Fire in a Contaminated Cutting Facility

Radiological Control Training for Supervisors

DOE-HDBK-1143-2001

Handouts

Fire in a Contaminated Cutting Facility

An area was set aside in a decontamination facility to be used to reduce the size

of metal contaminated waste by cutting large pieces into smaller pieces for easier

handling and disposal. Since some of the cutting operations employed oxygen-

acetylene cutting torches, the area had to be approved in accordance with the

plant fire protection program.

The plant fire protection engineer inspected the facility and developed a

procedure to control the use of cutting torches in the facility. The procedure

required:

A metal enclosure that would prevent the passing of slag and sparks to

surrounding areas had to be constructed and equipped with a portable

ventilation unit.

Two fully charged fire extinguishers and a fire watch must be present in

the area at all times while torch cutting is in progress.

Removal of all loose combustible materials from the facility before torch

cutting operations begin.

Protection of any fixed combustible materials with fire retardant materials.

No storage of combustible materials within forty feet of the cutting

enclosure.

A welder and a fire watch were assigned to cut up several large pieces of steel in

the facility. When operation had been underway for several minutes, the fire

watch noticed flames in the corner of the facility. He notified the welder to stop

cutting operations and picked up one of the two fire extinguishers only to find it

empty. He then took the second fire extinguisher and put the fire out.

The investigation determined that the fire had started in a pile of paper towels in

the corner and would soon have spread to the unprotected combustible

ventilation trunk which had been moved from its original protected location

several weeks earlier for better smoke control.

Interviews with the workers involved and other workers who were periodically

assigned to work in the facility revealed that they were not satisfied with the

safety conditions in the facility in general and one had mentioned it to the

supervisor. Since work force cut-backs and lay-offs were expected, no one

wanted to "make waves."

Handouts 4