What type of fire extinguisher for what environment of travail ?

The law requires that company buildings must have easily accessible fire extinguishers. The choice of extinguishing equipment is, however, essential since each extinguishing agent is suitable for a different class of fire. Find out what type of fire extinguisher you should install in your business.

Find the right type of fire extinguisher for your work environment

You must take into account the characteristics of your working environment, and therefore the nature of the fuels that may cause a fire. You can therefore choose between :

A water extinguisher

The water extinguisher is the most common type of extinguishing device. However, it should be noted that its effectiveness is limited on Class A and B fires. If you are working on a site dominated by solid, liquid or liquefiable solids, you can install a water extinguisher. Indeed, the latter makes it possible to circumscribe the fires generated by wood, plastics, paper, solvents, paints, greases...

When launching the extinguishing agent, you must keep a certain distance to avoid receiving the projections. The water extinguisher contains an additive which is particularly irritating.

A powder extinguisher

Composed of several chemicals, thepowder extinguisher stops the fire by smothering the flames. This extinguishing agent manages to separate air and fuel quickly, which guarantees its effectiveness. It is the most effective for fighting gas fires, i.e. Class C fires. However, it can also stop the spread of class A and B fires.

The particularity of this equipment lies in the fact that it eliminates the risk of fire generated by undervoltage equipment.

Gas extinguisher

The gas extinguisher has the ability to instantly reduce the amount of oxygen in the air. The extinguishing agent smothers the fire while cooling it. However, its effectiveness is tested in large gas fires. This type of extinguisher is actually less effective when fires are too thick. It is mainly suitable for class B (grease fires) and class E (fires from electrical installations). Its main advantage is its cleanliness.

Foam fire extinguisher

This fire extinguisher has almost the same characteristics as a water extinguisher. However, when it is launched, the contents turn into heavy foam that confines the fire by isolation. The foam not only stops the spread of the fire, it also reduces the flammable vapours to zero, preventing the restarting of the flames. It is mainly suitable for Class A and B fires.

Other details to be taken into account

To protect your building from fire hazards, here are some specific rules you should consider. In principle, the Labour Code provides for an extinguisher of 6 litres per 200 m². However, if you work in the industrial sector, professionals recommend an extinguisher for an area of 150 m². It is also advisable to opt for an extinguisher with a capacity of 9 litres instead of 6 litres.

Good to know: remember that one 6-litre water extinguisher is equivalent to one 6 kg powder extinguisher or two 5 kg gas extinguishers. And a 9 litre water extinguisher is equivalent to 1 x 9 kg powder extinguisher or 3 x 5 kg gas extinguishers.