Fires cause significant damage to the environment. For example:
- smoke impacts air quality
- toxic firewater run-off and firefighting chemicals can enter local creeks and waterways.
Toxic firewater is a risk to human health and the environment. For example, plastic material breaks down into hazardous compounds when burnt. These hazardous compounds mix with the water. The contaminated firewater run-off then impacts the environment.
Consequences of a fire may include:
- harm to your employees, visitors, contractors, residents and other businesses from exposure to smoke, asbestos and other reactive dusts
- risks to human health and the environment from contaminated firewater
- expensive costs for clean-up and remediation of the environment
- significant business interruption, financial penalties, increased insurance premiums and criminal convictions.
Businesses that manage combustible waste have a higher risk of fire. This is particularly the case for waste and resource recovery facilities.
Fire prevention and fire suppression
Fire prevention means stopping fires from starting in the first place. We expect you to eliminate the risk of fires occurring.
You should follow a risk management process that includes:
- a fire risk assessment
- identifying and implementing fire prevention controls
- maintaining fire controls to make sure they're working
- an emergency management plan.
Fire suppression means limiting the consequence of fires. When you cannot eliminate the risk of fire, you must implement reasonably practicable controls to limit the:
- severity and size of the fire
- impacts of the fire.
If a fire starts, you need systems that limit the impacts.
Examples of fire suppression systems include:
- fire extinguishers
- fire hoses
- sprinklers.
Your fire suppression systems need to be maintained in good working order. This means:
- they are maintained to relevant standards
- you test them to make sure they're operating correctly
- you make sure the equipment is not obstructed.
Stockpiles
To reduce the risk of fire in stockpiles:
- allow processed material to cool before you bale it or store it
- monitor the internal temperature and moisture content of stockpiles
- make sure your stockpiles meet size requirements for combustible recyclable waste material.
For more information on size requirements for combustible recyclable waste material, visit Management and storage of combustible recyclable and waste materials.
You can minimise the harm from fire by:
- limiting how fire can spread between piles and buildings
- limiting fuel loads.
Always allow access between stockpiles and to separate piles for:
- firefighting
- your machinery.
Metal sites
Failure to remove ignition sources from incoming material streams can cause fire.
Common ignition sources at metal sites include:
- failure to maintain and safely operate machinery
- build-up of combustible materials in machinery that can be ignited during machinery operation
- hot works such as grinding, cutting and welding
- smoking cigarettes in areas where combustible material is stored
- batteries and gas cylinders.
Hot works should be conducted:
- in a segregated area away from combustible materials
- with fire suppression controls in place, such as fire extinguishers and fire hoses readily available.
Worksites should have designated smoking areas located away from combustible materials.
Batteries and gas cylinders can catch fire if:
- crushed under metal stored in stockpiles
- run over by excavators
- shredded in machinery.
They can also overheat and self-combust if not properly stored. Batteries and gas cylinders must be disposed of at authorised recycling facilities. For more information on e-waste, visit Electronic waste.
Shredder floc
Shredder floc is a fine metal waste material that is produced when recycling metals. Floc is highly combustible and poses a fire risk when incorrectly stored.
Floc comes from dedicated metal shredding operations that recycle:
- automobiles
- appliances
- scrap steel.
Floc is what remains after ferrous and nonferrous metals are removed. It can include:
- glass
- rubber
- plastics
- fibres
- dirt.
For more information on how to manage fire risks, visit Management and storage of combustible recyclable and waste materials.
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