Fire Prevention: Hydrants, Electrical Safety, and Signals

Hydrants and Equipment

Hydrants are equipped with essential firefighting tools, primarily hoses. These hoses connect to a pressurized water network, providing a constant water supply for initial fire suppression. Key components include:

1. Hose
2. Valve Connection
3. Support
4. Nozzle Connector (connects the hose to the nozzle tip)
5. Nozzle (directs, regulates, and controls water flow)

Hydrants: External Fire Prevention

Hydrants form part of the fixed fire prevention system. They are located outside buildings and connect to the water supply network through independent conduits. Hydrants are exclusively for firefighter use.

Fire in Electrical Installations

Source of Electrical Fires: Overcharge, voltage spikes, short circuits, and defective equipment.

Causes: Poorly executed installations, incorrect calculations of intensity and section, and the use of low-quality materials.

Risk Factors: High voltage, manipulating and connecting electrical elements with excessive power.

General Extinction Rules: Attack the fire's origin, address all points of fire, evacuate the area, and immediately call the fire department.

Safety Signage

Objectives: To describe the characteristics and purpose of signals and alarms, indicating regulatory requirements for risk situations.

Definition: An indication using a set of stimuli that alerts a person to specific situations. Its purpose is to draw clear and rapid attention to risk situations.

Principles of Signaling

• Attract the recipient's attention.
• Provide advance information.
• Be clear and have a unique interpretation.
• Present a realistic possibility of complying with the instructions.

Uses of Signaling

Safety signaling should be used where safety devices are present, in addition to personal safety equipment.

Safety Signals

Provide concise information using agreed-upon symbols and colors.

Changes in High-Voltage (HV) Fuses

• Visible cut-off of both HV and LV (Low Voltage), whether visible or not.
• Verify the absence of voltage on both sides of the fuse.
• Ground and short-circuit both HV and LV.

Interventions in Power and Voltage Transformers

• Request download.
• Open visible cut.
• Interlocking.
• Verify the absence of voltage.
• Ground and short circuit.

Shutting Down Service

1. Cut off the low voltage first, then the high voltage.
2. If the isolator or the equipment does not cut the load in LV and HV, the order is *not* reversed.

Resetting Service

Reset the highest voltage first, and then the lowest. However, specific work rules may apply.

Underground Electric Conduits

Underground electric conduits may *not* be considered de-energized until all release stages have been completed and the absence of voltage has been verified.

Common Causes of Fires

The most common causes of fires are accidental, stemming from human error.

Fuels

Fuels can be solid or liquid.