Everyone worries about business premises’ safety. Knowing how many fire extinguishers you need in your business premises is a great way to protect your business and ensure your customers’ safety.
Are you planning to start a business and don’t want to take unnecessary risks?
The number of fire dampers needed in business premises depends solely on the size of your business.
For instance, business premises with a smaller space will require fewer fire extinguishers than a larger space.
However, it is important to have fire extinguishers at all corners of your business premises.
So in this post, I will show you the number of fire extinguishers needed in your business premises depending on the size.
Well, the right answer to this question solely depends on the floor plan and size of your business premises or building. Some buildings are measured in square feet, while others are measured in feet.
The number of fire extinguishers needed in a commercial building also depends on the fire hazard level of the building.
A fire hazard level includes:
- Light fire hazard
- Ordinary fire hazard I & II
- Extra fire hazard I & II
- Commercial kitchens
Depending on which fire hazard level your business falls into, the number of fire devices will increase or decrease.
Now, if your business deals with highly flammable chemicals, the standard code is that a fire extinguisher, of ratings not less than 10B, must be provided within 50 feet of wherever more than 5 gallons of flammable or combustible liquids or 5 pounds of flammable gas according to Occupational Safety and Health Administration (osha.gov).
How many fire extinguishers are required on business premises
The standard code for the placement of fire dampers in commercial spaces should be no more than 75 feet apart. Because the type of merchandise sold on commercial premises may be susceptible to fire, the ideal distance between fire extinguishers should be 30 feet to allow for easy access in emergencies.
While this is the standard code, the advice of a building professional or fire safety authority is essential.
The best way to determine the type of fire extinguisher, the fire extinguisher mounts, and the exact number of fire extinguishers that need to be installed in your commercial space is to have a fire protection contractor come out to inspect the building and recommend the actual amount needed.
It is also important to consider the right number of fire extinguishers in your commercial premises. It should be chosen to be easily accessible to both your employees and customers without harming any of them.
How should high fire extinguishers be mounted on a business premise?
The standard height for any fire extinguisher mount is between 3 and 5 feet above the ground. This helps prevent fire extinguishers from being hit, removed, or damaged.
They should be mounted on brackets where the handle is 3 to 5 feet above the floor level.
Larger extinguishers, however, must be mounted at a lower height because of their weight, and the handle of the mount should be about 1 to 2 feet above the ground.
How to Use a Fire Extinguisher – A Step By Step Guide
You must know how to use a fire extinguisher if a fire emergency occurs in your workplace. As a business owner, hands-on training in using a fire extinguisher is necessary for all of your employees.
However, we don’t pray that you can use a fire extinguisher, but you need to know how to use one.
Now that you have fire dampers installed in your business premises, let’s start using them to put out fires effectively.
When using a fire extinguisher, it is best to follow these set fire extinguishing rules known as P.A.S.S.
P.A.S.S. in this context stands for
- Pull
- Aim
- Squeeze
- Sweep
Step one: Know the Class of fire you are dealing with
Know the kind or class of fire you are putting out. This is very important as it will help you choose the right fire extinguisher.
According to OSHA.gov, these are classification of fire according to types
| Type A | Fires of wood, paper, cloth, rubber, and many plastics. |
| Type B | Fires involving flammable liquids and gasses, including gasoline, solvents, propane, and paints. |
| Type C | Fires involving energized electrical equipment, including fuse boxes, wiring, electrical panels, computers, copiers, machinery, and appliances. In short, anything connected to electricity. |
| Type D | Fires of metals, including combustible powders, chips, or flakes of metals such as magnesium, titanium, potassium, and sodium. |
| Type K | Fires involving cooking oils and fats are commonly used in commercial kitchens. |
Step two: Select the right fire damper that befits the class of fire
From step one above, I believe you have known the class of fire you want to put out; this enables you to select the correct fire extinguisher suitable to put out that particular fire.
Step three: Use the PASS method to put out the fire
- Pull the pin
- Aim the nozzle
- Squeeze the fire extinguisher handle
- Sweep side by side, making sure you target the base of the fire
What is the best time to use a fire asphyxiator?
What does it depend on whether you may use a fire extinguisher to put out a fire? When is the right time to use a fire extinguisher? Here you should draw a line between saving yourself and calling for greater help.
So if you are involved in a fire incident, there may be times when you and others should get to safety rather than trying to put out the fire with a fire extinguisher.
So before you attempt to fight a fire, here are important things to consider…
- Is the fire small enough to be contained and extinguished with a fire extinguisher?
- Is the fire extinguisher available and within your reach?
- There are different types of fire, is the extinguisher of the appropriate type to put out the type of fire you want to put out?
- Is the extinguisher fully charged and large enough to put out the fire?
- Have you been trained by safety experts in the proper use of a fire extinguisher?
- Are you sure you are not putting yourself or others in danger if you continue to try to put out a fire when it is obviously not working?
The bottom line is that it is quite unreasonable for you to put yourself and others in danger by trying to contain a fire with a fire extinguisher when it is obvious that you can fight it.
Therefore, you should always follow the important tips listed above when extinguishing a fire.
What happens if the fire refuses to go out while using a fire extinguisher?
It is unwise to endanger your life and the lives of those around you by attempting to extinguish a fire that you cannot control. The best thing at this stage is your safety and the safety of those around you if a fire escalates. So if a fire refuses to go out, leave the area quickly.
How to detect a fire early in a business premises
It’s pretty easy to spot fire in a commercial space, only if the space is small. But what if it’s a large place? How do you recognize fire or the triggers of fire?
The natural way is through the sense of smell (sound). So, for example, you can detect the smell of a burning substance or smoke with this complex human organ. But this is actually not the best way.
Technology has made it much easier with the introduction of smoke detectors.
Remember the well-known saying, “No smoke without fire.” This means that some amount of smoke precedes most fires.
A smoke detector will help detect fire even if your sense of smell cannot.
As soon as this smoke detector detects a cloud of smoke, an alarm will sound to notify you, giving you enough time to make your decisions.
Now you need to install this fire alarm device anywhere on your business premises. It costs less but saves more.
How often are fire extinguishers to be checked?
The frequency with which a fire damper should be inspected and maintained is fundamental. Every 31 days, you need to manually and physically check all of your fire extinguishers. Always check the extinguishers for signs of corrosion, damage, leakage, or clogging; make sure the extinguishers are still in place, and their labels are still intact.
Where to mount a fire extinguisher in a commercial building
Fire extinguishers are placed where they are within easy reach of everyone in case of an emergency. Remember, you need more than one fire extinguisher on each commercial building floor 30 to 50 feet apart.
Fire extinguishers are mounted and secured using fire extinguisher brackets or mounts.