S K Fire Protection – Fire Extinguishers, Safety and Equipment Specialist based throughout the midlands. Depots include: Nottingham, Leicester, Derby, Peterborough, Birmingham, Manchester, Lincolnshire and many more.
Further information can be found on our website www.skfireprotection.co.uk or by calling one of our fire safety advisors on 08453 888 999.
Portable Fire Extinguishers
Portable fire extinguishers enable suitable trained people to tackle a fire in its early stages, if they can do so without putting themselves in danger.
All workplaces should be provided with means of fighting fire for use by people in the premises.
In the event of a fire, using the correct extinguisher is as important as discovering the fire itself. All modern fire extinguishers are clearly marked as to the type of fire they should be used on, so you can tackle small fires safely and easily.
Where the fire risk is not confined to a particular location, e.g. Class A fire, the fire extinguishers should be positioned on escape routes close to the exit from the room or floor, or the final exit from the building. Similarly, where the particular fire risk is specifically located e.g. flammable liquids, the appropriate fire extinguisher should be placed on a dedicated stand or hung on a wall at a convenient height so that employees can easily lift them off (at about 1m for larger extinguishers, 1.5m for smaller ones, to the level of the handle). Ideally no one should have to travel more than 30m to reach a fire extinguisher. If there is a risk of malicious use you may need to use alternative, and more secure, locations.
Fire extinguishers manufactured to current standards (BS EN 3-7) are predominately red but may have a colour-coded area sited above or within the instructions, denoting the type of extinguisher. Most older extinguishers manufactured to previous standards, have bodies painted entirely in a single colour which denotes the type of extinguisher. These older extinguishers remain acceptable until they are no longer serviceable. However, old and new style extinguishers are not to be mixed on the same floor of a building.
There are 5 main fire extinguishers currently in use which are listed below. Each fire extinguisher has instructions stating what type of fire it is suitable to be used on.
The five main types of fire extinguishers are as follows:
- Water
- Foam (AFFF)
- Dry Powder (ABC rated)
- Carbon Dioxide (CO2)
- Fat Fryer (Wet Chemical)
No single type of extinguisher is totally effective on every kind of fire. So before buying a fire extinguisher, it is vital to look carefully at what type of fire it has to be used on.
The following chart shows you what type of extinguisher can be used for the different types of fire risks. Each risk type has a letter associated with it (A, B, C, F), with the exception of electrical risk. Fire extinguishers for sale in the UK are all marked with some of these letters to indicate to the buyer which risk the extinguisher can be used for. Next to these letters the buyer can also see numbers, which indicate how strong the extinguisher is in the relevant category – The higher the number, the bigger a fire the extinguisher can tackle.
Water Fire Extinguishers are good for tackling fires involving burning paper, wood and soft furnishing (Class A fires), as the water soaks into the materials and cools them while extinguishing the fire. This type of extinguisher does not contain harmful chemicals but has a low fire fighting rating. Due to this water fire extinguishers are usually large and heavy to overcome their lack in fire fighting power. It is also important to remember that water is an electrolyte and conducts electricity. Care must therefore be taken with regards to accidental use on exposed power cables or electrical appliances.
Foam Fire Extinguishers also called AFFF FOAM (Aqueous Film Forming Foam) for class A & B fires creates a smothering film of foam over the fire, which starves the fire of oxygen. The foam also penetrates porous materials and cools the fire through evaporation of the water content in the foam. As the foam creates a foam carpet on burning liquids like petrol, foam extinguishers are particularly suitable for flammable liquids and areas where manmade fibres in soft furnishings and carpets might liquidise under the influence of heat. Foam extinguishers are safe if accidentally used on any electrical equipment.
CO2 (Carbon Dioxide) Fire Extinguishers contain only pressurised CO2 gas and therefore leave no residue. This type of extinguisher is suitable for use on fires involving burning liquids (Class B fires), but is also an excellent solution for computer equipment and other electrical appliances as it does not cause damage to the electrical items and does not cause the system to short circuit. It is important to remember that when using CO2 extinguishers there is a possibility that once the smothering CO2 gas has floated away the fire may re-ignite if the source of the fire is not removed (e.g. switching off the power supply) or if the materials are still very hot. Please be aware that CO2 extinguishers that are not fitted with double-lined swivel horns may cause your fingers to freeze to the horn during the deployment of the extinguisher. CO2 extinguishers are NOT suitable for deep fat fryers.
Powder Fire Extinguishers, also called ABC powder extinguishers or dry powder extinguishers, are suitable for fighting class A, B and C fires. ABC powder extinguishers have a very good fire fighting capacity, but the powder does not soak into materials and does not have a good cooling effect on the fire. This can result in the fire re-igniting if it is not properly extinguished. Care must be taken when using powder extinguishers that you do not inhale the powder. Powder extinguishers should therefore not be used in small, confined spaces where there is a risk of inhaling the powder. The clean up after applying a powder extinguisher is very difficult and the powder causes damage to soft furnishing, carpets and computer drives etc. So a careful balance has to be struck between the generally quite cheap but powerful powder extinguishers and the cleaner, but less powerful and sometimes more expensive foam/water (with additive) extinguishers.
Wet Chemical Fire Extinguishers are especially designed for use on kitchen fires involving burning oil and deep fat fryers (Class F fires). These extinguishers come with a special, long application lance which allows you to safely lay a cooling layer of foam on top of the burning oil. They can also be used on Class A fires, although their fire fighting power for general risks is not very strong.
Alternatively, a (kite marked) fire blanket can be placed over the pan containing the burning oil/fat. The pan should then be left to cool down. NEVER carry the pan outside or lift the fire blanket after a short period of time to inspect the burning oil as the introduction of oxygen through this action can reignite the fire. NEVER use pressurised water, powder, CO2 or foam extinguishers on fires involving burning fat, as the pressurised jet can cause the burning oil to be carried out of the pan onto surrounding surfaces causing more damage and a larger fire to tackle.
Application of fire extinguishers
Water and powder fire extinguishers
Aim the jet at the base of the flames and briskly sweep it from side to side.
Foam and wet chemical fire extinguishers
For solids, aim the jet at the base of the flames and move it over the area of the fire. For liquids, don’t aim the foam straight at the fire – aim it at a vertical surface or, if the fire is in a container, at the inside edge of the container.
Points to note before tackling a fire
- Don’t attempt to use an extinguisher on a fire unless you feel it is safe for you to do so.
- Position the extinguisher where you can get to it quickly, like the hall.
- Buy extinguishers that you can carry easily.
- Don’t position extinguishers over a heater or fire, but do fix them to the wall, so they are out of reach of children but still easily accessed.
- Read the instructions and be familiar with how to use your extinguishers. Don’t leave it until you have a fire.
- If you require the extinguishers for a business (including letting premises) you must have them serviced once a year.
- If you are using a fire extinguisher on a fire, keep yourself on the escape route side of the fire.
Fire Extinguisher Maintenance
Fire extinguishers do not have an indefinite life, even if they are never actually used. Their contents can lose pressure, the inside of the canisters are prone to rust and corrosion if liquid contents, and the canister seams can be weakened by continual high pressurization.
Seals can deteriorate, valves can stick, and fire extinguisher can become knocked and dented simply by being part of a building’s fixtures and fittings
Fire extinguisher maintenance and care in accordance with the Code of Practice stipulated in British Standard 5306 part 3 should be integrated into your premises Fire Risk Assessment and is, in effect, a legal requirement of the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005.
Annual inspections (or more frequent for high risk locations or corrosive environments) by a competent person will involve inspecting every fire extinguisher, and identifying those extinguishers which need re-pressurising, require replacement parts, or which have reached the end of their useful lives.
Further fire extinguisher information can be found here: Fire Extinguishers
S K Fire Protection – Fire Extinguishers, Safety and Equipment Specialist based throughout the midlands. Depots include: Nottingham, Leicester, Derby, Peterborough, Birmingham, Lincolnshire and many more.
Further information can be found on our website www.skfireprotection.co.uk or by calling one of our fire safety advisors on 08453 888 999.