FE Hazard Identification & Risk Assessment 3 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: A cooking area in a restaurant uses deep fryers with large volumes of vegetable oil. Which hazard class specifically addresses this risk?
- Class K (Correct answer)
- Class B
- Class A
- Class F
Correct answer: Class K
Class K refers specifically to cooking oil and fat fires in commercial cooking appliances, recognized under NFPA 10.
Question 2: When performing a hazard survey, what factor most directly determines the minimum extinguisher rating required for a Class A hazard?
- The floor area and hazard occupancy level (Correct answer)
- The number of employees present
- The building construction type
- The distance to the nearest fire hydrant
Correct answer: The floor area and hazard occupancy level
NFPA 10 uses the floor area combined with the hazard occupancy level (light, ordinary, extra) to determine minimum extinguisher rating for Class A.
Question 3: A facility has a light hazard occupancy. Under NFPA 10, what is the maximum floor area one Class A extinguisher can protect?
- 3,750 square feet (Correct answer)
- 6,000 square feet
- 2,500 square feet
- 11,250 square feet
Correct answer: 3,750 square feet
For light hazard occupancies, a single Class A extinguisher can cover up to 3,750 square feet per NFPA 10 tables.
Question 4: Which condition would most likely cause a technician to upgrade an area's hazard classification from ordinary to extra hazard during an assessment?
- Large quantities of flammable liquids stored on open shelving (Correct answer)
- Carpeted floors in an office building
- A single photocopier in a break room
- Wall-mounted electrical panels in a utility closet
Correct answer: Large quantities of flammable liquids stored on open shelving
Large quantities of flammable liquids stored openly significantly increase fire load and spread potential, warranting extra hazard classification.
Question 5: A hazard assessment reveals sodium metal stored in an industrial lab. What unique challenge does this present for extinguisher selection?
- Water and CO2 react violently with sodium, so a Class D dry powder agent must be used (Correct answer)
- ABC dry chemical is sufficient because sodium burns like ordinary combustibles
- CO2 is ideal because it smothers the fire without chemical reaction
- Foam is preferred because it coats the metal surface
Correct answer: Water and CO2 react violently with sodium, so a Class D dry powder agent must be used
Sodium reacts violently with water and CO2, making Class D dry powder agents the only safe choice for this hazard.
Question 6: During a risk walkthrough, a technician observes that an exit path crosses through a high-hazard storage area. What recommendation should the technician make?
- Relocate extinguishers so they are accessible without passing through the hazard zone (Correct answer)
- Double the number of extinguishers inside the hazard zone
- Install automatic suppression only and remove portable extinguishers
- Mark the hazard zone with signage and leave placement unchanged
Correct answer: Relocate extinguishers so they are accessible without passing through the hazard zone
Extinguishers must be positioned so occupants can access them without entering the hazard area, per NFPA 10 placement principles.
Question 7: A new paint spray booth is added to an existing facility. How should this affect the hazard assessment?
- The spray booth area must be reassessed as an extra hazard Class B location (Correct answer)
- No reassessment is needed if existing extinguishers are in good condition
- The spray booth only changes Class C requirements
- Ordinary hazard classification is sufficient for all paint operations
Correct answer: The spray booth area must be reassessed as an extra hazard Class B location
Paint spray booths involve flammable vapors and mists, creating an extra hazard Class B environment requiring appropriate extinguisher coverage.
FE Hazard Identification & Risk Assessment 3
A cooking area in a restaurant uses deep fryers with large volumes of vegetable oil.
Which hazard class specifically addresses this risk?