How To Choose A Fire Extinguisher

By Author: Ken mar fire Extinguisher company
Total Articles: 69
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Important things to note when reading this table:
Different types of fire risk require different types of extinguishers.
The weight of an extinguisher does not necessarily describe its fire-fighting ability, ie different brands of 4.5kg DCP extinguishers vary in their ability to put out fires. When comparing prices and value for money look at the ABE rating, not just the weight. The ratings you see below are only for the extinguishers we sell. All our DCP extinguishers use high performance powder, so their rating will usually be higher than our competitor's brand for the same weight

What do the fire ratings mean?
The letters A, B, E, & F are 4 types of fires that are covered by these fire extinguishers
These letters classify a fire mostly by the type of fuel that is keeping the fire going.
Where an extinguisher is classified with more than one letter, it means it is effective on more than one type of fire, eg 2A:30B:E extingusher, could be used on a Type A fire, or a B fire, or a type E fire (it is sometimes referred to as an ABE extinguisher). The number in front of the letter is used ...
... to compare the performance of an extinguisher as outlined in AS/NZS 1850
For class A fires the numbers range from 1 to 10, for class B they are from 2 to 80, and for class F, they go from 1 to 4. With the exception of the water extinguisher, all the other extinguishers are capable of putting out more than one type of fire. Use the table above to choose the fire extingusher that is best suited to your fire risks.

How do you decide which extinguisher to put where?
There is an Australian fire standard (AS2444) which covers this topic. The most important factors that influence what fire extinguisher you should use,are the likely source of a fire, and how much area the fire extinguisher is expected to service (square metres of a room). Sometimes it will be necessary to have more than one type of fire extinguisher in a room. For example a water or wet chemical fire extinguisher is dangerous to use on electrical (class E) fires- it could cause electrocution!. A carbon dioxide (CO2) extinguisher has only minimal ability on class A fires, the pressure that comes from it may even cause loose burning papers to fly up and spread the fire. A CO2 fire extinguisher used on a class F fire, say in a deep fryer, could fling burning oil all over the room. But it is perfect for electrical fires because the CO2 gas can make its way in and around computer boxes or behind switchboards.
It is therefore important for staff to get proper training on which fire extinguisher to use, where. Most Councils require a certificate of compliance, to ensure the right equipment is used, and placed in the right location. The AS2444 specifies the location of fire extinguishers and the location signs that must accompany them. Failure to comply could see you issued with a Fire Safety Order forcing you do work to make the building fire safe