First line of defence
February 1st 2007

With the long-awaited arrival of the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order and changes in the way in which fire brigades deploy their resources, attention has again focused on 'first aid' firefighting. Portable extinguishers can be a useful first line of defence, and can stop a small fire from taking hold. Here, Keith Masterman of Tyco Fire Suppression Group, offers advice on how to choose an appropriate extinguisher Traditionally in the UK, while reasonable care was often taken regarding which type of portable extinguisher ought to be used to safeguard a particular fire safety hazard, less attention has been paid to selecting the manufacturer, supplier or maintainer of the equipment.

You could sum up the attitude as being: an extinguisher is an extinguisher. Now, all that has changed. With the arrival of the Fire and Rescue Act in 2004 and the Reform Order last October, businesses are faced with a number of challenges. For example, under the new Reform Order, 'responsible' people have to be 'competent' and make 'reasonable' decisions.

Health and safety managers now have a legal responsibility – if they are the appointed 'responsible person' – to ensure the supplier they are dealing with is 'competent', and that the extinguisher they buy is a 'reasonable' choice.

The reality is that neither of the terms – 'competent' and 'reasonable' – are clearly defined either in the Order, or accompanying Guidance Notes. The only safe route, therefore, is to choose the best available products from a reputable, trained and experienced supplier.

The wisdom of this policy is underpinned by a number of other factors. One implication of the Fire and Rescue Act is that brigades may not respond to all emergency calls within the same timescale. They may, unless an occupant's life is threatened, elect not to enter a burning building to fight the blaze. So, first aid firefighting may well have a major bearing on the continued existence of the business. Choosing anything other than the best possible portable extinguishers is foolhardy – especially so if you compare the infinitesimally small cost of portables to the financial and safety implications of a major fire.

But, before we look at some of the important quality issues, we should first look at how to select the most appropriate extinguisher for a particular fire risk.

Portables generally fall into four categories: foam, water, CO2 (carbon dioxide), and powder. Fires are also categorised into: Class A fires involving flammable solid materials such as wood, paper, coal, straw and cloth; Class B fires involving flammable liquids or liquefiable solids; Class C fires involving gases; and Class D fires involving metals. There is also a Class F fire in the UK (Class K in the USA) involving cooking oils.

However, Tyco believes there are instances where the commonly available 'standard' portable extinguishers fall somewhat short of being ideal. Tyco's TOTAL solutions have been developed specifically for each of these special applications. These include: powder portables for metal fires and coal fires; antimagnetic CO2 portables for hospitals and clinics; specially formulated water portables for sawdust fires; wet chemical portables for cooking oil and fat fires, and CO2-propelled foam portables for polar liquid fires. Engineers at Tyco's research and manufacturing facility in Neuruppin, Germany, where the TOTAL portables are produced, have devised a 'Tandem' portable/automatic extinguisher. This doubles as a fixed, automatic extinguisher for protecting unattended fire risk.

Even the standard TOTAL portables have a number of special features. The standard foam version, for example, is cartridge operated and foam is encapsulated within a cartridge inside the extinguisher. Tyco claims this extends the life of the foam by four to five times compared with conventional foam portables. It also means cartridges can be environmentally-friendly recycled. Another option is the anti-freeze version of the foam and water portables; suitable, for example, for forecourt use.

Carefully chosen partners The TOTAL range is available in the UK only through two carefully chosen partners: Express Fire in Manchester and CheckFire in Cardiff. Together they have developed a country-wide network of supply partners who are trained to advise, install and maintain the right extinguishers in peak condition. All TOTAL portables comply with British and European standards and are certified by a host of leading approvals organisations. Virtually every stage of cylinder manufacture is under TOTAL's direct control, including material selection and sourcing in Europe, advanced low-heat plasma welding, fabrication, assembly and high-performance powder-coating, cylinder pressure testing and agent filling.

Furthermore, each cylinder is numbered to provide a complete and reliable quality audit trail.

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