All fire extinguishers are required to be supplied with some basic operating instructions already on them. Before you even think about trying to put a fire out with a portable appliance, however, there are a few things that require some consideration. If you are the person in charge of your workplace premises, then you will have a responsibility under the law to ensure that all staff are properly trained in what to do in the event of a fire.
Depending on your situation, your staff may or may not be required to operate fire extinguisher, but this is something which should be specified in your Emergency Plan and communicated clearly to all staff. In the UK, it is the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order which places this duty on employers and specifically on the so-called ‘Responsible Person’. If your staff are expected to use portable fire extinguishers to tackle fires then you need to ensure that they have all been properly trained and are competent to do so.
If you are confronted by a fire, there are some simple guidelines which should help you decide whether you should attempt to use a fire extinguisher on it or not. These are important factors to bear in mind for your own safety.
If the fire is already large or well established, you should not attempt to fight it.
Always check your escape route first. Don’t fight a fire if you do not have a clear way out and do not let the fire spread and prevent you getting to the escape route.
If the area is already full of smoke from the fire, do not try to put the fire out. This is too dangerous because smoke is highly poisonous and it could overcome you.
Try to avoid being left on your own to fight a fire. Have someone else with you if you can, as this could be vital if you get into difficulties.
If the fire continues to spread despite your efforts, just leave it and evacuate.
You should not use an extinguisher if you have any doubt about what it is that is on fire. This is because all extinguishers are designed for certain classes of fire, and some fire can only be put out safely with a specialist extinguisher. A good example of how this could go seriously wrong would be if you were to use a water extinguisher on a fire involving electrical equipment. This could lead to an electric shock and very serious consequences.
Fire Extinguisher Operating Instructions:
The general operating instructions for most fire extinguishers rely on the same principles, and there is a commonly used way of remembering these basic steps. The acronym is ‘PASS’, which stands for pull, aim, squeeze and sweep. Different types of fire require different extinguishers and slightly different approaches, but PASS is a good way of remembering a system that will work for the vast majority of common workplace fires. In a general office type environment, these instructions are perfectly valid for water, carbon dioxide, powder and foam fire extinguishers.
PASS The Fire Extinguisher Instructions
PULL the pin out of the fire extinguisher, to make it ready for use.
AIM the hose, nozzle, horn, etc at the base of the fire from about eight feet away.
SQUEEZE the nozzle to activate the extinguisher and eject the contents.
SWEEP the hose from side to side over the base of the fire.
These are only very basic instructions. If staff are required to operate extinguishers, they should be given proper training and allowed to actually use an extinguisher as part of the training. This is the only way to ensure that they will have the confidence and knowledge to take the proper action in an emergency.
Read a full guide to all types fire extinguishers here.
Monday, 8 June 2009
Tuesday, 2 June 2009
Mounting Fire Extinguishers And How To Use A Fire Extinguisher Mounting Bracket
An essential part of reviewing your fire extinguisher provision is the consideration of where to site them and how to fix them in place. Some appliances will come with a mounting bracket supplied, but for others you will need to purchase a fire extinguisher mounting bracket separately. It is beyond the scope of this article to get into how many fire extinguishers you should have for your workplace, or which type you need, so let us assume that you have your supply of the correct number and type of appliances and now you need to go about putting them where they need to be.
Mounting Fire Extinguishers – Where To Site Extinguishers
The first thing to say is that it is not an option to just leave a fire extinguisher standing on its own somewhere. It is unprotected, could be knocked over and damaged, or moved from its proper place leaving it unable to be found in an emergency. All fire extinguishers should be fixed in place using either a proper fire extinguisher mounting bracket, or a special stand or cabinet (more on all these later). It is a British Standard that all fire extinguishers are mounted on either a wall or a proper stand.
Fire extinguishers should always be sited on escape routes, in conspicuous places where they can easily be seen by people. If they need to be in a place where they cannot be seen directly, then appropriate signs must be used to highlight where they are. To help you decide where the best place to put extinguishers is, try to think through what would happen in the event of a fire. If you were escaping from a fire in your building, where would you want the fire extinguishers to be so that you can see them and get to them without deviating from your escape route. Their position should encourage people towards the exits rather than pull them back into the building.
It is also a useful guideline to site extinguishers next to call points, so that the alarm can be sounded before tackling the fire. For extinguishers which are being provided to cover specific risks, the extinguisher must be situated close to the risk. For example, a wet chemical fire extinguisher for a kitchen with a deep fat fryer. Bear in mind, however, that any such extinguisher must still be accessible if the risk happens. So in the above example, you would not put the extinguisher where you might not be able to get at it if the fat fryer did burst into flames.
It is a good rule of thumb to say you should not have to travel more than 30m from anywhere in your workplace to get to a fire extinguisher. Take care not to mount fire extinguishers in places where they may be exposed to heat. Most extinguishers will be marked with safe operating temperatures on them, so ensure they are kept within that range.
Types of Fire Extinguisher Mounting Bracket
Most fire extinguishers can be mounted against a wall using a fire extinguisher mounting bracket. The bracket should be fixed so as to result in the fire extinguisher handle being about 1m from the ground. An appropriate fire extinguisher identification sign should be mounted immediately above the appliance. These indicate the type of fire extinguisher and highlight its location.
Some fire extinguishers can be very heavy, so you need a solid wall to fix the bracket to, and fixings which are appropriate for something which is going to take a lot of weight. If you are in doubt about the ability of the wall to withstand such a load, it would be better to use a stand instead (see below).
The main types of fire extinguisher mounting brackets available are Lug Brackets, J Brackets and Shoulder Brackets. J brackets get their name from the fact that the letter J describes their shape. They are suitable for most types of fire extinguisher where the extinguisher’s bracket is at the back or the side of the appliance. Shoulder Brackets are so called because they are for fire extinguishers where the bracket is attached at the shoulder (the curved bit between the side and the top). Lug Brackets have a small arm coming out from the wall, with a small metal lug sticking up. These are for locating fire extinguishers with a corresponding fitting with a hole that fits on top of the lug.
There are other more specialist types of brackets available, such as the transport bracket, which has a retaining strap to hold the appliance in environments that move around, such as goods vehicles.
Mounting Fire Extinguishers - Cabinets and stands
There are certain situations where a fire extinguisher is required, but it cannot be fixed to a wall. This may be because the wall is not suitable, or even that there is no wall at all in the place where the extinguisher needs to be. In these situations a fire extinguisher cabinet or stand should be used. As mentioned earlier, it is not acceptable just to leave an appliance somewhere without being either attached to a wall or on a stand.
The option of a stand or cabinet may be the solution if the fire extinguisher needs to be situated next to cavity walls, plasterboard, glass, etc. Such stands are free standing and require no fixing at all. They simply stand on their own, and provide a secure position for the extinguisher. They are typically available to hold a single extinguisher or two extinguishers. Cabinets are available for environments where greater protection is required. These are often used in places such as workshops and petrol stations.
Mounting Fire Extinguishers – Conclusions
Mounting fire extinguisher is a relatively straightforward business, provided you understand the main principles. The main points to remember are to select conspicuous locations on escape routes to site the extinguishers, then adopt the most appropriate method for mounting them, based on that particular environment. If brackets are supplied with your appliances then you can’t go far wrong, and if not, just ensure you check the type of bracket that each of your extinguishers is going to require.
Read more about fire extinguishers here.
Mounting Fire Extinguishers – Where To Site Extinguishers
The first thing to say is that it is not an option to just leave a fire extinguisher standing on its own somewhere. It is unprotected, could be knocked over and damaged, or moved from its proper place leaving it unable to be found in an emergency. All fire extinguishers should be fixed in place using either a proper fire extinguisher mounting bracket, or a special stand or cabinet (more on all these later). It is a British Standard that all fire extinguishers are mounted on either a wall or a proper stand.
Fire extinguishers should always be sited on escape routes, in conspicuous places where they can easily be seen by people. If they need to be in a place where they cannot be seen directly, then appropriate signs must be used to highlight where they are. To help you decide where the best place to put extinguishers is, try to think through what would happen in the event of a fire. If you were escaping from a fire in your building, where would you want the fire extinguishers to be so that you can see them and get to them without deviating from your escape route. Their position should encourage people towards the exits rather than pull them back into the building.
It is also a useful guideline to site extinguishers next to call points, so that the alarm can be sounded before tackling the fire. For extinguishers which are being provided to cover specific risks, the extinguisher must be situated close to the risk. For example, a wet chemical fire extinguisher for a kitchen with a deep fat fryer. Bear in mind, however, that any such extinguisher must still be accessible if the risk happens. So in the above example, you would not put the extinguisher where you might not be able to get at it if the fat fryer did burst into flames.
It is a good rule of thumb to say you should not have to travel more than 30m from anywhere in your workplace to get to a fire extinguisher. Take care not to mount fire extinguishers in places where they may be exposed to heat. Most extinguishers will be marked with safe operating temperatures on them, so ensure they are kept within that range.
Types of Fire Extinguisher Mounting Bracket
Most fire extinguishers can be mounted against a wall using a fire extinguisher mounting bracket. The bracket should be fixed so as to result in the fire extinguisher handle being about 1m from the ground. An appropriate fire extinguisher identification sign should be mounted immediately above the appliance. These indicate the type of fire extinguisher and highlight its location.
Some fire extinguishers can be very heavy, so you need a solid wall to fix the bracket to, and fixings which are appropriate for something which is going to take a lot of weight. If you are in doubt about the ability of the wall to withstand such a load, it would be better to use a stand instead (see below).
The main types of fire extinguisher mounting brackets available are Lug Brackets, J Brackets and Shoulder Brackets. J brackets get their name from the fact that the letter J describes their shape. They are suitable for most types of fire extinguisher where the extinguisher’s bracket is at the back or the side of the appliance. Shoulder Brackets are so called because they are for fire extinguishers where the bracket is attached at the shoulder (the curved bit between the side and the top). Lug Brackets have a small arm coming out from the wall, with a small metal lug sticking up. These are for locating fire extinguishers with a corresponding fitting with a hole that fits on top of the lug.
There are other more specialist types of brackets available, such as the transport bracket, which has a retaining strap to hold the appliance in environments that move around, such as goods vehicles.
Mounting Fire Extinguishers - Cabinets and stands
There are certain situations where a fire extinguisher is required, but it cannot be fixed to a wall. This may be because the wall is not suitable, or even that there is no wall at all in the place where the extinguisher needs to be. In these situations a fire extinguisher cabinet or stand should be used. As mentioned earlier, it is not acceptable just to leave an appliance somewhere without being either attached to a wall or on a stand.
The option of a stand or cabinet may be the solution if the fire extinguisher needs to be situated next to cavity walls, plasterboard, glass, etc. Such stands are free standing and require no fixing at all. They simply stand on their own, and provide a secure position for the extinguisher. They are typically available to hold a single extinguisher or two extinguishers. Cabinets are available for environments where greater protection is required. These are often used in places such as workshops and petrol stations.
Mounting Fire Extinguishers – Conclusions
Mounting fire extinguisher is a relatively straightforward business, provided you understand the main principles. The main points to remember are to select conspicuous locations on escape routes to site the extinguishers, then adopt the most appropriate method for mounting them, based on that particular environment. If brackets are supplied with your appliances then you can’t go far wrong, and if not, just ensure you check the type of bracket that each of your extinguishers is going to require.
Read more about fire extinguishers here.
Friday, 22 May 2009
Fire Extinguisher Ratings – Find Out About Fire Classifications and Fire Extinguisher Ratings
Fire extinguisher ratings are designed to indicate the type of fires they should be used on, and to give an indication of how effective they will be. Each fire extinguisher rating in expressed as a series of numbers and letters which indicate the classes of fire they can be used on the size of fire they are suitable for.
Different types of fires are classified by different letters, and fire extinguishers ratings may show several letters because they can be used on more than one type of fire. In terms of the size of fires the extinguisher can be used on, the number gives an indication of this, and generally speaking, the larger the number, the larger the fire that extinguisher can deal with.
The numerical part of the fire extinguisher ratings relate directly to tests carried out to measure their effectiveness. A wooden crib test is one test that is used to measure how large a fire an extinguisher can deal with. A fire extinguisher rating of 13A, for example, indicates that the extinguisher was able to put out 1.3m of the fire. The number on a fire extinguisher rating is therefore a very accurate indication of what each extinguisher can cope with.
As another example of the numerical rating, the test for measuring the effectiveness of extinguishers for use on flammable liquids refers to the approximate area of fire in square feet that it is able to extinguish. The specific tests vary with the different fire types, but the basic system of accurately measuring the extinguisher’s effectiveness is the same.
It would seem obvious to think that the number on a fire extinguisher would increase with the size of the extinguisher. This is generally true, but size is not the only factor that effects the number in the fire extinguisher rating. With water fire extinguishers, additives are often mixed with the water to increase their effectiveness, therefore you could have two extinguishers which are the same size, but which have different numerical ratings, because one is more effective than the other.
Fire Classifications – The UK and US Differences
As already mentioned, the letters used in fire extinguisher ratings refer to the classes of fire that they can be safely used on. We therefore need to look at these fire classifications first, before looking at the actual fire extinguisher ratings for the various types of fire extinguisher.
The classifications for the UK and US are similar, but there are some differences, so I will show both. Europe and Australasia also use the same classification system as the UK. The following are the main classifications of fires, with US classes shown in brackets:
Class A Fires (also Class A in US)
Any fire involving solid materials such as wood, card, paper, fabric, etc.
Class B Fires (also Class B in US)
Class B fires involve flammable liquids including kerosene, oils, petrol, paints, diesel, etc.
Class C Fires (comes under Class B in US)
A separate classification except in US, this category is for flammable gases, including butane, methane, etc.
Class D Fires (also Class D in US)
The D Classification is for combustible metals or alloys, such as potassium, magnesium or titanium.
Electrical Fires (Class C in US)
Electrical fires are sometimes known as Class E in the UK, but this is an error as there is no separate classification for electrical fires in the UK.
Class F Fires (Class K in US)
Specifically relates to fires involving deep fat fryers (fats and oils).
Fire Extinguisher Ratings:
The following information shows the classes of fires covered by the different ypes of fire extinguisher:
Main fire extinguisher ratings shown refer to UK, with US ratings in brackets.
Classes of fire: A
(class A in US)
Carbon Dioxide Fire Extinguishers:
Classes of fire: Electrical fires, A, B and C
(A, B and C in US)
Dry Powder Fire Extinguishers:
Classes of fire: A, B, C and Electrical fires
(A, B and C in US)
Wet Chemical Fire Extinguishers:
Classes of fire: A, F
(A and K in US)
Foam Fire Extinguishers:
Classes of fire: A and B
(A and B in US)
Fire Extinguisher Ratings - Conclusions
Understanding fire classes and fire extinguisher ratings is important in order to be sure of using the correct type of fire extinguisher on any fire in your workplace. It can be very dangerous to use the wrong type of fire extinguisher on some fires, one of the most obvious examples being the use of water on an electrical fire. For this reason proper staff training is important for any staff who are required to use fire fighting equipment.
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