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Fixed Systems & Extinguishers

Portable Fire Extinguishers
Portable Fire Extinguishers
Why have portable fire extinguishers?
NFPA Standard #10 states that portable fire
extinguishers are the first line of defense
for fires of limited size.
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Portable Fire Extinguishers
Why are there different kinds of portable
fire extinguishers?
Fire extinguishers are classified by the types
of fire they are designed to extinguish.
Portable Fire Extinguishers
Review: What are the five Classes of Fire?
Class A: Ordinary combustibles
Class B: Flammable liquids and gases
Class C: Energized electrical equipment
Class D: Combustible metals
Class K: Vegetable cooking oils
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Class A Ordinary Combustibles
Examples: wood, cloth, paper
Best method of extinguishment:
Cooling the material below its
ignition temperature.
Class B Flammable Liquids & Gases
Examples: hydrocarbon liquids and gases,
non-cooking greases
Best method of extinguishment:
remove fuel - shut off flow
smother reduce or exclude air (oxygen)
inhibit the chain reaction
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Class B Flammable Liquids & Gases
Flash points of some common liquids &
flammable gases:
gasoline minus 36
0
F
fuel oil - 100
0
F
turpentine - 95
0
F
liquefied propane minus 45
0
F
liquefied hydrogen minus 320
0
F
Class C Energized Electrical Equipment
Examples: TV's, electrical appliances,
electrical motors and generators
Best method of extinguishment:
De-energized and handle like a Class A or B fire.
Smothering with a non-conductive media may
stop the heat from transferring to combustibles.
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Class D Combustible Metals
Examples: magnesium, titanium, sodium,
potassium
Best method of extinguishment:
Cover with material specific agents.
The use of water may cause an increase in the severity of the fire.
Class K Vegetable Cooking Oils
Examples: deep fat fryers (restaurants)
Best method of extinguishment:
Cover with material specific agents.
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Identifying Portable Fire Extinguishers
Letters: A, B, C, D, K
Geometric shapes and colors
- Class A = triangle = green
- Class B = square = red
- Class C = circle = blue
- Class D = star = yellow
- Class K =
Portable fire extinguishers can be identified by letter,
symbol and its color, and pictograph.
Identifying Portable Fire Extinguishers
Pictograph or illustration:
Class A trash, paper, wood
Class B gasoline can & spilled liquid
Class C electrical plug & receptacle
Class K frying pan
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Effectiveness of Portable Fire Extinguishers
Federal study of 100 fires:
portable fire extinguishers were used in 49% of the
fires
28% of the fires were extinguished
9% used the wrong class of extinguisher
3% of the extinguishers were misused.
Effectiveness of Portable Fire Extinguishers
Another study: when portable fire extinguishers
were used - 93.9% of fires were extinguished.
How can these two studies be so different?
The second study was done by the National Association of Fire
equipment Distributors.
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Limitations of Portable Fire Extinguishers
What factors could limit the effectiveness of
portable fire extinguishers?
1. Human behavior
2. Fuel
3. Design limitations
Limitations of Portable Fire Extinguishers
To be effective, portable fire extinguishers must be:
Accessible
Working properly
The right type
Positioned within range
Used while the fire is small
Used correctly
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Portable Fire Extinguishers Rating System
Underwriters Laboratories (U.L.) uses a comparative
system to rate fire extinguishers.
A 2A extinguisher will put out twice as much fire as a
1A extinguisher.
Class A are tested three times using wood chips, a
wood panel test, and an excelsior test.
Portable Fire Extinguishers Rating System
Underwriters Laboratories (U.L.) uses a comparative
system to rate fire extinguishers.
The numerical rating for Class B extinguishers
indicates an area in square feet.
The number indicates an area in square feet of a fire of
flammable liquid 2 deep (in an 8 deep an) that can be
extinguished.
This rating is for an untrained operator. A 20-B = 20 square feet
of spill. (That is only 40% of what a trained firefighter can be
expected to extinguish)
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Portable Fire Extinguishers Rating System
Underwriters Laboratories (U.L.) uses a
comparative system to rate fire extinguishers.
Class C and D extinguishers have no numerical
rating.
The letter C indicates non-conductive agent.
Typical Types of Portable Fire Extinguishers
Pumptanks:
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Typical Types of Portable Fire Extinguishers
Pressurized Water:
Typical Types of Portable Fire Extinguishers
CO
2
:
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Typical Types of Portable Fire Extinguishers
Dry Chemical:
Typical Types of Portable Fire Extinguishers
Dry Powder:
Designed for combustible metals
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Typical Types of Portable Fire Extinguishers
Halon:
Portable Fire Extinguisher Inspections
An inspection is usually a quick check to
ensure that the extinguisher is available
and will operate.
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Portable Fire Extinguisher Inspections
Inspection should include the following procedure:
1. In proper location and accessible
2. Legible operating instruction on nameplate
3. Full charged with agent
4. Has not been tampered with
5. No visible physical damage, nozzle free of any
obstruction
6. Sight gauges, if any, read properly
7. Locking pins and other safety devices in place
8. Maintenance tag securely attached and up to date
9. Brackets and other retaining devices are in good
working order
Placement of Class A Portable Extinguishers
To calculate the location and size(s), first determine the
occupancy hazard: light, ordinary, or extra hazardous
Minimum size for an occupancy:
Light = one 2-A
Ordinary = one 2-A
Extra = one 4-A
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Placement of Class A Portable Extinguishers
To determine the number of 2-A units (extinguishers) for a
light hazard: divide the square footage by 3000.
160 X 40 = 6400/3000 = 2.13 or 3 units (3 2-A)
If the occupancy was ordinary hazard?
160 X 40 = 6400/1500 = 4.26 or 5 units (5 2-A)
If the occupancy was extra hazard?
160 X 40 = 6400/1000 = 6.4 or 7 units (7 4-A)
Placement of Class A Portable Extinguishers
There is a maximum square footage that one extinguisher
may cover?
11,250 square feet for light, ordinary, and extra hazardous.
Example: How many 2-A units would be required for
light hazard occupancy that was 11,500 square feet?
11,500/3000 = 3.8 or four 2-A, or two 4-A, or one 8-A?
Need at least two extinguishers because it is more than
11,250 Sq Ft: any combination that totals at least four 2-As
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Placement of Class A Portable Extinguishers
There is a maximum travel distance to an extinguisher:
Maximum of 75 from ANY point within the building.
Example: How many 2-A units would be required for light
hazard occupancy if the building was 80 feet by 80 feet
6400/3000 = 3 2-A
80
80
exit
exit
Placement of Class B Portable Extinguishers
A little more complicated:
Light requires minimum of 1 5-B with a travel distance
of 30 ft. or a 1 10-B if distance is 50 ft.
Ordinary: 1 10-B at 30 ft. or 1 20-B if 50 ft.
Hazard: 1 40-B at 30 ft. or 1 80-B at 50 ft.
A spill of flammable liquid that was more than inch deep
would require a fixed system for protection.
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Placement of Class C & D Portable Extinguishers
No placement rules for distance or size for Class C or
D portable fire extinguishers.
NFPA recommends that the travel distance to a Class
D agent should not exceed 75 feet.
P.A.S.S.
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Auxiliary and Manual Fire Extinguishing Equipment
Buckets of water
Buckets of sand
Fire blankets
Garden hoses
Portable Fire Extinguishers
REVIEW
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How do the following agents extinguisher fire?
Water: cooling below ignition temperature
CO
2
: smothering
Dry Chemical: inhibit the chain reaction
Wet Chemical: cooling, smothering, remove fuel, inhibit
chain reaction
Dry powder: ? and some smothering
Halon: ?
Describe the portable fire extinguisher rating system:
Class A extinguishers are compared with other Class
As.
A 8-A will but out twice as much fire as a 4-A
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Describe the portable fire extinguisher rating system:
The numbering of Class B extinguishers indicate the
square footage of a flammable liquid fire that can be
extinguished with one unit.
A 60-B is designed to extinguish 60 square feet of a
flammable liquid fire.
Describe the portable fire extinguisher rating system:
Class C has no numerical system, C indicates that
the agent is non-conductive.
Class D has no numerical system, D indicates the
agent is for combustible metal fires.
Class K ??? (kitchen fire???)
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List the five Classes of Fire:
Class A, ordinary combustible
Class B, Flammable liquids and gases
Class C, energized electrical equipment
Class D, combustible metals
Class K, vegetable cooking oils
Portable Fire Extinguisher Inspections
List any five (5) items to look for during a portable fire extinguisher
inspection:
1. In proper location and accessible
2. Legible operating instruction on nameplate
3. Full charged with agent
4. Has not been tampered with
5. No visible physical damage, nozzle free of any obstruction
6. Sight gauges, if any, read properly
7. Locking pins and other safety devices in place
8. Maintenance tag securely attached and up to date
9. Brackets and other retaining devices are in good working order
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What doe the word
P.A.S.S. stand for?
THE END