Fire Extinguisher size – does size really matter? Yes, it does! Fire extinguishers are vitally important for protecting lives and your assets and the wrong type or size can have serious repercussions.

Let’s just answer a question we get asked a lot first…YES you do need a portable fire extinguisher for your business even if you have a sprinkler system or fire suppression system.

How do you know which is the right fire extinguisher size for your business?

Both Class A and B extinguishers are rated for the size of fire they can put out. For Class A fires, this rating is expressed as a number from 1 to 40. For Class B fires, the number is between 1 and 640. The higher the number, the larger the fire that can be extinguished. So higher numbers will generally be found on larger extinguishers.

What potential fire risks are there for YOUR business?

When choosing fire extinguisher sizes, you need to keep in mind your business environment and its potential fire hazards. But remember, this will be different for each and every business. The size and type of fire that is likely to occur in an office building for example, is much different than one that could occur at a manufacturer of hazardous materials.

What is your size?

Do you have an average-sized room with limited combustible materials? Or do you occupy a large warehouse where the fuel load is larger, and a fire has more room to spread? In terms of room size and fuel load, these can mean the difference between a 5lb or 30lb extinguisher.

How capable are your employees?

Having a large, high-capacity fire extinguisher is all well and good until you find out that none of your employees are physically capable of lifting or using it.! If your extinguishers are too heavy or bulky, you could be creating a dangerous situation if nobody can handle them. As a general rule, most able-bodied individuals should have no trouble using a 5lbs extinguisher. Once you start to get heavier than that, some may find it more difficult.

Many businesses struggle with important fire extinguisher questions: how many do we need? Where do we put them? How far apart should they be? The good news is that you don’t have to figure this out on your own. Total Safe are here to figure this out for you an advise you on what is best for your business. We can also carry out a Fire Risk Assessment which will help us determine the exact fire protection needs for your specific business environment.

Fire extinguisher mainenance should be carried out on the extinguishers at your workplace. Contact our team today to book your fire extinguisher servicing.