2014 fire extinguisher & fire safety report · 2014-01-29 · fire extinguishers come in a...

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2014 Fire Extinguisher& Fire Safety Report


ContentsTypes of Fire Extinguishers .......................................................

Classes of Fire ............................................................................

Fire Extinguisher Chart ..............................................................

Fire Extinguisher Maintenance..................................................

Positioning Your Fire Extinguishers.........................................

Mounting Fire Extinguishers......................................................

Fire Extinguisher Disposal ........................................................

How to Use a Fire Extinguisher.................................................

British Standards For Fire Extinguishers ................................

How to Choose a Fire Extinguisher ..........................................

Fire Extinguishers for Boats and the Boat Safety Scheme ....

Your Home Fire Safety Plan.......................................................

Fire Wardens and Fire Marshals................................................

ADR Regulations on Fire Safety For Goods Vehicles..............

Fire Safety Signs and Their Colour Codes ..............................

Fire Extinguisher Signs .............................................................

Fire Safety Resources ................................................................

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Copyright © 2014 by Fire Protection Online LtdThis report is intended only as an introduction to ideas and concepts only. It should not be treated as a definitive guide, nor should it be considered to cover every area of concern, or be regarded as legal advice

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Types of Fire Extinguishers

Water Fire Extinguishers

Water Fire Extinguishers with Additives

Dry Powder Fire Extinguishers

Wet Chemical Fire Extinguishers

Metal Powder Fire Extinguishers

FE36 and Halotron Fire Extinguishers

Fire extinguishers come in a number of different types, to enableyou to tackle a variety of different fires in any environment.

Water fire extinguishers are what most people are familiar with.Water fire extinguishers are highly effective on fires involvingmaterials such as wood, paper and fabrics.

Water additive fire extinguishers are the new generation ofwater extinguishers, up to 300 times more effective than theirplain water alternatives. They are often known by the brandname Hydrospray.

An excellent all-round fire extinguisher, which contains a fire-suppressing powder, either BC or ABC rated.

Wet chemical fire extinguishers have been specifically developedto tackle deep fat fires in kitchens and fast food premises.

In certain conditions in the laboratory or manufacturingprocesses, metals can catch fire. These extinguishers aredesigned to extinguish these unusual but potentially dangerousfires.

Halon fire extinguishers have been phased out for generaluse, and replaced with a new generation of fluorocarbonextinguishers, including FE-36 and halotron. Unlike halonextinguishers, these ultra-clean extinguishers do not depletethe ozone layer.


Carbon Dioxide (CO2) Fire Extinguishers

Halon Fire Extinguishers

Fire Blankets

CO2 fire extinguishers are the perfect choice for the modernoffice, since they can be used on fires in and around electricalequipment.

Halon fire extinguishers are now illegal for most uses, with afew exceptions including use on aircraft.

Perhaps the simplest of fire safety equipment (apart from abucket of water!), a fire blanket is an absolute must for everyhome or commercial kitchen.

The following pages contain more indepth descriptions of eachtype of available fire extinguisher. Click on the extinguisher typeto see examples of what is available for purchase.


Water Fire ExtinguishersAt their simplest, water fire extinguishers contain just that - basictap water. Despite many advances in fire fighting technology,water remains highly effective in extinguishing Class A fires,involving fabrics, wood, paper, furniture, etc.

Water fire extinguishers are easy to spot, with solid red bodypaint. Water fire extinguishers are also available in ‘chrome’,(actually highly polished steel), which do not comply with BSEN 3 (simply because they are not red), but they work just thesame way.

To see our full range of water fire extinguishers click here: www.FireProtectionOnline.co.uk/water-fire-extinguisher

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To see our full range of water additive extinguishers click here: www.FireProtectionOnline.co.uk/water-additive-fire-extinguisher

Water Additive Fire ExtinguishersThese types of fire extinguishers have chemicals added to theirwater content to make them more effective in tackling fires.This type of water additive fire extinguisher has become knowby the Chubb Fire brand name of Hydrospray. They are popularbecause they are smaller and lighter than traditional water-based fire extinguishers. Water additive extinguishers are stillpainted solid red in colour.

In water additive fire extinguishers, the additives enhance theeffectiveness of the fire extinguisher by taking away water’snatural surface tension, so the water soaks in more easily.(Domestic washing up liquid does the same!)

Water additive fire extinguishers have a spray nozzle that creates an arc of water rather than a single jet, so you can cover fires more effectively with a single extinguisher. Also, because the high power makes for smaller sizes, ‘Hydrospray’ extinguishers are lighter and easier to handle.

Since Chubb brought out their Hydrospray and HydrosprayElite range, other manufacturers have brought out similarextinguishers, so you may see other brand names such asAquaPlus, Ecojet, WaterPlus or TurboSpray.

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The early models of foam filled fire extinguishers containedperflourooctane sulphonate (PFOS). However, its use inU K - m a n u f a c t u r e dextinguishers has beenstopped since 2001,as it was both toxic tohumans and a risk toaquatic wildlife. If any ofyour fire extinguisherspre-date 2001, disposeof them carefully andinvest in new AFFF foamextinguishers instead.

Foam Fire Extinguishers

PFOS Foam Fire Extinguishers

The fire extinguishing agent inside foam fire extinguishershas come a long way from the brown, mucky animal-proteinbased mess left over after school fire drills! Today’s foam fireextinguishers are filled with Aqueous Film Forming Foam (orAFFF for short), which smothers the flames and seals in harmfulvapours when the outer film forms.

Foam fire extinguishers are easy to spot, as they have a brightred body with a cream label at the top bearing the word ‘Foam’.

Foam fire extinguishers can be used on Class A fires (thoseinvolving combustible materials), and Class B fires involvingflammable liquids such as petrol, spirits or diesel. Unlike waterextinguishers, which would simply spread flammable liquidsover a larger area, foam fire extinguishers coat the burningliquids, and the film layer locks out oxygen, literally starvingthe flames of fuel. On Class A fires, the foam has the addedbenefits of cooling the fire and penetrating absorbent material,thus preventing man-made fibres from melting in the heat.

AFFF (pronounced A - triple - F) fire extinguishers are lighterthan plain water fire extinguishers (because the small foamadditive makes them much more powerful), and are thereforeeasier to handle in the event of a fire. The hose and nozzleallows you to spray the foam evenly across a fire.

To see our full range of foam fire extinguishers click here: www.FireProtectionOnline.co.uk/foam-fire-extinguishers

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Powder Fire ExtinguishersDry powder fire extinguishers are very versatile, as they can beused to tackle a range of fires and also are safe for use on firesin, on, or around electrical equipment. They have a solid redbody with a blue label and the word ‘Powder’.

All powder fire extinguishers can be used on Class B and

also prevent re-ignition. You can use a dry powder extinguisheron a fire near electrics without fear of electrocution.

In ABC rated extinguishers, the powder ingredient is ammoniumphosphate. However, be aware that this form of dry powder cancorrode soft metals such as aluminium, and if the powder getswet, it forms a mild phosphoric acid, which is also corrosive.So, don’t use an ABC rated powder extinguisher on delicateelectrical equipment, use a CO2 fire extinguisher instead.

In BC rated (these are rarely used in the UK these days) powderfire extinguishers, the powder is either potassium bicarbonateor sodium bicarbonate (yes, baking powder!) or Monnex,propelled out of the fire extinguisher cylinder by compressednitrogen gas. Monnex is a highly effective powder, and Monnexfilled extinguishers are particularly suitable for any environment where fuel is stored or used, such as airports or racetracks.

Powder extinguishers, due to their versatility, are probably themost widespread in the world in all sizes.

Class C fires, andsome can also beused on Class Afires. (See page 8for more details onspecialist powderextinguishers, suchas graphite powderfor metal fires.)Dry powder fireextinguishers workby blanketing thefire in powderand smothering itby cutting off theoxygen supply, and

To see our full range of powder fire extinguishers click here: www.FireProtectionOnline.co.uk/powder-fire-extinguisher

Safety FirstAlways look for thecorrect pictogram

on any powderextinguisher before

use, to check what firesit is suitable for. Dry

powder extinguishersare not suitable for use

in enclosed spaces,as they create anobscuring cloud of

powder that can irritatethe lungs.

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Wet Chemical Fire ExtinguishersWet chemical fire extinguishers were developed specifically toextinguish fires involving cooking oil or fats, such as fires indeep fat fryers in fish and chip shops, commercial kitchens orfood factories.

Wet chemical extinguishers are easy to recognise, as they havea red body and a bright yellow label at the top with the words‘Wet Chemical’. They often have a long hose with a lance onthe end, and the best models are usually made from stainlesssteel, to prevent corrosion in the hot and steamy environmentof a kitchen.

a soapy layer in a process called saponification. This soapysurface smothers the fire by sealing out oxygen, and becausesaponification is an endothermic process, meaning it absorbsheat rather than creating it, the layer also cools the fat down.

The UK Fire Regs known as the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 requires any premises with a fat fire containing more than three litres of oil must provide a wet chemical fire extinguisher. In addition, it is likely that your insurance company will insist this fire extinguisher is regularly maintained, or replaced. You can also use a wet chemical fire extinguisher on Class A fires if no other extinguisher is to hand.

Wet chemical fire extinguishers aredesigned for use only on Class F fires, a category created to cover fires involving high temperature cooking fats and oils. But, they also have a Class A fire rating, too.

Standard extinguishers are worse thanuseless in such fires; water extinguishers would cause the fat to splutter and splash over the user, for example. So, the wet chemical extinguisher uses some simple but very clever science to extinguish the fire, the science of soap!

When the chemical additives in theextinguisher (potassium salts) comeinto contact with oil, a reaction creates

To see our full range of wet chemical extinguishers click here: www.FireProtectionOnline.co.uk/wet-chemical-fire-extinguisher

Safety FirstAll your staff who may

need to use a wetchemical extinguisher

should be properlytrained in its use. Theuser should stand wellback from the fire andapply a layer of liquid

gently over the surfaceof the fire using the

long lance. (The lanceis non-conductive, sosplashes of liquid onto

electrical equipment arenot a problem.) Just

one 6 litre wet chemicalextinguisher is big

enough to extinguish afire in a 75 litre vat of oilburning at 340 degrees.

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Metal Powder Fire ExtinguishersFlammable metals are not just confined to the laboratory orfactory, as anyone in industry who has seen aluminium shavingsor swarf catch fire will tell you.

chloride forms a crust over the fire and smothers it by excludingair from the flames.

It is very important to use the correct metal powder fireextinguisher on the type of metal fire it was specifically designedfor.

M28 powder fire extinguishers are for use on Class D metalfires EXCEPT those involving lithium. These extinguishers havea long hose and lance, and a cup-shaped applicator at the end(known as a Low Velocity Applicator or LVA). This is designedto release the powder slowly and evenly, so that lightweightburning metal is not blasted apart, which would just spread thefire further. LithX or L2 powder fire extinguishers contain copper powder,powdered graphite or similar. The copper powder coats anystatic or moving lithium, and will even stick to a vertical surface.Again, a low-pressure applicator ensures that the burninglithium does not spread.

Specialist powder fireextinguishers are requiredto extinguish fires involvingmetals such a magnesium,potassium and lithium.These extinguishers arestill categorised as powderextinguishers, so they arepainted red with the familiarblue ‘Powder’ label.

Extinguishers suitable forfires involving magnesium,potassium, sodium,aluminium or swarf (wastemetals) often containsodium chloride - betterknown as salt! In the initialheat of the fire, the sodium

To see out full range of metal powder extinguishers click here: www.FireProtectionOnline.co.uk/specialised-extinguishers

Safety FirstAlways ensure you usethe correct extinguisher

for the type of metalfires you are tackling.

Only tackle lithiumfires with a specialised

lithium extinguisher, andremember the goldenrule of fire safety; if in

doubt, get out, stay outand call the fire brigade.

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FE-36 and Halotron Fire Extinguishers

Halotron Fire Extinguishers

FE-36 Fire Extinguishers

Graphite powder extinguishers do much the same job aspowdered copper on a flat surface, and can also be used onhigh temperature metal fires involving zirconium or titanium,since the graphite draws heat away from the fire.

One of the greatest challenges facing fire extinguishermanufacturers was how to protect sensitive electronics notjust from fire, but the effects of fire extinguishing agents too.The initial solution, Halon 1211 gas, was discovered to depletethe ozone layer, and so was replaced in turn with other noncorrosive, non-residue, non-conductive solutions.

Halotron fire extinguishers are filled with Halotron 1, a clean,halocarbon-based liquid with a high boiling point. As the liquidleaves the nozzle of the extinguisher, it evaporates more slowlythat other halon replacement solutions, allowing a greater‘throw’ of liquid, so anyone fighting the fire don’t have to getso close. Like FE-36, it leaves no residue, and is widely used inthe USA.

FE-36 (or Hydrofluorocarbon-236fa (HFC-236fa) was createdby the DuPont company as a less toxic alternative that alsoprevents thermal shock in machinery. FE-36 fire extinguisherswork by propelling a mixture of gas and liquid droplets into thecentre of a fire, and stopping combustion with both a chemicalreaction and through heat absorption. After the fire has beenextinguished, the gas simply disperses into the atmosphere,leaving no mess or residue.

FE-36 fire extinguishers can be used on Class A and Class Bfires, and in areas where cleanliness is vital, such as computerrooms, server farms, switch rooms, museums, archives andlaboratories. Common makes of FE-36 fire extinguishersinclude Cleanguard manufactured by Ansul in the USA, andthe Fireblitz range of automatic units in the UK.

To see out full range of FE-36 extinguishers please click here: www.FireProtectionOnline.co.uk/automatic-fire-extinguishers

Safety FirstAnyone within reach ofa FE-36 or Halotron fireextinguisher should befully trained in how to

use them. Original halonfire extinguishers arenow illegal except for

specific usage includingthe military and aviation,and should be removed

from non-exemptpremises and disposed

of properly.

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CO2 Fire ExtinguishersCarbon dioxide extinguishers provide everyday protection forfires in or around electrical equipment, and most premisesshould have one.

Carbon dioxide fire extinguishers have a red body with a blacklabel reading ‘CO2’ at the top, above the operating instructions.CO2 fire extinguishers also have a distinctive ‘horn’ at the side,where the gas is expelled.

CO2 fire extinguishers are also available in a ‘chrome finish,actually highly polished aluminium, for the design-consciousoffice. These chrome CO2 extinguishers are not BS EN3certificated, as they are not painted red, but good quality modelsare otherwise the same as their red-liveried counterparts.The best quality CO2 fire extinguishers are made of superstrongaluminium, so they are light to use but can hold the CO2gas under great pressure.

Carbon dioxide fire extinguishers contain CO2 gas undertremendous pressure, so it forms a liquid. When the fireextinguisher is used, the liquid turns to gas, quickly cooling theair around the fire and extinguishing it. The gas simply dispersesin the air, leaving no residue or powder behind, and is thereforeperfect for use on electrical and computer equipment. Wheresensitive machinery or equipment cannot cope with a rapidchange of temperature, known as thermal shock, a clean agentfire extinguisher containing FE-36 or similar may be better.

Unlike water, foam or powderextinguishers, carbondioxide fire extinguisher donot have a pressure gauge.In fact, the only way to knowif they are full or empty isby their weight. Each CO2fie extinguisher has a grossweight stamped on theoutside. If your extinguisherfalls below this weight, it’stime to either have it refilledor replaced (which can workout much cheaper).

To see our full range of Co2 extinguishers please click here: www.FireProtectionOnline.co.uk/co2-fire-extinguishers

Safety FirstAs the liquid CO2 turnsto gas in the horn of thefire extinguisher, it getsvery cold very fast, so

you should never hold aCO2 extinguisher by thehorn to avoid frostbite.

Note – someextinguishers have a

double-walled ‘frostfree’horn that can be

held but, as it’s difficultto spot these, you are

advised not to hold any!

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Halon Fire ExtinguishersIn the event of a fire around expensive computers and otherhigh-tech equipment, the goal has always been to preserve theequipment from both the fire and the effects of fire extinguishers!If you’ve ever tipped a cup of coffee into your computerkeyboard, you know how electronics and water simply do notmix...

Halon fire extinguishers were seen to be the answer - aclean extinguishing agent that left no residue. Unfortunately,it was subsequently discovered that halon (or BCF -bromochlorodifluoromethane) was the most ozone-depletingsubstance known, and toxic to boot. In 1993, Halon 1211, usedin portable fire extinguishers, and Halon 1301 (used to fill fixedfire systems) were both banned, and all halon extinguishersand systems had to be decommissioned by the end of 2003.

As a result, the familiar green-bodied Halon fire extinguisherswere replaced with alternatives, such as CO2 fire extinguisherswhere thermal shock was not an issue, and FE-36 extinguishersfor more delicate equipment scenarios.

However, there were a few exceptions to the overall ban. Halonextinguishers are still allowed to be used on aircraft, for militaryuse, and in the Channel Tunnel, so don’t be concerned if youspot one on your next flight.

For more information on Halon extinguishers please click here: www.FireProtectionOnline.co.uk/extinguisher-types/whatever-happened-to-halon-fire-extinguishers

Safety FirstIf you discover an oldhalon fire extinguisher

on your premises,you must dispose of itproperly, as it is now

illegal to possess one.DO NOT empty it, as itis illegal to discharge ahalon extinguisher. Alllocal authorities acceptold fire extinguishers

at their waste disposalsites, but it is advisable

to ring in advanceto ensure they are

equipped to deal withhalon extinguishers.

Alternatively, there arespecialist companieswho are authorisedto dispose of halon

extinguishers; alwayscheck their licensing

and accreditation beforehanding over any halon

extinguishers.

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Fire BlanketsFire blankets are perhaps one of the simplest ideas in fire safety- and one of the most effective for domestic chip pan fires.(Users of commercial-sized fat fryers of 3 litres capacity or moremust be provided with a specialist wet chemical extinguisher -even a large fire blanket is not enough.)

A fire blanket works by smothering the fire and excludingoxygen, so the fire is starved of fuel and goes out. Every kitchenshould have a fire blanket, and every member of staff or yourhousehold should be trained to use one, just in case.

Fire blankets are usually housed in a red or white pouch or tubecontainer with easy to use pull tabs for release, that can behung on a wall near a cooker (but not too close, obviously), labbench or workshop.

Fire blankets should be approved to BS EN 1869:1997, whichcovers the fabric’s thermal coefficient, electrical conductivity,and effectiveness as a vapour barrier, Since a fire blanket isdesigned to cover a fire completely, the best quality fire blanketsare also able to flex and drape over shapes, and not leave anypeaks or exposed corners.

Since their development, fire professionals have realised theversatility of fire blankets, which due to their inherent fireresistance, can also protect people from fire during an escape.

For our full range of fire blankets please click here: www.FireProtectionOnline.co.uk/fire-blankets

Safety FirstFire blankets are

incredibly easy to useand highly effective onsmall fires, and at thevery least everyoneshould have read

and understood theinstructions for use

printed on a fire blanket.

As an employer, youshould ensure staff are

trained in their use.If used, fire blankets

should be left in placefor at least 30 minuteswithout disturbance,

or until the fire servicesarrive. Remember the

golden rule of fire safety;if in doubt, get out, stay

out and ring the firebrigade immediately.

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Classes of FireIn the UK, fires are categorised by the type of materials that areburning (i.e. the fire fuel type).

fires involve solid, combustible fuels such as wood,fabrics, paper, or plastics. Class A fires are also knownas carboniferous fires.

fires involve solid or liquid fuels, such as petrol, diesel,greases, thinners, waxes or alcohol. Class B fires arealso known as hydrocarbon fuel fires.

fires involve flammable gases,

fires involve metals that react with water or other fireextinguishing media, such as magnesium, sodium, lithium and potassium. Other metals that might combust include aluminium dust or shavings, and swarf (waste metal).

fires involve fats and all cooking oils.

Unlike the USA, in the UK there is no category for ‘electricalfires’, because the electricity is not the fuel for that fire. Oncethe electricity is switched off, a fire in electrical equipmentusually continues to burn, therefore the fuel is not the electricityitself, but the materials used to make the equipment. Instead,fire extinguishers are rated on their suitability for use on or neara fire involving electrical equipment or exposed wiring.

Safety FirstAlways check that thefire extinguisher you

wish to use is suitablefor the class of fireyou wish to tackle.Business premises

owners should ensurethat they have suitable

fire extinguishersavailable that coverthe fire risks of the

location. For example,providing both a foamfire extinguisher and aCO2 extinguisher onan office environment

offers a greater range ofprotection.

If you do not know howto use all types of fireextinguishers provided

for you at work, askyour employer forproper training.


Fire Extinguisher ChartThe range of fire extinguishers available can be confusing, sohere is a chart to help you see at a glance:

• the type of fire extinguisher, plus its body and label colour • the classes of fires the fire extinguisher should be used on

Bear in mind that any one area of your premises may needmore than one fire extinguisher to cover the fire risks present.

Safety FirstBy law, all business

owners and/orpremises managersmust conduct a fire

risk assessment andprovide and maintain

fire extinguishersappropriate to thefire risks on the

premises. Conductinga full and regular Fire

Risk Assessmentwill help identify theextinguishers your

business needs, andensure your staff hasthe correct training in

their use.


Fire Extinguisher MaintenanceFire extinguishers are precision-made items of fire safety equipment, and require regular checking and maintenance.

The Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 makes it clear that all fire safety equipment must be “maintained in an efficient state, in efficient working order and in good repair.” In addition, the British Standard 5306 part 3 requires that your fire extinguishers are maintained “at least annually” by a “Competent Person”.

In the UK, this should be a contracted service technician or member of staff who is a fully BAFE (British Approvals for Fire Equipment) Certified Technician.

Fire Services around the UK are actively prosecuting employers in the courts for not complying with aspects of the Fire Regulations and the maximum penalty is a prison sentence.

Annual Fire Extinguisher Maintenance

Initial Inspection and Commissioning

Most fire extinguisher contents are held under high pressure, sothis annual maintenance is required to check the overall integrityof the fire extinguisher and replace any worn or corroded parts.

When it is removed from the box, each fire extinguisher needs an initial inspection; called a commissioning service in the British Standard 5306 part 3. It should be carried out by a competent person on site after delivery.

Beware of companies offering to ‟commission” or ‟certify” and extinguisher before delivery. This is not acceptable as the unit may be damaged during delivery. Also, the commissioning service includes positioning in the correct location and checking suitability for the location.

Note: Failure to have the extinguisher commissioned by a certified technician on site runs the risk of invalidating fire insurance cover and is a requirement of a thorough risk assessment for the current Fire Regulations (Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005).


Annual Fire Extinguisher MaintenanceFire extinguishers require an annual inspection by a competent person to British Standard 5306 Part 3. Extinguishers are known to put out around 80% of fires without having to call the Fire Brigade and maintenance is essential.

Do not use price as the reason for choosing your service company - use quality. Ideally, the service technician will be a BAFE (British Approvals for Fire Equipment) registered technician and should be able to show his BAFE Technician Card. If not, show him the door.

In addition, it may be worth asking the company for proof of a specialist fire protection ‟efficacy” insurance policy. This will enable the company to pay the cost of the damage if the equipment they pass as fit for use does not work and you suffer financial loss. Normal Product Liability Insurance does not cover this and quality companies will have it.

Monthly Fire Extinguisher InspectionsThe ‟responsible person” (the person responsible for the fire safety equipment at the premises or area of risk) has a duty to visually inspect the item at least monthly to include the following:

1) each extinguisher is correctly located in the designated place 2) each extinguisher is unobstructed and visible 3) the operating instructions of each extinguisher are clean and legible and face outwards 4) each extinguisher has not been operated and is not obviously damaged or has any missing parts 5) the pressure gauge or indicator is within the correct pressure range 6) the anti-tamper seals or OK indicators of each extinguisher are not broken or missing

The results of these visual inspections should be recorded in a fire log book and corrective action, if necessary, is arranged. In the event of doubt the responsible person should arrange for a competent person (a certified extinguisher technician) to examine the extinguisher.

NOTE: Responsible persons have obligations under fire legislation to maintain extinguishing equipment in an efficient state, in efficient working order and in good repair

To see a full details of extinguisher servicing plans please click here: www.FireProtectionOnline.co.uk/extinguisher-servicing/

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The vast majority of extinguisher maintenance companies are very reputable. However, as with any industry, there are plenty of rogues so here is a list of common tactics from the real rogues of the fire safety trade and ways to avoid getting caught out.

1. ‟Fire Inspections” from someone with a clipboard wearing a navy blue jumper with a crest logo to make him seem like a Fire Officer when they are, in fact, just doing a cold call survey. 2. Claiming that they have ‟taken over” your service company, or that they went bust and are here to do the service. 3. Tying you into a service contract for 3, 5 or 10 years with at least a 12-month notice of cancellation. 4. Telling you that they replaced an extinguisher as it was corroded, lining had failed, had dents, was ‟obsolete” or any variation without showing you the item. 5. Replacing damaged or corroded extinguishers that are still under the manufacturer’s 5-year (most UK extinguishers have this) or 10-year warranty.

And, here is a list of extremely common service ‟tricks” that, while not necessarily bad, are a way to squeeze a lot more money out of your service than you were expecting to pay.

1. Telling you that the service will cost xxx ‟plus parts”, if they mention the parts at all. These parts are where they make all the money and you′ll be surprised how many are needed such as o-rings, safety pins, OK indicators, labels, gauge tests, stickers, anti-tamper seals, etc. Also, beware that hoses and CO2 horns are not commonly included as service parts and can cost £20 or more.

2. Explaining that they will perform some early 5 year Extended Services (discharge test and refill), to spread the cost then exchanging it with for older version that is pre-tested.

3. Splitting up the list of parts so that you will never know what item was used where. For example, to test a CO2 extinguisher, there may be the cost of the service exchange, a valve, swivel horn, o-ring, safety pin and an anti-tamper seal.

4. Extended Service or discharge tests are due at 5 years (10 years for a CO2) and can be costly. It is often worth replacing the extinguisher with a new one at five years as online prices often cost less than the total cost of testing.

How To Spot A Fire Extinguisher Maintenance Rogue


Mounting Fire ExtinguishersFire extinguishers may look tough, but their metal cylinders areprone to knocks, and the top valve, trigger handle and horn donot take kindly to rough treatment either.

By storing your fire extinguisher on dedicated stands, in specialcabinets, or hanging them on a suitable wall, you can extendtheir life, and make them less prone to ‘accidental’ removal.Adding anti-tamper seals will also dissuade non-maliciousremoval and general ‘fiddling’!

Floor standing fire extinguisher stands are a simple solutionthat provides a stable and clean base for your fire extinguishers.Made in durable, tough plastic, these stands have a base for thefire extinguisher and an upright back, perfect for fixing adhesivesigns to. By placing the upright back against a wall, your fireextinguisher is kept clear of dirty floors, safe from enthusiasticvacuuming, and is less vulnerable to being knocked over. Thegreat advantage of stands with backs is that it’s immediatelyobvious if any fire extinguisher is missing from its stand.

Plinths are standalone round bases that look like a plastic dogwater bowl! A tapering design enables the plinth to grip mosttypes of fire extinguishers, and their stability allows them to beused in premises with limited wall space.

Free-standing metal fire extinguisher stands emerged from themove towards ‘designer’ fire extinguishers, finished in a high‘chrome’ polish rather than the traditional red paint. Thesecurvaceous metal stands hold the fire extinguishers clear ofthe floor, and are remarkably stable.

Fire extinguisher cabinets or boxes keep fire extinguishersin a waterproof, dust-proof, sealed red plastic cabinet thatensures your fire extinguishers are kept clean and dry in anyenvironment. Lockable versions are available for security, withtough windows so users can quickly see which extinguishersare inside.

Wall-mounting your fire extinguishers is another way to keepthem secure, as they hang by a built-in loop on the back ofthe cylinder or brass valve to an appropriate hook, sometimesprovided with the fire extinguisher. Due to their weight, alwaysensure your wall is capable of supporting a fire extingusher.


Fire Extinguisher DisposalDuring the lifespan of your non-gaseous fire extinguishers, thecontents are gently corroding the inside of the fire extinguishercanister. In addition, the stresses involved keeping any fireextinguisher contents under continual pressure can weakencanister seals, seams, and put pressure on weak spots suchas dents or creases.

In other words, fire extinguishers don’t last forever! Yourannual maintenance inspection and service should involve thereplacement of worn seals, valves and possible refilling and repressurising of contents, but eventually the canister itself willjust be worn out, and need replacing.

Many fire extinguisher care services offer an annual maintenance check which involves your existing fire extinguishers being ‘swapped’ for refurbished models, so the actual checking and refilling, etc, is done offsite.

Or, you can replace your fire extinguishers with new modelseach year, so you always have brand new fire extinguishersunder warranty, which can prove cheaper than a maintenancecontract for smaller businesses. Nearly all parts of an old fireextinguisher can be recycled in some form.

Using Old Fire Extinguishers for TrainingNothing beats real ‘hands-on’ experience of using extinguishers,so use any old (but safe) extinguishers for staff training. Alwaysensure that all discharge is cleared away properly afterwards:

• only water extinguishers should be discharged down normal drains

• multipurpose dry powder from extinguishers can be disposed of into landfill in sealed containers

• AFFF foam must be washed away down sealed drains, not land drains or water courses


Disposing of Old Fire Extinguishers

Old fire extinguishers that are safe to move (i.e. are not corrodedor rusted) can be taken either to your local council civic amenitysite, or collected by specialist disposal firms. Make sure youhand your old extinguishers to a member of staff at the councilsite, as they are required to lock old extinguishers in a specialbin.

Old fire extinguishers for disposal first have their contentsdepressurised, and their contents removed and recycledif possible. The valves, tubes, cartridges and head caps areremoved, inspected and refurbished or scrapped according totheir condition. The canister body of the extinguisher is carefullyexamined and tested, and reused if possible, or scrapped bycutting it in half and sent for metal recycling.

Safety FirstNever ever attempt

to do this yourself aspeople have been killed

doing the same


How to Use a Fire ExtinguisherAll the fire extinguishers in your premises or home will be asgood as useless unless you and your staff know how to usethem properly. Proper fire training, whether in person or viaDVD-based or online video courses, should be part of yourstaff induction process, so all personnel are prepared shoulda fire break out. It is a legal requirement for employers to givetheir staff fire training.

Different types of fire extinguishers do work in different ways,and staff should always be trained in the use of any type ofextinguisher they may come across on your premises.

Most non-specialist fire extinguishers do work in a similarfashion, and their use can be summaries in the easy to rememberphrase, PASS.

PULL the pin

AIM the hose

SQUEEZE the handles or lever

SWEEP back and forth

The safety pin prevents the fire extinguisher from beingaccidentally discharged. Pulling the pin out unlocks the leverhandles, enabling the fire extinguisher to be used.

Aim the fire extinguisher nozzle, hose or horn at the base of thefire, where the fire is burning the fuels. By extinguishing this partof the fire, you will prevent it from growing. Spraying the flameswill not put out the fire. Always hold a CO2 fire extinguisher bythe body and never by the horn, as the horn becomes very coldvery rapidly.

Slowly squeeze the handle or levers together to release thecontents of the fire extinguisher. If you need to stop discharging,simply stop squeezing the handles.

Sweeping from left to right across the base of the fire will helpextinguish the fire faster. As you sweep, gradually inch towardsthe centre of the fire as the edges are extinguished. Never gettoo close to a fire.


The GOLDEN RULE of Fire Extinguisher Use

The golden rule is, never try and tackle a fire that is too big ordifficult for you to extinguisher safely. If in doubt, get out, stayout and call the fire brigade.

Also bear in mind that domestic fire extinguishers only work foraround 10 seconds, so if the fire is not out by that time, get out,stay out and call 999 or 112.


British Standards For FireExtinguishersThe British Standards for the commissioning and maintenanceof portable fire extinguishers are covered by BS 5306-2:2009and the code of practice for the selection and installation ofportable fire extinguishers by BS 5306-8:2012.

Both parts of the BS 5306 involve the appointment of aResponsible Person, defined as “the person or personsresponsible for, or having effective control over, fire safetyprovisions adopted in or appropriate to the premises or buildingor risk where an extinguisher is installed”. (This is also arequirement of the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005.)

BS 5306 also defines the training and qualifications required bythose who maintain fire extinguishers, known as the CompetentPerson. Suitable qualifications need to be obtained from aBAFE recognised organisation, and the requirement coverstheir initial and ongoing training, plus the level of experienceand the tools required.

A Quick Summary of BS 5306-2:2009 for thecommissioning and maintenance of portablefire extinguishers

The BS 5306-2:2009 sets out a regular maintenance schedule formost types of fire extinguishers, usually involving a weeklycheck, a monthly visual inspection, a basic service every year,and extended services at five year intervals until the end of theextinguisher’s useful life, assumed to be 20 years. The 2009revision recommends that new fire extinguishers to be properlycommissioned by a competent person.

Reputable suppliers of new extinguishers may send outcomprehensive commissioning instructions which do notrequire training but it may be advisable to have a competenttechnician do the job for a small fee. All extinguisher maintenancecompanies can and will maintain or commission any make ortype of approved UK fire extinguisher.

The Weekly Check is just to check for usage or damage, andcan be undertaken by the Responsible Person.


A Quick Summary of BS 5306-8:2012 forthe supply and distribution of portable fireextinguishers

The Monthly Visual Inspection can be undertaken by theResponsible Person, and is to check that each fire extinguisher:

• is in the correct location • is visible and is not obstructed • that operating instructions are legible and fully visible • has no missing parts, is not damaged or is missing any part • pressure gauge ready is within the safe range • has intact anti-tamper seals

The Annual Basic Service must be undertaken by a CompetentPerson, and covers a detailed examination for damages,checking pressure indicators, measuring both pressure andweight of contents, checking of mechanisms, etc. The BritishStandard specifies that only replacement parts or contentssupplied by the original manufacturer should be used. (For fulldetails, see the full British Standard document.)

The Extended Service a Competent Person includes morerigorous testing, including a discharge test. (For full details, seethe full British Standard document.)

Fire extinguishers should be ‘conspicuously’ sited near roomexits, corridors and stairwells, and any point in any buildingshould be more than 30 metres from an appropriate fireextinguisher. They should be wall-mounted where possible andclearly marked with safety signs.

Staff should be fully trained, and water additive or AFFF foamextinguishers, which have passed the BS EN 3 conductivitytests, should always be recommended over water-basedextinguishers.

For premises with a Class A fire risk, every floor in the buildingshould have at least two Class A rated extinguishers available.In addition, for large floor areas (more than 400square metres),there must be a minimum A class rating (calculated as 0.065xfloor area in metres squared).


There are separate requirements for small buildings - see thefull British Standard document for details.

The Standard gives comprehensive guidance on the number ofappropriate fire extinguishers rated for Class B fires, accordingto the extinguisher capacity rating and the size of containerthe flammable liquids are stored in. Allowance should also bemade for spillage.

For Class C fires involving a gas leak, the main provision is thatthe gas supply be cut off or the leak be plugged quickly. Staffshould not to be encouraged to tackle the fire in any other way.

Class D metal fire risk assessments are specialised reports, andeach situation should be dealt with on a case-by-case basis.

Class F fires involving fat fryers should be covered by anappropriate Class F wet chemical fire extinguisher, or afixed system for large fat fryers. The Standard also includescovering other fat and cooking oil fire hazards with both ClassF extinguishers and other methods, such as fire blankets. Inkitchens any Class F extinguisher should also be capable ofextinguishing Class A fires.

Any fire extinguisher sited near electrical equipment should besuitable for use on electrical files.

All British Standards are covered by copyright so originalsshould be purchased at British Standard Online.

Fire Extinguisher Approvals: BAFE

BAFE is the organisation or the British Approvals or FireEquipment, and is based at the world-famous Fire ServiceCollege at Morton-in-Marsh.

BAFE aim to create a single registration scheme for every productand service in the fire protection sector that is appropriate forthird party certification. In effect this means their Approvalscover both the manufacture of fire safety equipment and theirmaintenance.

In addition, BAFE registered fire safety companies must havethird party certification to prove they are both up to date onlegislation and have a properly trained workforce. For business


Fire Detection & Alarm Systems

Fixed Extinguishing Systems

Service and Maintenance of Portable FireExtinguishing Equipment

owners, this not only ensures you are employing a reputable firmbut also that you have covered your ‘duty of care’ responsibility.

As the BAFE website itself states:

“Insisting on fire protection that conforms to the relevantBAFE scheme provides you with a simple way of ensuring thatyour project meets recognised national standards and can beindependently third party certificated. In today’s environment ofrisk assessment, with the responsibility for safety on the owner/ occupier this is increasingly important to you.”

Generally, the four main areas of interest to businesses wishingto install, improve or upgrade their fire protection are:

All parts of a fire detection and alarm system, includingcommissioning and maintenance should be completed withinBAFE SP201 or the SP203 modular certification scheme. Oncompletion of work, a certificate will be issued confirming this.

All elements of any fixed extinguishing system should complywith either the BAFE SP202 or SP203 modular certificationschemes. Again, a certificate will be issued on completion.

Supply of Portable Fire Extinguishing Equipment

Portable fire extinguisher and equipment for your businesspremises should manufactured and tested to the BAFE MP101scheme standard.

Your portable fire extinguishing equipment should be regularlyinspected and serviced in accordance with the BAFE SP101scheme. Any work should be undertaken by a BAFE RegisteredTechnician, as per the BAFE ST104 scheme.

For more details, see the BAFE website at http://www.bafe.org.uk


BSI (the British Standards Institute) is the national standardbody for the UK, which

• specifies standards for goods and services

• offers assessment and certification for companies, • undertakes testing for safety, reliability and certificates under the Kitemark and CE scheme

• offers training courses on all aspects of standards & regulatory approval

BSI Standards for Fire Extinguishers

BSI standards, the KiteMark and LPC

Since the BSI standards only apply to fire extinguishers paintedsolid red with a coloured label over not more than 5% of theirarea, designer-style ‘chrome’ fire extinguishers cannot hold BSEN approval.

The BSI standards for fire extinguishers are (at the time ofpublishing):

BS EN 3-7:2004+A1:2007 is for the construction, performances andtesting of portable fire extinguishers

BS EN 3-8:2006 gives additional requirements to EN3-7regarding the resistance to pressure and mechanical tests forportable fire extinguishers with a maximum allowable pressureequal to or lower than 30 bar.

BS EN 3-9:2006 details additional requirements to EN3-7 forthe pressure resistance requirements of CO2 extinguishers

BS 6165: 2002 details the specifications for the small disposableaerosol type of fire extinguishers

BS EN 1866-1:2007 is for the construction, performances andtesting of mobile fire extinguishers

For more information, see the BSI website: http://www.bsigroup.com/en


The KiteMark scheme

LPCB - the Loss Prevention Certification Board

The CE Mark

The Kitemark is a symbol recognised worldwide as a mark ofquality and trustworthiness. Goods or services carrying theKitemark meet safety and performance requirements.

To qualify to add the Kitemark, a manufacturer must implementa quality management system, based on ISO 9001:2000 orsimilar, undertake initial product testing and subsequent audittesting.

For the manufacture of fire extinguishers, only 27 companiesworldwide (at time of writing) are certificated to add the Kitemarkto their product, including companies in the UK, Saudi Arabia,Israel and Poland.

For more details on the Kitemark, see http://www.bsigroup.com/en

Many products carry the familiar LCPB mark, which showsthe product has met minimum safety standards. The LPCBmark shows that the product has undergone extensive UKASaccredited fire tests.

Manufacturers can submit their portable fire extinguishers forClass F fires, and small aerosol fire extinguishers for testing.If they pass, the resulting LPCB mark is confirmation of thatextinguisher’s reliability, durability, performance and quality.

The CE mark, familiar from products asdiverse as fire blankets and stuffed toys,indicates that a product has met minimumsafety according to various European legaldirectives and regulations. The mark wasdeveloped to set common standards foraspects of products that impact on health and safety, and to avoid the need for products to pass safety tests in every country they were sold in.


The familiar CE mark is technically known as CE marking, andthe letters CE are often cited as an abbreviation of the French“Conformité Européene”, meaning European Conformity.However, the UK Department for Business Innovation & Skillswebsite categorically states that CE do not stand for anyparticular words. Certainly, the one thing they do NOT standfor is the mythical “China Export’’ mark!

Products bearing CE marking can gain access to the EuropeanFree Trade Area and all EU member countries. The directivescovering product design and safety are known as New ApproachDirectives, and ensure products are well designed and safe forthe user. However, these Directives are rather complicated,and the requirements vary from Directive to Directive. In somecases, third party testing is required by a Notified or CompetentBody; in others, self-declaration by the manufacturer is all thatis required.

So, the CE mark is not a quality mark in itself, which is whysome fire safety products also carry the LPCB mark, to showthey have passed a set of more stringent tests regarding qualityand reliability. In addition, CE marking only applies to the sale ofa product within EEA countries, and it is not needed to exporta product to non-EEA countries.

From 29th May 2002, the Pressure Equipment Directive (9723//EC) became a regulation throughout the EU so that pressureequipment and assemblies above specified pressure and/orvolume thresholds must:

• be safe

• meet essential safety requirements covering design, manufacture and testing

• satisfy appropriate conformity assessment procedures

• carry the CE marking and other information

For more details on how companies undertake the CE markingprocess, see; http://www.bsigroup.com/en/ProductServices/About-CE-Marking/The-CE-marking-Process/Andhttp://ec.europa.eu/enterprise/sectors/pressure-and-gas/documents/ped/


Fire Extinguisher Approvals - ComplianceThe FIA, or Fire Industry Association, is a trade associationwhich promotes the UK fire safety industry, and is owned by itsmembers. A merger of the Fire Extinguisher Trades Association(FETA) and the British Fire Protection Systems Association(BFPSA) the association promotes the professional standardsof members, and also offers technical knowledge, advice andtraining.

Companies who are members of the FIA must abide by strict membership criteria, including appropriate third party accreditation. Such third party accreditation ensures that any services, products or systems provided by that company are suitable for purpose, and demonstrates the level of competence required under the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005.

In other words, any FIA member company should providethe right level of performance that complies with the relevantstandards. So you can be sure, as the customer, that youhave taken the steps and due care required to fulfil yourresponsibilities as a business owner for the same RegulatoryReform (Fire Safety) Order 2005.

For more details see http://www.fia.uk.com/


Choosing the right type of fire extinguisher for any location is avital part of protecting you, your premises and your staff. Everynon-domestic premises owner or occupier must undertake aFire Risk Assessment under the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety)Order, and this should be your first step in choosing your fireextinguishers.

Your Fire Risk Assessment gives you a clear picture of the firerisks in both your premises and your business activities. A goodbusiness fire risk assessment examines:

• the nature of the fire risk

• the likelihood of that risk happening

• the scope of your existing fire prevention measures

• any members of staff that are at special risk, such as those with disabilities

if you’ve already done yours, great! But is it up to date?

Every time your business changes its business activities, itspremises or makes changes in staff, you should undertake anew Fire Risk Assessment. This isn’t quite as arduous as it mayseem, as there are ways to do a Fire Risk Assessment withoutit taking over your entire working life!

• Fire assessment training DVDs or CDs are the quick way to get up to speed with the latest requirements, and help and advice on creating a fire risk assessment.

• There are several online advice and Fire Risk Assessment guides available if you prefer to read from paper than on your PC.

• If your time is limited, employ a firm of fire risk consultants who will provide the best advice onsite, but this approach may prove costly if your business changes regularly.

Types of fire extinguishers for business

How to Choose a Fire Extinguisher

This very much depends on the type of business you are in, sothe pages that follow give examples for a variety of businessesfrom offices to warehousing, construction, marine and transport.


Fire Extinguishers for Your OfficeDespite enthusiastic predictions made over the last 20+ years,the truly paperless office has yet to emerge. Add to that papermountain your office furniture, from wooden desks to modernchairs, and it’s clear that a major fire risk for your office is fromClass A fires.

Class A fires involve combustible materials such as wood, paper,fabrics and plastics. Traditionally, the best fire extinguishers forClass A fires are water-based fire extinguishers, but in the eventof a fire in an office, it would prove difficult to avoid sprayingany contents onto nearby electrical equipment, with the risk ofan electric shock.

Therefore, you may prefer to provide water additive or AFFFfoam extinguishers that will not harm if accidentally sprayedonto live electrical equipment.

However, that still leaves many electrical and electronic items to protect without causing damage. A carbon dioxide (CO2) fire extinguisher is easy to use, leavesno residue, and can be used on electrical equipment. The 2kgsize is usually adequate.

Many office owners and managers therefore opt for a pair of fireextinguishers, one foam, or water extinguisher, and one CO2.

Remember to equip your company fleet too - every vehicleshould carry a 2kg powder extinguisher in the driving area, andtrucks or lorries carrying dangerous goods require extra fireextinguishers to satisfy the ADR Regulations.

Always timetable in fire safety training for all staff straight away -don’t wait. It’s a legal requirement, and all the fire extinguishersin the world won’t help if nobody knows how to use themproperly...

For more information on the ADR Regulations, visit http://www.unece.org/trans/danger/publi/adr/adr_e.html


Fire extinguishers are very prone to knocks and bumps in abusy office, so the key is keeping them both secure and visible.The best position is by an exit door, where a robust plastic fireextinguisher stand can be placed against a wall (choose thetype with a back to it), and the safety signs fixed above. Fireextinguishers can be also wall-mounted, but bear in mind thatmost office partition walls are not strong enough to take theweight.

And if ‘wandering’ fire extinguishers are a problem (they alwaysseem to want to walk away and prop open doors), fix an alarmthat sounds if the fire extinguisher is removed from its positionsuch as the STI Stopper alarms

Kitchens have always been a potential fire risk, and this wasrecognised when the building regulations changed to specifythat all new homes should have a heat alarm installed in thekitchen area.

For small kitchens, one of the most effective fire safety measures you can provide is a fire blanket. Simple to install, simple to use, these high tech fabric blankets smother a fire in a pan or on a stove top, and keep vapours trapped underneath too. Ideally, you should then add fire extinguishers that will work on Class A and B (such as foam), plus a CO2 fire extinguisher that’s safe to use on the microwave, toaster, fridge, etc.

If space allows, mount both fire blanket and fire extinguisher on a wall.

Staff working in commercial kitchens are surrounded by potentialfire risks, all in close proximity to each other. By providing arange of fire extinguishers, such as wet chemical and CO2, you offeryour cooking staff the chance to tackle small fires in a kitchenquickly and easily. Don’t dismiss fire blankets either - they arejust as effective in the commercial environment as in the home.

Fire Extinguishers for Your KitchenDomestic Kitchens and Small Office Kitchen Areas

Commercial Kitchens

Protect Your Office Fire Extinguishers


Fire Extinguisher For Your WarehouseWarehouses often store a wide variety of products, so it isimportant to discover exactly was is stored during the course of your Fire Risk Assessment. Remember, if you decide to stock or store a new product line that poses a different risk than previously identified, you will need to update your existing Fire Risk Assessment.

Class A fires are a clear risk, as so many products are enclosedin cardboard boxes, wrapped in plastic and stacked on woodenpallets.

If your warehouse stores any form of flammable liquids, includingpaints, thinners or fuels, you’ll already be aware of the risksinvolved, and should provide Class B fire rated extinguishers,such as powder or foam extinguishers.

Modern warehouses often use electronic equipment, from stock control computers to switch rooms, so it is important to provide CO2 fire extinguishers in these areas.

Spills are inevitable in any warehouse, and by providing firebuckets filled with an absorbent material such as Flamezorb,you can quickly soak up and clear up flammable liquids or oilspills before they become a fire hazard.

Class F fires involving cooking fats or oils, and in particulardeep fat fryers, should only be extinguished using a specialistClass F rated wet chemical extinguisher, often known by theChubb Fire’s trade name FryFighter.

Through a process known as saponification, when the chemicalsin the extinguisher are applied to burning oil, they react with itto form a soapy layer that starves the fire of oxygen and alsocools the oil at the same time.

With proper training, your staff can extinguish fires involving upto 75 litres of oil burning at 340 degrees with a single 6 litre wetchemical extinguisher, and with minimal risk of electrocutionfrom splashes onto exposed wires or other electrical equipment.

Positioning of fire extinguishers is crucially important, so taketime to discuss with your staff where they would expect to seethe extinguishers, and access them quickly.


Finally, don’t forget the forklifts - they should have small powderfire extinguishers on board too!

Probably the biggest challenge to a warehouse manager is how to make the right fire extinguishers available at various points across the building. One answer lies in wheeled fire extinguishers, larger versions of standard fire extinguishersthat can hold up to 100 litres of fire-fighting agent, as opposedto the 9 litre capacities found in office fire extinguishers.

The great advantage of these wheeled extinguishers is that justone person can quickly and easily take them across a levelfloor to the scene of a fire. High capacity dry powder wheeledextinguishers have an external pressure source, so they can beeasily refilled after use. In addition, wheeled foam extinguisherscan be delivered pre-filled with agent, ready for you to just addwater, thus saving on delivery costs.

Investing in a wheeled 10kg or 20kg CO2 extinguisher givesyour staff access to a high capacity extinguisher that lasts muchlonger than hand-held versions and is much more effective onlarge-scale equipment.

Workshops present a variety of fire risks, mixing electrics,machinery and their oils and lubricants with dust and potentiallycombustible waste, such as milled metal swarf. Put all this in asmall space, and the fire risk will rise further.

However, a good range of fire extinguishers placed in strategiclocations can provide easy to access fire protection for yourworkshop workers and managers. Class A fires involving wood,fabrics and plastics can be extinguished using a simple wateradditive or foam fire extinguisher, while a CO2 fire extinguisher can be used to extinguish fires in or around electrical equipment.

For fires involving flammable liquids, including waxes, thinnersand other solvents, in a workshop containing electricalequipment or wiring, a powder fire extinguisher is a perfectchoice as it can be used without fear of an electric shock to theuser.

Fire Extinguishers for a WorkshopSmall Workshops

Wheeled Fire Extinguishers


Fire Extinguishers for Garages and CarDealerships

Large Workshops

The same principles apply for larger workshops, except thatwith larger equipment and personnel, larger capacity fireextinguishers might be required. Most types of fire extinguisherscome in high capacity models mounted on a steel wheeledtrolley, so just one member of staff can quickly move them towhere they are needed. Once in position, these large capacityfire extinguishers offer more fire fighting agent and longer usagetimes, to extinguish fires quickly and effectively.

For large areas of machinery, automatic fire extinguisherscan self-activate and even extinguisher a fire faster than yourstaff can access it. Automatic fire extinguishers have a glassbulb filled with heat sensitive liquid. When the temperaturerises above 79 degrees centigrade, the bulb breaks and thefire extinguisher activates. Most automatic fire extinguisherscontain powder, but are also available with FE-36 gas forsensitive and expensive electrical equipment.

Garages contain multiple fire risks, from oils and greases, fuels,and paints, plus everyday items such as paperwork and spareparts in cardboard boxes and plastics.

A multipurpose powder fire extinguisher is a overall goodchoice, as it can be used on Class A combustible material fires,Class B flammable liquid fires and Class C gas fires involvingbutane, etc, plus fires in or around electrical equipment.

In addition, car dealerships have other departments to consider,such as their showrooms, offices, parts and flammable store,

Class D metal fires require specialised fire extinguishers, asdifferent metals react with fire extinguishing agents in differentways. Probably the most common metal fire in a workshopwould be burning aluminium waste or powder produced bymilling, drilling or cutting processes. A 9kg M28 metal fireextinguisher is a good choice for a metalworking workshop.Its low velocity applicator ensures that a metal fire is coveredand smothered, rather than blasting burning powder further asother high pressure extinguishers would do.


etc. Your Fire Risk Assessment should consider each of theseareas separately, to ensure the best fire extinguisher coverage.For your garage administration offices, however, provide awater-additive or AFFF foam fire extinguisher, as powderextinguishers create dust clouds in enclosed spaces, reducingvisibility.

For expensive and sensitive equipment, such as testingequipment in the garage and computers in the offices, providea carbon dioxide fire (CO2) extinguisher. A CO2 fire extinguisherwill extinguish the fire but not leave any residue, so yourequipment damage is limited to the effects of the fire only. CO2extinguishers can also be used on welding fires.

No garage owner needs to be reminded of the dangers ofoil and fuel spills. The provision of a fire bucket filled withFlamezorb can be used to absorb spills before they becomedangerous. Flamezorb is also easy to clear up, inert, and saferthan traditional sand, which can spit if used wet on a fire.

Larger garage areas will benefit from wheeled fire extinguishers,which have larger capacities and pressure, and can be wheeledby a single member of staff to a fire in seconds.

In hotels and residential homes, your fire extinguisher provisionwill be just one part of your fire safety measures, as examinedin your Fire Risk Assessment. However, while smoke and firealarms, fire doors and sprinkler systems will often be available,it’s a fire extinguisher that a guest or member of staff is mostlikely to use firsthand.

Public areas of a hotel or a residential home are in essence justlike a domestic environment, prone to Class A fires involvingfabrics, wood and plastics, and fires involving electricalequipment, or near wiring. So, provision of a water additive fireextinguisher and a CO2 fire extinguisher at each fire point willcover most fire risks in these areas.

Fire extinguishers should be hung from walls or placed ondurable, stable stands to keep them clear of vacuum cleaners,

Fire Extinguishers for Hotels and ResidentialHomes


Fire Extinguishers for Your Swimming Pooland Leisure CentreSwimming pools and leisure centres have an unusual mix of firesrisks, as they combine large volumes of water with electricalequipment, stored sports goods and products with industrialstrength chemicals, and public access throughout. A Fire RiskAssessment should identify the individual risk in each activityarea, and produce an idea of where any specialist extinguishersare required.

suitcases, moved furniture, etc. Signs should clearly markthe position of each fire point and the type of extinguishersprovided.

Fire extinguishers should also be protected from removal andtampering. Fire extinguisher stands discourage people from ‘justmoving’ an extinguisher out of the way, and also from proppingdoors open with them. Anti-tamper seals prevent safety pinsbeing removed and reduce the number of extinguishers let off‘accidentally’. Fire extinguisher Stopper alarms can be addedto discourage removal except in an emergency.

Chrome finish fire extinguisher (actually made from polishedstainless steel) give a more designer feel to modern hotels, andhave a practical benefits in hotel spas because they are highlyresistant to corrosion.

In non-public areas, other types of extinguishers may berequired. In hotel and residential home kitchens, a Class F wetchemical fire extinguisher must be provided for any premiseswith a fat fryer over 3 litre capacity. A large fire blanket canhelp smother smaller pan fires, and is a must in any kitchen,commercial or domestic. In addition, a CO2 fire extinguisherwill protect against fires in electrical kitchen equipment, andalso in computer equipment in staff offices.

If your hotel or home has any company vehicles, including hotelshuttle buses and staff minibuses, remember to equip themwith fire extinguishers too. All vehicles should have at least a2kg powder or 2 litre foam extinguisher in the drivers’ area.


In public and administrative areas such as receptions, changingrooms and cafés, offices and staff rest rooms, a water-additivefire extinguisher for Class A fires twinned with a CO2 extinguisher for use on electrical equipment will cover most risk factors.

In high traffic areas, fire extinguishers are vulnerable to knocksand misuse, so they should be secured to wall whereverpossible to lift them out of harm’s way. Alternatively, they canbe placed on high visibility fire extinguisher stands. Anti-tamperseals should always be used to identify any used extinguisher,and fire extinguisher Stopper alarms can be used to preventunauthorised removal.

In damp areas, you should consider installing ‘chrome’ fireextinguishers, which are actually made from highly polishedstainless steel or aluminium. Not only are they highly resistant tocorrosion, they also look rather smart too! These extinguisherswork identically to their red counterparts, but because they arenot actually painted red, they cannot comply with BS EN 3.

In non-public areas, risks may vary from pool chemical storageareas to fat fryers in the café or staff canteen. (For details ofkitchen area fire extinguisher provision, turn back a few pages!)Also remember your switch rooms and water pumps and boilers,which may be best protected by CO2 fire extinguishers.

Stored pool chemicals exposed during a fire may react withagents in fire extinguishers, so it is always best to seekprofessional advice on the best extinguishers to use. Forexample, if the contents of dry powder extinguishers get wet,they become corrosive, so may not be suitable for use in wetareas.

The level of fire risk in your retail premises does dependsomewhat the products that you sell and stock, both on and offthe shop floor. As with all premises, your Fire Risk Assessmentwill identify particular areas of concern that dictate particulartypes of fire extinguishers, such as paint stores, displays offlammable liquids, or items containing gases or propellants.

Fire Extinguishers for Shops


Fire Extinguishers for a Hairdressing SalonWhen your business is making your customers look good, whynot extend the same treatment to your fire extinguishers!Unlike the rather utilitarian looking standard red fireextinguishers, chrome fire extinguishers have a designer lookthat complements any sleek salon design. Actually made

As a rule of thumb, you will require one water-based fireextinguisher for every 2000 square foot (or 200 sq metres) offloor space on one level. Each floor of you shop requires itsown quota of fire extinguishers, and each fire extinguishersmust have a minimum rating of 13A.

Public areas will require fire extinguishers capable of tacklingClass A fires involving fabrics, wood, paper, wood and othercombustible materials, plus a CO2 fire extinguisher to extinguishfires in on around electrical equipment. This level of provisionalso applies to non-public areas such as administration officesand staff areas.

As with all areas where people are moving around, it’s importantto secure your fire extinguishers so they are not knocked overaccidentally. Securing your extinguishers to a wall or into adedicated extinguisher stand will protect them and dissuadevandalism. (Anti-tamper seals ensure that if an extinguisher isdischarge without permission, you’ll discover that at your nextweekly inspection.)

Stock rooms are particularly vulnerable to fires, as a wholevariety of goods are stacked together in one place. The keyhere is to make sure that there is access to fire extinguishers atall times by keep the stock room tidy and with clear gangwaysbetween shelving.

The same rule applies to shop loading bays, where discardedpackaging should be removed to recycling bins or waste binsas soon as possible, and the area kept clean of dust andrubbish. Like everything else in a loading bay, your extinguisherwill be exposed to damp, rain, dirt and lorry exhausts. A fireextinguisher cover will protect against exhausts and rain, whilea wall-mounted fire extinguisher cabinet will also lock themaway from damp and dirt.


from polished stainless steel or high grade aluminium, thesefire extinguishers are a good investment too, as they are veryresistant to corrosion.

Your business Fire Risk Assessment will have identified the riskin particular areas of your salon, such as your product storagearea. For public areas, a good combination is a water-based fireextinguisher and a CO2 fire extinguisher, which can be safelyused on electrical equipment. The same combination can beused in any office or storage space at the rear of the salon.

Every salon manager is aware of the need to keep hairdressingsalons clean and clear of clutter. Removing rubbish promptlyand disposing of it into appropriate waste bins will also reducethe risk of fire in your salon.

As a guide, you will require one 13A rated water-based fireextinguisher for each 2000 square feet of floor space, per floor.Dry powder extinguishers are not recommended because theycan cause a dust cloud in enclosed spaces, which reducesvisibility and could impede your customers’ exit. In addition,some dry powder components react with water and becomecorrosive, which can damage electrical equipment or metalfixtures and fittings.

All business owners have a duty of care towards their staff,and this includes the provision of proper fire training. Evenif your cutters are renting chairs, you must offer fire training,including the correct usage of fire extinguishers. Investing ina DVD training course can ensure all your staff can view it attimes suitable to their working pattern.

As with all retail premises, you will require one water-based fireextinguisher for every 2000 square foot (or 200 sq metres) offloor space on one level, and these fire extinguishers must havea minimum13A rating.

A well-stocked shop is full of items just ready to burn, frompaper towels to bags of sugar, cans of hairspray to bottle ofbooze, not to mention all those lovely cardboard boxes andplastic packaging! All of these items would burn in a Class A

Fire Extinguishers for Grocers and CornerShops


Fire Extinguishers for Transport DepotsTransport depots present their own fire risks, and also, to somedegree, security risks too. So it is important to keep your firesafety equipment and extinguishers as safe as possible, as wellas your fleet.

Your Fire Risk Assessment will have highlighted areas wherespecial provision for fire safety is required, such as fuel storageareas, maintenance garages, etc. However, with any number ofvehicles coming and going at any one time, it is important thatfire extinguishers are accessible at all times, wherever a firemight break out. In addition, fire extinguisher cover should beprovided for administration areas, such as offices or rest roomsfor drivers.

fire, and the best fire extinguisher for such a blaze is a waterbased extinguisher, whether just water, water with additives or AFFF foam.

However, water-based extinguishers are not safe to use on ornear electrical items that might be caught in the fire, such asyour cold cabinets, till and any computers. A carbon dioxide(CO2) fire extinguisher will help you tackle fires in, on or aroundelectrical equipment or exposed wiring without the risk ofelectric shocks.

These two types of fire extinguishers should be easily availablein the event of an emergency, so don’t tuck them away wherethey are hard to reach or obscured by stock or displays. Makesure they are visible, within easy reach and keep clear of passing shoppers so they don’t get knocked over. Wall-mounting your fire extinguishers is an effective way to keep them accessible, clean and secure. Adding anti-tamper seals will help you notice if anyone’s been fiddling with them while you were not looking.

Stock rooms are another potential source of fires, as often youwill be storing a variety of goods in one location. For your safety,keep your stock room as clear as possible with clear walkways,so fire cannot spread easily, and you can find what you need.

Keep your shop premises clear of rubbish by clearing away andrecycling packaging as soon as you have stocked the shelves.Make sure you lock your recycling containers too, to preventvandals starting a fire in your bins overnight.


One answer is wheeled fire extinguishers, which can be quicklymoved and deployed by a single member of staff. Wheeledextinguishers have a larger capacity than standard fireextinguishers, and are therefore more suitable for extinguishingtransport depots fires quickly, before they can spread.

Fire extinguishers can also be kept outside in shatterproof fireextinguisher cabinets, which can be locked for added security.These tough boxes keep water, dirt and truck exhaust residueaway from your extinguishers, extending their life.

Class A fires involve combustible materials such as paper,wood, fabrics and plastics. So, your depot admin and restareas should have at least one water-based fire extinguisher tohand such as foam.

Class B fires involve flammable liquids such as petrol,diesel, oils, and fuels, and should be extinguished using Brated extinguishers, which include powder extinguishersand AFFF foam extinguishers. However, if you plan to storeyour extinguishers outside, it’s best to opt for dry powderextinguishers, as they are functional down to -30 degrees.As a bonus, powder extinguishers can also be used on firesinvolving electrical equipment and on fires involving gases suchas butane and methane.

Remember, too, that your fleet vehicles require fire extinguisherson board. The minimum requirement is a 2kg powderextinguisher in the driving area, preferably secured by a strongtransport bracket to stop it rolling around. Trucks carryingdangerous goods as defined by the ADR regulations need tocarry up to 12kg of fire extinguishing agent. These larger fireextinguishers can be kept secure, clean and ready for use intough plastic transport boxes that fix and lock securely to theoutside of your trucks.

Protecting your home with high quality fire safety equipmenthas never been easier - or cheaper. So, there is no excuse notto take a little time to walk around your home and take stock ofyour current fire safety items.

Fire Extinguishers in Your Home


Hall, Stairs and Landing

Bedrooms

Lounge/Sitting Room

Kitchen

Bathroom

First on your checklist should be smoke alarms. Modern smokealarms with 10 year life batteries pre-installed are perfect forthose of us with busy lives, so we can install them and forgetthem - apart from that quick weekly push button test on aSaturday morning, of course.

At the very least you should have a smoke alarm fitted on eachfloor of your home. A small 3 litre water additive or 3 litre foamfire extinguisher mounted on a wall in the hall or landing areaswill save time in an emergency.

Ideally, every bedroom should have a smoke alarm fitted. Theearlier you know about a fire, the more chance you have ofescaping. If you are concerned about escape routes from upperstorey bedrooms being blocked by fire, invest in a metal fireescape ladder, which rolls up for easy storage.

If this is the main room you and your family spend most timein, this is the right place to put a smoke alarm and a carbonmonoxide alarm, if you have any gas appliances in your home.You should also add a domestic fire extinguisher if you have anopen fire of any sort - make sure it’s not mounted too near apotential fire source.

New homes have had heat alarms installed since 2001, whichactivate if the temperature rises above 57 degrees C (135degrees F), but not if you just burn the toast! (Heat alarmsare usually mains powered but some suppliers have batteryoperated, so they need to be installed by an electrician.)

Never put a smoke alarm in a bathroom or just outside abathroom door - the steam will just set it off constantly anddrive you crazy.


Every kitchen should have a fire blanket. These simple to usefire resistant fabric sheets are perfect for smothering pan firesand accidental spills that catch alight. An ABC multipurpose drypowder extinguisher is great for putting out common kitchenfires such as burning tea towels or overdone steak (!), but DONOT USE on a pan fire, as the force of the powder will spray thefat everywhere - use the fire blanket instead.

If you have a lot of electrical appliances in your kitchen, a CO2fire extinguisher will safely extinguish fires on or near them whilereducing potential damage.

Home Office

Car

Loft and Garage

Many of us now have home offices, packed with everything afire loves - paper, fabrics and lots of electrical equipment asa potential source of sparks. Here again, make sure you havetwo types of domestic fire extinguishers to hand, a 3 litre wateradditive or 3 litre foam fire extinguisher for the burning stuff,and a CO2 extinguisher for the computer, printer, fax machine,etc.

Many of us spend more time in our cars than in our kitchens,so make sure you have a suitable car fire extinguisher in yourvehicle, preferably kept safe and secure in a tough mount.Powder fire extinguishers come in 600g, 1kg and 2kg sizes forcars and vans. (For more details, flick forward two pages!)

Lofts are hot and dusty places, so the most effective alarm isa heat alarm rather than a smoke alarm. The same applies to agarage, where dust or exhaust particles can set off a standardsmoke alarm.

A combined carbon monoxide and smoke alarm placed by thelinking door between your home and your garage will warn youboth of dangerous fumes or a fire originating in the garage.Mount a powder fire extinguisher on your garage wall too, soyou can deal with any fire without wasting time running into thehouse.


Caravan owners will already be aware of the need to installsmoke alarms and powder fire extinguishers in static or fixedcaravans or mobile homes for rent.

Camp site owners will also be aware of the need to provide firesafety equipment in any buildings such as shower blocks oronsite shops.

However, it makes a great deal of sense to provide additionalfire safety equipment too, accessible by all residents at all times.Two simple solutions are fire extinguisher cabinets and wheeledfire extinguishers.

Fire extinguisher cabinets can be mounted on walls or theground, or at dedicated fire points around the site. These toughplastic boxes keep fire extinguisher safe from rain, dirt, dust andheat, and are lockable to keep them secure too. Fit anti-tamperseals and anti-theft alarms, and your residents or guests canhave access to fire extinguishers 24/7/365.

An ideal combination for camp sites is a water-additive fireextinguisher for burning tent fabrics or wooden home walls, plusa CO2 fire extinguisher for use on fires close to or in electricalitems.

For caravan parks, a dry powder fire extinguisher with an ABCrating may be suitable, as this can be used on fires involvingflammable gases from cylinders. However, with such fires,always turn off the gas first if possible, and don’t take anyunnecessary risks by being too close to gas cylinders. Therevised advice from fire experts on gas fires is to get everyoneout from the area, stay well back and call the fire brigadeimmediately.

Wheeled fire extinguishers provide a mobile, high capacitysolution for tackling larger fires once an alarm has been raised.One member of staff can quickly wheel such extinguishersfrom a storage area to the site of a fire, as another calls the firebrigade. The higher capacity contents allow you to fight largerfires for longer.

Finally, don’t forget the humble fire hose.

Fire Extinguishers for Your Camp Site andHoliday Park


Car Fire Extinguishers

Van Fire Extinguishers

Truck and Lorry Fire Extinguishers

Caravan Fire Extinguishers

For many a car is more than just a vehicle; it’s a lifeline and asecond home rolled into one. So, protect your car from fire justas you would your home or office.

Most car fire extinguishers are a compact version of powderextinguishers, available in 600g, 1kg and 2 kg sizes. Generally,the 1kg size should be sufficient to extinguish a small fire inyour car, and be safe to use near the car’s electrics. For peoplemovers and other larger cars, a 2kg powder fire extinguisherwill provide more power and a little more fire fighting time.

Look for car fire extinguishers sold with a mounting bracket,and use it to secure your extinguisher within easy reach. A fireextinguisher rolling around the boot can get damaged, and maynot be easily accessible in the event of a fire.

For small business owners, often a van’s contents are just asvaluable as the van itself. So, it is very important to secure yourfire extinguisher in the driving area using the provided mounts,so it is at hand should you need it quickly. A 2kg multipurposedry powder extinguisher is ideal for tackling small fires, includingfires involving flammable liquids.

For our summary of the ADR Regulations for truck and lorries,flick forward to page 58.

Fire extinguishers should be part of your fire safety equipmentin your caravan, which should also include smoke alarms,carbon monoxide alarm, a fire blanket and a Lifehammer (tobreak windows if required).

Ideally, you should equip your caravan with a powder extinguisher with an ABC rating as you can use the powder extinguisher on fires involving electrical equipment and gas fires. However, powder can create an obscuring cloud in confined space, so remember this and fight the fire from a place near to the exit.

Fire Extinguishers for Your Car, Caravan andVan


Fuel stores are high-risk fire environments, and whilst your storemay not actually require highly specialised fire extinguishers, itwill certainly require plenty of them.

Class B fires involve flammable liquids, which can includesolvents and paints as well as fuels. Class C fires involveflammable gases, which may also be stored at your depot.Remember too that a Class A fire might break out in your officeor administration areas.

One thought to bear in mind before choosing extinguishers isthat the more types of extinguishers you have, the more trainingstaff will require.

So, for your office, twin a foam extinguisher with a CO2 fireextinguisher, so you can have foam extinguishers outside in thedepot area too. However, if you store flammable gas in any form, install a CO2 extinguisher and a Monnex powder extinguisher instead.

Monnex powder fire extinguishers are highly effective, becauseas the powder molecules make contact with the fire, they splitinto three separate particles, this covering and smothering thefire faster. Powder extinguishers can also be used safely onor near live electrical equipment, and is suitable for outsidestorage as it is effective down to -20 degrees.

Fire extinguishers should be freely available at fire pointsthroughout your depot, not just indoors. During working hours,you can have mobile fire points consisting of 9kg capacityfire extinguishers mounted on an easy to move trolley thatcan be parked anywhere anytime. You can also store them inshatterproof, weatherproof fire extinguisher cabinets mountedon walls.

In addition, a large capacity wheeled fire extinguisher will bringgreater fire fighting power to the scene of a fire quickly and eas-ily, as just one person can move and operate the extinguisher.

Even in the most modern depot, there is always a place for asimple lidded fire bucket filled with Flamezorb powder, perfectfor and mopping up spills before they ignite.

Fire Extinguishers for Your Fuel Store


Construction sites pose a variety of fire risks, both in the worktaking place there, and in the materials stored onsite. Withworkers moving constantly from one area to another, it’s alsoimportant that the appropriate fire safety equipment moveswith them.

Metal fire extinguisher trolleys provide a safe, secure androbust mobile fire point, allowing your workers to move fireextinguishers from one working location to another as required.Fire extinguishers stored on these trolleys can be covered bywaterproof fabric covers, to protect them from weather andaccidental spills and splashes.

Manual or battery-operated fire alarms can also be added tofire trolleys, so workers can raise the alarm across the entiresite.

But which fire extinguisher should you put on such trolleys?Ideally, one should be a 9kg size water-based extinguisher,such as a 9 litre water extinguisher or a foam extinguisher.

Both are useful for tackling Class A fires involving burningmaterials such as wood, fabric or paper waste. A foamextinguisher has the added benefit of use on Class B firesinvolving flammable liquids such as petrol, oil, diesel, paint,thinners and solvents.

The other fire extinguisher depends on the tasks being covered.If your worker is using a large number of power tools or workingon electrical equipment, a CO2 fire extinguisher can be used totackle fires on or around electrical items in safety.

If the worker is using gas in any form, or is in an area wherecontact with electrical items is practically unavoidable, a 9kgpowder extinguisher is the most versatile.

Site offices should be protected with a water-based fireextinguisher twinned with a CO2 extinguisher for fires on ornear electrical equipment.

Fire Extinguishers for Your Fuel Store


The Boat Safety Scheme (BSS) is a joint initiative between theEnvironment Agency and British Waterways to promote safetyon board boats on the UK’s inland waterways. Boats mustmeet a set of safety standards in order to obtain a navigationallicence.

The scheme includes clear guidance on fire safety on board,and what needs to be addressed so a boat may pass its BSSinspection, conducted every four years.

The requirement for fire extinguishers on board is as follows:

• Vessels under 7m (23ft) in length: 2 extinguishers with a minimum combined fire rating of 10A – i.e. two 5A rated extinguishers such as the 1kg powder • Vessels between 7m-11m (23-36ft) in length: 2 extinguishers with a minimum combined fire rating of 13A

• Vessels over 11m (36ft) in length: 3 extinguishers with a minimum combined fire rating of 21A

No portable fire extinguisher should have a rating of less than5A, and should be properly certified (i.e bear a BAFE, LPCB,Kitemark or similar). Fire extinguishers do NOT have to bear aMarine Equipment Directive mark.

The BSS do not actually recommend any particular typeof fire extinguisher, but a powder extinguisher is a good allroundchoice. A CO2 fire extinguisher should be used on firesin or near delicate electrical equipment such as navigation orcomputer controls.

In addition, consider an automatic fire extinguisher for yourboat’s engine compartment. These heat-sensitive extinguisherscan detect a fire, deploy and extinguish a fire before you areeven aware one has broken out.

Fire Extinguishers for Boats andthe Boat Safety Scheme

Fire Extinguisher Provision


Your fire extinguishers should be evenly distributed around yourboat, and ideally adjacent to escape routes. They should bereadily accessible, especially in the galley, where a fire blanketshould also be available.

Fire extinguishers should be placed in a visible and accessiblebracket mounted on a wall if possible. The BSS recognises thatfor safety on board, fire extinguishers may have to be stowedin lockers instead, in which case an approved fire safety labelindicated portable fire extinguishers should be affixed in clearview on each locker.

The BSS recommends that your fire extinguishers be servicedannually by a Competent Person. You should keep a servicerecord for each extinguisher.

You can download the BSS fire safety guide from http://www.boatsafetyscheme.com/downloads/BSS_Guide_chap6web.pdf

Positioning Your Fire Extinguishers On Board

Servicing Your Fire Extinguishers


A home safety plan is not a legal requirement, but it is anexcellent idea, so that in the event of a fire, you and your familycan escape quickly and with proper warning and your kids maythink it is a fund learning exercise.

Smoke alarms as the first line of defence against fire in your home, detecting smoke particles long before you and your family will prob-ably even smell it. By placing one on the ceiling of your hallway and one on the landing ceiling, you will at least provide warning of a fire affecting your stairs. Additional smoke alarms can be add-ed in bedrooms, home offices and reception rooms as required.

Kitchens, loft spaces and garages require a heat alarm ratherthan a smoke alarm. If you have gas appliances or an open firein your home, you should also invest in a carbon monoxide(CO) detector, or a combined smoke and CO detector.

Cast a critical eye over your home and its contents. Is yourfurniture fire retardant? Are all exits free of clutter? Are electricalsockets overloaded and unsafe? Are there trailing cables thatpeople might trip over in a rush to get out?

Cooking accidents are reported as causing 50% of all housefires in the UK. Many of these could be avoided if every kitchenhas a fire blanket, a small fire extinguisher (powder or CO2),and a heat alarm on the ceiling

Work out various escape routes from your home in the event of fire, including those that avoid stairs and the front door. Keep your keys out of sight of burglars but accessible for all external doors. Then, walk your family though the escape routes so they know where to go.

Finally teach your children the most important rule of fire safety;in the event of fire, get everyone out, stay out, and call the firebrigade.

Your Home Fire Safety Plan

Look Up: Smoke Alarms

Look Around: Fire Hazards

Look Sharp: Kitchen Fire Safety

Look Out: Your Fire Escape Plan


Fire wardens and fire marshals are a vital part of fire safetyprovision for any outdoor business location, or outdoor publicevent. However, fire marshals and wardens can only be effectiveif your staff or the general public know who they are!

Public events have to comply with the Health and Safety atWork Act, which states that the event organiser is responsiblefor the safety of staff and general public at their event. Withoutthe right number of stewards trained, equipped and in place,you simply won’t be able to let the public in.

All events require one trained steward for every 250 peoplepresent, although the exact number can be agreed inconsultation with your licensing council. Every stewards mustbe at least 18 years old or over, and should be trained in theuse of fire extinguishers.

You also need to providefire extinguishers on site.The most convenient wayis to use fire extinguishertrolleys that can be usedas designated fire points.Simply wheel into position,and make sure signspositioned above headheight clearly indicate wherethe fire point is.

Remember that ‘backstage’areas such as temporaryadministration offices inPortacabins or tents alsoneed fire extinguishers inplace, ideally a twin set ofwater-based extinguisherand a CO2 fire extinguisherfor fires near or in electricalequipment.

Fire Wardens and Fire Marshals


Stewards should be supervised by a designated safety officer,who needs to set a pre-agreed evacuation signal, which ideallyshould not be reliant on mains power, just in case.

A good quality fire warden kit should contain everything yourequire for your marshals to comply with the Regulatory Reform(Fire Safety) Order, packed into an easy to carry hold-all. Itshould be kept easily accessible so it can be quickly deployedin a fire drill or evacuation.

• a high-visibility fluorescent waistcoat marked Fire Warden or Fire Marshal

• a telescopic Fire Warden sign - vital if leading a crowd of people to safety

• a compact megaphone for issuing instructions • emergency whistles to attract attention

• a photoluminescent armband, so gestures are noticed

• an aerosol gas horn for sounding the alarm when the power has failed

• a high powered LED torch

To see our range of warden kits please click here: www.FireProtectionOnline.co.uk/fire-wardens

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The European Agreement on the International Carriage ofDangerous Goods by Road is more commonly known asthe ADR Regulations. The Regulations specify the fire safetyequipment that trucks and lorries must carry.

All portable fire extinguishers carried must:

• display an anti-tamper seal indicating the extinguisher has not been used

• bear marks indicating BSI compliance, a BS Kitemark, and a CE stamp

• have contents that comply with EN 3 portable fire regulations (such as BS EN 3 extinguishers in the UK)

• have a label indicating the due date of the next inspection, or a ‘use by’ date

All vehicles must carry at least one portable ABC rated drypowder fire extinguisher of 2kg capacity in the driver’s cab.

For vehicles weighing up to 3 tonnes, the minimum portablefire extinguisher capacity is 4kg of ABC rated dry powder.

This rises to 8kg of ABC rated dry powder for vehicle between3 tonnes and 7.5 tonnes, with one extinguisher of at least 6kgcapacity.

All vehicles over 7.5 tonnes must carry at least 12kg of ABCrated dry powder portable fire extinguisher protection, of whicheach extinguisher must have a minimum capacity of 6kg.

Fire Wardens and Fire Marshals


The ADR Regulations also specify that “The fire extinguishersshall be installed on the transport units in a way that they areeasily accessible to the vehicle crew. The installation shall becarried out in such a way that the fire extinguishers shall beprotected against effects of the weather so that their operationalsafety is not affected.”

A simple, effective and secure answer are fire extinguisherboxes, shatterproof plastic containers that can be mounted onthe truck chassis. These rugged red sealed boxes keep dirt,moisture, mud and grit away from fire extinguishers, and sincethey can be locked, keep expensive extinguishers safe whenthe vehicle is unattended.

It is also a requirement of the ADR Regulations that “Membersof the vehicle crew shall know how to use the fire-fightingappliances”, so make sure offer all your drivers and crew fullfire extinguisher training.


if you’ve ever wondered why fire safety signs look sim-ilar all over Europe, for once you can says ‘thanks’ to the EUbureaucrats for the EC Safety Signs Directive (92/58/EEC).

Safety signs come in five colours to indicate the presence ofvarious risks:

• Red Fire Safety signs indicate the location of fire safety equipment including fire extinguishers

• Red Circles Prohibition signs indicate actions that are forbidden, e.g. “No Smoking” signs

• Blue Circle Mandatory signs indicate actions that MUST be done, e.g. “Fire exit keep clear” sign

• Yellow Caution signs indicate potential dangers, such as electric shocks

• Green Safe Condition signs either indicate where safety equipment can be found, or the location of the fire exits

There is an established convention for all green fire exit signswhich includes both words and simple graphics, known aspictograms:

• A pictogram with the word EXIT show the usual exit route from the building

• A pictogram with the words FIRE EXIT shows the fire exit route for evacuation

• A pictogram with the words ‘EXIT for emergency use only’ shows an exit route through otherwise inaccessible areas.

• In addition, green exit signs with directional arrows can be used to point to fire exits.

There are no fixed regulations as to the size of safety signs, butin general, the larger the better! Photoluminescent safety signsare a good choice, as they absorb light during the day and glowin darkness or low light conditions.

Fire Safety Signs and Their ColourCodes


You should always budget for signs that indicate both thepositions and types of fire extinguishers in your premises.These should be positioned so that both visitors and staff canclearly see them, and are not obstructed by open doors, coatracks or filing cabinets, etc.

Fire Extinguisher Signs

Safety Signs in Action

To see are full range of fire safety signs click here: www.fireprotectiononline.co.uk/fire-safety-signs

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There are literally thousands of websites offering fire safetyadvice on the internet - here are just some of our favourites!

http://www.bafe.org.uk/ - Website for the UK third partycertification body

http://www.bsigroup.co.uk/ - The BSI Group UK website,including the BSI shop for booklets and guides

http://www.redbooklive.com/ - An online version of the famousbook listing independently certified products or companyservices, for those responsible for the design, specification andpurchase of fire and security products.

http://www.fia.uk.com/ - The Fire Industry Association, anot-for-profit trade association with the aim of promoting theprofessional status of the UK fire safety industry.

http://www.thefpa.co.uk/ - The Fire Protection Associationis the UK’s national fire safety organisation, one of 28 similarnational bodies worldwide.

http://www.fireextinguisherguide.co.uk/ - Does what is says inthe title!

http://www.hse.gov.uk/ - The Health and Safety Executive,whose mission is “to prevent death, injury and ill-health to thoseat work and those affected by work activities”

http://www.boatsafetyscheme.com/ - The BSS was jointlyestablished in 1997 by the Environment Agency and BritishWaterways to promote safety on boats on the UK’s inlandwaterways

http://www.unece.org/trans/danger/publi/adr/adr2009/09Conten-tsE.html - The EU-wide ADR Regulations for the Carriage of Dan-gerous Goods in vehicles.

http://www.fireprotectiononline.co.uk/ - Top quality, brandname fire safety equipment at remarkably low prices, plus adiscount club

Fire Safety Resources

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2014 fire extinguisher & fire safety report · 2014-01-29 · fire extinguishers come in a...

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