One size does not fit all when fire extinguishers in the workplace are concerned.
WHICH FIRE EXTINGUISHER DOES YOUR BUSINESS REQUIRE?
With five different types of fire extinguishers available in Australia – each with specific applications – it is important that as a business owner you:
- Have the most suitable fire extinguishers on-the-ready in the workplace, and
- That you and your employees are educated on which fire extinguisher to use when, and on what – so that in the case of a fire, it is extinguished correctly and to maximum potential.
WATER FIRE EXTINGUISHER
Distinguishing Feature: Plain red in colour
Only suitable for wood, paper, and plastic fires, a water fire extinguisher is designed for use in schools, and businesses that house large amounts of timber, paper, cloth and rubber. It is extremely important that you and your employees have the knowledge that a Water Fire Extinguisher is NOT suitable for fires ignited by fuel or an electrical source.
WET CHEMICAL FIRE EXTINGUISHER
Distinguishing Feature: Beige-brown stripe across the cylinder
Designed for restaurants, delis, commercial kitchens where wood paper and plastic are present, as well as cooking oils and fats. Cafes have the option of a smaller 2-litre extinguisher, with the 7-Litre option best-suited to industrial-sized commercial kitchens.
FOAM FIRE EXTINGUISHER
Distinguishing Feature: Blue strip across the top of the cylinder
Used for wood, paper, plastic, flammable and combustible liquids, and with limited use on cooking oils and fats, a maintained foam fire extinguisher is a necessity for businesses that house, transport, or use flammable liquids frequently.
POWDER ABE FIRE EXTINGUISHER
Distinguishing Feature: White band
The only fire extinguisher which can be used on all types of fires, but with limited use on cooking oils and fats, the variety of fires the Powder ABE can stop makes it ideal for everything from retail stores, kitchens and commercial offices, to garages, buses, warehouses and fuel stations.
CO2 FIRE EXTINGUISHER
Distinguishing Feature: Black band
While the C02 has limited use on wood, paper, plastic and liquids, it is effective for energised electrical equipment, and so is ideal where electrical fires can occur, such as in workshops, service bays, server rooms, computer rooms, offices and welding areas. If there are additional flammable agents other than electric equipment in the premises (such as wood or paper), it is important that other extinguishers suited to these materials are available in case of fire.
HOW CAN YOU BE SURE YOU HAVE THE RIGHT FIRE EXTINGUISHER IN AUSTRALIA?
To clear up any confusion you might have about which fire extinguisher or extinguishers are the safest option for your business, it is important you speak to the fire safety experts. Contact Fire Safe ANZ today and not only will we install the most appropriate fire extinguishers for your business’s premises and run mandatory tests on them every six months, we will also provide you and your employees with all the information you need on their correct use.
Having the right fire extinguishers – and knowledge on how to appropriately use them – will reduce panic in the case of a fire, while also eliminating the risk of incorrectly and unsafely extinguishing a fire. Because no time can be wasted in the emergency of a fire. Check out our Fire Extinguisher Australia chart.