The Different Types of Fire Extinguishers and Their Uses

If you did not know, there are different types of fire extinguishers available out there, as there are different classes of fire(s), and every extinguisher is produced for a specific kind of fire. It is extremely important for you to know the differences if you are the one who is responsible for putting out the fire at work or at home. Being able to immediately identify what kind of fire is burning and which extinguisher you will need to use could make that lifesaving difference. So, let us dive into the different classes of fires and what extinguisher you should use to deal with them.

Class A Fire: These fires have solid flames and dust such as wood, plastic, or paper.

Class B Fire: Fires that involve flammable liquids such as gas, oil, or diesel.

Class C Fire: Fire that involve gases such as propane, butane, or methane.

Class D Fire: Fire that involves combustible metals like lithium, sodium, and potassium.

Class F Fire: Fires that involve cooking oils or fats like vegetable oil, olive oil, or lard.

There are five main types of fire extinguishers, namely water, powder, foam, carbon dioxide, and wet chemical. Each type of fire extinguisher will contain different materials that make them suitable for fighting certain types of fires, and they are designed to discharge their contents safely and effectively. The correct extinguisher should be used for the correct fire otherwise it may not work, or could even worsen the situation. For example, if you try and use a water extinguisher on an electrical fire; it will be extremely dangerous.

Water Extinguisher:

There will be a solid red line that says “water” or “aqua spray” on it in white text. These extinguishers dispense water at a high pressure to kill flames from a class A fire that involve wood, cardboard, and paper.

Powder Extinguisher:

Identified by the words “Powder” on the extinguisher in a blue rectangle. Normally it is written as ABC Powder, as this extinguisher is able to put out fires from those classes with ease. What happens is that the powder acts as a thermal cover that cools the flames so that burning cannot continue. These extinguishers are also able to fight electrical fires.

Foam Extinguisher:

These extinguishers will have the word “Foam” printed on them in a cream rectangle. They are water based, but also contain a foaming agent which has a blanket effect on the flames. It smothers the flames plus seals the vapour to prevent re-ignition on class A and B fires.

Carbon Dioxide Extinguishers:

These models can be identified by the text “carbon dioxide” or “CO2” printed on a white and black rectangle. These extinguishers are used to fight class B and electrical fires by suffocating the fire by displacing oxygen in the air. This model is perfect for office use as they do not leave much residue after the fact.

It is a great idea to find reputable fire extinguisher suppliers in Cape Town so that you can do training on how to use the equipment, as well as buy the equipment from them.

For more, visit: https://www.macbrothers.co.za/fire-suppression