Types of Fire Extinguisher - Information and Advice
Information on Different Types of Fire Extinguishers
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The page you are now viewing offers information and advice on different types of fire extinguishers and what the responsibilities of employers are for providing them. If you are interested in purchasing fire extinguishers or any other type of fire safety equipment, visit the 'Buy Fire Extinguishers' page for details of a full range of excellent value fire fighting equipment available to purchase online. Equipment is supplied through Screwfix, who offer a wide range of equipment at very competitive prices, with next day delivery.
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See Also The Following Pages In This Section:
Water Fire Extinguishers
Carbon Dioxide Fire Extinguishers
Dry Powder Fire Extinguishers
Wet Chemical Fire Extinguishers
Halon Fire Extinguishers
Fire Extinguishers Ratings
How To Use A Fire Extinguisher
History Of The Fire Extinguisher
Employer Responsibilities
In respect of fire extinguishers, the 'Responsible Person' (see Regulatory Reform Order) is responsible for checking that all fire fighting equipment is where it ought to be in in full working order. This page will give you the information you require to understand the type and number of extinguishers you need to provide.
Different Type of Fire Extinguishers - How Many Do I Need?
For fires in general areas you should use water-based fire extinguishers, and have one for every 200 sq metres of floor space, with a minimum of two on every floor.
Where the fire extinguishers are not being provided to deal with a specific fire risk, they should be located on escape routes, close to fire exit doors and near any doors that are the main exits from rooms, floors or buildings.
For more specific fire risks (eg in kitchens with deep fat fryers, or where flammable chemicals are being used) the fire extinguishers should be located near to the hazard.
All fire extinguishers should be on dedicated fixings, hooks or stands. While free-standing holders are available, the best option is for a fixing to a wall, so that the handle of the fire extinguishers are about 1m from the floor for larger fire extinguishers and about 1.5m for smaller ones.
Different Type of Fire Extinguishers
Fire Extinguisher Colours
Colour coding of fire extinguishers in the UK changed some time ago to bring the UK in line with other European Union countries. Moving away from a system where each different type of fire extinguisher was a different colour to a system of colour coding using a small block of colour could be perceived as a retrograde step. The UK had a very effective system with each differnt type of fire extinguisher easily identifiable, but it was seen as easier to drop down to EU standard that try to bring all the other countries up to UK standard.
The colour coding system now is that most fire extinguishers are red in colour, with a block of colour corresponding to the extinguisher type just above the operating instructions. The colour codes are as follows:
- Water: red
- Carbon Dioxide: black
- Foam: cream
- Dry Powder: blue
- Wet Chemical: yellow
Different Type of Fire Extinguishers
List of The Main Extinguisher Types:
Water Fire Extinguisher (Colour Code: Red)
- Suitable only for use on solid materials such as paper, wood, textiles, etc.
- DO NOT use on live electrical equipment.
- Used for directing a jet of water onto a fire
- These fire extinguishers are perfect for fires involving electrical equipment, as they can extinguish the fire without causing any further damage to the equipment (excluding electronics, IT, etc).
- Can be used on the same sort of fires as the water extinguishers, and also on flammable liquids, such as oils and petrol, etc. Particularly suitable for petrol and diesel fires.
- While these fire extinguishers are good for flammable liquids, they are NOT suitable for fires in deep fat fryers.
- These fire extinguishers can be used on most types of fire, including fires on electrical equipment, but may well damage that equipment.
- Not generally suitable for confined places, and can affect visibility and people with breathing problems.
- These extinguishers are ideal for fires involving cooking oil and other fat such as lard, butter, etc.
- Wet chemical extinguishers are very effective as they quickly extinguish the flames, cool down the burning oil and react chemically to seal the surface with a soap-type substance, preventing it from re-igniting.
- The Halon fire extinguisher was banned in the UK from 2003, apart from very limited exceptional circumstances. The ban is because of the serious ozone depleting property of the gases that a Halon Fire Extinguisher releases into the atmosphere. If you have any halon extinguishers in your place of work you need to arrange for the safe disposal of them.
- These are available as either light duty or heavy duty and should be located near the specific hazard they are provided for.
- Light duty ones are widely used in catering establishments for dealing with small fires in fat fryers and pans, and for wrapping around clothing.
- Heavy duty blankets are more likely to be employed in an industrial setting as a barrier to molten materials.
Different Type of Fire Extinguishers - Maintenance and Testing
This is another area where you really can't afford to take chances. You should use a specialist contractor to check your fire extinguishers at least annually.
Between servicing you should periodically check to make sure that all your fire extinguishers are still serviceable and haven't been tampered with or vandalised (or stolen!). You don't want to discover a fire and run to the nearest fire extinguisher only to find it missing or empty.
You need to keep a record of your regular maintenance checks and you should use a simple Maintenance Record Form to do this. Template Forms for maintenance and testing of safety equipment can be found at the bottom of the Equipment Testing and Maintenance page. Keep these forms in a log book in case the Fire Authority wish to inspect your records.
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