Over the years many types of fire extinguishers have been built for different types of scenarios. Each type of fire extinguisher has a special advantage and chemical compound. Setting up the right fire extinguisher for your business can make the difference between life and death during a fire. Every time you contact someone for a fire extinguisher service, they should give you a comprehensive plan with different types of extinguishers included based on your business. Here are the key fire extinguishers that should be installed based on your business type.
ABC Fire extinguishers
According to David Coatney, Dallas Fire Chief, the ABC multipurpose fire extinguisher is the most common and serves as a great “all-purpose” fire extinguisher for common areas and paths of egress within your facility. The agent within an ABC fire extinguisher is comprised mainly of mono-ammonium phosphate and ammonium sulfate which acts like a heat-seeking missile when introduced onto a heat source. It attaches itself to the material that is heated and smothers the fire until it is suppressed.
Class K Fire Extinguishers
According to the Dallas News Restaurant Survey, Texas folk eat out more than in other states. Apparently, the meal costs increased less than 1% since 2010's survey, and the average meal cost in Texas is only $32.17, while the national average is $35.62. This has increased the use of the kitchen stove in Dallas’s restaurants which leads to more fire safety measures like having a class K fire extinguisher. Class K fires most often occur where cooking media (fats, greases, and oils) are used. These are most often found in commercial cooking operations.
CO2 Fire Extinguishers
In Dallas, the carbon-dioxide fire extinguisher must be refilled when the weight loss of net content exceeds that specified for fixed systems by local code [29 CFR 1910.157(a)]. In other words, when the arrow is not pointing to the green section. Further, each must be examined for excessive corrosion and for general condition. Carbon dioxide (CO2) fire extinguishers are designed for installation in hospitals, laboratories, mechanical or electrical rooms, elevator shafts ,and anywhere water may damage existing appliances or equipment specific to Class B and C fire protection in Dallas, Texas. These extinguisher canisters contain carbon dioxide in liquid form, and when the extinguisher is let off, the liquid is released into the air neutralizing the oxygen that the fire is feeding on and disabling the fire’s ability to spread. Being harmless to electrical equipment these extinguishers are ideal for offices, workshops or any premises that use electrical equipment.
Halotron Fire Extinguishers
Halotron fire extinguishers are the latest type that helps diminish the risk of harming electronics like databases when fighting a fire. As reported in the Dallas Observer, Dallas’s Fire Department A.C. Gonzalez recommends halotron fire extinguishers for protection of delicate, sensitive and expensive computers, electrical equipment, tapes and film, automotive and aircraft engines, laboratory chemicals, and equipment. Halotron fire extinguishers can also be used in bedrooms, home offices, home kitchens, cars, and garages. Halon Extinguishers are used for fighting class B and class C fires (And sometimes A Fires). Halotron extinguishers use a liquefied gas, pressurized with nitrogen, which discharges as a vapor causing no cold or static shock and no impairment of the operator's vision.
Portable, wheeled or fixed unit fire extinguishers are an invaluable tool that every occupied building should install and properly service. More importantly, having the right type of fire extinguisher is extremely valuable during emergencies.
Learn more about the types of fire extinguishers or call us if you have any questions.
