Types Of Fire Extinguisher – Does Your Workplace Have the Right Type of Fire Extinguishers?

The Regulatory Reform Order in the UK places a duty of care on what it describes as the ‘Responsible Person’ in each place of work to make sure that there is adequate provision of fire fighting equipment and that this equipment is maintained in good working order.

The Responsible Person is the person in charge of the work premises, usually either the business owner or manager.  This responsibility can be shared in premises used by several organisations.

In other words, providing appropriate fire extinguishers in your place of work is not an optional extra, you are legally obliged to do it.  This article should help you to check that the fire extinguishers you have are the best type and that you have enough of them in the appropriate places.

Bear in mind that having fire extinguishers in your workplace is not so that people can stick around and fight a fire, but in case they are needed to help exit the building safely.

Types of Fire Extinguisher – Colour Coding

Colour coding of fire extinguishers in the UK changed a while ago to bring the UK in line with other European Union countries.  Moving away from a system where the entire fire extinguisher was a certain colour to one displaying just a block of colour was seen by some as a backward step.  The UK had a very effective system with fire extinguishers 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

What Each Different Type of Fire Extinguisher Is Used For

Water Fire Extinguishers

These fire extinguishers are ideal for use on fires involving everyday materials such as paper, wood and fabrics.  They produce a steady jet of water that can be directed on to the fire.  These are not suitable for using on fires on live electrical equipment or burning oil or fat.

Carbon Dioxide Fire Extinguishers

These fire extinguishers are idea for situations involving live electrical risks or flammable liquids.  Because they are just producing a gas they cause very little damage and so are good for use on printers, photocopiers faxes, etc.  Though they can be used perfectly safely on any electrical equipment, they cannot be guaranteed not to cause any damage at all to delicate electronic devices and IT equipment.

Foam Fire Extinguishers

These fire extinguishers are safe on the same kind of materials that you would use a water extinguisher on, and in addition can be used on flammable liquids such as petrol, diesel, solvents and spirits.  They produce a foam which seals in vapours to prevent the fire re-igniting.  These extinguishers are not, however, suitable for use on deep fat fryers.

Dry Powder Fire Extinguishers

These are a versatile fire extinguisher, which can be used on fires with flammable gases such as butane and propane.  They are also safe on electrical fires, but are likely to cause more damage than a Carbon Dioxide extinguisher. Due to the nature of the fine powder produced, they are not recommended for use in confined spaces or by people with breathing problems.

Wet Chemical Fire Extinguishers

These fire extinguishers are the only sort that are suitable for use on burning oil such as cooking fat or lard.  The extinguisher produces a gentle spray which reacts to seal the surface of burning oil or fat to prevent it re-igniting.

Halon Fire Extinguishers

Halon fire extinguishers have been banned in the UK since, 2002, apart from very limited exceptional circumstances.  The reason for the ban is the serious ozone depleting property of the inert gases they release into the atmosphere.  If you have any halon extinguishers in your place of work you need to arrange for the safe disposal of them.

Types of Fire Extinguisher – How Many Should I Have?

For general work areas such as offices, shops and similar areas with no special hazards, you ought to be providing water fire extinguishers.  In terms of the number you need to supply, the official requirement is that you need one for every 200 square metres of floor space, subject to a minimum of two fire extinguishers on every floor.

Where Should The Fire Extinguishers Be Located?

Unless an extinguisher is being provided to deal with a specific risk, they should be located at key points on your emergency escape routes.  Key locations are next to fire exit doors, near the exit from a floor or room, etc.

If an extinguisher is intended to cover a particular risk, such as a hot fat fryer in a kitchen, then it obviously needs to be sited in the room near to the hazard it relates to.

The best method of fixing is to attach your fire extinguishers to a wall by a special bracket.  This places them at a good height for visibility and access as well as offering a degree of protection from being knocked over or moved.  Where this is not possible, you can get free standing units that the fire extinguisher sits in.  This helps to give them a more permanent position than if they were just on their own and makes them less likely to be moved or damaged.

Maintenance And Testing of Fire Extinguishers

Part of the duty on the Responsible Person is to properly maintain all your fire fighting equipment, as it may as well not be there if it is not in working order.  The best way to ensure this is to set up a maintenance contract with a specialist company to inspect your extinguishers at least annually.  This will then also give you documentary evidence that you have taken proper precautions, should anything go wrong in future.

1. Again the documentary proof of your inspections could be very useful.