Fullworks Fire Safety Australia: Blog Blog https://fullworksfiresafety.com.au/ Thu, 28 Mar 2024 12:50:42 GMT urn:store:1:blog:post:3 https://fullworksfiresafety.com.au/fire-safety-in-your-home-part-1 Fire Safety in Your Home Part 1 <h2>So how many fire extinguishers and fire blankets do you have around your home?</h2> <p>OK so I own and run a fire safety company, which may be cheating a little, we don't deep fry anything and we very rarely cook anything that is unattended, but we still have a few fire extinguishers around the house. To give you an idea, we have...</p> <ul> <li>1kg Dry powder fire extinguisher in the kitchen</li> <li>1m x 1m Fire blanket in the kitchen</li> <li>1.5kg Dry powder fire extinguisher in the workshop / garage</li> <li>2kg Dry powder fire extinguisher in the workshop / garage</li> <li>1kg Dry powder fire extinguisher in each car</li> </ul> <p>You and I would hope that we would never need to use a fire extinguisher but then looking at FESA statistics for home fires in WA alone:-</p> <p><em>Firefighters are urging households to be more aware of fire risks after new statistics showed there were 592 accidental residential fires across Western Australia over the past year.&nbsp;</em><em>Chief Operations Officer Lloyd Bailey said he was concerned people were failing to take adequate steps to prevent accidental house fires.</em></p> <p><em>Mr Bailey said accidental house fires caused almost $22 million damage in the past financial year and most were preventable with the biggest cause being unattended flames and heaters.&nbsp;<a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20210306221229/http://www.dfes.wa.gov.au/mediareleases/Pages/MediaRelease.aspx?ItemId=616" target="_blank" rel="noopener">source:- http://www.dfes.wa.gov.au/mediareleases/Pages/MediaRelease.aspx?ItemId=616</a></em></p> <p>592 Fires may not sound that many, but then factor into that car fires, bush fires, fires that don't destroy the home etc and you will be getting into many thousands of instances where a fire extinguisher or fire blanket could make all the difference!</p> <h2>I don't have anything! What do I need?</h2> <p>There is no legal requirement for you to have a fire extinguisher or fire blanket in your home (not the case for your workplace however!) but for the minimal cost of these items, they could prevent a lot of heartache and expense at a later date!</p> <p>The most cost effective fire extinguisher for the home is a&nbsp;<a title="dry powder fire extinguisher" href="/fire-extinguishers-dry-powder" target="_blank" rel="noopener" data-link-type="tree" data-type="linkpicker">dry powder fire extinguisher</a>. These range in sizes from 0.75kg to a whopping 9kg unit. The weight description is purely the amount of dry powder they contain. For the total weight you add the weight of the cylinder and valve on to the powder weight too! Generally we would only expect to see 1kg or 1.5kg dry powder fire extinguishers in the home and up to a 2kg to 2.5kg dry<br />powder fire extinguisher if you have a workshop / garage.</p> <p><a title="fire blankets" href="/fire-blankets" target="_blank" rel="noopener" data-link-type="tree" data-type="linkpicker">Fire blankets</a>&nbsp;come in many sizes and we would recommend a minimum of a 1m x 1m with a 1.2m x 1.2m fire blanket being ideal for most houses.</p> <h3>Dry powder fire extinguishers - how they work</h3> <p>We have explained previously how fire works and what reactions take place. Dry powder fire extinguishers operate by placing a layer of powder over the fire / fuel source and stops the source of air that allows the fire to keep burning.</p> <p>Dry powder fire extinguishers are given a classification and rating. They are suitable for:-</p> <ul> <li>Class A Fires - Ordinary combustibles such as cardboard and wood</li> <li>Class B Fires - Flammable liquids such as petrol.</li> <li>Class E Fires - Fires involving electrical products.</li> </ul> <p>If you look at the rating of a 1kg dry powder fire extinguisher it may read 1A:20B:E where the numbers are an indication of the fire extinguishers performance. There are many 1kg fire extinguishers for sale that are only rated 1A:10B:E, so be aware of the performance when you are comparing pricing. The higher the number, the better the performance. Make sure you only buy Australian Standard approved fire extinguishers.</p> <p>Be aware that dry powder fire extinguishers do make a lot of mess when activated, but generally it can be cleaned up easily.</p> <h3>Fire blankets - Why?</h3> <p>I have a fire extinguisher so why do i need a fire blanket you may ask!</p> <p>Fire blankets are very useful for clothing fires (limited Class A) and fires involving deep fat fryers or burning oils (Class F). You should&nbsp;<strong>NEVER</strong>&nbsp;pour water on a deep fat fryer fire or use anything other than a a fire blanket or a wet chemical fire extinguisher (which are very expensive for domestic use). If you do you are likely to see the following:-</p> <p><iframe src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/EYuQyup0A0M" width="560" height="314" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe></p> <p>Scarey eh? That was only a cupful of water! A fire blanket is a high performance version of the 'wet cloth' that many people know about. A fire blanket however is designed to work without burning and is designed to completely smother the fire, starving the fire of air. The heat source should be turned off, the pan covered in the fire blanket and then left too cool down. If the fire blanket is removed too quickly, there is a chance that the oil may ignite again.</p> <p>We'll be blogging soon about how to use the fire extinguisher and fire blanket correctly.</p> <h2>OK so i'm convinced - Can you help?</h2> <p>Of course we can help! We are after all a fire safety company!</p> <p>We would recommend that you take a look at our&nbsp;<a title="Fire safety kits" href="/fire-safety-kits" target="_blank" rel="noopener" data-link-type="tree" data-type="linkpicker">fire safety product kits</a>. These start as a very basic 1kg dry powder fire extinguisher and 1m x 1m fire blanket at a very low price and end up at our&nbsp;<a title="Pro Home fire safety kit" href="/pro-home-fire-safety-kit" target="_blank" rel="noopener" data-link-type="tree" data-type="linkpicker">Pro Home fire safety kit</a>&nbsp;consisting of 2x 1kg dry powder fire extinguishers 3x 2.5kg dry powder fire extingushers and 2x 1.2m x 1.8m fire blankets, saving on the seperate item price!</p> <p>If the kits don't interest you then the rest of our range is very competitively priced, but we ask that you check the ratings and standards of other fire extinguishers before you buy from us. You will see that we only supply quality products!</p> urn:store:1:blog:post:4 https://fullworksfiresafety.com.au/fire-extinguisher-101-dry-chemical-powder-fire-extinguishers Fire Extinguisher 101 - Dry Chemical Powder Fire Extinguishers <div> <p><a title="Dry chemical powder (DCP) fire extinguishers" href="/fire-extinguishers-dry-powder" data-link-type="tree" data-type="linkpicker">Dry chemical powder (DCP) fire extinguishers</a>&nbsp;are one of the most common fire extinguishers used in Australia. The reason for this is their ability to tackle many different types of fire, their effectiveness at fighting fires and also the low cost of DCP extinguishers available.</p> </div> <div> <h2>Identifying dry chemical powder fire extinguishers</h2> <p>DCP fire extinguishers are easily distinguishable by the white band that is around the fire extinguisher cylinder near the top and if installed in a building they should also be identified by what is known as a&nbsp;<a title="Fire extinguisher description signs" href="/fire-extinguisher-description-signs">description sign</a>, which&nbsp;describes&nbsp;what fires the fire extinguisher&nbsp;can and cannot be used for.</p> <p style="text-align: center;"><a title="Dry Powder Fire Extinguishers" href="/fire-extinguishers-dry-powder"><img title="The white band signifies a Dry Chemical Powder Fire extinguisher" src="/images/uploaded/Images/eabe4.5wb_2.jpeg" alt="eabe4.5wb_2" width="40%" height="40%" /></a><a title="Fire Extinguisher ID signs" href="/fire-extinguisher-description-signs"><img src="/images/uploaded/Images/SGABE.jpeg" alt="SGABE" width="40%" height="40%" /></a></p> <p>Be aware that there are 2 types of dry chemical powder fire extinguishers, there are both ABE and BE type extinguishers.</p> <p>The most common type is know as an ABE dry chemical powder fire extinguisher. This is derived from the classes of fire that the extinguisher is effective against - Class A, B and E.</p> <p>The second type of dry chemical powder fire extinguisher is known as a BE dry chemical powder fire extinguisher. This is again derived from the classes of fire that the extinguisher is effective against - Class B and E. BE type dry chemical powder fire extinguishers are much less common that ABE type.</p> <p>Both types of dry chemical powder fire extinguishers have the white band, however the desciption sign should be different.</p> <h2>What fires can dry chemical powder fire extinguishers be used on?</h2> <p>As has already been mentioned, dry chemical powder fire extinguishers and extremely effective and versatile.</p> <p>ABE Type :-</p> <ul> <li>Class A Fires - paper, cardboard, wood, fabrics, people etc.</li> <li>Class B Fires - flammable liquid fires, petrol, deisel, oil etc</li> <li>Class E Fires - electrical fires, computers, photocopiers, switchboards etc</li> </ul> <p>BE Type:-</p> <ul> <li>Class B Fires - flammable liquid fires, petrol, deisel, oil etc</li> <li>Class E Fires - electrical fires, computers, photocopiers, switchboards etc</li> <li>Class F Fires - although not included in the rating the BE type is capable of extinguishing cooking oil fires</li> </ul> <p>Both types of dry chemical powder fire extinguishers can be used on flammable gas fires, however evaluate the situation carefully before doing this, as burning gas eliminates the gas, whereas if the fire is extinguished, the gas can continue to leak, build up and become a potential bomb if ignition is triggered.</p> <h2>How do dry chemcial powder fire extinguishers work?</h2> <p>All fire extinguishers work by removing one or more elements of the fire triangle - heat, fuel and oxygen</p> <p>The dry chemical powder use in most ABE fire extinguishers is called monoammonium phosphate. This powder has the ability to melt and flow once heated which allows it to coat the fuel and extinguish the fire especially class A and E fires. With class B fires the powder smothers the surface of the fire and stops the vapour (fuel) escaping and therefore extinguishing the fire straight away. Flammable liquid fires do not generally store much heat in the fuel source, therefore the powder will not normally melt.</p> <p>BE type dry chemical powder extinguishers differ in that they do not melt onto the fuel surface and are therefore ineffective against class A fires giving them a BE rating.</p> <h2>What are the advantages of dry chemical powder extinguishers?</h2> <p>Dry chemical powder fire extinguishers have a few advantages when compared to other fire extinguishers:-</p> <ul> <li>Versatile - can be used on many different types of fire</li> <li>Powerful - extinguish fires quickly</li> <li>Compact - when comparing effectiveness / size against other types of fire extinguisher</li> <li>Economical - low prices gives them a great price / performance ratio</li> <li>Coverage - can provide fire protection for large areas</li> <li>Variety - come in may differing sizes and ratings</li> <li>Safe - due to their versatility they are safe for use on electrical fires</li> </ul> <h2>What are the disadvantages of dry chemical powder extinguishers?</h2> <p>Dry chemical powder fire extinguishers also have a few disadvantages when compared to other fire extinguishers:-</p> <ul> <li>Cleanup - due to the powder cleanup can be extensive after use</li> <li>Dust - The dust can affect sensitive equipment such as computers</li> <li>Visibility - When used in enclosed spaces visibility can be reduced to almost zero. Always know where the exit is before use!</li> <li>Respiratory - The powder can make breathing almost impossible in enclosed spaces.</li> <li>Single shot - Although all fire extinguishers should be refilled / replaced after use, dry chemical powder fire extinguishers lose pressure quickly even if only actived for a fraction of a second. This is due to the powder getting stuck in the valve and allowing the pressure to leak.</li> <li>Compacted powder - If not serviced or not correctly serviced the dry chemical powder can settle and compact at the bottom of the fire extinguisher. This result in the powder not discharging either fully or correctly when used.</li> </ul> <h2>How to use dry chemical powder fire extinguishers?</h2> <p>Dry powder fire extinguishers are similar to most other fire extinguishers in operation. Just remember the PASS principle!</p> <p><strong><span style="color: #e03e2d;">P</span>ull</strong>&nbsp;the Pin -&nbsp;<strong><span style="color: #e03e2d;">A</span>im</strong>&nbsp;the nozzle at the base of the fire -&nbsp;<strong><span style="color: #e03e2d;">S</span>queeze</strong>&nbsp;the handle -&nbsp;<strong><span style="color: #e03e2d;">S</span>weep</strong>&nbsp;from side to side</p> <p><img style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" src="/images/uploaded/Images/pass.jpg" alt="pass" width="75%" height="75%" /></p> </div>