Fire safety - DOE-HDBK-1145-2001

Radiological Safety Training for Plutonium Facilities

DOEHDBK11452001

Instructor's Guide

B. Abnormal conditions could include the following: Show OT 34.

Fires/explosions

Natural disasters

Plutonium releases

Failure of systems (e.g., ventilation)

Other hazards

Show OT 35.

C. Fire safety

Because of the inhalation hazard, fires in

plutonium facilities require particular care.

It is important to distinguish between fires

that threaten to involve plutonium and those in

which the plutonium is burning. For plutonium

metal, complete exclusion of oxygen and/or

rapid heat removal are the only truly effective

means to extinguish fires. Due to reactivity and

criticality concerns, water may not be the

appropriate extinguishing agent for a fire, as it

acts as a moderator and may lead to criticality.

Fire systems are therefore tailored to the facility

situation.

Good housekeeping is more than keeping

things picked up and in their assigned place to

reduce tripping hazards and present a pleasant

work environment and a better appearance to

inspectors. Consideration must also be given to

combustible loading and the storage and use of

combustible and flammable materials. The

quantity of chemicals and all materials should

be minimized, as these contribute to fire

Insert facility-specific fire

initiation, reactions, fire intensity, waste

information.

production, and spread of contamination.