In 2012, a fire broke out in a laboratory at the University of Maryland when a fan in the lab’s ceiling caught on fire and set the entire ceiling ablaze. Fire sprinklers in the room were able to contain the fire and prevent extensive damage. Lab staff were allowed back into the lab within three hours of the fire.
In contrast, another 2012 fire, this time at SUNY in Canton, NY, occurred in a chemistry lab without sprinklers. The fire was caused by a chemical reaction in the lab, and due to the lack of sprinklers, the damage was extensive. Due to the environmental impact caused by toxins from the fire, the entire campus had to be evacuated for a week. Better advanced planning, including the installation of sprinklers, could have prevented such a poor outcome.
Laboratory fires are among the most common, expensive, and destructive disasters in research facilities. They can cause serious injury, expensive equipment and facility losses, and the destruction of valuable data if labs are not properly prepared and trained.
In this article, I will share what I’ve learned in my 35-year career overseeing research laboratories about how to prepare for, protect from, and respond to a fire in your laboratory.
Preparation
The first step in fire readiness is preparation—laying the groundwork to ensure your staff can act quickly and effectively when every second counts. Here are some critical measures to take:
Have a written plan and conduct regular drills. Ensure all lab staff know their escape routes, plan where the members of your lab should gather in advance, know what to do if any staff have mobility problems preventing them from walking down the stairs, and understand how fire alarms and fire doors work in your building.
Install fire sprinklers and keep them clear. You may be concerned that fire sprinklers could go off in error, causing damage to expensive laboratory equipment without the threat of a fire. However, the risk of damage and injury caused by a fire in a lab without sprinklers is far greater than the minor risk associated with the fire sprinklers going off in error. Fire sprinklers are activated by heat, not by smoke, so you do not need to worry that if someone burns their popcorn in the microwave, the fire sprinklers will go off in error. For labs equipped with fire sprinklers, do not store items within 18 inches of the ceiling.
Fire doors are constructed of fire-resistant materials and close during a fire to contain the fire and smoke within a specific area of the building. They slow the spread of the fire, help create a safe path of egress from the building, and allow access to the fire for firefighters. Always keep fire doors clear. If you have automatic fire doors, they are held open with a magnet that releases when the fire alarm in your building is activated. If you have manual fire doors, these doors will need to be closed manually during a fire. Ensure all lab members understand the proper functioning of the fire doors in your area.
Chemical hygiene is critical to avoiding fires in a laboratory. Ensure all chemicals are properly segregated, and clean up spills immediately. Keep all flammable chemicals in a flammable storage cabinet. Post a current list of chemicals outside each lab door to help firefighters respond quickly and safely during an emergency. It is possible that firefighters will not enter your lab if they don’t know what chemicals are present.
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Good housekeeping is another critical step in fire avoidance and allows for easy exit when a fire does occur. Remove any clutter that blocks exits or creates tripping hazards, especially flammable materials.
Data and protocol protection. Advanced planning to safeguard data and protocols will help to ensure these documents are not lost if there is a fire in your lab. Store all electronic data on a cloud-based system rather than on your computer’s hard drive.
Response
Emergency showers can be used when clothing is on fire. Direct the lab member to the shower if they cannot respond effectively on their own.
Fire alarms. Do not evacuate if the alarm is not sounding on your floor. Many modern buildings use fire doors to contain a fire to the affected area, so alarms may activate only on that floor and the ones directly above or below. If your floor’s alarm is silent, remain in place—extra people in stairwells can block evacuations and slow firefighters’ access.
Account for staff. Once gathered at your pre-established gathering point, notify firefighters of any missing staff and their last known location. Place staff with mobility problems on the nearest stairwell landing with a coworker. Another lab member should go down the stairs and notify firefighters of the location of the staff with mobility problems.
Fire evacuation chairs for people in wheelchairs. Fire evacuation chairs are designed to help evacuate people who use wheelchairs or cannot walk down stairs. Improper use can cause serious injury to both the rider and the operator. If your lab keeps evacuation chairs, train multiple staff members to use them safely and ensure trained personnel are available during emergencies. Training should be refreshed regularly; consult state laws for specific requirements, which typically range from every three months to once a year.
Re-entry. Do not re-enter the building until cleared by firefighters to do so. Re-entering too soon after the fire has been extinguished could lead to exposure to dangerous building conditions. Once you return to your lab, assess the damage and file insurance claims.
When lab managers are prepared and their staff are properly trained, they can mitigate and prevent some of the losses associated with laboratory fires, potentially preventing a fire from turning into a catastrophic event.
Conducting fire drills regularly gives lab managers an opportunity to identify potential problems with their fire safety plans and correct these problems prior to a fire occurring. Regular fire drills also give your staff an opportunity to practice, ask questions, and develop confidence in their own ability to respond properly.
In conclusion, laboratory fires have the potential to be devastating events, resulting in expensive losses to equipment and facilities, potential losses of scientific data and protocols, and even loss of life. Proper advanced preparation by lab managers, understanding how their buildings’ fire protection systems work, and regularly conducting fire drills are all ways to protect your lab, your staff, and your data from the devastating losses that can be associated with laboratory fires.
