Each year thousands of homes burn to the ground or are damaged by the result of fire, smoke damage and water damages attributed to fire fighting efforts. While all fires are not discovered in time to make a reasonable effort in suppressing the fire, some of the fires begain at a stage where a fire extinguisher could have either slowed the fires progress or put it out.
This is particularly true in the industrial settings and factories where people have access to fire extinguishers, however it is always good to train with fire extinguishers as a part of your workforce, at home you may wish to actually read the directions and the best effective way to deploy the type of extinguisher you may have purchased.
There are four major type of of hand held extinguishers, while one other is available for kitchen fires (type K) we will focus on the four most common.
Type A: Used for ordinary combustible material, like paper and grass the extinguisher agent is normally water.
Type B: Used for flammble and combustible liquids , like gasolene, kerosene and fuel oil; the agent is normally a dry chemical.
Type C: Used for electrical fires, agent is normally dry chemical or CO2
Type D: Used for pyphoric metals, those metals which support its own oxygen source like magneasium, alluminum and lithium; extinguishing agent various clumping agents like sodium chloride and graphite, also sand.
For typical home application and most business application dry chemical fire extinguisher can be purchased that provide protection against type A, B & C type fires; generally having better suppression capability for both B & C. Most widely purchased from common hardware stores or safety industrial supply stores and larger retail shopping locations.
It is stressed that when applied the extinguisher be used until its extinguishing agent is emptied, then layed on the floor. Apply the agent by using the PASS method; pull the pin or tab, aim the nozzel at the fire, squeeze the handle and sweep the nozzel across the fire source. In the case of a burning liquid it is most effective if you aim at the base of the fire and allow the agent to roll over and blanket the liquid vs. spraying it directly into the liquid substance, to prevent splashing the liquid fammable material.
This is particularly true in the industrial settings and factories where people have access to fire extinguishers, however it is always good to train with fire extinguishers as a part of your workforce, at home you may wish to actually read the directions and the best effective way to deploy the type of extinguisher you may have purchased.
There are four major type of of hand held extinguishers, while one other is available for kitchen fires (type K) we will focus on the four most common.
Type A: Used for ordinary combustible material, like paper and grass the extinguisher agent is normally water.
Type B: Used for flammble and combustible liquids , like gasolene, kerosene and fuel oil; the agent is normally a dry chemical.
Type C: Used for electrical fires, agent is normally dry chemical or CO2
Type D: Used for pyphoric metals, those metals which support its own oxygen source like magneasium, alluminum and lithium; extinguishing agent various clumping agents like sodium chloride and graphite, also sand.
For typical home application and most business application dry chemical fire extinguisher can be purchased that provide protection against type A, B & C type fires; generally having better suppression capability for both B & C. Most widely purchased from common hardware stores or safety industrial supply stores and larger retail shopping locations.
It is stressed that when applied the extinguisher be used until its extinguishing agent is emptied, then layed on the floor. Apply the agent by using the PASS method; pull the pin or tab, aim the nozzel at the fire, squeeze the handle and sweep the nozzel across the fire source. In the case of a burning liquid it is most effective if you aim at the base of the fire and allow the agent to roll over and blanket the liquid vs. spraying it directly into the liquid substance, to prevent splashing the liquid fammable material.
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