' sure acceptable volumes at' workable pres sures for a reasonable length of time. I . i j * . ; : . j - 'T'lUIW-: 1964 Naiionpl Safely Congress - . ' . ' .. . Since M arch o f 1951, the rules and regula .in to two categories: (1) fire prevention, and tions lor fire prevention and safety, fo r'th (2 ) fire control! State of Illinois have been based on the national fire codes as published by th N a tional F ire ' Protection Association. Such direct references by state statute emphasize the importance .of our membership in the N FPA and makes even more valuable the wealth of information' available from them.In my opinion, no industry can afford to be *O ur fire prevention program includes: 1. Complete hourly inspection o f a ll areas o f the plant when they are not tenanted by em p lo y es.- 2, Inspection of fire equipment, le .- e x tinguishers, sprinkler valves, major protec tion systems, etc, at least once each shift. ! G - without m e m b e r s h i p in this association. . 3. P ro p e r maintenance o f. fire protection, -Through constant study of their publications equipment by qualified craftsmen. . ' . arid reports, our people kep informed o n 1 4. C o n s t a n t supervision of- waterflow ' new products and new methods of control? alarms, critical utility valves, protection sys- ding the hazards attendant to them. . terns such a s CO> coverage of special ' I f new materials do not show up in our production operation we' can a t least antic- hazards by a proprietary system reporting directly to plant protection headquarters. pale that we will be confronted'w ith them 5. Individual Inspection of each cutting or in our research and development areas. welding job performed outside an area as? Each hazardous condition and situation, is signed fo r such work and the provision o f v analyzed to see if it can be corrected pr .is standby personnel if, in th e judgment of if J, a'calcu lated risk o f. operation. I f it-is a-' ' the inspecting officer, it is needed. ' ' calculated risk, it is necessary to minimize 6. Special training fo r all factory super ' the hazard in every way possible and to pro visors in the recognition and correction -of. . vide protective equipment for fire 'control. . fire hazards. ! . Again the .best results can be obtained only Fire control: through close cooperation with the research, < Eighty-two per cent of- our buildings a re planning, and engineering departments. equipped w ith-autom atic-sprinklers. A reas W e-have established a hazardous materials control committee.. -This committee consists, of. representatives from the research, Cn- not so protected arp in buildings with fire re sistant roof, decking and- light hazard occu pancy.. ' 1 t1i gineering and purchasing departments, metai- O ur prim ary water supply is received from . (urgical laboratory, medical `hygiene, safety i,he 1- million gallon reservoir of 'the city of . . and plant protection.' divisions. Whenever . E ast Peoria, a t an average static pressure; any hazardous materials are brought into the o f 85 psi. T his supply is backed b y our ' plant they a re studied by., this -committee.. domestic w ater storage of 375,000 gallons in They determine w here and how the material elevated gravity tanks an d -450,000 gallons in . is to be used, and i f . it oilers a fire or ground level- reservoirs supplied through health' hazard under the specified terms o f three fire pumps with' a combined capacity .use. It.is then the committee's responsibility o f 3,500 gpm at 12S psi. . tp dcide the necessary precautions to be observed o r to present recommendations, to management that the material be barred from use at the plant. Management has seen fit to. stand behind these recommendations, . resulting in safer operations. In addition to o u r ability, to refill these gpound level, reservoirs from our own wells, w e have provided1means as a last resort, to refill. them -o r pump directly into opr `fire mains from our nullwatcr supply. This mill- - V w ater system is fed through 6,500 gpm Even though we minimize tiie combustibil- pumps taking suction from the Illinois River, , ity o f o u r buildings'arid hold to bar nefes-' . W e mainiain a W ard l a i ranee 1000 gpm" ^ ' sity the ' hazardous processes and materials pumper stalled, a t all times by th e ' paid '. w e-use,- we are well aware that in any firemen o f `the plant protection division.- . * operation Involving, over twenty thousand As was mentioned earlier, all officers o f ' Employes. there will be fires T o reduce the the plant protection division are given basic odds of the fires which do start-achieving fire control training, but the "men of the 1 ' serious proportions wg divide o ur -efforts fire section are given comprehensive train- 32 I '. -n- \ 1964 Nationpl Safely Congress . ' ' Since March of 1951, the ru l an d regula-' into two categories: (1) fire^revention, and lions fo r fire prevention and safety {or the (2 ) fire controll State of Illinois have'been' based on the O ur fire prevention program includes: national fire codes as published by th N a tional l re Protection Association. Such direct references by state statute emphasize the importance o f our membership in the N FPA and makes even more valuable the wealth of information available from them. In my opinion, no industry can afford to be 1. Complete hourly inspection of all areas of the plant when they are not tenanted by employes. . Z Inspection of fire equipment, i.e.-ex tinguishers. sprinkler valves, major protec tion systems, etc, at least once each shift. without m e m b e r s h i p in this association. '. - 3. Proper maintenance o f . fire protection, -Through constant study of their publications _ equjpment-by qualified craftsmen, - and reports our people keep informed on ' 4. C o n s t a n t supervision of - watierflow ' new products and new methods o f controlr alarms, .critical, utility valves, protection sys ling the hazards attendant to them. tems such a s CO) coverage . of special ' I f new materials do not show u p in our production operation we' can a t least antic hazards by. a proprietary system reporting directly to plant protection headquarters. ipate that we will be confronted w ith them .' 5. Individual inspection of each cutting or in our research and development areas. welding job performed outside an area a s Each hazardous condition and situation-is signed fo r such work and the provision o f ` analyzed to see if it can be corrected o r is . standby personnel if, i n ' t h e judgment of a'calculated risk of operation, i f U is a -' the inspecting officer! 1 *s needed. calculated risk, it is necessary to minimize 6. Special training fo r all factory super the hazard in every 'way possible and to pro visors in the recognition and correction -of. vide protective equipment for fire control. .fire hazards. Again the best results can be obtained only . F ire control: through close cooperation with the research, . Eighty-two per cent o f our buildings are ' planning, and engineering departments. equipped with ,automatic-sprinklers. Areas We-have established a hazardous materials control committee. T his committee consistsof. representatives from the research, 'in -' not so protected arp in buildings with fire re sistant roof decking and- light hazard occu pancy.. ' gipcefing and purchasing departments, metal O ur prim ary water supply is received from lurgical laboratory, medical 'hygiene, safety - the l million.gallon reservoir of the city of : and plant protection.' divisions. W henever . E ast Peoria, a t an average static pressure: any hazardous materials are brought into the o f 85 psi. This supply is backtd b y our plant: they a re studied h y t h i s , comm ittee.. domestic w ater storage o f 375,000 gallons in They determine where and .how the material elevated gravity hunks and-450,000 gallons in is to lie used, and i f . it offers a fire o r ' ground level- reservoirs supplied through health hazard under the specified .terms o f three fire pumps with a combined capacity .use. It is then the committee's responsibility . o f 3,500 gpm at 125 psi- . to decide the necessary precautions to be ob- In addition to Our ability, to refill these - served o r to present recommendations ' to gpound level, reservoirs from our own wells, management that the material b e barred w e have provided1means as a last resort, to from use at the p la n t Mnagement bas seen refill. them or pump directly into our 'fire fit to- stand behipef these ' recommendations, ' mains from our millwater supply. T his mill- . resulting in safer operations. w ater system is fed through 6,500 gpm Even though we minimize the combustibil pumps taking suction from the Illinois River, ity of o u r buildings and hold t bar nees-'. . W e maintain a W ard Lafrance WOO gpm" sity the hazardous processes and materials pumper staffed, a t all times by t h e ' paid .w e -u s e , we ar w ril aware th at in any firemen of 'the plant protection division: . operation involving, over twenty thousand' Employes there 'will be fires. T o reduce the odds of the fires which do start -achieving As was mentioned earlier, all-officers of the plant protection division are given basic lire control training, but the "men of. the serious proportions we divide o u r efforts - fire section are.' given c v p i t h o u i v e tra ln - 32 3 3 ' \ 1 Jnduslriat Subjects Sessions ing in all phases of fire control. T his train am t is an examination of lus personnel ree- ing; includes .instruction in : ford o r history folder.. I t m ust be'realized 1. S afety to life and rescue, ' 2! Size up o r analysis o f fire scene. that his assignment may carry him into r e - . strited or-critical areas. I t wilt pay you to be- sure f his- background; then submit th e _ 3,- Isolation o f a fire, an d exposure protec-. "application to the medical 'departm ent for : tion, -approval You will be amazed a t the num . 4. Extinguishm ent 5. Salvage and overhaul. ber of applicants who will be rejected I t is almost imjwssible fo r you to determine if ' ^ he has. a bad heart, a hernia, a previous back 6. F ire cause investigation. . injury, or!something of th a t nature.. check Each man o f die fire section is charged with a sha^e of the instruction of volunteer of his physical condition `in advance may save you a .lot of embarrassment later on. . firemen. W e are proud o f this group of men' W e are assured that these, are not unrea who give o f their.tim e to assure th e.p ro sonable requirements by . die fact- that we tection of company property and th jobs have a-waiting list o f applicants on ali shifts o f their fellow employees. ' who'w ant to join the volunteer group. O ur It is, of course, a foregone conclusion that .volunteer organization is composed of sevenman squads. When., activated they assembl the personnel of the plant protection division. ' at a specified, location and report to th fire are carefully chosen fo r'lh e ir physical and' scene as a team. One member of each'squad' mental ability, their interest in the work, and is-selected as a team captain who. is respon their personal integrity.' W e believe that if sible- for. coordinating- the operation of his is equally important to be ju s t as particular' group. We have found that this unit method in the selection of our volunteers. I t has o f (raining .arid -operation has greatly im been o u r experience'' that seldom ' does a proved the efficiency of our volunteers. volunteer who joins our department only 'fo r the money involved r who has-been T o traiti volunteers, the standard job-' arbitrarily; .assigned to it by his supervisor instructor training method which employs . turq o u t to be a credit to the department.' the' following five steps' is used : W e !believe that a-real interest in. the fire . 1. 'Tell o r demonstrate how it is done. .seryice is of prime importance. Over fifty 2. Help the man do it. -p e r fent of our volunteers' are also active' 3. P u l hint on his own. in one o f the 25 departments and-fire lis- , ^ 4. Correct his `errors. tr ic ts in the five counties surrounding the >5. Give.'him practice. plant ' ,t A fte r it has been determined that a man has a n interest -in the work, his foreman o r supervisor is contacted to see i f he is a dependable, employe and if h is normal duties, are such th at they can be interrupted if his services a rc needed as a fireman,' Continuous process operators,, tool and die sinkers, pat tern makers, and other highly skilled -per sonnel a re not usually selected, as their, work includes considerable overtime wliich wduld ititerfere with their, attendance at drills and . training classes. Maintenance-men and con struction .personnel are excellent, candidates, as tliey a re usually well acquainted w ith the plant and familiar with Water mains, elec O u r training course fo r plant officers and volunteer firemen indudes instructions in the chemistry o f fire, recognition of fire hazards, handling o f first-aid equipment, operation of fixed fire protection'systems,-operation of major- equipment and*fire control operations. These fire control oprations a re further sub divided as follows.* safety to life and rescue operations, protecting exposures, forceable entry, yentibtion, extinguishing evolutions, and. salvage operations. A t the end of this cours of instruction, if a man cannot .effi ciently perform the work, i t is usually safe to assume fhat he does not baye the neces sary interest and be should be replaced. trical service, gas lines,, etc. Also, their work keeps them in practice climbing and handling ladders, ropes, and an ' ^assortment o f fire service hand tools. VISUAL AIDS . I t is a well-established fact that a person retains a fa r greater percentage o f the information he receives by sight than through . T h e third step in th e selection .of a fire- any o f the.other senses. Perhaps the most 33 1964 National Safely-Congress extensively used'visual aids are the moving paper tests and dry runs and we are con picture projector ' a n d ' the slide projector, , vinced it can be depended ^upon to function T o these have-been added several types of effectively if needed. reflex projectors which project on-the screen any picture, sketch, o r map placed on the view table. . . , ' T he fire department of die city -of East Peoria is a p art paid, part volunteer depart ment. The Peoria Fire Department, located- There are many sources of training films just across the Illinois River, is a fully paid available a t little o r-no c o st Among these departm ent B oth are well-dquippcd and well- ' a re the National Fire Protection. Associa managed hut. both are handicapped by. maa- tion, National S afety.Council, fire insurance power shortage!. In a recent major fire in . 'companies, -fire equipment, manufacturers, Peoria, alt of that city's equipment and man and state college libraries. Many fire, eqiitp- power were in use, and East Peoria had dis -ment companies ./also have cutaway models patched- their- first-line equipment to the o r pictures o f cutaWays o f their equipment, scene-to assist. H ad we-been faced-with an which offer valuable assistance in under- ' emergency a t this time.wc.would, have bad- standing the unseen operating features. Many to depend upon our mutual aid support. O ur lessons can b e teamed through pictures cut relations with these departments are cordial - from publications for use with .reflex pro- but dve must plan around their- limitations. -jctors.' A complete set o f ladder evolution T o provide, this mutual aid support we hold - pictures mounted on heavy cardboard bas membership in two. organizations:, 1) the been found to be a valuable aid in teaching . Central Illinois Industrial F ire Council, and new men proper ladder techniques. 2> die Tazewell, County Firemen's Associa W e realize that there is always the pos tion. ... sibility thatisonte emergencies will be beyond T h e C ental- Illinois Industrial Fire (Coun the scope of o u r normal, protection facilities. cil is an organization o f men responsible fo r These may include: the administration o f d ie firi^ protection, pro. "1. Emergencies arising dut o f plant opera grams o f the industries in our area. I t is 1 . ! tions, such a s a serious fire o r major ex a. unique organization in ; that there is no plosion. membership fee and n o .d u es, Once .each Z Natural disasters. month the members -meet fo r.a n informal, dutch treat dinner, listen to -a program on 3. Damage resulting from enemy action. some phase o f fire protection and exchange T he odds th a t we will fie faced w ith any information. A ny member feels free to pose . o f these types o f emergencies are- small; but a problem and generally someone in attend we do not feel we can disregard them.' In) ance can^offer a.solution or at feast 'some 1 -onjer.to fulfill, our-obligation we have or-12 good advice. W e sponsor an annual indus trial fife\snumr which draws an attendance 1. A company disaster plan. ' , . of . approximately biro, hundred men and is I 2. Mutual aid arrangements with other ` increasing eqch-year. -industries, a re a fire departments and the " - ^ e secretary maintains a list of fire and local civil defense organization. aliietf e q u i p m e n t which is a v a ila b le ..fo r O ur disaster plan contemplates the mobil ization'of all company departments into an' . all-out effort which may o r may not-be bn. amplification o f their normal responsibilities.' mutual aid. u se Any. plant called will arrange fo r delivery the needed equipment to the scene of the emergency and will provide technical assistance in its use if needed.- . Definite functions are,-however, assigned to T h e Tazewell Cbunty Firemen's Associa-' each 'department and every effort is made to lion is, as the name implies, an organization utilize available skills in the most, advan of all o f the fire departments aijd fire dis tageous manner. Job titles, not names, are tricts in our county. Each department,- re u sa| for assignment purposes. gardless o f its size, has. an equal voice and A disaster manual has been formulated . vote in the affairs of die organization. and issued a s a restricted document to re-, M utual acquaintance and a knowledge o f ,- 'sponsible management. W e have never been required to activate this organization for ah - actual incident but we have,, staged both (heir neighbors' equipment make the .coordi nation o f tw o o r more departments into a single effective unit as simple as coordinat- 34 I ' . t Industrial Subjects Sessions ing the efforts of the Several companies of supplement the various 'agencies of ' local ' a. municipal departm ent This' cooperative government in . the event of a- community . arrangement places a t the disposal o f any disaster as well as enemy action. O ur com- chief faced with an-emergency beyond Ihe pany has cooperated in tins program because scope Of his own department the manpower, we-feel that the deterrent, factor presented and equipment resources of the other mem- by an informed and prepared nation reduces . ber departments. A system of standby alert the odds o f a nuclear w ar. - guarantees. that no community will be left Companjf employes are involved in alm ost' Without protection even though their own every phase of the organisation arid our disr department be involved in a mutual aid effort . pian js designed, to function a s an - elsewhere. integral part o f ' the community program. - Civil Defense in Peoria-is a well organized Plant protection personnel have been qual- operation. Developed under the xisting fed -. fed . I n ' the handling o f radio equipment, ... eral, state,- and local laws and ordinances, decontamination, first aid, rescue and m any.' it has not been involved with political eh- of the other special services. W e believe that, . tanglements. It is financed by permissible tax-- if it is needed, this is one G v il Defense, . and operated'under a strict budget and ae- unit that will give a good account- of itself. : counting program. The director is a young W hat are.'the odds th a t we will be faced man of. outstanding character and ability, with an emergency tomorrow, this month, o r Oriented to the program by working several tf,u year? j don't know. I can only answer years as administrative assistant to the pro- - that we believe that by consideration, planvious director and further qualified by an ning; and preparation we have made an h<m- excellent education and a tour of military K t effort to minimize the odds while allow- service, he has gathered ground him an efli- fog reasonable freedom of operation to the . cient and dedicated organization; people responsible for the manufacture of . The organization is staffed! and.trained to . our product.. j J , j [ ] . .1 : l REENT DEVELOPMENTS IN FIRE PROTECTION EQUIPMENT By ROLF H. JEN 8EN A ssociate M anaging Engineer, U nderwriters' Laboratories, In c ., N orthbrook, IH. I ^ . Although the 'published title of my -talk is- "new developments" in r e protection,. I am going to speak only of portable extinguish-', ers. * * * in th design of extinguishers whiefy has continued uninterrupted to the present time and has resulted in consistent improvements in fire extingusbers. .While discussing this Since Webster defines the word "pew" iij. | Pst 10 y of extinguishers, I would, like relative terms, such as "Modem" and "Uh- include, some information on what modem familiar,'' I believe it is. permissible to .e x - extinguishers can wd.canHot be expected to tend my area .of new developments back to..- 4*.and add a few "do's" and don'tV '. of . 1954. This was the year tlx Underwriters! maintenance and use. Laboratories, Inc., Factory Mutual Labora- . How often bave you looked at a-product tories; and Underwriters' Laboratories o f and silently asked yourself, "Do those things Canada, in cooperation with the Fire E x- . rea!ly work?" In all probability many,primes tinguisher industry `and the NFP_A Com- --and some of these have probably occurred mittee bn Portable Extinguishers instituted-, when the product in.question was a portable, a program o f realistically rating the fire- tire extinguisher. Let us examine this ques- extinguishing ab ility . o f extinguishers. tlon by reviewing the methods of rating ex- Thai program brought about arevbliijion tinguisbrs for fire-fighting ability apq ^ e | - V . - 35