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The main purpose of fire extinguishers and fire hoses is to help people make their way out of a burning building, but they can also be used to extinguish a small fire. Because of this, fire extinguishers must be placed in all areas of your building and must be marked by signs.
In Places of Worship, fire extinguishers should be modern appliances which comply with the BS EN 3 standard. For advice about fire extinguishers in you Place of Worship, please contact a reputable supplier, such as our sponsor Fire Protection Online, who will normally advise you for free.
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Numbers and location
The first kind of fire extinguisher cover that is needed would be from extinguishers that contain water or foam. These are suitable for fires involving wood, paper and textiles etc… (known as 'Class A'). They must not be used on live electrical equipment. These extinguishers are often needed to secure a means of escape from the building.
Foam extinguishers have some advantages over water extinguishers, one of which is that they may be used on fires involving flammable liquids (known as 'Class B'). A similar class of extinguishers include water with an additive. These are usually smaller and more discrete than their plain water counterparts.
Current recommended practice is that you need one extinguisher for every 200m2 of floor area, being spaced a maximum of 30 metres apart. It is recommended that you have a minimum of two extinguishers per floor level. Usually, these are 9-litre water or a 6-litre foam extinguishers, with a fire rating of '13A'.
Not all fires can be extinguished with water or foam, and some fires could even be made worse. It is common practice to put additional extinguishers of different types next to specific fire hazards like cookers and boilers.
In kitchens, a fire blanket should be fitted because not all fires can be put out with a fire extinguisher. The blanket, when placed over the fire, smothers the fire, preventing oxygen getting into the fire. The usual kind of fire blanket is a 'light duty' type, most of which are replaced after use.
Extinguishers should be fixed to the wall with the supplied clips, but in some Places of Worship this is not possible because it will affect historic building features. It would not be considered appropriate for extinguishers to be rested directly on the floor, and small plastic or metal stands are readily available to take the extinguisher and a sign. Stands are available in a range of colours and styles to suit the location.
In the smallest of buildings, it might be acceptable to use multipurpose extinguishers, such as a 2kg dry powder extinguisher. These must be readily available within the premises, and the same rules about servicing and maintenance apply to these extinguishers. For buildings where the floor area is below 90m2 it might be acceptable to have only one extinguisher.
Extinguisher types
The table below shows the most used modern extinguisher types that are available for use in Places of Worship. The colour code appears on the whole body of older extinguishers but modern ones usually have a coloured label or coloured writing on a red body.
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