Small fires; be it inside houses, outdoors or inside an office, are extremely common. The highest amount of fires occur inside kitchens followed by fires due to electrical problems. Whatever be the cause of the fire, extinguishing it immediately is necessary.
What comes to your mind when you think about putting out the flames? Sand, water or fire extinguishers? While all are great fire extinguishing materials, hands down, the best is fire extinguisher as it is designed entirely for fire outbreaks.
Whether you want to put out small flames or want to curb large fires till the fire department team arrives, fire extinguishers can help you thoroughly. That is why fire extinguisher testing Melbourne is imperative to make sure your portable fire extinguishers are in the utmost working condition when the need be.
Don’t know how to correctly operate a fire extinguisher? Worry no more. Here are a few top do’s and don’ts listed down for you so that you can master fire extinguishers without trouble.
Selecting a Fire Extinguisher
Before we move to the do’s and don’ts, it is important to note that there are different fire extinguishers for different kinds of fires. The fire extinguishers are marked with standard symbols, indicating the kind of fire they can be used to put out. If there is a missing symbol or it is marked as red, know that you cannot use the extinguisher for that sort of fire.
Here are the classes of extinguishers which will help you differentiate the need for diverse kinds of fires.
- Class A: Standard combustibles. Wood, paper, rubber cloth, and plastics.
- Class B: Combustible fluids. Oil, gasoline, grease, oil paints and flammable gas.
- Class C: Electrical equipment. Wires, circuit breakers, fuse boxes, and appliances.
- Class A-B-C: There are multipurpose fire extinguishers usually for the household which can be used on all kinds of fires.
It is advised not to experiment and have a basic knowledge about fire extinguishers. Here is the top do’s you can read and try if the situation calls for it.
- Instructions: Reading and understanding the instructions via the instructions manual is important. It will help make you understand the usage of the device, its storage needs, and other aspects.
- Checking the Class: Since you know about the different classes of fire extinguishers, it is best to check the kind you own so that you know which kind of fire it can be used for.
- Storage: Storing an extinguisher properly is key. Firstly, store it in an area where it can be easily accessible. Keep it away from sunlight and damp areas. Also, never place it upside down.
- Distance Matters: When using an extinguisher for putting out flames, it is important to keep a safe distance from the affected area and then trigger the extinguisher. 6-10 feet is ideal.
- Maintenance: Investing in fire extinguisher testing service is crucial. If your fire extinguisher does not get tested regularly, chances are that it will not work properly when in need.
The don’ts are as important as the dos! Here are a few essential ones listed below:
- Experimenting: Never experiment or play with fire and fire extinguishers.
- Using the wrong extinguisher: Never use the wrong class of extinguisher on the wrong flames as the situation can get out of hand.
- Magnetic Zones: Leaving fire extinguishers near magnetic zones can cause trouble.
- Skipping Professional Testing: Not investing in fire extinguisher testing service and tagging service can become troublesome if not done at the right time.