Risks
Specifically, the Risks associated with the Fire Pit in the Docklands Community Garden are:
- Personal Safety
a) Burns from causes such as contact with fire, contact with hot surfaces, and burns from sparks ejected from the fire.
b) Cuts, grazes and/or splinters from handling or preparing fuel (wood).
c) Smoke or heat-related injury such as eye injury, radiation burn, smoke inhalation (including inhalation of fumes from inappropriate fuels e.g. Arsenic treated woods).
d) Food or cooking related injuries including burns from hot substances or injuries from use of implements. - Environment - risks to the garden environment
including
a) Burns, fire or smoke damage to garden fixtures such as seats, and/or damage to the broader area (perhaps caused by the fire escaping or from re-ignition of an unsupervised fire thought to be extinguished).
b) Fire, heat or smoke damage to the garden (plants).
c) Deterioration of the setting due to unsightly build up of charcoal and discoloration of the gravel surrounding the fire pit. - Other
a) Community concern/alarm from smoke
b) Misuse including unauthorized use of the facility and damage to fitting (e.g. Lock broken and lid or seats used as fuel).
Fire Pit Management Measures
Prior to lighting
- Notification must be made to the MFB to allay concerns or false alarm calls to 000.
- Supervision - Designated Fire Manager appointed to manage fire including lighting, fueling, stoking, extinguishing and general crowd control. Supervisor must be always on site while fire is lit, not drinking alcohol, and a deputy to replace supervisor if toilet visit etc.
- Fire management tools - there should be appropriate tools at hand when fire is lit - e.g. fire lighters (no flammable liquids), shovel & rake, tongs or poker, and a metal bucket for charcoal/ash removal.
- Fire Safety Kit on site consisting of - bucket of cold water, fire blanket, fire extinguisher. First Aid also on site but nearby in Shed will do.
- Supply of suitable fuel always on hand when fire pit is to be lit, consisting of fire wood or appropriate fuel. Fuel should be dry hard-wood, not green, not arsenic or chemical treated (e.g. treated pine or some older oil-impregnated wharf timbers), not prone to sparking (e.g. Pine), not too large such that it will burn all night, not prone to excessive ash (e.g. Willow). Appropriate substitute fuel might do (e.g. Reconstituted fire logs).
Method/Systems
- The fire pit is only to be lit using fire lighters (no flammable fluids to "coax" fire into action).
- The fire to be kept small to moderate in size at all times.
- One person only will fuel the fire (or direct the fuelling). No additional material to be thrown into fire (e.g. Papers, cigarettes, food scraps).
- The Fire is to be fully extinguished and allowed to cool before it is abandoned and lid replaced and locked.
- Any cooking on fire (e.g. Marshmallows) must be supervised and
controlled (i.e. Limited number of hot marshmallows being brandished
around at the one time)
Fire Pit Guidelines
- No litter is to be burned in fire (e.g. Wrappers)
- No food scraps are to be thrown in fire (e.g. Half-eaten sausage)
- No cans, bottle caps to be thrown in fire.
- The Fire pit should be cleaned out or checked to be clean before and after use.
- The Fire safety kit should be returned to shed when fire is extinguished.
- A written report required for any incident (e.g. burn) and any time fire kit is deployed. (So the fire kit can be inspected and replenished if necessary).
- No wood or other fuel is to be left outside shed when fire pit not in use.
- The Fire must be extinguished after use and checked to be out (even if it ’seems’ to be out).
- Ash, charcoal and fire residue to be disposed of in garbage or compost but only after being triple-checked that it is no longer hot or alight. Removal of fire residues is required after every fire.
- Fire pit area is to be cleaned up after fire (raked and possibly swept). Therefore need metal bucket for coals.
- All equipment, spare fuel etc. to be locked in shed after fire.
- The Fire pit cover must be locked in place after fire.