Technical Shop safety and organization, Fire extinguishers

I am trying to bring my personal shop up to, what I would consider to be a profession shop level. I spend a lot of time out there and and want to be as safe as I can. There are some valuable lessons that can be gleaned from pro standards.

I added oily rag receptacles, added 25 LED overhead lights, an industrial type paper towel dispenser and broom and squeegee hangers. Eventually a fire locker is on the list, but they are pricey.

Now I am looking into fire extinguishers, all of mine are getting close to expiring. I was looking at the big dry chemical extinguishers.


Any thoughts?

 

Yes

I got two fire extinguishers at the back and front of my garage
Lots of overhead lights
Broom shovel etc hangin on the wall
Metal garbage can with a lid I keep out side the garage
First side kit
And the blue shop towels on a thingy by the bench.
Stands , blocks, straps chain To hold and secure things

I also got a big pedestal fan I use if I spray any thing to move the air and keep the shop not filling up with stink and fumes

I got 5lb chemical extinguishers

 

6 in my shop(40x100), All at eye level.
Actually... There's 4 in this picture.. I didn't count the outlawed ones...

 

I bought a couple of small fire extinguishers on amazon. they came with a mounting bracket. They were cheap enough that when they go bad I'll probably just order more instead of re-filling.

 

We have dozens of dry chemical extinguishers here in the shop (steam turbine repair) and they are periodically inspected and properly tagged by a licensed fire safety company. During our routine City Fire Marshall visit, he made a surprising comment that I had never heard. He said if you have dry chemical extinguishers at home, they need to be inverted periodically and shaken/tapped on to loosen the powder inside. He said sitting for years the powder inside can become somewhat impacted in the bottom, even though the gauge reads in the green/good and could possibly malfunction.

 

Check out these fire extinguishers from a recent discussion. They don't make any mess when used. I'm seriously considering getting a couple for the house, garage, and vehicle(s).

https://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum...hing-new-under-the-sun.1223197/#post-13975946

 

After watching a few YouTube video's about them -
I ended up getting four of'em..! Kitchen, garage, and one each for two of my cars.

Mike

 

Wow, I have never heard that. Good to know.

 

Having plenty of working fire extinguishers, is a good thing.

Never having to use them, is even better. Think about what you're doing, especially whenever you are messing with any flammable substance, or with anything that gets hot.

 

Yes, I've heard about the fire extinguisher maintenance. I was told to invert, and rap the sides of cylinder with rubber mallet. Thanks for the reminder.

 

Just hung a new extinguisher in the shop. Have a 10# and 5# with another 2# just inside the shop in the kitchen. May pick up some of those new ones as well.

Also, learned something when I was building my T in my pal Randys shop. When working at night we would knock off and do fire watch for an hour after welding or grinding. There is plenty of cleaning and organizing you can do before you turn in for the night. Since we live above the shop this is a big thing for me.

 

Location of extinguishers is important too. Like close to entry door(s).

 

@Tman, yes that's something I adhere to as well. Stop grinding, welding, any Hotworks a couple hours before leaving the shop. Can do other work, just not that. Had that practice from work, but remember years ago, narrowing up a seat frame, and when I went back out to shop after supper, the burlap, on another part of the frame, quite aways from the weld, was starting to smolder. That was a wake up call!

 

Fire extinguishers are good for safety but rarely used. I think an eye wash setup would possibly get more use.

 

An eye-washing station would also be a good idea

 

loudbang and I were, apparently thinking the same great thing at the exact same time

 

I have 4 by each door all 5 LB ers. I have an easy access shower, laundry sink with motion censer towel dispenser and a exhaust fan. The first aid box is 22" X 30" and is stuffed almost like an EMT truck.

 

Yep, pretty simple. The professional extinguisher supplier at my workplace said the same thing. Kinda like stirring up the settled-out solids in a can of paint.

 

The recommendation is to hang them at hip level so they are easier to grab on to and less likely to get dropped according to our local fire inspector. Then a sign placed above them at eye level with an arrow pointing down that says fire extinguisher. Ask me how I know after getting cited in our shop for hanging them wrong... I am with you as long as they are not too heavy.

 

Besides the "shake and bake" our inspector also looks in the end of the nozzle to make sure insects, daubers, etc haven't made a nest in there.

 

I just bought one of those for the hot rod and I'm impressed by the small size and convenience. I've got 8 or 10 dry extinguishers scattered around the house and garage, but I think I'll be getting more of these as replacements... no expiration date, inspection, settling, etc. They aren't cheap, but are cheap insurance. I don't think of extinguishers as being useful for a big fire, but for small ones, and buying time to get loved ones and pets out of harms way..... NONE of my possessions are worth a life, human or animal!

 

put a powerful magnet by the eye wash station, use it if you get metal in the eye, don't rub your eye first

 

I don’t have water in the shop. I could get some of the bottled kind.

 

I have a conventional fire extinguisher hanging on the wall of my shop and a element extinguisher that I swap back and forth between my hot rods. HRP

I posted a thread about the element extinguishers a while back - HERE

 

So, dry chemical is what most of you buy?

 

Yeah what happens with the dry chemical, it starts to settle and clump and get compacted especially due to vibration, over time. I'm told it isn't unusual in an emergency for something less than half the product to get dispensed when this situation occurs, then it just stops up cold. I have a big rubber mallet to use for this purpose. This keeps the chemical loose and "fluffy" or whatever and all of it will be available if ever needed.

I was at a hardware store today and found something I didn't know they made.

Bifocal Safety Glasses* They were $16, in different diopters, and sunglass/tinted versions too. I bought a set of both. I don't give a &@$t about too many things, but take care of my eyes.

* Why wasn't I informed of this!?

 

How long is the water good for? What I mean is if it were to sit for say 10 years without use, could bacteria, etc firm and do harm as you flush your eyes?
Might be something to look into. Just thought about this as I just opened up an old water valve that hadn’t been used in a good 5 or 6 years, took some time to get clear water flowing.

 

Known as "ABC", they are the most commonly available and suitable for most classes of fires. The one thing to be aware of the chemical is pretty corrosive, it will eat up stuff pretty badly if not removed right away.

A big ass box of Arm & Hammer baking soda isn't a bad plan to supplement the fire extinguisher. It really works well, as your Mom probably taught you back in the day, on grease fires. It isn't just the smothering action, there's some chemical jiggery-pokery going on with baking soda & fire that helps dampen flames when it comes in contact.

I've never seen petroleum or oil soaked rags start a fire. Better safe than sorry though. Good habit to get into, a Rag Can.

Boiled Linseed Oil, used in fine woodworking finishes, or coating tool handles and the like, is a different animal altogether. That shit WILL catch rags on fire just by spontaneous combustion. Anything oil related to do with wordworking is suspect, because it might have linseed oil.

 

I have a couple of rag cans.

 

Main thing is if there is a fire in your shop, or house, is don’t let it be between you an exit to put it out. Don’t be a hero and try to save it all.
I’ve two cousins that are/ were firemen, on retired as a captain 6-8 years ago, the other still going into burning buildings and such.
Even with the gear they wear and take with them, they put their life ahead of the structure and property. I’ve not ever asked them about saving another’s life, so can’t/ won’t comment on that.