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Typically, someone who requires a fire extinguisher will purchase an ABC fire extinguisher without giving much idea to the real fire hazards they need to safeguard against. When buying fire extinguishers, you have to understand several aspects of extinguishers in order to make a notified choice, specifically, the fire class you need to safeguard versus and special conditions you have to consider (computer system electronic devices, for instance).

Classes of fire extinguishers

When it comes to fire extinguishers, there are 5 classes of fires: A, B, C, D, and K.

Class A - Fire extinguishers rated for Class A fires have a green triangle with an "A" in the center in addition to a pictogram of a garbage can and wood burning. These extinguishers are used to put out fires for common combustibles like paper, cloth, rubber, and some plastics (materials that leave ash when scorched, thus, the "A";).

Class B - Fire extinguishers rated for Class B fires have a red square with a "B" in the center along with a pictogram of a gasoline can with a burning puddle. These extinguishers are utilized to snuff out fires for flammable liquids like gas, lubricating oil, diesel fuel, and many organic solvents discovered in laboratories (things found in barrels, thus "B";).

Class C - Fire extinguishers ranked for Class C fires have a blue circle with a "C" in the center as well as a pictogram of an electric plug with a burning outlet. These extinguishers are utilized to snuff out electrical fires for stimulated electrical devices, electrical motors, circuit switches, tools, and panels (" C" for current-electrical).

Class D fire hose reels nz - Fire extinguishers ranked for Class D fires have a yellow pentagram (star) with a "D" in the center in addition to a pictogram of a burning gear and bearing. These extinguishers are used to extinguish fires from metals and metal alloys like titanium, magnesium, and salt.

Class K - Class K fire extinguishers are used specifically for cooking fires from grease, fat, and cooking oil (" K" for kitchen).

You can get fire extinguishers with a single class score or several fire class rankings (ABC or BC, for example).

Fire extinguishing products

Fire extinguishers utilize different products for extinguishing fires. When choosing your extinguisher, you need to determine exactly what kind of fire you may be fighting then pick the best extinguishing product for your application.

Water: Water, or APW, extinguishers usage pressurized water to snuff out fires. APW extinguishers can only be utilized for Class A fires (combustibles such as paper, fabric, etc.); they can not be used for putting out other classes of fires.

Dry chemical: Dry chemicals are used to extinguish A-, B-, C-, or D-type fires. Dry chemical extinguishers are extremely efficient at putting out fires.

Co2: Carbon dioxide works by getting rid of oxygen from the instant vicinity of the fire. Co2 extinguishers are only ever used for B (flammable liquid) and C (electrical fires) extinguishers. For computer, scientific and medical equipment, and aircraft electronic devices, co2 would be a much better option than dry chemical extinguishers due to the fact that a co2 extinguisher leaves no residue.

Metal/sand: Some class D fire extinguishers utilize metal or sand, such as sodium chloride (NaCl) or powdered copper metal, to smother fires from metals and metal alloys.

Unique applications

Some fire dangers need customized extinguishers. Here are a few examples of those applications.

Metal or sand extinguishers are used to put out class D (metal and metal alloy) fires:

Salt (sodium chloride-- NaCl) is the most typically used material in metal/sand extinguishers. NaCl extinguishers work well with fires involving magnesium, salt, potassium, alloys of potassium and salt, uranium, and powdered aluminum.

Sodium carbonate extinguishers are also utilized on fires involving salt, potassium, and alloys of potassium and sodium. Where stress rust of stainless steel is a consideration, this kind of fire extinguisher would be a much better choice than an NaCl extinguisher.

Powdered copper (Cu) metal is utilized for fires involving lithium and lithium alloys.

Graphite powder extinguishers are utilized on lithium fires as well as fires that involve high-melting-point metals like titanium and zirconium.

Sodium-bicarbonate-based extinguishers are utilized on fires including metal alkyls and pyrophoric liquids.

Halotron I is a tidy agent replacement for Halon 1211, which was prohibited from usage due to its ozone depleting homes. Halotron I extinguishers are used for extinguishing fires in computer rooms, clean rooms, and where telecommunications devices or electronics exist. Halotron leaves no residue and is nonconducting but is more costly than co2. It should be noted that Halotron I will no longer be produced after 2015.

FE-36 extinguishers are less harmful than Halon 1211 and Halotron I and reportedly have no ozone-depleting potential. FE-36 is likewise used for fires in computer rooms, clean spaces, and where telecom equipment or electronics are present.

Nonmagnetic fire extinguishers: Wherever strong magnets remain in use, for instance, near magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) or nuclear magnetic resonance spectrometers (NMRSs), nonmagnetic fire extinguishers ought to be selected. The strong electromagnetic fields created by this type of equipment can trigger steel cylinder fire extinguishers to fly across a space with fatal force.

It is important to ensure that you have the appropriate fire extinguishers for your environment or potential fire risks. It can be the difference between whether your fire is removed or triggers a catastrophy.

Dry chemical: Dry chemicals are utilized to extinguish A-, B-, C-, or D-type fires. Dry chemical extinguishers are extremely efficient at putting out fires. Carbon dioxide extinguishers are just ever utilized for B (combustible liquid) and C (electrical fires) extinguishers. Halotron I extinguishers are used for snuffing out fires in computer spaces, tidy rooms, and where telecommunications devices or electronic devices are present. FE-36 is likewise used for fires in computer system spaces, clean rooms, and where telecommunications equipment or electronic devices are present.