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Posted By POC
All,
Has anyone got info/report or documentation on how they work out how many, what type and where they should have fire extinguishers?
All help greatly appreciated?
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Posted By Chas
Have a look at the DCLG fire safety risk assessment guides. You can download them from their website. All the relevant details will be there. However in general and depending on your workplace environment you should be looking at a 13A water FE for every 200m2 of floor space and then add further FE's depending on specific hazards eg if you have electrical equipment you will also need to have CO2 FE's and if you have flammable liquids you will need foam ones readily available. Also have a look at BS5306-8. Hope this helps.
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Posted By Steve Cartwright
How many extinguishers?
Each extinguisher is given a rating. 9 Ltr water extinguishers are normally rated at 13A.
An area of up to 200 square meters requires extinguishers with a mimimum rating of 21A. In other words one 9 Ltr water plus another extinguisher specific to the risk.
The type of extinguisher will depend on the risk. In office environment normally water and co2, if you have flammable liquides normally AFFF (Foam)
You can put them anywhere you like providing they are not obstructed and they are no more than 30 meters apart. If they are placed on the floor they must have a protective skirt on them at the bottom of the extinguisher. If they are to be hung on a bracket the handle should not be more than 1 meter from the floor.
Most have them near or next to fire exits this is to aid escape in the event of fire.
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Posted By Crim
To keep this simple, depending on the size of the workplace, extinguishers should be positioned alongside exits from the building, or doors that lead to stairways. This ensures that nobody has to enter the building to access an extinguisher. On evacuation you reach the exit and then make a decision to pick up the extinguisher and attack the fire, or just walk away from the premises.
Also specific types of extinguisher need to be positioned near to specific risks, i.e. deep fat fryer in kitchen needs fire blanket and/or foam extinguisher, electrical equipment needs CO2, but not to be sited too close to the risk as access may be hampered in case of fire.
Larger floor areas may need more extinguishers but please ensure they are always accessible and that there is always an escape route from their location.
Extinguishers should be sited at a Fire Point with other items such as break glass point, fire procedure notice etc.
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Posted By Alexander Falconer
It was my understanding that you were only to use an extingusher if your exit route was blocked by a fire, and not to use and be a hero!!!!!
These days, it is not recommended to use a foam extinguisher within dep fat fryers, there is a new "yellow" coloured wet chemical extingusher specifically for deep fat fryers.
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Posted By shaun mckeever
Alexander does that mean you would ignore a small flicker of a flame and let the fire grow to such a size that firefighters lives could be at risk?
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Posted By Alexander Falconer
Of course not!
But you remember, at the end of the day, the firefighters are trained and paid to do what they do.
I would never knowingly put myself at risk
Small fires, ok, thats a different issue. If you need to use more than 2 extinguishers, get out of the building.
Just reiterating on what I have been trained and informed from the local fire brigade.
A
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Posted By SHUK
I am of the understanding that it is no longer 'acceptable' to leave the fire (not that it ever was). With so much emphasis on the environment it is now considered good practice to make attempts to extinguish the fire... and yes this should only be done if not putting self or others in danger and received the usual Fire Safety Training to use the extinguishers.
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Posted By shaun mckeever
Alexander, so you agree that fire extinguishers are not only used to tackle fires that obstruct exit routes. It seems that so many organisations are telling their staff not to tackle fires and to leave it to the professionals without really thinking about what they are saying. That is why I put the question as I did.
Yes I agree that firefighters are trained to do their job but I also think we should not be exposing them to uneccesary risk, much the same as we should not send soldiers into war just because they are trained soldiers. We should look to solve the problem whilst it is small before it becomes large and unmanageable.
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Posted By Crim
Hi Shaun, Alexander,
I think we've been here before?
My guidance on fire fighting is to use one extinguisher, if not successful then get out.
Fire extinguishers are provided for use at work therefore employees, (not all but some), are required to be trained in their use. This way the extinguisher users will be better informed and able to make the right decision - we hope?
Can you please provide information on the new "yellow" coloured wet chemical extinguisher specifically for deep fat fryers as I must have missed that one?
Thanks
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Posted By stevehaigh
Multiply the square meterage by 0.65 that will give you the required rating
eg 200 x 0.65 = 13A
Steve
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