The tragedy in Crans-Montana, which saw the death of over 40 people due to a fire in a room in the Swiss town during the New Year celebrations, has reignited attention on the issue of fire safety. A commitment that not only includes knowing what to do in the event of a fire but which already starts with prevention. The Fire Brigade’s guidelines to drastically reduce the probability of starting a fire distinguish behavioral measures (control of heat sources and management of flammable materials) and structural solutions (design and plant engineering measures).
Good practices to avoid a fire
However, planning alone is not enough: to best prevent the risk of fires it is also necessary to adopt responsible behaviour, not only avoiding the accumulation of flammable and easily combustible materials, but also paying attention to the use of heat sources.
- The cigarettes remain one of the main causes of fire in domestic environments: for this reason it is important to use suitable ashtrays and avoid emptying them into containers made of combustible material.
- Be careful when cooking on gas hobs but also on objects placed on flameless heat sources such as induction hobs or near lit fireplaces.
- Him too heating appliances are a possible cause of ignition: it is always best not to deposit flammable materials on or near stoves and radiators.
- Finally, any work with soldering irons or other flame tools should take place in one area the more free from combustible materials.
As already mentioned above, conscious and responsible use of the electricity grid is essential. Some golden rules are:
- Don’t overload multiple sockets (so-called “slippers”).
- Avoid electrical cords that are excessively long or located where they can be stepped on or damaged.
- Entrust the repairs to qualified personnel.
Fire prevention design: technical and plant measures
The first line of defense against the ignition of fires in domestic or work environments lies in a careful design of the electrical system of a building, since fires of electrical origin (triggered for example by short circuits, overheating, undersizing of the systems) are the 30% of the total. For this reason, the construction of systems must follow the Ministerial Decree 37/2008.
From this point of view, fundamental tools for preventing the start of fires are the mit to the groundThat prevents the accumulation of electrostatic charges capable of generating sparks especially in the presence of flammable gases or vapours, and ilightning rod systems or Faraday cageswhich divert the electrical energy of a lightning bolt to the ground, preventing it from passing through the structure and striking its electrical system.
At a design level, it is then necessary to ensure that the rooms of a building have adequate ventilation (to avoid possible accumulations of flammable gases) and the choice of non-combustible materials when possible depending on the desired results in terms of functionality and production process.
