Choosing the Best Fire Extinguishers

• Proeksa Meas
• 31 December 2015
• Construction Focus
• 2218 Views

Last issue, I talked about the need for standards that are specific to the risks faced in Cambodia, and not just trying to adapt someone else’s standards. In a similar way, you need to look at your specific risks when selecting the best fire extinguisher for your needs.

Fire extinguishers come in many different types, sizes, and standards of quality, all of which need to be taken into account when selecting the best extinguisher for your needs.

Fire extinguishers act in a number of different ways to extinguisher a fire; some cool, some smother or take the oxygen away, and some break the chemical chain reaction that allows combustion to occur. By selecting the wrong type of fire extinguisher you may not only be ineffective, but potentially dangerous to those who use it.

Fire types can be broken into classes of fire as follows;

• A Class – Carbon-based products – Wood, Paper, Plastic, Textile

• B Class – Flammable Liquids – Petrol, Diesel, Paints

• C Class – Flammable Gases – LPG

• D Class – Flammable Metals – Magnesium, Aluminium

• E Class – Electrically charged materials

• F Class – Cooking Oils and Fats

The most common type of fire extinguisher found in Cambodia is the Dry Chemical Powder type. This type of extinguisher comes in 2 main versions ABC and BC, with the most common one being the BC due to it being a couple of dollars cheaper. The BC extinguisher is very effective on fuel and gas fires as this is what it is designed for; however they are not very effective on common fires which are generally A Class. The ABC type dry chemical powder fire extinguisher is the most effective all round fire extinguisher for general purpose use.

Fire extinguishers also come in many sizes from 1kg through to 50kg. Where bigger extinguishers give you more chance of extinguishing the fire, you also need to look at the ability to handle the extinguisher. Larger wheeled-type fire extinguishers are good for specific risks such as a generator, but would not be suited to an office corridor. The most common size of extinguisher used here is 8kg or 9kg however these can appear heavy and intimidating to potential users in an emergency situation when they are needed, leading to people not trying to extinguish the fire. I generally recommend the use of 4kg or 4.5kg ABC dry chemical powder extinguishers as they are sufficient for most small fire and very easy to handle.

The quality of the extinguisher you purchase is also important, even though some of the cheaper extinguishers meet a standard, they have a very limited lifespan, and may end up costing more money to regularly replace them. Having a fire extinguisher that doesn’t work when you need it the most is not really an acceptable risk, so looking at better quality products is definitely recommended.

Maintaining your fire extinguishers is also important to ensure they are in good working condition in the event of a fire. By mounting fire extinguishers on the wall, you ensure that they are not sitting in water and rusting, or being kicked over and damaged. Regular inspections to ensure that the extinguisher is in good working order is also essential.

Lastly, ensuring that your fire extinguisher is clearly identifiable is important to ensure it can be found quickly in the event of fire. Storing fire extinguishers in cupboard or behind furniture lead to people forgetting about them and making them difficult to find when you need them in a hurry. Clear signage is recommended in all commercial installations to ensure the fire extinguishers can be identified from any place in a room.

Please feel free to contact me if you have any queries on fire safety, or have any topics you would like me to write about in future editions. Paul Hurford: paul@azisafe.com.