4.4 Ecological conditions in Ukraine and possible character of catastrophes

For the last decade ecological conditions got noticeable going down on the territory of Ukraine and up to this time it is evaluated as unfavorable. Rapid development of power – and chemical-technological centers has brought significant part of cities to categories of unfavorable, and several cities (Dneprodzerzynsk, Zaporozhye, Krivoy Rog) – to extremely unfavorable for living.

That situation gets worth by consequences of Chernobyl catastrophe (1986), periodical accidents in chemical industry and chemical dangerous plants where lots of strong acting poison substances (SAPS) are used. The territory of Ukraine has ammonia pipeline Talliatty – Odessa, and also a number of oil pipelines built.

Everyday trucks and trains transport tons of SAPS and there is a constant danger of accident on it.

Creation in Ukraine of chemical-technological centers has caused emission in atmosphere up to 45,000,000 tons of solid substances (soot) and not a less amount of harmful gases (ammonia, carbon and other). The waste water emission makes up to 180,000,000 tons of the aggressive and crude drains. That makes 95m³ of waste water per 1 hectare. That polluted almost all the rivers of Ukraine by chemicals. On the territory of Ukraine there're 5 working power stations, more than 3,000 plants apply radioactive substances in technology, scientific researches, and medical practice.

Chernobyl catastrophe polluted with radionuclides the significant Ukraine territory (3,420 km²), part of which (640 km²) is unacceptable for living in.

Large Ukraine territory (27,000 km²) has seismic activity. The earthquakes up to 9 numbers occur in the Crimea, in Northwestern region - 7 numbers, in Kiev – 4-6 numbers.

Tornado and cyclone are also possible in Ukraine. On July 20, 1987 the tornado in Volynsk district destroyed 2,500 hectare of the ground, the losses have made 5,000,000 in national currency.

Rivers of Ukraine have the cascade of hydrosystems (about 2000 dams) created. If they get ever destroyed flood zone may cover hundreds of localities. Only on the Kyiv boundaries possible flood zone can reach 42 km² with 400,000 people living there.

If ecological condition remains unfavorable in Ukraine in future accidents and catastrophes in industry, transport and also natural disasters (earthquakes, floods, cyclones, fire) will be possible. All this creates emergency situations liquidation of which requires significant material resources investment.

Chapter 5. Fire as anthropogenous catastrophe. Organization of fire protection

5.1 Fire and causes of fire ignition

Fire is, an uncontrolled burning out of the special area that brings moral and material losses and sometimes people victims.

The causes of fire:

• violation of fire prevention rules;

• careless behavior with fire;

• electrical equipment malfunction;,

• failure, catastrophe;

• natural phenomena.

Process of burning is possible when the following is present:

• combustible;

• ignition source;

• oxidizer.

Combustible is a solid, liquid or gaseous substance capable to oxidize with heat and light radiation.

Oxidizer is oxygen, chlorine, fluorine, sulfur and other substances capable under heating or impact to decompose extracting oxygen.

Ignition source is influence on combustible and oxidizer that can induce inflaming. Ignition sources are divided into open and hidden.

When any of three factors is missing burning doesn't appear.

Fire risk materials are materials and substances which by their properties enable origin or development of fire.

Ignition is burning appearing under influence of ignition source.

Flash is fast burning of combustible mixture that is not followed by formation of compressed gases.

Self-ignition is phenomenon of sharp magnification of velocity of exothermal reaction that results in substance burning appearing.

Combustion is ignition followed by flame appearing.

Self-combustion is self-ignition that is followed by flame.

Explosion is a fast substance transformation that is followed by extracting of energy and formation of front of compressed gases.

Combustion temperature is the lowest temperature of the substance under which the stable flame burning appears

All the materials and substances are divided into three combustibility groups:

1. incombustible is substance unable to burn in the air;

2. hard-combustible is substance able to ignite on the air from the source of fire, but unable to keep burning after the fire source is taken off;

3. combustible is substance able to self-ignite and also ignite from the source of fire and continue burning without fire source.

Fire-resistance of building constructions is the characteristic to keep bearing and protection function on fire (measured in hours). Fire-resistance of structures is determined by ultimate fire-resistance of main building structures. Combustible parts of buildings have no ultimate fire-resistance.

By fire-explosive risk work areas are divided into 5 categories:

А, Б - fire-explosive risk area ;

В - fire-risk

Г - area where heated incombustible solid, liquid or gaseous substances burned on salvaging as fuel are used.

Д - area having incombustible substance in cold state.

Building area or its part where the explosive mixtures can appear or combustible materials are, is named as fire-explosive risk zone.

The explosive risk zones are divided into 6 classes: ВІ, ВІа, ВIб, ВІг, ВІІ, ВІІа; fire risk - into 4 classes: П-І, П-ІІ, П-ІІа, П-ІІІ.