A Hazardous-Materials Home Tour
Right now, in your home, there are probably many types of hazardous materials. If you have a fire, these materials could be very dangerous. If they are stored or used improperly, they could start a fire.
If you are unsure if a product is flammable, read the label. If the listed ingredients include petroleum distillates or mineral spirits, treat the product as a material that will burn.
When using hazardous materials, keep the room well ventilated and make sure you can easily and quickly exit the area.
Now, familiarize yourself with the hazardous materials in your home by taking a room-to-room tour.
Bedroom, kitchen and bathroom:
Begin in the bedroom. Do you have any aerosol cans of hair spray, deodorant, or other personal care products? These all can be highly flammable, either because of the contained product or a flammable propellant, or both. Never use them near a heat source or open flame. Aerosol cans explode if exposed to high heat. Never dispose of them in trash that will be burned (that includes apartment-building incinerator systems).
Nail Polish and nail-polish remover, as well as cotton balls or tissues used to apply them, burn easily if exposed to flame or high heat.
The vapors given off by mothballs are flammable. Mothball containers should be sealed tight.
In the kitchen:
Cleaning products should be stored and used with care. Some floor and furniture polishes, spot removers, and oven cleaners are flammable liquids that can ignite if exposed to high heat or flame. Never try to dry oil or cleaning fluid-saturated cloth in a clothes dryer.
In the bathroom:
Some disinfectants, such as toilet bowl cleaners, are also flammable. Drain-cleaning fluids and powders are extremely caustic and can cause severe burns. Follow the instructions for use printed on the labels of these products.
Flammable Gases:
Containers of butane (for refilling lighters) and all aerosol cans should be stored in a cool place. When filling a butane lighter, be sure there is no flame or heat source nearby that could ignite leaking gas.
Natural gas and propane piped into your home are extremely flammable and should be used with care. If you suspect a leak, call the gas company, propane supplier or fire department immediately.
Propane cylinders for cooking or heating should always be installed or stored out of doors. Plug cylinder outlets when tanks are not connected for use.
In the basement:
Your workshop, basement, or hobby area is likely to contain many flammable liquids, such as turpentine, mineral spirits, other solvents, oil based paint, stains, varnishes, camping-stove fuels and/or charcoal lighter fluid.
Your basement is also likely to house your furnace, boiler and hot-water heater – sources of heat and flame that could ignite vapors from those flammable liquids.
It is best to store flammable and combustible liquids outside your home, in the garage or in a shed. Always store flammable and combustible liquids in small quantities in their original containers or in approved safety containers. They should always be tightly capped when not in use. Never store flammable liquids in glass jars, which can break easily. Rags soaked in oils or paint thinners will burn if exposed to flame. Dispose of such rags immediately after use, hang them outdoors to dry (or “harden”), or store them in a sealed metal container.
Never store gasoline in your home. Treat it with extreme caution, since gasoline vapors can be ignited by even a tiny spark. Store gasoline outside the home – preferably in a stand-alone, locked shed – and only in containers designed and approved for the purpose.
Re-fuel gasoline-powered machinery outdoors well away from any flame or heat source, buildings, or foliage. Be sure machinery is cool before re-fueling. The heat from the engine can ignite vapors.
Never use gasoline as a substitute for charcoal lighter fluid or as a cleaning solution. The results can be fatal. And never smoke near gasoline.
Assistance:
For more information about hazardous materials in your home or business, or if you have questions, feel free to call the West Caldwell Fire Prevention Bureau at 973-226-2302. In the event of any emergency, please remember to call: 9-1-1
Information provided by NFPA (National Fire Protection Association) and the West Caldwell Fire Prevention Bureau.