What Is The Proper Way To Use A Fire Extinguisher

Hopefully, you'll never be in a burn and so yous'll never demand to know how to utilise a fire extinguisher.

But of course, fires Exercise happen. According to the U.Due south. Fire Administration, in a recent year there were about 1,300,000 fires in the US, and they acquired nearly iii,300 deaths, xvi,000 injuries, and nearly $12 billion in losses/damages.

Then we should all promise nosotros're never involved in a burn down, simply we should also larn how to use a fire extinguisher just in example.

To assist, we've put together this fire extinguisher guide, which presents the proper fashion to select and use a fire extinguisher, and also gives you some guidance about when you should use a fire extinguisher instead of simply getting to prophylactic and when you should evacuate if the burn gets too big despite your efforts.

When to Use a Fire Extinguisher

What's the first thing you call back of when yous call up of burn extinguisher steps of operation? Take a moment and give it some thought.

Was your first step something like "determine if I should employ a fire extinguisher or go to safety instead?" If non, you overlooked a very important decision signal.

If you lot're involved in a fire, there may exist times when it's best for you to go to safety instead of trying to fight the burn. In fact, at that place are times when fighting the fire may increase the danger to yourself and to others in the area.

Here is a list of things to consider before yous try to fight a burn. Only stay and fight the fire if you lot can say "yes" to every item on the list.

• Is the burn modest enough and contained enough that y'all can put information technology out safely?
• Is a fire extinguisher available and within piece of cake attain?
• Is the fire extinguisher of the proper type to put out the kind of burn down you want to extinguisher? (Read below for more on types of fires and fire extinguishers.)
• Is the extinguisher fully charged and big enough to put out the burn down?
• Have you been trained to properly apply a fire extinguisher?
• Can you be certain that yous won't be putting yourself or others at risk if yous use the fire extinguisher to fight the fire?

When thinking most how to utilize a fire extinguisher, it's easy to overlook the start issue, only it may be the most important of all. Don't put yourself or others at risk by attempting to follow the burn down extinguisher steps listed beneath if it's not a fire you can put out safely.

In many cases, the improve and safer decision is to trigger a fire alarm, become yourself to prophylactic and help others to safety, and make sure trained fire protection professionals are notified and on the style.

How to Use a Fire Extinguisher

In the rest of this article, nosotros'll nowadays additional fire extinguisher steps to follow based on the assumption that you've already determined information technology is safe and appropriate for you to fight the fire and that a fire alarm has been triggered.

Footstep 1: Know What Kind of Burn down It Is (Burn Classification)

Fire hateful seem elementary, only in reality there are different types of fires (these are besides called fire classifications). And it's important to know what type of fire you're trying to put out so that you tin be sure to use the right type of fire extinguishers.

Burn experts have named the different types of fires using a five-letter naming system (Blazon A, Type B, Type C, Blazon D, and Type One thousand). The type of fire depends on what the burn is called-for.

The table below explains these dissimilar types of fires. Annotation that these fire types are also known as fire classes.

Blazon of Burn	Description of Burn
Type A	Fires involving wood, paper, cloth, rubber, and many plastics.
Type B	Fires involving flammable liquids and gases including gasoline, solvents, propane, and paints.
Type C	Fires involving energized electrical equipment, including fuse boxes, wiring, command panels, computers, copiers, machines, and appliances. In brusk, anything plugged into electricity.
Blazon D	A fire involving metals, including combustible powders, shavings, or flakes of metals such every bit magnesium, titanium, potassium, and sodium.
Type K	Fires involving cooking oils and fats oft used in commercial kitchens.

Think that knowing what'due south burning, and therefore knowing the type of burn down, is important so you'll utilise the right blazon of burn down extinguisher.

Boosted Tips for this Step of our Fire Extinguisher Guide

1. We mentioned this in the earlier section, but when you're looking at the fire to determine what type of fire it is, make sure information technology's non too big to fight and make sure you've got a way to get away if things get worse.
2. If you're like almost every living person alive, you'll forget the five fire types listed higher up quondam today or tomorrow (burn down experts excepted, of course). If you Can think them, peachy. But if not, it's a adept idea to put a list of the fire types like the i to a higher place near burn down extinguishers.

Footstep 2: Go the Right Type of Burn Extinguisher

In one case you know the blazon of fire, check to encounter if yous take the correct kind of fire extinguisher to put out that burn.

For case, if yous've got a Type A fire, y'all want a burn extinguisher that'south capable of putting out Type A fires.

So how practise you know the type or types of fires that a fire extinguisher tin put out?

The easiest way is to wait at the label on the burn extinguisher. It volition tell y'all what blazon of fire (or fire form) the fire extinguisher can safely put out.

Some extinguishers can merely put out ane blazon of burn. For case, you may see a fire extinguisher with an "A" rating. You should just employ that blazon of extinguisher on Type A fires. On the other paw, some fire extinguishers can put out several different types of fires. For case, you lot may see a fire extinguisher with an A, B, and C rating. You could use that type of burn extinguisher to put out Type A, Type B, and Type C fires.

The best way to know what type of fire extinguisher you have is to look at the label, as shown below.

The of import thing to think from this section is to brand sure the burn down extinguisher you want to utilise has a label maxim information technology tin safely extinguisher the type of burn down you're trying to extinguish.

The Fire Equipment Manufacturer'southward Clan has more information if you'd like to learn fifty-fifty more than about types of burn extinguishers.

Boosted Tips for this Step of our Burn down Extinguisher Guide

Nosotros mentioned this earlier too, but when you're checking to make certain you've got the right kind of burn down extinguisher, make sure the extinguisher is fully charged and that information technology's big enough for the fire you want to put out.

Step iii: The PASS Method for Using a Fire Extinguisher

Once y'all know the type of burn and take selected an appropriate fire extinguisher, you'll want to utilise the extinguisher to put the burn out.

But not anybody knows how to use an extinguisher. Fortunately, in that location'southward a elementary, 4-step method you can follow to utilize a fire extinguisher properly. The fire extinguisher steps method is known every bit PASS, and each letter in the discussion PASS (P, A, Due south, and S) stands for the first discussion of each step. The Laissez passer method works for many mutual fire extinguishers.

We've explained the iv steps of the PASS method for using a fire extinguisher below.

PASS Step 1: PULL the pin

Many burn extinguishers accept a pin well-nigh the handle at the top like the one shown in the prototype beneath. Begin by removing that pin. In some cases, instead of a pivot there's been a lock latch you'll have to release or a puncture level you accept to press.

Because these steps can differ, y'all'll desire to larn how the fire extinguishers at your work or home operate BEFORE you take a burn down.

Laissez passer Step 2: AIM the nozzle, equus caballus, or hose

Aim the nozzle, horn, or hose of the fire extinguisher at the base of the fire (this means the bottom, where the stuff that'due south burning is located).

A mutual mistake is to aim into the flames. This won't put out the fire.

PASS Footstep three: Squeeze the handle

Next, squeeze the handle of the fire extinguisher.

This volition cause the fire extinguisher to begin working.

Laissez passer Step iv: SWEEP from side to side at the base of the fire

Employ a sweeping movement from side to side to cover the base of the fire.

Continue extinguishing the burn down until the burn is completely out. After the burn appears to exist out, watch the expanse in case the fire breaks out again, and echo employ of the extinguisher if necessary.

The video below from our Fire Extinguisher Safety Online Grooming course demonstrates the entire PASS method of how to utilize a fire extinguisher.

Additional Tips for this Step of our Fire Extinguisher Guide

1. Although the Laissez passer method works for many fire extinguishers, it's not the correct method for all. Some fire extinguishers require that you use the burn down suppressant that shoots out of the extinguisher in a top-down, rain-like manner (instead of aiming at the base and sweeping). As always, the best thing to practise is know exactly what kind of fire extinguisher you've got at home or piece of work and exactly how to employ it earlier you need to use information technology. It'due south also not a bad thought to post large, easy-to-read operating instructions virtually the fire extinguisher.
2. Reading an article about how to use burn down extinguishers helps, and watching an online burn extinguisher safety training course helps even more, but information technology's still a good idea to get some real hands-on training if you tin. Run into if you and your prophylactic managing director at piece of work tin arrange for fire extinguisher practise in a safety, controlled environment as role of your general safety training.

Footstep 4: When to Quite Fighting the Burn and Evacuate the Fire Scene

When you're actively fighting the fire, you should remember at that place may be cases when y'all'll have to give up, quit fighting the burn, and evacuate the fire area for your ain safe.

Here are some reasons to quit fighting a fire and to evacuate immediately:

• The fire is spreading too quickly
• The burn could block your only exit
• The fire is besides large
• The fire is so hot you lot tin't become close enough to fight it effectively (ten-15 feet)
• You've had to go down on your knees and/or clamber considering you tin can't see well otherwise, because of high temperatures, or because of smoke

Once you've left the fire surface area, brand sure a burn alarm has been triggered (if information technology hasn't already) and burn fighting professionals are on the way.

Additional Manufactures about Burn down Extinguishers

In improver to this article, yous may discover the following manufactures related to fire safe and fire extinguishers helpful:

• OSHA Burn down Extinguisher Safety Grooming Requirements
• Types of Burn down Extinguishers - Which One To Buy
• OSHA Burn Extinguisher Mounting Height, Placement & Signage Requirements
• How to Pass an OSHA Fire Extinguisher Inspection

Finally, you lot may desire to consider our online fire extinguisher safety training course.

Conclusion: How to Use a Fire Extinguisher--A Fire Extinguisher Guide

Nosotros hope you've found this caption of how to use a burn extinguisher helpful and informative. Think this commodity is a good start but additional training and preparation is wise.

In addition, become familiar with the fire hazards, fire precautions, and fire extinguishers at your workplace or dwelling house.

Jeff Dalto, Senior Learning & Performance Comeback Manager
Jeff is a learning designer and performance improvement specialist with more than 20 years in learning and evolution, 15+ of which have been spent working in manufacturing, industrial, and compages, engineering & construction training. Jeff has worked side-past-side with more than than 50 companies as they implemented online training. Jeff is an advocate for using testify-based training practices and is currently completing a Masters caste in Organizational Performance and Workplace Learning from Boise Country University. He writes the Vector Solutions | Convergence Preparation blog and invites yous to connect with him on LinkedIn.

What Is The Proper Way To Use A Fire Extinguisher,

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