Proper Use Of Fire Extinguishers


Posted February 21, 2013 by GiulyRotarry

In the context of the alarming increase in the number of fires, individuals and businesses should make sure that their residential, commercial or industrial properties are adequately protected against potential fires and explosions.

 
In the context of the alarming increase in the number of fires, individuals and businesses should make sure that their residential, commercial or industrial properties are adequately protected against potential fires and explosions. Purchasing a fire extinguisher and forgetting it in a storage room or setting it up in a place where no one will see it will not help us quench a fire in times of need: consequently, fire extinguishers should be located in easily accessible areas, so that they can be reached quickly in the event of a fire.

As already mentioned, most persons equip their houses, offices or shops with fire protection systems simply because they are bound by law to do so: thus, they purchase a fire extinguisher, emergency fire blankets or similar fire protection equipment and they assume that their protection is guaranteed. However, people who want to be prepared to take action in case a fire occurs are strongly recommended to learn how to use the fire extinguishers they buy: provided that they observe the operation instructions made available by the manufacturer and that they keep their calm when they see flames, they will manage to efficiently quench a fire.

Using a fire extinguisher is not complicated, on condition that we keep in mind a couple of essential rules: we must proceed by pulling the pin at the top of the device and then we have to squeeze the lever slowly, making sure that we do not release it; otherwise, the discharge will stop and we will waste precious time. Another important thing to remember is that we must always aim at the base of the fire, remaining at a safe distance from it, once the fire is quenched, we should not leave the area unsupervised, for it may reignite and we must be prepared for this scenario.

It is also worth noting that not all fires can be efficiently extinguished with the same type of extinguisher: the ideal scenario would be to know exactly what started the fire prior to attempting to fight it. This way, we will be able to select the right extinguisher for the task, without risking worsening matters even further: for example, fires involving electrical appliances and cables will be put out by using dry chemical fire extinguishers filled with foam or powder or CO2 extinguishers which do not leave any sort of harmful residues. As already stated, using the wrong fire fighting devices can cause the flames to spread and make the fire much bigger.

As far as the installation of these devices is concerned, we should mention that they can be mounted on the wall or on special stands, depending on their sizes and weight. Ideally, one should install an extinguisher on each floor of a building, at a distance of at most 5 feet from the floor. Also, it is recommended to install fire protection devices in areas that are susceptible to fires: the recommended locations in a house are the kitchen and the garage. When it comes to installing fire protection systems in an office, business managers are recommended to resort to the help of specialists with extensive knowledge of all the applicable rules and regulations.


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Issued By fireextinguishersstore
Country United Kingdom
Categories Home
Tags fire extinguisher , fire extinguishers
Last Updated February 21, 2013