Glossary · Hazards and harm
Fire hazard
In machine safety, a fire hazard is a condition with the potential to initiate or intensify fire, arising from combustible material, ignition sources such as hot surfaces, sparks or electrical faults, and oxygen.
- Machine safety
- Risk assessment
- Technical documentation
In one sentence
A fire hazard on machinery combines fuel such as oil, dust or chips with ignition sources such as hot surfaces, sparks or electrical faults.
Example
A CNC machine running with neat cutting oil can ignite oil mist; the manufacturer specifies a fire suppression system and warns against unattended operation with flammable coolants.
How it applies
- Machine safety: Identify fuels (oils, dusts, packaging material, chips), ignition sources (hot surfaces, sparks, electrical faults, friction) and conditions that intensify a fire, such as the airflow of an extraction system.
- Technical documentation: State the flammable media permitted, cleaning intervals for chips and oil deposits, and the actions to take in a fire, linked to the emergency procedure. Say which extinguishing agents are suitable, for example no water on live electrical equipment.
- Integrated systems: Fire detection and suppression may be linked to the machine control. Define what the machine does on a fire alarm and document the interface.
- Evidence: Link each fire scenario to its measure and instruction.
Fire hazard vs. thermal hazard
A thermal hazard causes harm by contact with hot or cold surfaces and materials. A fire hazard concerns the start or spread of combustion. A hot surface can be both.