Choosing the Right Fire Extinguishers for Your Business

Fire safety should always be a top priority for business owners, and keeping equipment current helps protect your company against unexpected fires.

Fire extinguishers are an essential element of any effective fire protection plan, yet with so many types available on the market it can be challenging to select those which best suit your business’s needs. Choosing wisely is vital.

Class A

Class A fires involve ordinary combustible materials like paper, wood, cloth and many plastics – most frequently found in offices or similar commercial spaces.

Extinguishers rated as Class A typically utilize chemicals such as monoammonium phosphate to smother fires or sodium bicarbonate to initiate chemical reactions that put out flames.

Dry powder extinguishers contain dry powder agents that break the chemical bond that fuels fire, isolating it from oxygen, and rendering it incapable of growing or spreading. Wet chemical extinguishers used on Class A fires include ammonium phosphate or potassium carbonate; they’re ideal for facilities with sensitive equipment as they leave no residue behind or cause corrosion damage.

Class B

When it comes to fire safety, being prepared is key – having fire extinguishers on hand is the ideal way of doing that.

An extinguisher rated class B can help protect against wood, paper, plastic, oil and grease fires in any building. First Alert offers one with an easy-to-read pressure gauge and locking mechanism that provides additional security.

Your workspace must include a Class C fire extinguisher to address electrical hazards like live wires, fuse boxes and other potential dangers. Install these extinguishers where they are easily accessible near any potential fire hazard and service them annually (water extinguishers require charging upon use; foam/dry powder must be recharged afterwards; while CO2 extinguishers do not).

Class C

Class C fires, or electrical equipment fires, are one of the most prevalent commercial fires. This blaze typically results from poor wiring or worn-out breaker boxes and poses significant danger due to producing significant heat while creating the risk of electrocution.

These fires should be extinguished with non-conductive materials that won’t conduct electricity, such as carbon dioxide and dry powder fire extinguishers. Before engaging any such battles, any electrically powered equipment should first be disconnected from its source power source.

Once the power source has been removed, you can safely fight a fire by targeting its source at its base and using your nozzle to direct water at them. Squeeze the lever slowly and consistently so as to smother and prevent further reigniting of flames.

Water

This extinguisher features a convenient carrying handle as well as a hose with a nozzle to point directly at any flames or fire, and boasts enough pressure to quickly extinguish flames up to 13 feet away.

This water-based fire extinguisher is ideal for Class A fires (combustible materials such as paper, wood and fabric) but cannot be used against more complicated ones involving flammable liquids or electrical equipment. Furthermore, water conducts electricity so its use near live wires would be unwise.

This model differs from stored-pressure dry chemicals by discharging pure carbon dioxide gas that deprives fire of oxygen, stopping it from reigniting and stopping further spread. Suitable for Class B and C fires, though not as effective. Cleaning up after this model is also much simpler and it is less damaging than chemical extinguishers.

Foam

Fire extinguishers work by eliminating one of the four elements required for flame formation: heat, oxygen and fuel. Foam extinguishers remove fuel by covering burning liquid with soapy foam blankets to cut off oxygen supply and smother any flames; while businesses with cooking facilities such as restaurants or hotel kitchens should have wet chemical extinguishers available in case accidental fires break out unexpectedly.

Every business is faced with its own set of fire risks that dictate which types of extinguishers would best suit its specific needs. An experienced fire protection equipment provider such as Allegiant Fire Protection can assist in selecting, purchasing and mounting an ideal fire extinguisher for your company while providing inspection and maintenance services as well. So don’t delay; contact Allegiant Fire Protection now to get started.

Choosing the right fire extinguishers for your business іs essential tо ensure the safety оf your employees and property. A fire protection equipment company can help you select and install the right extinguishers for your needs, as well as provide ongoing inspection and maintenance services.

It іs important tо have a variety оf fire extinguishers оn hand tо cover different types оf fires. Class A extinguishers are for ordinary combustible materials, Class B extinguishers are for flammable liquids and gases, and Class C extinguishers are for electrical equipment fires.