Using a Fire Extinguisher

Incident Summary:

A four man logging crew was working at a site in the Ark‐La‐Tex region in mid‐July.  The temperature was 99° F at noon with a heat index well over 100°F.  The crew was having some trouble with their feller‐buncher.  It was over‐heating and causing delays in productivity.   Around 3 p.m., the machine began to stall again.  The operator got out of the cab to work on the machine.  As he dismounted, he saw flames coming from under the hood.   There was an extinguisher in the cab, but the operator was leery of reentering the machine.  He signaled a co‐worker to bring him another extinguisher.  The operator remembered to use the PASS procedure to extinguish the fire.   He aimed at the base of the fire and swept the hose back and forth.  Fortunately, the fire did not spread to surrounding trees or brush.  No one was injured; however, the machine did suffer significant damage.

Discussion Questions:

1. What contributed to this fire?
2. Have you experienced a fire on a job site?
3. Have you used a fire extinguisher before?  Do you know the PASS procedure?  

Take Home Message:

Remember to PASS.
P‐Pull
A‐Aim
S‐Squeeze
S‐Sweep   

Check the SW Center website frequently for new factsheets: http://www.swagcenter.org/resourcesforestryfactsheets.asp

For comments or suggestions, contact Amanda Wickman at amanda.wickman@uthct.edu or by phone to
903-877-5998 or Nykole Vance at nykole.vance@uthct.edu or by phone 903-877-7935.

Created by the Southwest Center for Agricultural Health, Injury Prevention and Education
11937 US Hwy 271
Tyler, TX 75708
www.swagcenter.org
agcenter@uthct.edu
903.877.5998