Fire Safety Management Flashcards
6 cards from real NEBOSH practice questions. Tap to flip, then mark Knew It or Still Learning — missed cards come back until you master them.
Read the first 6 Fire Safety Management flashcards as text
What does 'means of escape' refer to in fire safety?
Answer: The structural route and facilities provided to ensure safe evacuation from any point in the building to a place of total safety
Means of escape encompasses the complete structural route from any occupied point to a final exit and place of total safety. It includes corridors, stairways, lobbies, final exit doors, emergency lighting, directional signage, and fire doors. The route must be kept clear, unobstructed, and adequately illuminated at all times.
What is the primary risk associated with using a water extinguisher on an electrical fire?
Answer: Water is an electrical conductor and the user could receive a fatal electric shock
Water is a conductor of electricity. Using a water extinguisher on live electrical equipment creates a conductive path between the electricity supply and the user, posing a risk of electrocution. The electricity supply should be isolated before using water. CO2 or dry powder extinguishers are suitable for electrical fires.
In the context of fire safety, what is a 'place of total safety'?
Answer: A place, usually in the open air, where persons are at no immediate danger from the effects of fire
A place of total safety is a location where a person is at no immediate danger from fire or its effects, typically in the open air at a sufficient distance from the building. It is the final destination of the means of escape. A 'place of relative safety' (such as a protected stairway) may be an intermediate point but is not the final destination.
What information should be recorded in a fire drill report?
Answer: Date, time, total evacuation time, number of persons evacuated, any problems encountered, and actions to improve
A comprehensive fire drill report should record: date and time, whether the drill was announced or unannounced, total evacuation time, number of persons evacuated, the route used, any difficulties encountered (blocked exits, slow response, disabled evacuation issues), observer notes, and actions required to improve future performance.
What type of emergency lighting activates when the normal mains power supply fails?
Answer: Maintained or non-maintained emergency lighting powered by battery backup
Emergency lighting activates automatically when the normal supply fails. Non-maintained units are off during normal conditions and illuminate only on mains failure. Maintained units are illuminated at all times (cinema/theatre style). Both use battery backup (typically 3-hour duration) and must be tested monthly (function) and annually (full duration).
Why is it important that fire exit doors open in the direction of escape travel?
Answer: So that the doors can be pushed open by the pressure of evacuating persons without creating a bottleneck or obstruction
Fire exit doors must open in the direction of escape (outwards) so that a crowd of evacuating persons can push them open by forward pressure. Inward-opening doors could be held shut by panicking crowds pushing against them, trapping people. This is required where more than 60 persons may use the exit, or in high-risk areas.