Fire Extinguishers
Fire Extinguishers - A few years ago it was relatively easy to tell at a
glance which of the fire extinguisher types to use, because the
extinguisher colours were easy to tell from a distance. CO2
extinguishers were all black. AFFF extinguishers (foam) were cream, and
water was of course red.
However, not only are there new types of fire extinguisher available
today, but standardisation has meant that all extinguisher types are now
coloured red, with the only clear difference being the colour of label
on the side. For this reason it is more important than ever before to
not only have a clear understanding of the different types of
extinguisher and what they should, and should not, be used for, but also
how to recognise the fire extinguishers easily.
One of the best ways of being prepared is making sure you know where the
extinguishers are, knowing which types are located where, and what they
should be used for. Health and safety requirements together with
appropriate training should result in the correct extinguisher types
being placed in the relevant areas. So in offices where there is a good
deal of electrical equipment you should find CO2 extinguishers, or the
newer ABC powder extinguishers.
Although in the past CO2 extinguishers were very obvious, being
completely black, today they are red, but with a black label on them.
It's absolutely critical you're aware of the difference, because to use a
red fire extinguisher, which contains water to try to put out an
electrical fire, could in certain circumstances, be fatal.
The powder extinguishers have a blue label on them, and whilst they
don't present the same level of risk, they are only really suitable for
certain types of fire. Remember, fire extinguishers don't run for long.
Even the very largest extinguisher only lasts for a few seconds, and so
wasting precious seconds by misusing an extinguisher or using the wrong
type of extinguisher can allow the fire to take hold, causing even more
damage and presenting a greater danger.
Of course, in most business situations there will be a designated fire
marshal, or in some cases a number of fire marshals. These appointed
fire marshals will need to undertake appropriate training in order to be
very familiar with the different extinguisher types, able to quickly
identify their colours and know which to use in which circumstances, and
how to use the extinguishers in the best way.
Fire marshal training doesn't have to be expensive, but it does have to
be effective, and the same is true with fire extinguishers. It is
possible to buy inexpensive fire extinguishers, but no matter how much
you pay, no extinguisher will provide the help you need if it's the
wrong type, or used in the wrong way. Fire extinguishers don't save
lives - it's the people who use them who save lives, and for this
reason, understanding how to use the different types of extinguisher is
essential.
