Recently, the topic novel coronavirus is afraid of alcohol and heat resistance. It is pointed out that 75% of alcohol can effectively inactivate viruses. This is because the molecules of alcohol have great permeability. It can penetrate the membrane on the surface of bacteria, penetrate into the interior of bacteria, coagulate the proteins that form the basis of bacterial life, and kill bacteria. Therefore, after a long period of practice, scientists have come to the conclusion that 70-75% alcohol has the best bactericidal effect.
For a while, everyone rushed to buy medical alcohol and sterilized it at home. For fire safety, what are the hidden dangers of alcohol fire?
The alcohol we use in our daily life, whose scientific name is ethanol, is a kind of flammable, volatile, colorless and transparent liquid under normal temperature and pressure, with a flash point of 13 ℃ and a light blue flame. Its vapor is heavier than air, and can diffuse to a far place at a lower place, forming an explosive mixture with air, which can cause explosion and combustion in case of open fire and high heat. That is to say, alcohol is inflammable, and there is a risk of combustion and explosion when heated or exposed to open fire. When burning, it will emit blue flame.
When the concentration of alcohol used at home is higher than 70%, the volatilization of alcohol increases the combustible gas in the indoor air. As long as there is a little spark in the air, it may cause deflagration, which is more dangerous than the ignition of alcohol. Therefore, when spraying alcohol in the room for disinfection, it is necessary to ensure ventilation, and never contact with open fire, such as cooking, making phone calls, smoking, using electric mosquito swatches, etc., which should be paid great attention to. Here, the Honghu fire rescue team warmly reminds residents to use alcohol correctly for disinfection and keep away from open fire. Avoid using electrical switches, answering phones and other devices that may produce electrostatic sparks at the alcohol spraying position. People who smoke at home should pay more attention to them to prevent accidents such as burns and fires.
Precautions for alcohol disinfection
1. Pay attention to indoor ventilation. When using alcohol indoors, it is necessary to ensure indoor ventilation. Cloth cleaning tools such as used towels should be cleaned with a large amount of clean water after use, and then stored in a closed place, or dried in a ventilated place.
2. Use alcohol safely. Before use, it is necessary to clean the surrounding inflammables and combustibles, and do not spray them directly in the air. Alcohol has low ignition point and is easy to self ignite in case of fire and heat. When using, do not close to the heat source and avoid open fire. Disinfect the surface of the electrical appliance. Turn off the power supply first and wait for the electrical appliance to cool down before proceeding. If you wipe the kitchen stove with alcohol, turn off the fire source first to avoid explosion caused by alcohol volatilization. During use, the upper cover of the container must be closed immediately after each use, and it is strictly prohibited to open it.
3. It's not advisable to stock up on alcohol at home. Alcohol is a flammable and volatile liquid. When residents disinfect with alcohol at home, they can buy small bottles of alcohol, which is suitable for sufficient use. Do not store a large amount of alcohol, so as not to leave a fire safety hazard.
4. Store away from light to prevent damage. Containers for collecting, storing and using alcohol must be reliably sealed, and containers without cover are strictly prohibited. Glass bottles shall be avoided to prevent falling and damage. The rest of the alcohol in the home should not be placed in the balcony, stove and other heat source environment, or near the power socket, the wall, the corner of the table and other places to prevent accidental collision and dumping. Store in a cool place, such as a cabinet, in a dark place. When storing, close the cover and label to avoid volatilization.
5. Keep away from children when storing. For families with young children, alcohol should be kept out of children's reach. For older children, parents can explain the characteristics of alcohol to their children, teach them not to play with alcohol, let alone light it with fire.
What about alcohol fire?
If alcohol catches fire, cover the fire area with wet clothes. When alcohol ignites other articles, it is necessary to cover the ignition point with clothes, sheets and other articles after they are soaked. The inflammable and explosive articles shall be transferred at the first time, and then they shall be poured into the fire place with water continuously until they are extinguished. It should be noted that when the fire starts, it is most likely to go out, and the things around it should be used as much as possible. If the fire is serious, please call 119 in time.
After being burned, the first thing is to put out the fire. The injured should avoid shouting loudly, because shouting will cause severe respiratory burn, and seek medical treatment immediately after the fire is out.
Once again, Honghu fire rescue team reminds you that 75% of medical alcohol is flammable liquid. When spraying alcohol for disinfection, keep away from open fire and high temperature objects. When storing, it should be careful not to be close to the heating appliances such as the heater and the heater, and at the same time, it should be careful to avoid children's contact. Students who are doing experiments in school should remember that the alcohol lamp should not be blown out, but should be covered with a cap twice more to extinguish it.