Fire Extinguishers
Fire requires fuel, heat and oxygen to burn. Fire extinguishers apply an agent that will cool burning heat, smother fuel or remove oxygen so the fire cannot continue to burn. A portable fire extinguisher can quickly control a small fire if applied by an individual properly trained.
Fire extinguishers should be visually inspected every month.
This can be done by you, or a member of your staff. While visual inspections are fairly quick and easy, many customers have us handle these inspections. By handling these inspections we provide not only an experienced eye but documentation that your fire extinguishers are in working condition.
An annual inspection from a licensed specialist is mandated by state codes.
For the annual inspection, we come to your place of business and inspect every fire extinguisher. Each extinguisher is visually inspected and weighed. We examine the body for any damage or defect, perform a pressure check, verify the safety seal is still in place, and check all components to ensure proper functionality.
Finally, we replace all service tags. We also verify the extinguisher is of the correct type for the area, as well as the hazard it is protecting against. It is vital to use the proper extinguisher for a specific hazard.
We are a DOT-certified hydrostatic testing facility that can service all types of extinguishers.
A guide to fire rating classifications
Fire classifications simplify the task of matching a fire extinguisher to the expected type of fire. Water, for example, performs well against fires involving wood but it would spread fires burning grease or gasoline.
In the United States, fires belong to one of five fire classifications:
-
Class A Fires
The most common class, these fires involve common combustibles such as wood, paper, cloth, rubber, trash, and plastics.
FIRE EXTINGUISHER REQUIRED:
- Water
- Foam
- ABC Dry Chemical
- Halotron -
Class B Fires
These Involve flammable liquids, solvents, oil, gasoline, propane, butane, paints, lacquers, and other oil-based products or petroleum-based products.
FIRE EXTINGUISHER REQUIRED:
- CO2
- Halotron
- ABC dry chemical
- BC dry chemical
- Purple K, Foam -
Class C Fires
Old wiring and space heaters are common causes for residential Class C fires, which involve energized electrical equipment such as wiring, controls, motors, machinery, or appliances.
FIRE EXTINGUISHER REQUIRED:
- ABC dry chemical,
- BC dry chemical
- Purple K
- CO2
- Halotron -
Class D Fires
While Class D isn’t as common, they can be more difficult to extinguish. They typically involve combustible metals such as magnesium, lithium, potassium, and titanium. This type of fire is more commonly seen in laboratories.
FIRE EXTINGUISHER REQUIRED
- Dry powder -
Class K Fires
While Class K fires also involve flammable liquids, these are related to combustible cooking materials such as oils and grease commonly found in kitchens. Class K fires spread quickly and can be the most difficult to manage since water can make the situation worse.
FIRE EXTINGUISHER REQUIRED:
- Wet chemical
What types of fire extinguishers are there?
ABC Fire Extinguishers
Common Applications:
Offices, Break Rooms, Laboratories, Chemical storage areas
ABC fire extinguishers are ideal for many types of fire. These extinguishers use monoammonium phosphate, a dry chemical. Monoammonium phosphate chemically insulates Class A fires by melting at approximately 350°F and coating surfaces to which it is applied.
It smothers and breaks the chain reaction of Class B fires and will not conduct electricity back to the operator in Class C fires. Because of its versatility, the ABC extinguisher is often the optimal choice to meet most needs for small fire suppression.
Water Fire Extinguishers
Common Applications:
Offices, Break Rooms, Document Storage Areas
Water fire extinguishers are used for Class A fire risks including wood, paper and fabrics. These extinguishers work in two ways; they remove heat from the fire, and they deprive the fire of oxygen.
Water extinguishers should not be used for Class B or Class C fires. If a water extinguisher is used on a Class B fire (flammable liquid, gas or paint) the discharge could help spread the flammable liquid or gas. If used on a Class C fire (electrical equipment), it could create a shock hazard.
Class K Fire Extinguishers
Common Applications:
Commercial kitchen fires, Flammable liquid storage areas
In order to determine the correct extinguisher to put out a fire, it is critical to know how the fire started and why it is burning. Class K fires are a subset of Class B flames. Class B includes flammable liquid; however, Class K flames are specific to cooking fat and oils.
These types of fires can spread quickly, so it is critical to have a Class K fire extinguisher on hand. These extinguishers use suppression agents that separate the fuel from the oxygen and help to absorb heat. The only effective extinguisher rated as Class K is a wet chemical fire extinguisher.
Because oils and fats are used to transmit heat and are often brought to high temperatures quickly, they have the potential to catch fire on the stovetop, in the oven, on the grill or even in the microwave. Be especially vigilant when using products such as olive oil, butter, margarine, bacon grease or lard.
Class D Fire Extinguishers
Common Applications:
Laboratories, Warehouses, Manufacturing facilities, sites that use burning metals
Class D fires are defined by the presence of burning metals. The most common metals involved in these fires are magnesium and titanium, while other metals include sodium, potassium, uranium, lithium, plutonium and calcium.
These types of fires most often occur in laboratories, warehouses, factories and anywhere the manufacturing process cuts or drills metals.
Class D fire extinguishers use a dry powder agent, which will not react with the burning metals and will smother the fire and reduce its spread.
High Flow Fire Extinguishers
Common Applications:
Propane filling stations, Gas stations, Auto repair facilities, Painting areas, Marine terminals
NFPA 10 requires high flow extinguishers for pressurized, flammable liquid and gas hazards such as at construction sites, fuel stations and propane filling locations as well as areas with three-dimensional class B hazards.
These types of fires require higher flow rates than a standard extinguisher provides. The higher flow rate not only projects more agent onto the fire resulting in a quicker knock down, it also provides the operator more protection by placing a heavier stream of suppression agent between the operator and the fire.
Cartridge-Operated Fire Extinguishers
Common Applications:
Heavy construction sites, Oil pumping stations, Mining equipment
Cartridge-operated, or commonly referred to as “Cart-Op” fire extinguishers are rechargeable, high-quality, durable extinguishers ideal for use in harsh environments. Unlike a traditional stored pressure extinguisher, which has the agent and pressure mixed in the same container inside the extinguisher, a cartridge-operated extinguisher has the powder/agent inside and a separate pressure cartridge outside the extinguisher that must be activated to pressurize the extinguisher.
These units are used primarily in construction and heavy equipment environments and protect areas that house chemical storage, marinas, spray paint booths and welding.
Wheeled Unit Extinguishers
Common Applications
Loading docks, Steel/Iron mills, Offshore platforms
Wheeled unit fire extinguishers are larger than hand-held extinguishers. They are portable and easily moved to the point of the fire and manageable enough to be operated by one person.
These extinguishers are available in a variety of sizes with available capacities ranging from 30 to 300 pounds and provide higher flow rates, which extend range and discharge time.
A variety of extinguishing agents are also available for these units, such as carbon dioxide, dry chemical, dry powder and AFFF-type foam pre-mix solutions.
CO2 Fire Extinguishers
Common Applications
Mechanical rooms, Kitchens, Flammable liquid storage areas, Laboratories
CO2 Fire extinguishers are primarily used for electrical fires and are the predominant extinguisher used in computer server rooms (Class C). They also put out Class B (flammable liquids, such as paint and petroleum) and all other Class C fires (energized electrical equipment, motors, transformers and appliances).
Because they do not work by cooling the fire, they are ineffective on fires involving flammable solids.
Foam Fire Extinguishers
Common Applications
Manufacturing plants, Hardware stores, Offices that store cleansers or paint, Flammable liquid storage areas
Foam fire extinguishers are used for Class A and Class B fires, and, in particular, offer a fast and effective means of suppressing flammable liquids. Foam consists of a stable mass of small air bubbles that form a foam blanket when expelled. This foam blanket works to extinguish the fire by cooling, separating the flame from the product surface, suppressing vapors and smothering.
It also contains the flame to prevent reignition. Foam is the primary suppression agent used anywhere flammable liquids are transported, processed, stored or used as an energy source. It is preferred over fire sprinklers for hotter fires dues to its ability to quickly cool a fire, which minimizes property damage caused by the fire.
Clean Agent Extinguishers
Common Applications
Telecommunication facilities, Server rooms, Offices with computers or electronics, Data centers, Art storage centers, Museums, Clean rooms
NFPA 2001 has defined the term “clean agent” as an electrically nonconductive, volatile or gaseous fire extinguishing agent that does not leave a residue upon evaporation.
Since the banning of Halon in 1994, after it was found to deplete the ozone, the three most common clean agents used in fire suppression systems are: 3MTM NovecTM 1230 Fire Protection Fluid1, ChemoursTM FM-200TM Fire Suppressant2 and inert gases.
Clean agent fire extinguishers are effective on Class B and Class C fires (used typically for petrol, oil, propane, butane, etc.) and work by releasing gas into the air, reducing the oxygen that feeds the flames without damaging equipment by leaving a residue.