1980-01 January IBEW Journal.pdf - International Brotherhood of ...

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for you and your family
WOOD AND COAL BURNING HEATING STOVES •
The u.s. Consumer Product Safety
Commiuion estimates that there were
900 burn injuries treated in hospital
emerge ncy rooms last year involving
wood and coal burning heali ng ~IOYCS
nod free stlmding fireplaces.
T o (/I'oid fires (1m/ (lccidellllli /11lllry
w lll'1I IISill1: wcxxJ allfl coal bl/millf,!
StOI"t!s. il if imporlum to install litem
propufy and kup pall/lllobll' nhwrtf
Q1'I'4Y Irom ,h,.m.
CPSC case histories show [he following
accidents involving Sloves:
MR. BARKER INSTALUm A
STOVEBOARD H E T HOUGHT TO
DE NONFLAMMABLE AGA INST
T HE WALL, ABOUT 14 INC IIKS
BEl-liN)) HIS WOOD BURN ING
STOVE. AI-IER H E NOllCE!) TIlE
WAtL WAS GI:.TfING HOT. T IIAT
NIGIIT, liE A WOKE TO SMOKE
ANU SAW THAT T il E S1'OY":.
80ARI) WAS BULG ING AND
GLOWING RED. liE TH REW IT
OUTSID E IN TIME TO ":SCAI' '':
INJ URY.
A 65-YEAR-OLD WOMAN IMD
OPENED THE DOOR OF IIER
WOOl> HURNING srOVE TO ADI>
WOOl> TO T HE I-IR E Wil EN
I ~ LAM FS IGNITJ.:(> H ER N IGIIT­
GOWN_ SHE DI ED FROM TI l E
BURNS SHE RECEIV ..:D_
THIN KI 'G TI-IAT THE FIRE IN
illS HOMEMADE WOOD BURN­
ING STOVE HAD GONE OlIT, 18-
YEA R-OLD HANK THREW GASO­
LINE ON THE NEW WOOl> TO
II ELP LIG HT IT. A SPARK I' ROM
WITIIIN THE STOVE IM MED­
IATELY IGNITE» THE CASO­
U NE AND ITS VA I)()R, WIIICIl
FLASHED BACK TO HANK'S
JACKI:.I_ HANK SPENT A MONTH
IN TIl E HOS PITAL WITJ-I SE\' ..:Rt:
BURNS TO HIS CHEST, NECK,
H AN I>S, A"'D FACE.
These IIccidents illustrate some of the
following causes o f IIccidental injury a~ ­
socill ted with wood lind COllI burning
Slaves:
I , S t OVf~S (Illd flues C(I n become I'Xtremely
hOi and start {ires 0 11 adjactnt
walls, floors (Inti flirn islJings,
The National Fire Protection Association
recommends kceping a
3-foot clearance on 311 sides of
stoves, Fireproof materials should
also be placed undernetllh stoves
:.nd on nr:.rhy walls,
2, COII/aci lI'ilh Ih(' flame or hOI 51/rface
area- Your clothing can ignite
from the name and cause
SC\'cre burns. Falling 3gainst or
touching Ihe outer surface can also
cause burn Injuries,
3. Using f/amllwblt' fiqllil/S to stelrt or
"slokt" (I fire-Flammahle liquid~
such as gasoline must not be used
or stored in any room where there
IS an open flame , Flammable
vapors can travel long distances
across the noor of a room and ignite
if they reach a name.
4. Carbon Aftmoxidt' poisolling­
Burning ruc1~ can prOOuce deadl)'
quantl !l e~ of earhon monoxide.
You need adequale fre sh air when
you use s IO\' e~ to avoid Ihis hazard.
If is e ~ pecial1y important to
see that the heater b ilJ~talleJ
properly, and that the flue, connected
according 10 local building
codes. i~ cleaned frequently.
T he U,S. COMuIller Product Sa fety
Commission offers the following suggc~tions
for the sele(·tion, in ~ t allation. ~afc
use, 3nd maintenance of v.ood and coal
hurning heating sloves:
",lrClion
- Before }OU buy. asl your local
bUilding IIlspector or fire department
for any requirements for heating
stoves.
- Look for a Stove thai has been ap·
proved hy a nation:tlly recognlud
testing agency.
- Buy a sto\'e that can he vented 10
the outside. Be :tv.are that an older
stove may be accidentally cracked,
allowing deadly quanti ties of carbon
monoxide to escape.
- Heating equipment for mobile
homes should be selected with special
care. Only equipment listed by
a nationally recognized agency for
usc in mobi le homes should be used.
Check With your bui ld ing inspector
for these requirements,
Installation
The stove should be installed by a
qualified pc~n. If )'ou musl install
it yourself, fi rst cheek with your
local huilding cOOc onicials or lire
marshul for install :.rinn req uirif.
men ts and recommendations. AI ~o.
carefully read the manu facturcr's
installation direclion~ .
- Somc local gO\'crnmenls require t h ~
hu)'crs of wood burning SIO\'CS g~
a permll to install them. Officials
mUSI he allowed to inspect th'
~toves for safety aft er installation,
- To prevent overheating and isni tioli
of floors and wall coverinss, the
Slo\e should be placed on a brickplatform.
fireproof stovehoard, 0 '
other noncombustible materials. at
least 36 inches from side v.alls (uOr
Icss specifically advised otherwise in
the mllnuf:.cturer's instructions for
a product thai has been approved
by a nationa lly recognized lestin~
agency). If you need 10 inslall a
sto\e closer 10 the wall, see ),Olll'
huilding code onidal fur lillJ~ r.l
fireproofing to be installed on
nearby walls. ..
- Don't put a stove ncar dtllpcs,
furniture. or other nammahlc rn a"
terials or nea r traffic lanes,
- Don't usc II pipe labeled "vent" as t,
chimney since it cOIn get very he:
(",ent pipes arc only a single thick·
ness of metal). Use instead an alrlo
masonry Chimney or one certified
by a nallonally recognized tcstinf
agency as an "all-fucl" chimney ( iI's
douhle insulated or tri ple wallcd, ail
cooled) .
Tu relK)rt a product hazard or II ~j
prod uci-relll!ed injury, write to the
U.s. Consumer Product Safety
CO lll m~ jon, Wash ington. D.C.
20207. In Ihe continental Unit ed
Siaies. call the toll-free hotline: J
800-638-2666. M llr)land residents
j
only, call 800·492-2937. Thr ttltt)'/lt'
/lvl/irlc for Ihe .ft!af is 800·
638-2690. M aryland residems only.
call 800-492-2938. Tht TTY op·
trUll'S from 8:]0 a,m , to 5:00 p.m.
EST.
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