4.11 Fire Extinguishers

These guidelines provide basic information on selecting, placing, and maintaining portable fire extinguishers.

All emergency action plans should address firefighting protocol. Those responsible for using extinguishers should be trained annually to properly use them.

Used properly, a portable fire extinguisher can save lives and property by putting out small fires or controlling them until the fire department arrives. Portable extinguishers are not designed to fight large or spreading fires.

4.11.1 Using the Extinguisher

• Remember PASS for basic operating instructions:

  • Pull the pin.

  • Aim the extinguisher nozzle at the base of the fire.

  • Squeeze or press the handle.

  • Sweep from side to side at the base of the fire until it appears to be out.

4.11.2 Selecting a Fire Extinguisher

Choose your extinguisher carefully. A fire extinguisher should:

• Be approved by an independent testing laboratory.

• Be labeled as to the type of fire it is intended to extinguish.

• Be large enough to put out the fire. Most portable extinguishers discharge completely in as few as eight seconds.

The following list describes the classes of fires:

Class A Fire: Ordinary combustibles such as wood, cloth, paper, rubber, and many plastics

Class B Fire: Flammable liquids such as gasoline, oil, grease, tar, oil-based paint, lacquer, and flammable gas

Class C Fire: Energized electrical equipment including wiring, fuse boxes, circuit breakers, machinery, and appliances

Class K Fire: Cooking appliance fires that involve combustible cooking materials such as vegetable oil or animal oils and fats

Many fire extinguishers are multipurpose A-B-C models and can be used on those three classes of fire. However, food preparation areas (kitchens) that use combustible cooking substances should have a class K fire extinguisher readily accessible. Portable extinguishers are rated for the size of fire they can handle. This rating is a number from 1 to 40 for class A fires and 1 to 640 for class B fires. The rating will appear on the label. The larger the number, the larger the fire the extinguisher can put out.

4.11.3 Placing the Fire Extinguisher

Extinguishers should be placed within 75 feet (23 m) of class A fire hazards and within 50 feet (15 m) of class B and C fire hazards. Extinguishers should be placed in plain view along normal paths of travel. They should be mounted so that the top of the extinguisher is no more than 5 feet above the floor or in accordance with local fire codes. Where visual obstructions cannot be completely avoided, provide other means to indicate the extinguisher’s location.

4.11.4 Maintaining and Inspecting the Extinguisher

All extinguishers should be maintained at least annually by a certified inspector or a fire extinguisher maintenance business that has been licensed by a fire marshal. Extinguishers should be inspected monthly. The person assigned to perform the inspection should have adequate knowledge of inspection criteria. The inspectors should ensure that:

• The extinguisher is placed in a proper location.

• Access and visibility are not obstructed.

• Operating instructions on the nameplate are legible and facing outward.

• Seals and tamper indicators are not broken or missing.

• The extinguisher is full (determine by lifting).

• There is no obvious damage, corrosion, or leaking and that the nozzle is not clogged.

• They have written the date and their initials on the tag after inspecting the extinguisher (monthly inspection record).