The value of portable fire extinguishers to your business | Part Two – Placing extinguishers and staff training

Part one, of this short series of two, looked at the identification of appropriate fire extinguishers when dealing with small fires in your restaurant, kitchens, public house or office. While it is essential that the correct extinguisher is selected and used for a fire, to avoid making the situation worse it is just as important that the extinguisher is located appropriately and that the person using it has been trained in doing so.

Location of Fire Extinguishers

In general, fire extinguishers should be located in groups at a fire point, and should be clearly identifiable.  Where there are identical floor layouts, it is prudent to site the extinguishers in the same position on each floor level, so that people travelling between floors will not become confused.  

In circumstances where extinguishers are located in an area hidden from direct view, adequate signage conforming to BS 5499 should be used to indicate the position of the extinguishers. The fire equipment signs prescribed are white print on a red background and should be accompanied by text and directional arrows wherever possible. 

Extinguishers are normally located on escape routes in corridors, stairways, lobbies and landings, and should normally be securely hung on wall brackets, or placed on a suitable base plate where this is not possible.

For electrical equipment, extinguishers which are marked as suitable for fires in electrical equipment should be provided and sited close to the equipment.  These extinguishers should ideally be of the dry powder or carbon dioxide type.  

Several other factors should be considered when siting portable fire extinguishers:

Ease of Handling 

9 litre water extinguishers, the most common in general use, can weigh up to 18kg, and most people are capable of handling them with ease.  However, elderly people may have difficulty with this extinguisher, so a 4.5 litre extinguisher would be more appropriate.

Environment

Temperatures exceeding 43C may lead to the rupturing of extinguishers containing gases under pressure.  In ambient temperatures below 4C, there is a danger of freezing with water and foam-based extinguishers.  Where this is the case, these should be stored in heated, or insulated, cabinets.

Corrosive Atmospheres

Extinguishers sited in damp or chemically corrosive atmospheres will generally require more frequent inspection and maintenance, and may need to be put into special enclosures.

Staff Training

All staff should be trained in the use of portable fire extinguishers, because it is impossible to say who will discover a fire.  Priority fire safety training should be given to security staff and watchmen, employees working in process areas or hazardous areas containing flammable liquids, etc.  Instruction should begin on the first day of the employees' work, as part of their induction training, with refresher courses each year.

Fire Safety and fire extinguisher training should incorporate the following:

• Location and type of extinguishers in the premises
• Selection of the appropriate type of extinguisher for a particular type of fire
• Method of operation of the various types of extinguisher, including demonstration of the noise associated with the discharge of carbon dioxide extinguishers, which may be unexpected in an emergency situation
• The difference between spilled or flowing liquid fires and liquids in containers
• The importance of switching off the power supply to the electrical equipment which has caught fire
• Fires involving gases, such as LPG cylinders

It is very important that staff are aware that they should only attempt to fight a fire if it is safe to do so, and only after raising the alarm.  It is also prudent to note that, when tackling a fire, working in pairs is safest.

In the early stages of a fire, a few seconds can be the difference between controlling the fire or the fire growing out of control.  As such, properly trained staff using correctly chosen, regularly maintained and tested fire extinguishers, can be the most effective and efficient component of the building fire safety precautions in the fight against both collateral and consequential fire losses.

Provision of correct equipment and adequate training is an essential part of any company's Fire Safety Policy and Procedures and without it, an effective Fire Risk Assessment cannot be produced. Complete Fire Safety Management provides the tools online to assist you in training your staff and adhering to all legal standards. 

If you have any queries, please contact Peter Gyere, Director, CFSM at Lawrence Webster Forrest - Fire Engineers on 020 8668 8663.