What You Should Know About Portable Fire Extinguishers

All commercial buildings are required to have a fire prevention strategy that includes addressing the flames in their early stages. Such solutions, often including a portable fire extinguisher, assist with putting out the blaze quickly before the fire department arrives. For a more efficient response, your workers should be trained on using such equipment.
While portable fire extinguishers aren’t as effective when the flames progress and grow, they’re an essential first line of defense. Yet, they only work to their full potential when your business or commercial building factors in the following.
OSHA Standards
All businesses with portable fire extinguishers need to follow the guidelines detailed in 29 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) 1910.157, which generally require you to:

• Have a portable fire extinguisher approved by a recognized testing laboratory.
• Have one with the right class for the potential fire size.
• Have the extinguisher regularly inspected to ensure it’s in good operating condition. This procedure will vary with the type of extinguisher you use. Stored pressure and dry extinguishers do not need an internal examination and any water- or steam-type model needs to be discharged, disassembled and inspected yearly.
• Make sure the fire extinguisher is always in its assigned place, that it’s not hidden or blocked and that it’s mounted in accordance with National Fire Protection Association’s 10 guidelines.
• Ensure the pressure gauge shows adequate pressure, that the pin and seals are in place and that the nozzle isn’t blocked.
• Make sure the extinguisher is free of damage and abuse.
• Make sure it’s operated by trained employees.

Types of Portable Extinguishers
Portable fire extinguishers feature six types of operational mechanisms: Water, foam, wet chemical, dry chemical powder, vaporizing liquid and carbon dioxide. Indicated by a picture on the outside, these models fall into one of the following types:

• Class A – for standard combustibles, like wood, paper, textiles and certain plastics. These usually use a water-based or dry mechanism and have a triangle icon with the letter “A.”
• Class B – for flammable liquid and gas fires. These deprive the fire of any oxygen to halt the release of combustible vapors and should have a square icon with the letter “B.”
• Class C – for electrical fires involving equipment. These use nonconductive agents and have a circle icon with the letter “C.” For these fires, a Class A or B extinguisher may be needed as well.
• Class D – for combustible metals. These use a medium that won’t interact with burning metal and feature a five-point star with the letter “D” inside.
• Class K – for putting out grease fires in commercial kitchens. These generate an alkaline mixture which, once it hits the fat, creates a foamy appearance that holds in vapors and steam to put out the fire. Unlike the other classes, this model simply has a letter “K” added.

Additionally, these models include a rating in the form of A B:C, with A indicating the equivalency of 1.25 gallons of water. B:C indicates the amount of square feet the extinguisher can cover, in relation to the operator’s training and experience.
Industries Needing a Portable Fire Extinguisher
The following settings are required to have a portable fire extinguisher available:

• Ambulances
• Apartment buildings
• Anywhere products are assembled
• Business facilities
• Daycares
• Detention and correctional facilities
• Schools and other educational facilities
• Healthcare facilities
• Hotels and dorms
• Industrial facilities
• Mercantile facilities
• Storage facilities
• Residential board and care facilities

For lower business insurance premiums, make sure your fire extinguisher is always ready for operation. In addition to performing regular inspections, work with Ion Insurance to adjust your policy to fit your company’s needs. To begin, give us a call at 203.439.2815.