I have a wooden shed workshop 5 metres by 6 metres, for which I need to get a fire extinguisher ( as part of my insurance requirements) . Can anyone suggest the most suitable type/size I should get please?
Fire extinguisher in workshops
- Thread starter Scoffy
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mseries
Established Member
I can't advise on fire extinguishers but if you need it to satisfy insurance requirements, won't the insurance company tell you what the minimum requirement is ?
RogerS
Established Member
I agree with mseries. You can bet your bottom dollar that if you do have a fire then the insurance company will try and wriggle out of paying up. Failing that try your local fire prevention officer perhaps?
I have several small dry powder ones plus one CO2.
I have several small dry powder ones plus one CO2.
Jacob
What goes around comes around.
Dry powder according to this http://www.fireandsafetycentre.co.uk/fi ... -chart.php
I let one off by mistake a bit back. I could see how it'd work - a dense and knee deep cloud of fine powder which would get drawn up into any fire and stifle it, or settle evenly over surfaces and protect them.
I let one off by mistake a bit back. I could see how it'd work - a dense and knee deep cloud of fine powder which would get drawn up into any fire and stifle it, or settle evenly over surfaces and protect them.
MMUK
Established Member
Aye, get it in writing from the insurance company exactly what they require as a condition of cover. A bonus if they recommend a particular brand too, then they have no get out. Also check what they require as a service agreement, FE's should be tested at least once a year.
RogerS
Established Member
MMUK":155ayelc said:
Is that the same 'testing' as that done for the Irish electric fuse? ....connect to battery...pop..yup, that one was OK.....connect to battery..pop...yup, that one too :wink:
wizard
Established Member
Fitted a sprinkler system in mine
CHJ
Established Member
I have several dry powder type, in house, garage and shed, fire advise officers were quite happy when the local branch did a safety awareness visit in the area.
Have used dry powder myself on actual fires, many years ago admittedly (early 60's). Worked like a charm both times.
One, a car fire in garage when ignition spark set fire to petrol in a disassembled engine, turned over by hand and the mechanical pump squirted petrol all over the sparking coil.
No. two was a neighbour's chip pan fire that had been burning long enough to melt pan around the gas hob and set fire to kitchen cupboards and curtains with flames greeting me at the doorway coming across the ceiling. Neighbour made formal complaint about the mess the powder made!!
As they were still talking down the bottom of the garden to another neighbour when I put the fire out for them I was not amused.
Just remember to take them off the hook now and again and give them a shake to loosen up any compacted powder.
Have used dry powder myself on actual fires, many years ago admittedly (early 60's). Worked like a charm both times.
One, a car fire in garage when ignition spark set fire to petrol in a disassembled engine, turned over by hand and the mechanical pump squirted petrol all over the sparking coil.
No. two was a neighbour's chip pan fire that had been burning long enough to melt pan around the gas hob and set fire to kitchen cupboards and curtains with flames greeting me at the doorway coming across the ceiling. Neighbour made formal complaint about the mess the powder made!!
As they were still talking down the bottom of the garden to another neighbour when I put the fire out for them I was not amused.
Just remember to take them off the hook now and again and give them a shake to loosen up any compacted powder.
RogerS
Established Member
CHJ":1de3dmad said:
Bloody Hell, Chas. Sounds like you were moments away from a flashover. I assume you won;t be putting any fires out round there agin?
Baldhead
Established Member
Get in writing from insurance company what type, size and how many extinguishers they require you to have, have them tested annually by a competent/qualified person (dry powder has to be completely discharged and refilled after a certain period of time or replaced) and most importantly site extinguishers on your line of exit. A fire blanket can also be very effective for a small fire.
Your local fire station should have leaflets produced by the home office telling you all about extinguishers which are free, they may also run day courses on the correct use of extinguishers.
A word of warning, dry powder is very messy (as has already been said) CO2 is very noisy and never use if the discharge horn is missing, and the most important warning I could give is, if you don't feel competent to fight a fire then don't, never put yourself in any sort of danger, your workshop/tools etc can be replaced.
Here's hoping you never get to use an extinguisher in anger.
HTH
Baldhead
Your local fire station should have leaflets produced by the home office telling you all about extinguishers which are free, they may also run day courses on the correct use of extinguishers.
A word of warning, dry powder is very messy (as has already been said) CO2 is very noisy and never use if the discharge horn is missing, and the most important warning I could give is, if you don't feel competent to fight a fire then don't, never put yourself in any sort of danger, your workshop/tools etc can be replaced.
Here's hoping you never get to use an extinguisher in anger.
HTH
Baldhead
CHJ
Established Member
I was fortunate, working on and around Aircraft we were all subject to fire fighting drill by the Fire Section.
Yes Roger it worked, started spraying at the flames coming at me across the ceiling and rapidly followed them down to the pan before the extinguisher ran out, was amazed myself that the powder had enough force to push the flames back. It was in the days when money was tight for us and neighbour never even offered to replace extinguisher.
Don't think I could clear the 5ft fence I jumped into their garden these days. Saw the flames coming out of their open kitchen window light.
Yes Roger it worked, started spraying at the flames coming at me across the ceiling and rapidly followed them down to the pan before the extinguisher ran out, was amazed myself that the powder had enough force to push the flames back. It was in the days when money was tight for us and neighbour never even offered to replace extinguisher.
Don't think I could clear the 5ft fence I jumped into their garden these days. Saw the flames coming out of their open kitchen window light.
MMUK
Established Member
Baldhead":3pjlqdd9 said:
And then, DON'T hold the horn by the metal tube. You'll find it freezes itself to your hand :shock:
Scoffy":xua9a7p8 said:
Scoffy.
Which ever type of fire extinguisher/extinguishers you end up obtaining, remember the prime use for an extinguisher is to effect/help your safe escape from the building. Not as many believe, to stand and fight the fire.
One other point, not directly related to your question, is a bit of advice given to me when I was a child, by my now late father who was a fireman, and I have never forgotten the advice .
When entering a building of unknown layout to yourself, the most important thing is to take note of how you are going to exit that building in an emergency. I am now an old git of seventy, but I still heed that advice each time I enter an unknown building.
Take care.
Chris R.
Well what a wonderful, helpful bunch of people you all are! Having said that, I contacted the Lincolnshire Fire Prevention who told me they offer no advice on fire extinguishers, so that was not much help. The insurance document states " the insured will inspect and maintain all fire extinguishing equipment in accordance with the manufacturers recommendations" now that reads to me that i can buy a fire extinguisher and as long as I have it checked annualy or whatever the manufacture recommends I will be OK, there is no clear statement that I have to have one at all and no mention of type. I tried phoning the insurers but the person I want is not in this week!
Jacob
What goes around comes around.
Don't lose sight of the fact that the prime reason for having a working fire extinguisher is to put out a fire and even save a life. More important than the small print of the insurance. Dry powder seems to be the way.
riclepp
Established Member
I regards to Fire Extinguishers.
If you are a business, you are Legally Obliged to have them in place (Regulatory Reform (Fire) Order 2006), in addition to a suitable and sufficient Fire Risk Assessmmet for the business undetaking, and Emergency Evacuation Plan which should be reviewed and updated annually. In addition if you employ staff you must also ensure that anybody with any form of disability has a PEEP (Personal Emergency Evacuation Plan) in place this would include Pregnante Worker. Also a fire log book showing alarm system tests and inspections, Fire Extinguisher Servicing, housekeeping check, training, and of course annual fire drills.
If it is your hobby, and at your home, general rule is that no don't need anything. However, having said that woodwork can and does entice an increaed fire risk due to the nature of what you do. So removing sawdust, flammable liquids and general tidying will help, but may not necessarily prevent a fire.
In regards to Fire Extinguishers, unless you are in the workshop when a fire starts, it is unlikely that a small ABC/Dry Powder will put out a fire of medium intensity. Beside's a Fire Extinguisher will really only punch a hole through a fire wall to get you out to a place of safety. Also you need to remember what you have in your workshop, some lacquers, thinners, wax polishes ect have a very low flash point and will not require much heat to spread the fire into an uncontrollable state. If you try to tackle this type of fire with a small extinguisher, it could cost you more than your workshop!
As Jacob said an ABC/Dry Powder would be the best choice as it is a universal fire exinguisher (but you can't use it on some metals, a specilist one is needed for this), but a note of warning if the fire is extinguished, it may damage/knacker all the other items of electrical equipment that is in there, and your vision will disappear in an instant (depending on workshop size) and it don't do much for your breathing either.
HTH
If you are a business, you are Legally Obliged to have them in place (Regulatory Reform (Fire) Order 2006), in addition to a suitable and sufficient Fire Risk Assessmmet for the business undetaking, and Emergency Evacuation Plan which should be reviewed and updated annually. In addition if you employ staff you must also ensure that anybody with any form of disability has a PEEP (Personal Emergency Evacuation Plan) in place this would include Pregnante Worker. Also a fire log book showing alarm system tests and inspections, Fire Extinguisher Servicing, housekeeping check, training, and of course annual fire drills.
If it is your hobby, and at your home, general rule is that no don't need anything. However, having said that woodwork can and does entice an increaed fire risk due to the nature of what you do. So removing sawdust, flammable liquids and general tidying will help, but may not necessarily prevent a fire.
In regards to Fire Extinguishers, unless you are in the workshop when a fire starts, it is unlikely that a small ABC/Dry Powder will put out a fire of medium intensity. Beside's a Fire Extinguisher will really only punch a hole through a fire wall to get you out to a place of safety. Also you need to remember what you have in your workshop, some lacquers, thinners, wax polishes ect have a very low flash point and will not require much heat to spread the fire into an uncontrollable state. If you try to tackle this type of fire with a small extinguisher, it could cost you more than your workshop!
As Jacob said an ABC/Dry Powder would be the best choice as it is a universal fire exinguisher (but you can't use it on some metals, a specilist one is needed for this), but a note of warning if the fire is extinguished, it may damage/knacker all the other items of electrical equipment that is in there, and your vision will disappear in an instant (depending on workshop size) and it don't do much for your breathing either.
HTH
