How many fire extinguishers should I have, and what kind?

The number and kinds of fire extinguishers you require depends on the nature of

your business and the risks involved. The best way to evaluate these risks is to

undertake a Fire Risk Assessment, which is also part of your legal obligation as a

business owner.

Itâ€™s not easy to gauge but, as a general rule, you will need one water-based

extinguisher such as water, water additive (the best option for most) or foam (3

litre or bigger) for every 2000 square foot or 200 square metres of floor space. This

is per floor.

The extinguisher must have a minimum fire rating of 13A and this will be near the

top of the front label on any approved extinguisher – so 21A or 34A is even better

than 13A.

Once you have a water-based fire extinguisher, you are likely to have electrical

risks such as computers, retail lighting, fridges, machinery, servers, electric

forklifts, etc. This will need a CO2 extinguisher and it makes sense to have a pairing

of CO2 and water-based for every fire point. The 2kg is by far the more popular but

the 5kg CO2 size would be better for server rooms, machinery, industrial, etc.

What Types Of Fire Extinguishers do I Need?

As above, this depends on the type of business you undertake, but here are a few

examples to help you start assessing the range required.

For larger area of responsibility such as a car dealership that has a showroom,

office, workshop, store and flammable storage, you need to break this down and

consider each area on its own. So here you have office, showroom and store that

probably have similar needs whereas the workshop and flammable areas have

different needs.

On the other hand, it is best not to have too many different types on the same

premises if possible as this adds to confusion in a panic. So, if you have foam in the

workshop, use foam as the water-based one in the office area.

If you have numerous risks such as a garage workshop, powder may be better as

your fire may include wood, paper, paint and fuel all at the same time. In a garage

workshop we would recommend powder for general use and CO2 for small welding

fires but the office area would still need water-based ones as powder will make a

mess. In an office or hotel or nursing home, powder would make a dust cloud that

may stop people from finding exits.

A commercial kitchen should have a combination of fire blankets, wet chemical

extinguishers for any deep fat dryers, plus C02 for electrical fires.

How do I dispose of a fire extinguisher?

Fire Protection Recycling provide fire extinguisher disposal through the safe and guaranteed

recycling of fire extinguishers and fire protection equipment.Â This service is available to

extinguisher servicing companies, business premises, leisure and retail sectors.Â Councils and

public sector buildings, facilities management companies and fire fighting services in the UK

and Europe can also benefit.

Most household waste recycling centres will accept fire extinguishers and some local authorities

will accept them as a part of the regular household rubbish providing they are placed in 2 heavy

duty plastic bags and placed with the rest of the bags of waste. Many companies which supply

fire extinguishers will be happy to accept the extinguisher back so that they can refill it and

reuse the device or they can arrange for its recycling using their own approved recycling routes.

All extinguishers contain different substances which are used to dowse fires and these

substances are removed and recycled. Gases are captured and compressed and then used as

fuels, the remaining cyclinder has the valve knocked off and the metal cyclinder can then be

recycled using standard metal recycling techniques.

If the extinguisher is empty you can take it to your recycling centre or to a scrap dealer. If it is a

still full powder or foam extinguisher it is best to pass your extinguisher to the service engineers

when he /she installs new fire extinguishers even though they will probably charge you. They

will responsibly dispose of the extinguisher (foams and powders are collected and used eg for

fertilisers). If you are a home user you can add small extinguishers to the household waste. If

you have large extinguishers it is best to ring a fire safety company for a collection price.

Water extinguishers can simply be emptied down the drain, CO2 fire extinguishers can be

discharged outside into the environment (careful, this can be very loud and the jet from a CO2

can freeze things as it is extremely cold). Don't be attempted to empty large powder

extinguishers – they make an awful mess!

You have several options to dispose of old fire extinguishers.

1) Find a re cycling centre that will take them

2) If they areÂ dischargedÂ and small you can put them in the normal waste.

3) If they are still full there are specialist companies who will take them away for

processing.

4) Advertise them on an auction website forÂ COLLECTION ONLY. There is an interest in

old extinguishers.

On the other hand, donâ€™t rush into disposing of any old fire extinguishers that still have some

shelf life left. Safe but old fire extinguishers are ideal for fire training exercises, so your staff can

have real, hands-on experience of discharging an extinguisher in a controlled environment –

provided you have a suitable area.

Remember to take advice from your fire extinguisher manufacturer on clearing up the water,

foam or powder afterwards; onlyÂ water-based extinguishersÂ are safe to discharge down normal

drains.

Powder from extinguishers is generally biodegradeable, and can be disposed of into landfill

within sealed containers. AFFF foam can become an environmental issue if it affects

groundwater, so ensure it is washed away down sealed drains immediately (not land drains).

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Will you risk your business without fire extinguisher in the UK?

Running a business without fire extinguisher is like swimming in the ocean without a life jacket.

Anything can happen and your are putting your life at risk.

Here in UK, you are legally requiredÂ to provide and maintain suitableÂ fire alarmsÂ & fire

extinguishers on the premises if you run a business.

Portable fire extinguishers play an incredibly important role in maintaining the health and safety

of you and your employees, as well as providing protection for your building. In most cases,

small fires which break out at work can be easily treated and extinguished by a trained and

competent staff member with a portable fire extinguisher, without the need to call emergency

services. The importance of fire extinguishers for business can not be overlooked. Having

suitable extinguishers on your premises combined with providing fire safety training for your

staff can improve staff morale as well as helping you to avoid unforeseenÂ costs in the future.

It is necessary to remember that not all fires are the same, and you must be aware of what fire

risks are present within your business, i.e. electrical, chemical, cooking oils etc. A range of

different fire extinguishers are available to target specific types of fires.

The different classes of fires are:

Class A: Fires involving flammable solid (generally organic) materials such as wood, furniture

Class B: Fires involving liquids or liquifiable solids, e.g. petrol, oil and paint

Class C: Fires involving flammable gases, e.g. hydrogen, butane, propane

Class D: Fires involving metals, e.g. sodium, magnesium and potassium

Class E:Â Fires involving electrical appliances

Class F: Fires involving cooking fats and oils

If you will risk your business without a fire extinguisher, you might lost everything that you

invested. You have to look for an experienced, qualified and accredited fire safety services

provider will be able to provide you with a risk assessment of your business in order to

determine what fire risks are present, and which types of fire extinguishers are most suitable. At

Aegis4training, we are fully qualified to advise you on fire safety for your business. We will

install and maintain all fire extinguishers, test regularly to ensure they meet required standards,

and provide you with advice on how to keep your fire extinguishers at their best condition. We

also install Fire Alarms and Emergency Lighting. This way you can rest assured in the

knowledge that your business is suitably ready to deal with fire risks, should they ever occur.

Donâ€™t risk your business without a fire extinguisher because It is your responsibility as an

employer to ensure that all staff are familiar with your fire safety policy, as well as the location

of fire extinguishers and emergency exits and evacuation plans. Staff should receive training in

this at least once per year, and you should appoint at least one fire safety officer who will

oversee training, drills and emergency situations. Aegis4training are also pleased to provide Fire

Safety Training services for your business.

Buy our online training course for fire extinguisher!

How to Use a Fire Extinguisher

There is always a chance of your encountering an out-of-control fire at least once in your life, so

learning how to use a fire extinguisher is an important skill to be able to resort to. This article

explains the process of using a fire extinguisher in an emergency.

Before using your potable fire extinguisher, take time to read the instruction manual before it’s

too late. Although there are many different types of fire extinguishers, all of them operate in a

A typical fire extinguisher contains 10 seconds of extinguishing power. This could be lesser if it

has already been partially discharged. Always read the instructions that come with the fire

extinguisher beforehand and become familiarized with its parts. It is highly recommended by fire

prevention experts that you get hands-on training before operating a fire extinguisher. Most local

fire departments offer this service.

Fire Extinguishers can be heavy, so it’s a good idea to practice picking up and holding an

extinguisher to get an idea of the weight and feel.

Practice releasing the discharge hose or horn and aiming it at the base of an imagined fire. Do

not pull the pin or squeeze the lever. This will break the extinguisher seal and cause it to lose

Once the fire is out, don’t walk away! Watch the area for a few minutes in case it re-ignites.

Recharge the extinguisher immediately after use.

Use this acronym as a quick reference (it is a good idea to print this reference and pin it next to

your fire extinguisher):

P A S S

Pull the Pin on top of the fire extinguisher. The pin

releases a locking mechanism and will allow you to

discharge the extinguisher.

Aim at the base of the fire. This is necessary – in order to put out the fire.

Squeeze the lever slowly. This will release the extinguishing agent in the extinguisher. If the

handle is released, the discharge will stop.

Sweep from side to side. Using a sweeping motion, move the fire extinguisher back and forth

until the fire is completely out. Operate the extinguisher from a safe distance, several feet away,

and then move towards the fire once it starts to diminish. Be sure to read the instructions on your

fire extinguisher – different fire extinguishers recommend operating them from different

distances. Remember: Aim at the base of the fire, not at the flames!!!!

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Fire Extinguisher Training for Employees

You may have fire extinguishers around your workplace, used to control or extinguish fires that

are small or have just begun. But did you know that the local authorities prohibits employees

from using this tool unless theyâ€™ve had training?

When the employer has provided portable fire extinguishers for employee use in the workplace,

the employer shall also provide an educational program to familiarize employees with the

general principles of fire extinguisher use and the hazards involved with incipient stage

firefighting.â€

In other words, workers must be trained to:

ï‚· Know when to use a portable fire extinguisher.

ï‚· Operate the fire extinguisher correctly.

Employer are required to provide this training when employees are first hired and annually

thereafter. Employers are also advised to establish a policy clarifying who is qualified to use fire

extinguishers, the situations when they can and should be used, and the proper procedures for

their use.

Responding to a Fire

Before trying to control a fire with a portable extinguisher, the worker who discovers the fire

should activate the alarm, enabling others to evacuate to a safe area, OSHA advised. The fire

department should be called at this time.

General procedures for responding to a small, incipient-stage fire are as follows:

ï‚· Identify a safe evacuation path before approaching the fire.

ï‚· Do not allow the fire, heat or smoke to come between you and your evacuation path.

ï‚· Use the PASS technique from a safe distance: PULL the pin; AIM low, pointing the

extinguisher nozzle at the base of the fire; SQUEEZE the handle, to release the

extinguishing agent; SWEEP from side to side at the base of the fire until it appears to be

out.

ï‚· Evacuate if the extinguisher runs out of fluid and the fire is not out.

ï‚· Evacuate if the fire progresses beyond the incipient stage.

If your facility has a sprinkler system, evacuate, letting the sprinklers run.

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FIRE EXTINGUISHER Maintenance Course to Businesses in the UK

This course furnishes delegates with learning and training that will qualify them to properly maintain fire extinguishers.

applicants going to our course will get an updated course guide notes covering all prescribed productions and also down to earth training and on-going evaluation to set up their aptitudes in flaw finding and adjusting various extinguisher.

The course is completed as per British Standard 5306-3:2009; Commissioning and Maintenance of Portable Extinguishers – Code of Practice.

The fruitful hopeful will be qualified to give counsel on the suitability and situating of versatile Extinguishers (BS5306:8) and to do support and occasional adjusting including authorizing (BS5306:3).

What does this course cover?

The hypothesis of fire and extinguishing
Selection and situating of the right fire extinguisher
Classes of fire
Definitions of a versatile extinguisher
Fire evaluations and combustible materials
Provision and siting of extinguisher
Inspection periods
Certification
Extinguishing specialists
Maintenance necessities
Carrying out an administration: representatives will be relied upon to finish an assessment and administration a scope of extinguisher

What are the advantages of taking this course?

The capacity to benefit and keep up convenient fire extinguisher
Delegates will be qualified to give counsel on the suitability and the situating of convenient extinguishing
Course manuals to take away and allude to
Delegates with a 80% or above pass rate will be issued with a BAFE testament, which can be utilized as confirmation for Third Party Certification

Agents ought to go to a refresher course at regular intervals to keep up current information and accreditation.

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Why Fire Extinguisher is Very Important for your Business

Current enactment, The Administrative Change (Fire Security) Request 2005, applies to all working environments paying little respect to the quantity of representatives and obliges businesses to give sufficient preparing in flame mindfulness for all individuals from their staff.
Our online fire security instructional classes are gone for all representatives to help them in recognizing and decreasing the danger that fire presents in the working environment.
Flame is seemingly the greatest danger to your business – did you realize that 80% of organizations that have a genuine fire never recuperate? Around 50 individuals are slaughtered and more than 2000 genuinely harmed each year because of flame.
Minimizing this danger requires managers and workers to assume their part in both anticipation and comprehending what to do if the most noticeably bad ought to happen.
With our E-Learning courses learners can finish the instructional class at their own pace and don’t have to finish the course all in one go â€“ learners can spare their advancement and afterward log once again into proceed with the preparation at an advantageous time.
Our online fireÂ SafetyÂ instructional class is gone for all representatives to help them in distinguishing and decreasing the danger that fire presents in the working environment.
With such a variety of flame dousers to browse, selecting the correct one for your home can be an overwhelming assignment. Everybody ought to have no less than one flame Extinguisher at home, however it’s pretty much as imperative to guarantee you have the best possible kind of flame quencher. Fire insurance specialists prescribe one for the kitchen, the carport and workshop.

Fire dousers are separated into four classifications, taking into account distinctive sorts of flames. Every flame Extinguisher additionally has a numerical rating that serves as an aide for the measure of flame the quencher can deal with. The higher the number, the more putting out fires power. The accompanying is a snappy manual for pick the right kind of quencher. Additionally perceive how to purchase a flame quencher.

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Fire extinguisher