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beside KFC)
Choosing Fire Extinguishers
Identifying type of materials
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Class A: SOLIDS such as paper, wood, plastic etc
Class B: FLAMMABLE LIQUIDS such as paraffin, petrol, oil etc
Class C: FLAMMABLE GASES such as propane, butane, methane etc
Class D: METALS such as aluminium, magnesium, titanium etc
Class E: Fires involving ELECTRICAL APPARATUS
Class F: Cooking OIL & FAT etc
Colour Coding
Prior to 1st Jan 1997, the code of practice for fire extinguishers in the UK was BS 5423, which advised the colour coding of fire extinguishers as follows:
Water - Red
Foam - Cream
Dry Powder - Blue
Carbon Dioxide (CO2) - Black
Halon - Green (now 'illegal' except for a few exceptions such as the Police, Armed Services and Aircraft).
New extinguishers should conform to BS EN 3, which requires that the entire body of the extinguisher be coloured red. A zone of colour of up to 5% of the external area can be used to identify the contents using the old colour coding shown above.
Cartridge Operated Dry Chemical
Cartridge Operated Dry Chemical fire extinguishers extinguish the fire primarily by interrupting the chemical reaction of the fire triangle. Like the stored pressure dry chemical extinguishers, the multipurpose dry chemical is effective on Class A, B, and C fires.
Clean Agent
Halogenated or Clean Agent extinguishers include the halon agents as well as the newer and less ozone depleting halocarbon agents. They extinguish the fire by interrupting the chemical reaction of the fire triangle.
Carbon Dioxide
The CO2 extinguisher cannisters contain carbon dioxide in liquid form. They extinguish fires by taking away the oxygen element of the fire triangle and also by removing the heat with a very cold discharge.
Water Mist
Water Mist extinguishers are a recent development that extinguish the fire by taking away the heat element of the fire triangle. They are an alternative to the clean agent extinguishers where contamination is a concern. Water mist extinguishers are primarily for Class A fires, although they are safe for use on Class C fires as well.
Wet Chemical
Wet Chemical is a new agent that extinguishes the fire by removing the heat of the fire triangle and prevents re-ignition by creating a barrier between the oxygen and fuel elements.
Water and Foam
Water and Foam fire extinguishers extinguish the fire by taking away the heat element of the fire triangle. Foam agents also separate the oxygen element from the other elements. These are for Class A fires only
Dry Powder
Dry Powder extinguishers are similar to dry chemical except that they extinguish the fire by separating the fuel from the oxygen element or by removing the heat element of the fire triangle. However, dry powder extinguishers are for Class D or combustible metal fires, only. They are ineffective on all other classes of fires.
Dry Chemical
Dry Chemical fire extinguishers extinguish the fire primarily by interrupting the chemical reaction of the fire triangle. Today's most widely used type of fire extinguisher is the multipurpose dry chemical that is effective on Class A, B, and C fires.
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