Fire safety of paint production factory and assessment of fire risk using Fine-Kinney analysis method

When fuel and oxidant enter into a chemical reaction, combustion occurs. Heat, light and smoke are released after combustion. When combustion goes out of control, it is called a fire. Causes of fire are generally ignorance, carelessness/neglect, recklessness, splash (spread from surrounding fire), sabotage, natural events and accidents. Fire can be extinguished by removing any element of the fire tetrahedron. The fire can be extinguished by any of the following: • Turning off the gas supply, i.e. removing the fuel source, • Completely covering the flame, which uses both the existing oxidant (oxygen in the air) during combustion and removes CO2 from the area around the flame, • Applying an inert gas such as carbon dioxide, which extinguishes the flame by replacing the existing oxidant, • Applying water, which removes heat from the fire faster than the fire can produce it (similarly, blowing hard on the flame removes heat from the fuel source from the already burning gas, for the same purpose), • Applying a retardant chemical such as Halon (largely banned in some countries as of 2023) to the flame, which delays the chemical reaction itself until the rate of combustion is too slow to sustain a chain reaction. Contemporary paints and coatings are composed of countless compounds formulated to meet the diverse needs of hundreds of thousands of applications. Paints range from the broad range of environmentally friendly latex paints that many consumers use to decorate and protect their homes, and the translucent coatings that cover the insides of food containers, to the chemically complex multi-component finishes that automobile manufacturers apply on the assembly line. Paints have evolved from simple primitive colors on cave walls to the primary protective barrier between our belongings and our environment. Paints are produced for various purposes. One of the basic compounds of paints is pigments. In addition to pigments, binders, thinners and additives also constitute the content of paints. Paints obtained from raw materials used in paint production are examined in four groups: According to the drying method, according to the place of use, according to the solvent used and according to the resin used. Examples of paint types according to four different methods are given below. • According to Drying Method: o Physical drying paints, o Chemical drying paints. • According to Properties o Construction paint o Wood paint o Floor paints o Oil paint o Automotive paints o Ship paints o Pastel paint o Marking paints o Acrylic paint o Shoe polish o Aerosol paint o Lead paint o Enamel paint o Tempera o Gram paint • According to Environmental Impact o Water-based paints o Solvent-based paints • According to Resin o Cellulosic paints o UV paints o Epoxy paints o Synthetic paints o Polyurethane paints o Polyester paints o Acid-cured paints o Moisture-cured paints o Water-based paints Paints go through various production processes. It usually starts with the pre-assembly and initial mixing process. Then, it is finished with the crushing of the mixture, formula completion, filtering and filling. Despite the positive aspects of paint's presence in many areas of our lives, the compounds it contains pose a high risk of fire. For this reason, paint manufacturing businesses also face a fire risk due to the compounds in paint. In order to protect buildings from fire, today, the Regulation on the Protection of Buildings from Fire, the Occupational Health and Safety Law No. 6331, and the Occupational Health and Safety Risk Assessment Regulation have made it mandatory to conduct risk analysis in order to reduce fire risk in workplaces or reduce it to an acceptable level. Risk management consists of six steps: • Identification of hazards; It forms the basis of the step. It is the determination of factors that could potentially cause harm or damage within the company. • Identification of risks; Identified hazards are analyzed in detail and the risks that may occur due to these hazards are determined. • Risk assessment; Risks are analyzed and procedures are prepared, risk levels are compared with previously determined values. Measures are evaluated for risks that cannot be reduced to an acceptable value. • Determination of control measures; Reducing the severity of the risk, eliminating hazards and risk are evaluated. It evaluates the reduction of the risk to an acceptable level by the detected measures. • Implementation of control measures; It is the implementation of the control measures in the first four items. Control measures are applied with easy methods and at low cost for low-risk groups. Control measures should be determined quickly in high-risk groups. • Monitoring and review; A new hazard may emerge over time or may be overlooked in other methods. Therefore, this is the step where risks are constantly monitored to reduce these possibilities. Whether the targeted results have been achieved is also checked at this stage. Today, there are various methods related to risk management methods. The main ones are: HAZOP method, L matrix method, checklist method and Fine-Kinney risk analysis method. The focus of the thesis study is on fire risks in paint manufacturing plants. In this context, the anticipated hazards were examined in detail and the Fine-Kinney analysis method was used to reduce fire risks. Although many analysis methods are used regarding risks in businesses, the use of numerical data in the Fine-Kinney method provided objective evaluations to the studies conducted. For this reason, the Fine-Kinney analysis method was preferred in fire risk assessment. The Fine-Kinney analysis method is used more in risk assessments than other research methods. The main reason for this situation is its practical applicability and the more precise analysis. In the Fine-Kinney analysis method, impact, frequency and probability factors can be examined separately, supporting the improvement of current methods. The Fine-Kinney method can calculate the weight ratios of risks by prioritizing risks and using resources effectively. After the weight ratios are calculated, it rates them and helps decide when precautions should be taken. At the same time, since the statistics of the companies are used, it contributes to obtaining more realistic results. In the Fine-Kinney analysis, the risk degree (R) is determined using the Probability (I), Impact (E) and Frequency (F) scales. In this study, the potentials that could cause fire in a paint factory in Eskişehir were determined and risk levels were calculated with the Fine-Kinney analysis method The calculated risk values were classified according to the Fine-Kinney method, and corrective and preventive actions were implemented to reduce the risks to acceptable levels (<20) according to these classifications. As a result of the study, 14 very high risks, 9 high risks, 3 important risks, 2 definite risks and 2 acceptable risks were determined as a result of the risk calculation made for 30 areas in the fire risk analysis of the paint production factory. After the implementation of the regulatory preventive factors, the risk assessment was repeated and the very high risk situation was eliminated and other risk groups were tried to be reduced to acceptable levels.