Shared Fire Extinguisher Types
Selecting the most appropriate type of fire extinguisher can be a confusing task because of the many fire extinguisher types out there. You should be very mindful once you decide on a fire extinguisher because each type is meant to set out a fire brought on by different substances.
Fire extinguishers are categorized into several classes to which they're used for. These extinguishers also have a numerical rating for their use. Class A extinguishers are used for ordinary combustible materials. These include newspaper, cardboard, plastics, and wood. The numerical rating found on this type of extinguisher indicates the amount of water it can hold and the amount of fire it can extinguish. Class B fire extinguishers are especially formulated to put out fires which care caused by flammable and combustible liquids like oil, gasoline, grease, and kerosene. The numerical rating for Class B extinguisher indicates the subject of fire at square feet it can extinguish.
Class C fire extinguishers put out fires which involve electrical equipment, including trucks, appliances, wirings, and circuit breakers. When coping with a class C fire, it's crucial to remember that water shouldn't be used to extinguish it as the risk of an electric shock is fantastic. Class C extinguishers have extinguishing agents which are non-conducive, plus they do not have a numerical evaluation. One of the most common fire extinguisher forms are those found in a chemical lab. This kind is categorized as Class D fire extinguisher and is for fires involving combustible materials like sodium, potassium, magnesium, and titanium. Similar to Class C extinguishers, Class D extinguishers don't have a numerical evaluation and should be used exclusively for Class D fires.
Aside from these classifications, fire extinguishers are also categorized in accordance with the extinguishing agent employed. Water extinguisher, also known as air-pressurized water extinguisher, is only suitable for class A fires only. Employing a water extinguisher on a Class C or Class D fire will only make the fire bigger so be cautious when identifying the kind of fire before employing a specific extinguisher. A water fire extinguisher is filled with water and is pressurized with oxygen, thus can be quite harmful in the wrong type of scenario. Only fight a fire with a water extinguisher if you are sure the flame is caused by ordinary combustible materials only.
Dry chemical extinguisher is another form of fire extinguisher and has a variety of types. This type of fire extinguisher is suitable for a blend of course A, B, and C fires. Dry chemical extinguishers may be full of powder or foam, pressurized with nitrogen. The regular kind of dry chemical extinguisher is the one which is full of sodium bicarbonate and potassium bicarbonate. This is called the BC extinguisher. The BC variety leaves a mildly corrosive residue which needs to be cleaned immediately to prevent additional harm.
Another variety is the ABC extinguisher which is a multipurpose dry chemical extinguisher full of monoammonium phosphate that is damaging to electric appliances. In comparison to CO2 extinguishers, dry chemical extinguishers have the advantage since they leave a non-flammable residue on the extinguished materials.
On the flip side, CO2 extinguishers have the advantage over dry chemical extinguisher such that they don't leave a harmful residue in an electronic device. These extinguishers contain carbon dioxide and also therefore are pressurized to extinguish a fire.
These are the most common fire extinguisher types that you may base your choice from. Be sure to choose the most suitable one so that you are guarded. Find out more info click fire extinguisher companies