Fire extinguisher regulations and types: How they apply to you
Having a clear understanding of the proper procedures or guidelines for your building’s fire extinguisher safety is crucial for an efficient response in the case of an emergency.
Business owners, property managers and commercial facilities managers are required to ensure that their buildings are compliant with a range of fire safety legislation, including those relevant to fire extinguishers.
In NSW, buildings are mandated to submit an annual or supplementary Fire Safety Statement, as specified by the Environmental Planning and Assessment (Development Certification and Fire Safety) Regulation 2021. This certification encompasses the requirement for buildings to have essential fire safety measures in place, including the installation of fire extinguishers.
Having an understanding of the most suitable fire safety equipment for your building and environment is crucial to ensure the safety of your property and people.
We have broken down the different types of fires, extinguishers and the standards that outline your application of fire extinguisher safety.
Types of fires
There are six classes of fire in Australia and each class requires a different approach to extinguishing them.
The different classes of fire include:
Class A Fires
Class A fires involve combustible materials or flammable solids including wood, paper, plastic and fabric. This may include clothing and rubbish that have caught alight.
Class B Fires
Class B fires involve flammable liquids. This may include petrol, oil, paint or cleaning spirits.
Class C Fires
Class C fires involve flammable gasses. This may include liquefied petroleum gas, propane gas, hydrogen or butane gas.
Class D Fires
Class D fires involve combustible metals. This may include magnesium, aluminium or potassium.
Class E Fires
Class E fires are electrical fires. This will involve electrical equipment, however once the electrical item is removed the fire class will change.
Class F Fires
Class F fires involve cooking oils and fats. These will typically occur in a kitchen with oil-based ingredients used for cooking. Water-based extinguishing methods should never be used on a Class F fire.
Fire extinguisher types
There are six types of fire extinguishers that are used in Australia. Each extinguisher has a different purpose and is suitable for a different number of fire classes.
Fire extinguishers should have a coloured band on the top of them to indicate the type of extinguisher it is so users can identify which type of fire it can be used for.
The coloured bands are relevant to the following extinguishers:
Red
Red banded extinguishers are water-based. These extinguishers are only suitable for Class A fires and should not be used on other fire classes.
Red with Blue band
Blue-banded extinguishers are foam and are only suitable for Class A and B fires.
Red with White band
White extinguishers are dry powder. These are suitable for Class B and E fires. If the extinguisher is ABE (general purpose), it can also be used on Class A fires.
Red with Black band
Black-banded extinguishers are carbon dioxide, which is suitable for Class E and B fires. These extinguishers are loud and have a cold and pressurised discharge.
Red with Oatmeal band
Oatmeal-banded extinguishers are wet chemicals, which are suitable for Class A and F fires.
The correct fire extinguisher to use can be easily found using the following chart:
Fire extinguisher safety processes and procedures
In Australia, there are standards that outline which types of fire extinguishers are to be installed in specific building classes and where. Fire extinguishers also require ongoing servicing and maintenance to ensure they are in safe and working order.
Our qualified fire safety team can ensure that your people and property are not only compliant but have taken all measures required to ensure safety in a fire emergency with our installation, certification and maintenance fire safety services.
It is also crucial to ensure that your staff or residents are trained to correctly in fire extinguisher safety. This allows them to have the skills and knowledge to react appropriately and efficiently in the case of a fire emergency.
It is important that those who may find themselves needing to use a fire extinguisher know which one is suitable for the specific fire and how to extinguish it safely. Our team provide a range of fire safety training {link to training} that can educate participants on the most effective fire safety processes.
