Know your fire extinguisher

There are 5 main fire extinguisher types in Australia – Water, Foam, Dry Powder, CO2 and Wet Chemical.

Find out the types of Fire Extinguishers and their purposes.

Within the 5 main types of fire extinguisher, there are 2 versions of Dry Powder extinguishers, Dry Powder – standard and Dry Powder – High performance. Australia’s regulations require all business premises to fire safety equipment in place. It’s important to have the right types of fire extinguisher for your house or business premises.

Australian Fire Classes

There are 6 classes of fire: Class A, Class B, Class C, Class D, ‘Electrical’, and Class F. The chart below is a quick reference showing which types of extinguisher should be used on each class.

Class A

Wood, Paper & Plastic.

Class B

Flammable & Combustible Liquids.

Class C

Flammable Gasses.

Class E

Energised Electrical Equipment.

Class F

Cooking Oils and Fats.

Additional info..

Limited Indicates that the fire extinguisher is not the first choice for that type of fire, it will have limiting fire extinguishing capability. Green YES indicates the most suitable extinguisher for that class of fire.Class D fires (involving combustible metals) Use only special purpose extinguishers and seek expert advise.

ALL FIRE EXTINGUISHERS MUST BE CHARGED AFTER USE

Foam Fire Extinguisher

Fire Fire Class A & B

Foam fire extinguisher contains a concentrate mixed with water and is best suited for the use against fires that involve flammable and combustible liquids such as paper, textiles, wood, petrol, oil and paints, plastics and rubber.

Available Foam Fire Extinguisher:

9L Foam Fire Extinguisher – FOAM 2A20B

Note: Dangerous if used on energized electrical equipment.

Water Fire Extinguisher

Fire Fire Class A

Water extinguishers are for Class A fires only – they should not be used on Class B or C fires.

Available Water Fire Extinguisher:

9L Water fire extinguisher – Air 2A

Note: Dangerous if used on flammable liquid, energized electrical equipment and cooking oils and fats.

Wet Chemical Fire Extinguisher

Fire Fire Class A & F

Wet chemical extinguishers were developed for modern, high efficiency deep fryers in commercial cooking operations. Some may also be used on Class A fires in commercial kitchens.

Available Wet Chemical Fire Extinguisher:

2L Wet Chemical Fire Extinguisher – 1A3F

7L Wet Chemical Fire Extinguisher – 2A4F

Note: Dangerous if used on energized electrical equipment.

C02 Fire Extinguisher

Fire Fire Class E

Carbon Dioxide fire extinguishers extinguish fire by taking away the oxygen element of the fire triangle and also be removing the heat
with a very cold discharge.

Available CO2 Fire Extinguisher:

2kg Co2 fire extinguisher – CO2 2BE

3.5kg Co2 fire extinguisher – CO2 3BE

5kg Co2 fire extinguisher – CO2 5BE

Note: Not suitable for outdoor use.

Dry Powder Fire Extinguisher ABE

Fire Fire Class A,B,C,D & E

Dry Powder Fire Extinguishers ABE commonly used for fires occurring in the house, boat, garage, car or caravan. This type of extinguisher is not effective on fires involving cooking oils and fats.

Available Dry Powder Fire Extinguisher ABE:

0.75kg Dry Powder Fire Extinguisher – DCP 1A10BE

1.5kg Dry Powder Fire Extinguisher – DCP 2A20BE

1kg Dry Powder Fire Extinguisher – DCP 1A20BE

2.5kg Dry Chemical Powder Extinguisher – DCP 3A40BE

2.5kg Dry Powder Fire Extinguisher – DCP 2A40BE

2kg Dry Powder Fire Extinguisher – DCP 2A30BE

4.5kg Dry Chemical Powder High Performance – DCP 4A80BE

4.5kg Dry Powder Fire Extinguisher – DCP 3A60BE

9kg Dry Powder Fire Extinguisher – DCP 6A80BE

Note: Look carefully to determine if it is a BE or ABE unit as their capabilities are different.