Would You Know Which Fire Extinguisher to Use?

Fire Extinguishers save hundreds of lives each year, but would you know which one to use if faced with a fire?

We supply and service and maintain fire extinguishers throughout the UK, from our base in Milton Keynes, so we know a thing or two about them. All businesses and offices ought to have multiple fire extinguishers to cover a range of different types of fire and personnel should be trained in how to use them properly and safely.

In our work we often encounter confusion and a lack of understanding about how to use fire extinguishers and which one to use depending on the type of fire. We don’t pretend that it’s simple, but we can give you and your staff the confidence that you are well prepared should a fire break out.

With this in mind we have put this quick guide together for you:

Class A fire extinguishers are for putting out small fires on items including cloth, wood, paper and other textiles.

Class B are for burning liquids such as cooking oil, petrol and diesel,

Flammable gasses including Propane, Methane and Calor Gas should be extinguished with Class C extinguishers.

Fires on combustible metals such as potassium and magnesium should be extinguished with a Class D Extinguisher.

Class F extinguishers are used for fires that have been caused from cooking oils and are generally found in restaurants.

There are five main extinguisher types – water, foam, dry powder, CO2 and Wet Chemical. If you don’t have the right type of fire extinguisher for your premises you may not meet the current regulations. There is no one extinguisher type that works on all types of fire and it can be dangerous to use the wrong type of extinguisher

If your business would benefit from a fire safety health check get in touch. We can establish what your requirements are and then provide and maintain a range of fire extinguishers and accessories according to your specific needs. In addition to this we offer fire risk assessments and employee training to help keep everyone safe.

It is certainly a worthwhile investment when you consider the potential risks to your premises, future business and the lives of staff and visitors should a fire occur.