Info about Fire Extinguishers
The Benefits of Fire Extinguishers
Portable fire extinguishers will be found in most public buildings to reduce the risks of injuries during a fire. Thousands of lives may have been saved by taking this precaution.
A fire extinguisher is a device that is created specifically for putting out a fire. The first fire extinguisher was made in the 19th century by George William Manby, who was captain of the British militia. He realized that fire fighters could not reach the top story of buildings so he developed the device for them to use. He made a copper cylinder that had compressed air and water inside. The firemen only had to spray it out of the hose to extinguish the fire.
The device made constant improvements to fit the needs of the changing world. The improved devices had better chemicals and were made from better materials.
Today fire extinguishers have a cartridge filled carbon dioxide inside. The carbon dioxide creates pressure on the fire extinguishing agent. When you push the lever, carbon dioxide pushes the agent and projects it through the hose. The pressure allows the user to stand a safe distance from the fire while being able to control it.
There are several different kids of fire extinguishers. Each one is specifically designed to certain burning material. Research has found that some extinguishing agents work better than others when they are used on electronics, liquids, or wood.
Type A fire extinguishers are made for combustible materials with a cellulose base, such as cardboard, wood, or paper. They are also used on things like plastics, trash, cloth, and Styrofoam. This type of fire extinguisher is marked with a green triangle with an A inside it, a trash can that is burning, and a black square showing burning wood.
Type B is made for grease or flammable liquids. This type of fire extinguisher should be used on materials like oil, solvent, kerosene, gasoline, paint, and rubber cement. It is marked with a B inside a red square and a burning gas can inside a black square.
Type C fire extinguishers are for putting out electrical fires. The extinguisher is marked with a C inside a blue circle and a square containing a burning plug and socket. This type would be used on a fuse box, an appliance, or a computer.
Class D is used for flammable metals like sodium, titanium, and magnesium. This one has a D inside a yellow star.
Type K can be used for oils, but it was specially designed for commercial kitchens. It has only been on the market eight years and it is rare to see one. Most restaurants still use Type B.
It is extremely important to be prepared with a fire extinguisher in case of an emergency. Be sure that you have purchased the proper type for your work area. If you have to wrong type of fire extinguisher, it might not be effective on the material that is burning. You could save a life by being prepared, and it could be your own.