Choosing The Right Fire Extinguishers

There are a whole range of different materials that can cause and fuel a fire, and there are different types of fire extinguishers to deal with each of these materials. It is imperative that you have the right fire safety equipment within your building so that you are prepared to battle any fire you may encounter if it is safe to do so. If you do tackle a fire always ensure that you are always between the fire and your exit.

Here is a brief overview of the different types of fire extinguishers that we are able to supply and maintain for you:

Water

These are best for what is known as a Class A fire, or a Material fire. Materials such as paper, fabric and wood that catch fire will be dealt with by a water fire extinguisher.

Co2

Also referred to as Carbon Dioxide fire Extinguishers, these are suited for Class B fires. A Class B fire will be caused by flammable liquids and electrical items.

Foam

A foam extinguisher can be used in place of a water or a Co2 one as they are applicable to both Class A and Class B fires. Suitable for fires from paint, oil or petrol as well as paper, fabric and wood, these fire extinguishers are an ideal option for many businesses in Oxford.

Powder

These are also suitable for Class A and Class B fires as well as Class C which are fires started by chemicals. If your business uses chemicals in any way, then a powder fire extinguisher would be advisable.

Wet Chemical

If your business is a restaurant, cafe, fish and chip shop, or any other business that has an industrial kitchen that uses deep fat fryers and hot oils, then a wet chemical fire extinguisher would be recommended as they are designed for Class F fires and so are suited ideally to this application.

This is just a brief summary of the different extinguishers available and we would recommend that one of our friendly engineers visits you to carry out a full fire risk assessment to determine the actual fire extinguishers your business would need.

To arrange to have your fire extinguishers assessed, please give us a call today and we will be happy to help and advise.