Fire Extinguishers
Fire Extinguishers play a critical role in the fight against fire in the workplace. It is estimated that approximately 85% of all commercial/industrial fires are extinguished by staff members using portable hand held fire extinguishers. It is difficult to ignore this statistic, and it is no wonder that there are such stringent standards and regulations in relation to the installation and service of these appliances.
The Irish Standard relating to the Selection, Commissioning, Installation, Inspection & Maintenance of Portable Fire Extinguishers is IS 291/2015 /EN 3.
In accordance with the Safety, Health & Welfare at Work Act (2005) there is a duty of care placed upon the Owner/Manager of the premises to provide an adequate amount of Fire Extinguishers and other types of fire fighting appliances to cope with an outbreak of fire, should the situation ever occur. The employer is also required to provide such training as is necessary, to ensure that all persons on site are familiar with, and capable of using the equipment available.
There is quite a variety of types of Fire Extinguishers on the market. Different types of extinguishers are used to fight different types of fires. It is important to understand this before attempting to use a Fire Extinguisher, as in some cases, it can be potentially harmful to the user if an incorrect extinguisher is used.
The most common types of extinguishers are as follows :
FOAM – POWDER – CO2 – WET CHEMICAL – WATER
Fire Extinguishers
Foam
Foam Fire Extinguishers have a cream coloured label.
They have a discharge hose.
They are for use on Class A + Class B Fires – Wood/Paper/
Textiles/Flammable Liquid.
AFFF Foam Extinguishers come in 2Lt/6Lt/ & 9Lt. The 6 & 9 being the more common and frequently used sizes.
They are liquid based, so have the ability to cool a fire.
Powder
Powder Fire Extinguishers have a blue coloured label.
They have a discharge hose.
They are for use on Class A,B + C Fires. Ordinary Combustibles +
Flammable Liquids + Gasses and Live Electrical Appliances.
Powder Extinguishers are available in a variety of sizes.
1 kg/2kg/3kg/4kg/6kg/9kg
They are multi purpose, and can be used on any type of fire.
The Powder Extinguisher also comes in a 6kg & 10kg Automatic. These extinguishers are mostly used in Boiler Rooms, Battery Charging Areas and Engine Rooms.
Co2 Fire Extinguishers
Co2 Fire Extinguishers have black coloured label.
They have either a Fixed or Adjustable Nozzle.
They are for use on Class B Fires + Live Electrical Fires.
The Co2 fire Extinguisher comes generally in two sizes only 2Kg & 5Kg
The Co2 is ideally for use on Flammable Liquid & Live Electrical Fires. Perfect for offices and Plant Rooms.
Water Extinguisher
Water Fire Extinguishers have a white coloured text.
They have a discharge hose.
They are for use on Class A Fires Only.
Water Fire Extinguishers have become almost obsolete in Ireland, however, they are still available upon request.
They generally come in two sizes only, 6Lt & 9Lt.
They are for use strictly on Class A Fires only.
Wet Chemical
Wet Chemical Fire Extinguishers have a yellow coloured label.
They have a discharge hose + lance.
They are for use on Class A + Class F Fires.
Wet Chemical Fire Extinguishers are available in two sizes only. 6Lt & 9Lt. Although the 6Lt is by far the more commonly used.
They are specifically designed for use on fires involving cooking oils, and will cool the fire regardless of the extreme temperatures of these type of fires.
All of the above Fire Extinguishers are also available in Stainless Steel/Chrome finish.
These extinguishers however, are best suited to a domestic environment.
There is a variety of larger, trolley mounted extinguishers also available. These are more commonly used on larger sites, with high risk of outbreak of fire, eg., Fuel Depots, Car Parks & Warehouses.
They vary in size availability, and are subject to change. They are available in Co2/Powder & Foam.
These are just some examples of the types of Fire Extinguishers that are available on the market today. Should you require further information regarding the Fire Extinguishers you may need, or if you would like to have a ‘No Obligation, Free Survey’ carried out on your premises, please do not hesitate to contact us.
You can call us on 01 8439449, or alternatively, you can contact by email at info@totalfireprotection.ie
We look forward to hearing from you.